Don't expect to get fit from the occasional Sunday walk; unless you are young and boundless with energy like our two youngest walkers - Laura and Suwei. Most of our group takes part in a regular activity or some sports. When you are reasonably fit, walking the undulating trails and conquering the endless hills - be they tiny or big ones - becomes less of a chore and you might even forget the weight on your back! This is especially so for a trip rated medium plus.

Pack lightweight. Strip off food packaging or repack. Use zipper bags instead of plastic storage containers. Reuse bags and recycle packaging to hold the next day's lunch or food scraps and garbage that you have to take out. Detailing the amount of each meal and snack will mean little or no excess food to carry out. As for clothing, fresh underwear and spare socks are a must. Everything else is discretionary. Derek (left) sheepishly labelled himself the 'garbage man' because at the end of the hike he had enough empty cans, packaging and three large storage containers to fill his 35 litre day pack alone. He was the unique walker among us carrying front and back packs.

Know yourself; be yourself Ask for advice, observe other people's experiences and try things out yourself. For example, most would recommend bursting water blisters, then taping them up but I was squeamish about this. So when I had blisters - one each on my little toes - which happened as they did at previous walks, rather than pierce them, I just taped them. And this worked fine for me. I also found that while I am walking, I generate enough body heat to need no more than one middleweight baselayer, even in winter.

At Mt Cole, I told Andrew that I tolerated the cold poorly so he lent me a sleeping bag rated -20 °C. I tried a few others and eventually bought a goose down bag rated -10°C that has seen me through winter and even summer camping. Like finding your prince, you have to kiss some frogs first.

I was also meticulous about the weight I carried as I knew my limitations. So whilst I wouldn't spend as much on normal clothing, I invested a small fortune in lightweight gear. At the Lighthouse, we had luxurious accommodation with complete bathroom and kitchen facilities so all we had to carry were our personal items, food and sleeping bags. For my body weight, 16kg was the maximum for a recommended 25 - 30% pack to weight ratio. For this trip, I carried 13kg. Even so, for our social night where each of us had to bring something to share, I was willing to carry in a good drop of red but reluctant to carry out an empty bottle. The compromise was finding a fellow walker like Derek willing to trade that for a more generous share.

Also, remember why you are doing a pack carry in the first place. Do you love the bush and the scenic views? Are you there to delight in the open space and maybe good conversation? Whatever your reasons, it's easy to fall into the pace set by a competitive sportsman or one who is lots fitter and find yourself playing catch-up and missing the joy of walking. Several times, I allowed others to pass and deliberately dropped back so that I could revel in the solitude or drink in the sights and sounds of nature. Since this is mushroom season, I made sure I captured pictures of the six or more varieties of fungi that sprouted along the trails. And sometimes, we just need a private moment for our digestive system to commune with nature.

Eat, drink and be merry Pack carry meals do not have to mean hardship. Or, an excuse to diet, start your new health plan or whatever reason for eating muesli bars and crackers for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sure, camp meals require some planning and effort but with practice and creativity, some ideas are easily adaptable and they don't weigh a ton. Yen made pizzas for us with pitta bread, tomato paste, olives, kabana, ham and capsicums. I had a tasty mash from a packet with roasted chicken (vacuum packed from Coles), cheese and spinach. Stephen's colourful veggie stir fry with chilli and fish sauce sent our nostrils into sensory overload. Foods suitable for camping can all come from your regular supermarket.

With no further prompting, dinners were cooked and tucked into with gusto as more food for sharing kept piling up. The feasting that began at 4.30pm stretched over four hours as we adjourned from the kitchen to the cosy lounge room for more cheesecake and tea.

Just do it. Just as I took the plunge to drive on this trip whilst on P plates, there is no better way to get better and more confident than to do it. Check out the walks program and begin with an introduction pack carry. Who knows where the journey will take you? For me, I am already dreaming of the Larapinta Trail.