Pretty much all packed now. It’s been a difficult decision whether to take the two Uniqlo fleeces or the two Paramo. The Paramo are much more expensive, are slightly heavier, thinner and probably colder but that’ll be mitigated to some extent by whichever Uniqlo gillet I take. Last April I took the full duvet but we did end up in three feet of snow. The lighter, armless gillet will probably be sufficient but the extra warmth is always nice to have. I’m also a little concerned as to how the Paramo fleeces will fare under washer/tumble drier conditions experienced on the Camino. They’re currently beautifully soft and I’d like them to stay that way. That said, what’s the point of having really nice kit if I’m worried about wearing it. I’ll make the final decision tomorrow based on what the weather looks like in Portugal and Spain over the next 10 days or so.

I’ve also bought a Microsoft folding keyboard to write with. It’s only 150g and it’s really neat. It’s definitely easier writing with it than directly on the iPhone.

Dorothy’s busy sewing a small repair on her Rab anorak. We’re aiming for a more minimalist trip this time out. We’re staying in private rooms in a combination of albergues and hotels so no need for towels, liners or sleeping bags. It’s likely to rain quite a bit according to the current forecast (which is generally improving every time I look) so gore-tex over trousers and short length gaiters are probably worth taking along. I’ll leave the fluorescent yellow waterproof gloves at home this time around. They worked well last time but they’re quite heavy and too easy to spot from space.

The flight leaves at 9:40 tomorrow morning so we’ll get up around 4 o’clock, grab some cereal and leave the house around 4:30. We’ll walk quickly up to Headington where we’ll catch the 5:15 airport bus. All being well, we’ll be in the north terminal in Gatwick well in advance of our flight.

It’ll be sad leaving Tal so early on in his short life but Dorothy et al assures me that he’ll be fine. He’s a delightful little chap with lots of character and I’m sure that both of us will miss him.

That’s it for now, more when we get to Porto tomorrow.

Burn Camino