Weights & Measures

More for my own reference than anything else, this page will document what we brought with us. Which can be useful when preparing for future trips! (for example, I used the Weights & Measures page from the 2017 Portuguese Camino blog, and the one on our 2019 bike trip along the EuroVelo 6, as starting points for my packing for this trip)

Clothing

  • 2 pair shorts
  • 2 pair long pants
  • 2 cotton T-shirts
  • 1 golf shirt with collar
  • 2 long-sleeve shirts, linen
  • v-neck sweater
  • zip-neck long-sleeve top
  • 5 pair socks
  • 3 pair underpants
  • Goretex shell/jacket
  • lightweight down vest
  • lightweight scarf
  • sun hat
  • long-sleeve cycling jersey
  • cycling gloves
  • small fanny pack (while cycling)
  • waterproof walking shoes
  • flip flops

Tech stuff

  • iPhone 14 Pro (my camera and blogging platform)
  • Apple Bluetooth Magic keyboard
  • 2-prong plug adapter for Europe
  • small cubic iPhone power adapter (with standard USB-A outlet)
  • USB-A to Lightning adapter cord, 10-foot, braided, to recharge iPhone
  • corded earbuds (with standard audio jack; reasoning: wireless Bluetooth earbuds are expensive to replace if lost or stolen, and are just another thing to charge; also: corded earbuds work with airline entertainment systems)
  • Lightning to standard audio out adapter (to connect the corded earbuds to the iPhone)
  • compact/foldable 1-to-3-plug power adapter (to be plugged into the Europe plug adapter; for those occasions when a single power outlet needs to be shared)
  • Piston Power 10,000mAh power pack, to recharge iPhone if/when necessary. An earlier version of this
  • adapter power cable (USB-A to ?) to recharge the above
  • a UK-based physical SIM, for J ($33 CAD; 10GB data; Unlimited Minutes and SMS; valid for 30 days)
  • SIM card eject tool
  • a data-only eSIM, for M ($25 USD; 20GB data; valid for 30 days). Because I wanted to see how eSIMs work
Tech supplies

Misc

  • water bottle
  • compact umbrella
  • mini tripod (for iPhone)
  • Swiss army knife
  • a few paperback books that I don’t mind leaving behind (for: waiting rooms, trains, planes & buses, idle hours in cafés)
  • writing stuff (Clairefontaine notebook/journal; pens and pencils; eraser; glue stick; letter paper; a few envelopes)
  • money belt
  • around-the-neck passport pouch (can also hold cellphone, for easy access)
  • passport!
  • a few issues of Geist magazine, to pass along to any interested parties
  • backpack (I’m using the same one I used for our walk along the Portuguese Camino, the Gregory Zulu 40 from MEC)
  • daypack (J found a great ultralight dry stuff pack from Osprey, which will be much lighter and more versatile than the canvas shoulder bag that I usually use)
  • small Tupperware container
  • 2 x bungee cords
  • 2 x packing/compression straps
  • 4 x clothspins
  • small amount of duct tape
  • short length of cord
  • glasses case
  • prescription sunglasses and case
  • various toiletries (including: sunscreen, comb, earplugs, shower cap (a.k.a cycle helmet cover), toothbrush, toothpaste, vitamins etc, shampoo, some bandages, nail clippers, folding scissors, nail file, tweezers)
  • some spare plastic bags

Grand total weight, including the backpack and shoes, was 29.9 lbs. Of that, my carry-on weight (daypack and sundries, plus what I’ll wear on the flight) was 10 lbs