Coast & Vines

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Had a wonderful opportunity for a break at a Christies Beach house where we could do some solid walking for 3 days.....We decided on wearing boots and backpacks - had INTENDED on walking with the poles but that didn't happen... I am still trying to get the backpack sorted into its most comfortable position with strap adjustment / way that it is packed etc ... the pack is a Deuter 65L, and specifically designed for women.... this allows for narrower shoulder width and a more curved hip belt. It can be adjusted for varying back lengths....it weighs just over 1kg..... which NOW seems a little heavy for our purpose of walking for 5+ weeks.... many others on the Camino forum walk with ULTRA light backpacks...but I'm sure it will be ok.... the trick is (apparently) to pack so heavier items are snug into the mid back, allowing the hips to take the weight .... but as I havent yet done a full trial pack with eveything I want to carry , organising/trialling that is still a work in progress..the aim is to trek carrying no more than 10% of your body weight...

The pace was a comfortable one with great walking weather 20-22 degC ... and we dawdled intermittently- stopping to take pics of surfers/birds/scenery, have coffee etc ... The Sony Cybershot camera (DSC-HX9 ) we both have we chose after a fair bit of research online, trawling forums, Diane and Sister checking one out in a local camera shop. We would have preferred to purchase locally but honestly the temptation of being able to buy a $470 camera for $160 less online from overseas was just too hard to resist.... so we didn't. Anyway - we are both becoming familiar with its use so by the time we head O/S we are fully competent in using it. The camera takes good pics and interestingly I notice the difference when uploading to my laptop as opposed to the little MacAir i have.... the colours are more pristine, pics looks sharper etc on the Mac



Relaxation at days end involved feet up, wine sipping/food nibbling , sunset watching AND noting birds flying left to right -( which they seem to do wherever I see them on the coast at sunset - and its the reverse in the morning)





Day 1 from Christies to Seaford and back -15km





Day 2 Christies to Moana and return -18km





Day 3 McLarenVale to Willunga along the 'Shiraz Trail' - part of the Coast to Vines Trail about 20km

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