Getting a walking stick home?

[jrm]

Hello all,

If I were to buy a walking stick when i arrive in Spain, what would be the best way to get it home at the end of the camino? Somehow mail it?

 

[Scott Sweeney]

Mailing is an option or wrap it, tube it and check it as you would luggage.

 

[brawblether]

Where is "home"? How and by what route are you travelling home?

I took mine on the plane (back to Melbourne, Australia) without any issue. It was well wrapped up. I flew from Madrid to Rome then after a week onto Melbourne.

 

[Siom]

Where is "home"? How and by what route are you travelling home?

I took mine on the plane (back to Melbourne, Australia) without any issue. It was well wrapped up. I flew from Madrid to Rome then after a week onto Melbourne.

Hi Brawlblether, I'm assuming you mean the wooden stick. No issues clearing customs in Melbourne?

 

[Craig Miller]

We flew home from Madrid via LaCoruna. We were required to check them. It was no problem, also if you buy a pocket knife to use on your walk, just tape it securely to your sticks. The ticket counter has tape. we used 2" clear packing tape. There were no customs issues returning to the U.S.

 

[jrm]

Yep, sorry.. home is the US. I'm hoping to avoid checking anything if possible. We've got some tight connections, so the easier it is to get from place to place, the better. But perhaps that is the way to go!

 

[Craig Miller]

Yep, sorry.. home is the US. I'm hoping to avoid checking anything if possible. We've got some tight connections, so the easier it is to get from place to place, the better. But perhaps that is the way to go!

Well as you know if you travel much, every desk and gate and security person is different. You get an easy one and then you get a difficult one. Its a crap shoot. For us the check-in agent for our airline said the sticks had to be checked, he said "its not possible to take them in the passenger cabin". We may have gotten a hard one. Your results may differ. We also had some tight connections and a late departure from LaCorunna caused us a missed connection in Chicago to Seattle. That meant we sat an extra 3+ hours in Chicago at O'hare. While a miss is a pain...what can ya do. Good luck. Look at my other post here named A few observations on walking the Camino. It might give you some tips.

 

[Anniesantiago]

If you buy one of those Camino palos, just tie your name on it and check it.
They are (literally) indestructible.
I know.. I beat one on a boulder once on the meseta during a meltdown.
I used all my strength.
It felt soooo good! lol!
The stick didn't even get a scratch.

 

[jeffnd]

Mail it. UPS it. Do anything other than give it to the airlines!

Before I left, I called American Airlines and told them of my situation. I knew that walking sticks and such were not allowed in the cabin, but I told them I'd walked with this stick for over a month and it meant the world to me. The rep I talked to said if they have no problem with it at security, then just hand it to the flight attendants when you board and they'll store it in the closet. No problem.

Well, the flight crew weren't as understanding. They insisted I check it. It made it back from Paris okay, but was lost on the flight from Dallas to my home.

I've spoken at length about how much that walking stick meant to me. I considered it just as much a walking companion as anyone I met on the Camino. It saved me from disaster several times.

My one regret from the Camino is not shipping Mr. Stick back home. Airlines are famous for mis-handling things. I should have just stopped at the post office and done it. I wouldn't have cared what the price was.

 

[Madidi]

I've spoken at length about how much that walking stick meant to me. I considered it just as much a walking companion as anyone

I too was reluctant to put my trusty walking stick (purchased in St Jean in 2012) in the hands of the airlines and actually left it twice in Santiago with a friend who owns Pension Mafer there and picked it up on my return to go walking. I had flown home from Santiago twice and had observed check-in staff taking all manner of walking aids from pilgrims without any fuss. The two airlines were Aer Lingus and Iberian and I decided this year to try and bring my 'friend' home with me. I duly arrived at the airport with my stick simply marked that I would recognise it and was over the moon when the lady on the check-in desk accepted the stick at no extra charge. It went into the hold and arrived safely in Dublin It might be much more complicated if there are multiple legs to your journey home.

Good luck jrm if you find that all important 'walking companion' and really want to bring it home.

Take care, be safe.

S.

 

[waveprof]

Yep, sorry.. home is the US. I'm hoping to avoid checking anything if possible. We've got some tight connections, so the easier it is to get from place to place, the better. But perhaps that is the way to go!

You'll have to check it, but we didn't have problems. Tight connections or no, if it somewhow didn't make the connection they'll get it to you later, and meanwhile it isn't like clothing or something you might "need" immediately.