A few years ago we were looking after a gite for friends in Eauze on the LePuy Way while they had a well earned week off. They had a kind tradition of offering to wash pilgrims socks, undies and t-shirts. Each pilgrim was given a mesh bag and they just had to bring it to the laundry by 5.30. The washed clothes would be hung in the laundry near the heaters and be dry later that night. Our friends said the only laundry rule was that only we should operate the (expensive commercial) machines, which we explained to the pilgrims.
One pilgrim whose luggage (a very large suitcase) had arrived in advance during the day said that she wanted to do her own laundry. We told her this was not possible but we’d be happy to do her socks, undies and t-shirt, or she could wash them by hand. Neither English nor French were her native language but she did speak English and i was sure she understood. She didn’t give me any washing so I went ahead and loaded up the others.
Some time later when I came down to check the laundry, I found the previous (now wet) load on the floor and another full load in the washer, an empty suitcase beside. It was a very large washing machine. She had emptied the entire contents of her suitcase in there including her sleeping bag
.
I won’t go into all that followed. Just to say, I wasn’t exactly filled with the Camino spirit in that moment.