The Laugavegur Diaries part 1 was published on March 1st but it was actually written in mid February so this first update covers my preparation from then until the end of March because this one is literally being written as a diary and updated as I go along.
Booking
Well, the walk itself is now booked. Six days, Laugavegur Trail, Fimmvörðuháls and a day in Þórsmörk.
I’ve booked an apartment in Reykjavik for the night I get back. I wanted the most expensive luxurious hotel I could find for mere pennies on comparison sites but nothing costs mere pennies in Reykjavik in July.
Training
I need to do more walking – at the very least, I need to get back into the habit of going outside sometimes.
Worth Matravers to Dancing Ledge, 24/02/18
It was less than five and a half miles and the cliff section was pretty much flat but I got out, I learned not to wear my big thick yellow top even if it’s cold (because cold wind + many warm layers = cold ears but otherwise sweaty) and I can get more miles under my feet over the next few weeks.
The next weekend was scuppered by snowmageddon. The furthest I got was stomping & slushing to the local shop.
I honestly don’t know what happened to the next weekend. The third was taken out by Sweden, the fourth by being ill and this Easter weekend I’ve been catching up on food, sleep and writing.
Food
Oh, this is difficult! I’ve collected about half a dozen dried packet meals to try out but so far I haven’t been in the right stomach-mood to actually do it. Food is going to be a relatively big problem on this trek.
The first one I tried was the Mug Shot. Just add hot water – the others require milk and optional butter.
I tried it. I can eat a very little & I’ll take a couple in case of emergencies. But I can’t really eat it. It’s too much sauce and it’s too creamy and too wet and some of the pasta crunches because dousing in kettle water isn’t really enough to cook it properly. I ate enough that my mum stood and stared and interrupted my tentative nibbling with “I’m so proud of you for trying something!” But it’s not going to work. Plain pasta it shall be and I’ll have to see what I can do about the cheese.
Equipment
I’ve realised I need to invest in a good sleeping bag. Had I been brave enough ten years ago, I would not now have three not-great sleeping bags. But I’m not going to buy that until I get back from Cyprus. I’m willing to spend a bit on this because it needs to be warm and it’s something I’m going to get good use of even after the trek.
I’m keeping the boots. Surprise surprise. I think they’re a little narrower than I’d ideally like but I think they’re snug and supportive & grippy. I like them.
In preparation for walking long distances and wearing sandals, I’m attempting to get my feet looking socially acceptable. They’re not bad feet. I want my nails professionally cut & shaped in June because left to my own devices, they permanently look like someone chewed them. And there is filing & acid going on in other places. Which is nice.
I’ve made plans for packing. I know I need to get some more drybags. I’ve been to Superdrug and bought some stuff.
I know antibac hand gel doesn’t actually do much but I think it’s not too terrible to take with me. Compeed to treat blisters on the go. Wipes to clean things including myself while we’re out in the mountains. And moisturiser because one thing cold fresh mountain air does it strip moisture from your skin and make it sore. You can buy tiny tubes of topical anaesthetic cream without prescription now so that might not be a bad idea in case of real need – walking on injured numb feet probably isn’t a great idea but you never know.
Miscellaneous
A few years ago, when one of my Rangers left, she gave me a gorgeous orange-leather-covered notebook. I planned to take it on my Everest basecamp trek but as that didn’t happen (it literally didn’t happen; I probably wouldn’t have ended up going on it but the trip never happened) I’m going to take it to Laugavegur. I want to draw little watercolours of the maps from my guidebooks and write out the instructions for each day, since the guidebook is quite chunky and it doesn’t open wide enough to photocopy properly.
That’s everything for this month, I think. There may – or may not – be more walking in next month’s diary.