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Good Night, God Bless, and mind the BedBugs don't bite!

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My parents, from the North East of England (I don't know if its a regional saying?), always said this to me and my siblings when we went to bed. Our beds were not BB-ridden; it was a smiley-effect, a cosy traditional saying that sent us up the 'apples and pears' - 'stairs' (I was born in the East End of Old Smokey), and I didn't encounter my first-of-many bed bugs until the Camino Francés - many, many years later. As a child, I didn't know what they were going on about, but it sounded cute (childhood naivety is so wondeful). Now, a hardened adult full of marshmellow, I know all too well what my parents were referring to. Anyway, I digress a little from my questions: I'm planning the Salvador and Primitivo for Sep-Oct., on limited budget and having to take into account my aches and pains, thus my rucksack weight. I got Jake's weight (my rucksack), down to 8.5 kilos for the Inglés, rather like trying to diet a few kilos off my waist - a painful and testing trial, full of excuses and justification as to why another bar of my fave choco or packet of crisps is, in fact, a very healthy slimming choice. But on the Inglés I could still feel the life-long of playing Rugby and other sports bruises and injuries reminding me of my youth (when you're my age, its amazing how those injuries you thought were long healed and gone come back and bite your… every step).
My poor old sleeping bag is now in sleepy-bag recycling heaven. It had its fair-share of Camino bedybugs, and I was so close to my beloved schlafsack (Marilyn, I called it ;) that I couldn’t do the burning and dancing naked around the pyre probably-get-arrested-knowing-my-luck ceremony. I’ve searched for a new one - as light as a feather and a 20€ note. Here in Tirol - I humbly live at the feet of a majestic 2,700 m mountain range (the Alpine Nordkette), they have mountain stay-overs called Hütte - communal huts where you can sleep over with other walkers. They vary, like our ubiquitous Alberque, and can also be found empty or cramped full to the ceiling – with all the familiar smells, sounds, coughs, sneezes, etc etc. People, no different the world over, always make room for you in the Hütte, even if its a strip of floor 30 cm wide and 1 meter long with your nose squashed against a wall. My momentous discovery is that you can purchase cheap and a light Hüttenschlafsack (Hut sleeping bags). Yes!Yes! My new one is 280 grams, cost 21 €, is a significant decrease in weight, size and difficult-to-zip-upyness as it has no zip to wrestle with that always snags in the cloth and can you really be bothered after a 15 - 40 k hike to unsnag it when all you want to do is be horizontal and sleep? And yet another bonus - it rolls up and pops into its little carry sack almost of its own accord; early-morning Camino getting-up trying not to disturb my fellow pilgrims who are comfortably sleeping heaven ;)

I’m wondering – is it a safe gamble? Or is a bit of pain acceptable (some say necessary), on Camino, and I should carry a heavy-duty sleeping bag like penance? No! I want pain-free and light. Am I right in thinking/remembering, from my modest Camino experience, Alberques are warm and cosy, have roaring, log-burning fires and thick, fluffy wool blankets? At worst, if the log fires burn low to ash, I could wear my socks, undies and T shirt if cold (we get used to that old, sweaty, itchy aroma along the way, don’t we), or have any of you experience of Camino with such a Hüttenschlafsack and can advise me otherwise, that I’m a cheap fool to go light and all Tirol-Hütte like in my thinking/buying/preparation? Do let me know, and when you wrestle into your sleeping bag tonight, Good Night, God bless, and mind the BedBegs don't bite :cool: LLN Keith PS Marilyn is gone, will never be back - any suggestions (polite, clean, not too serious), for the name of my new Hüttenschlafsack? I will take a poll but probably chose my fave anyway. PPS I live in a village on the Jacobsweg - St Jame's way: If you're ever passing through, let me know and say hello. You're very welcome here.
 
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3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
I always just use a silk bag liner. I once walked the Ingles with less than 3 kilos by the way.
Wow! How did you manage that? Could I get down to 3 kilos on a three week Salvador and Primitivo Camino, do you think? The Silk bags are a bit beyond my budget - or do you know of a good, cheap source? Thanks. Keith
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I'm just back from the Salvador and stayed in almost all the albergues on that route (stayed in hotel in Miernes and a room over the bar in Parajes) Most had the single use sheets to put on the bed and to cover the pillow, and all had blankets. I got an extra sheet to use over me. I never took my silk liner out of my pack. Never saw a bed bug. My pack was under 10 pounds. It can be done - get someone else to look at your pack and try to justify to them as to why you need the items in it! My son just kept saying, are you sure? My only regret was not taking my umbrella as it rained for over 2 weeks of my 3 weeks on the camino!
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Wow! How did you manage that? Could I get down to 3 kilos on a three week Salvador and Primitivo Camino, do you think? The Silk bags are a bit beyond my budget - or do you know of a good, cheap source? Thanks. Keith
One to wear, one spare. No fleece/jumper. Lightweight sea to summit bag. If good for 2 days then good for infinite walk.
Sorry have had my liner 6 years and cannot even remember where I got it from or the cost.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Long before I had any inclination to walk the Camino (I was convent educated and thought pilgrimage was for hair-shirt wearing, self-flagellating nuns!) my mother used to say that to me, and later I said it to my own children. Since then I have become rather more closely acquainted than I would like with the littlel beasts.


But a name for your Huttenschlafsack ? Well "Betty" popped into my head, and then I found this, so it kinds of seems like it might be appropriate, should you not want a more famous screen siren...

https://www.biography.com/people/betty-hutton-21147363

Buen Camino.
 
Long before I had any inclination to walk the Camino (I was convent educated and thought pilgrimage was for hair-shirt wearing, self-flagellating nuns!) my mother used to say that to me, and later I said it to my own children. Since then I have become rather more closely acquainted than I would like with the littlel beasts.


But a name for your Huttenschlafsack ? Well "Betty" popped into my head, and then I found this, so it kinds of seems like it might be appropriate, should you not want a more famous screen siren...

https://www.biography.com/people/betty-hutton-21147363

Buen Camino.
Thank you Julia - I like 'Betty' and read the link. 'Hutton' sounds almost like 'Hütten', so it would be a great name.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I'm just back from the Salvador and stayed in almost all the albergues on that route (stayed in hotel in Miernes and a room over the bar in Parajes) Most had the single use sheets to put on the bed and to cover the pillow, and all had blankets. I got an extra sheet to use over me. I never took my silk liner out of my pack. Never saw a bed bug. My pack was under 10 pounds. It can be done - get someone else to look at your pack and try to justify to them as to why you need the items in it! My son just kept saying, are you sure? My only regret was not taking my umbrella as it rained for over 2 weeks of my 3 weeks on the camino!
Thank you CdnDreamer, good tips and info. Hope you had a great Camino. Keith
 
Wow! How did you manage that? Could I get down to 3 kilos on a three week Salvador and Primitivo Camino, do you think? The Silk bags are a bit beyond my budget - or do you know of a good, cheap source? Thanks. Keith
I got a silk bag liner for under $30 on Ebay. Amazon has them as well
 

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