What to carry - and what to definitely leave behind!

We had such a long list, but what was interesting was how different our lists were. We're both pretty chilled runners/hikers, we don't carry water if we're doing less than 3 miles, we don't worry about where we are, we're happy to get lost etc....

But this was different, it required more thought and consideration for those family members involved with either the logistics or were just worried about our well-being.

Naomi is usually the most chilled, often never even carrying her phone with her so it surprised Claire when Naomi came up with lists such as vaseline for chaffing and suncream, and the right amount of water etc, although to be fair she is the more expeienced one out us.

Claire typically channelled her inner tech nerd and wrote down items such as drone, GoPro, selfie stick, battery charging packs, inflatable microphone

We BOTH wanted to take Claudia, a blow up unicorn (no real reason other than we thought it would be funny)

When it came to it we had to carry what we could carry, it's worth pointing out that it really does depend of what part of the Cami you are doing, some of the route does have shops for food and drink, so you can refresh yourself along the way. The north is the area that has the least amount of facilities, the very north west in particular.

Here's our take on it from our experience:

Do not leave behind

• Water is your absolute most important thing to carry!! Do not forego water for space for something else. Better still - pop some electrolytes in with it.

• Food: peanut butter sandwiches, sweets such as skittles, chocolate, dried fruit, apples, protein balls. Don't take a banana they will go brown and gross very quickly and the smell will put you off them for life!

• Plasters - these turned out to be an absolute must for Claire, she went through so many we had to stock up again at a pharmacy on route one day.

• Fold-up Map - yes you have your phone but we loved getting the map out, to trace a line with our fingers of how far we'd come, it really helped us with our bearings and get a sense of the journey

• Power: A juice bank and cable for your phone as you don't know how long you might be out for and all the filming you will do will drain your battery!

• A step counter/fitbit style watch - simply because if you're gonna do ALL those steps you want a record of it right?!!

• A hat - you will use it! even if you're not a hat person, covering you're head is vital to avoid suffering! (trust us!)

• Toilet roll - we actually took an entire roll with us! It was needed too!

• A mini quick drying towel - we got some great ones from Dock and Bay, putting socks back on wet sandy feet is not recommended.

• Lanyard for your phone to hang around your neck - trust us you'll want quick and easy access to it without having to "carry it" or to keep getting it out of your bag/pocket

  
  

If you've got the room

• Swimwear, we thought we'd swim every day but in the end we didn't have time, also jellyfish were a problem, we did go in up to our thighs to cool off which was wonderful but swimwear wasn't needed for that. If you've got the room though do take it as assuming temperatures and jelly fish are good it's the best island for swimming!

• A selfie stick - very handy if you want to do some vlogging. the selfie stick we bought also doubled up as a tripod

• Drone: (see below)

• Sunscreen: If you slap it all on properly in the morning you should be good for the day, if you have the room though take a mini one if case you sweat/swim it off

Don't bother

• Drone: We've put the done in both categories - why? because its the most awesome thing you can take and you will get the most beautiful footage, however, only if you can be bothered to and you're not so tired ad exhausted and limping with blister pain and sunstroke, cos if that's the case its's a complete waste of weight and space!

• Spare socks: you just don't need them

• GoPro - if you have a decent phone it's really not necessary (IMO)

• Inflatable unicorns