LIVE from the Camino Last minute advice for a first timer!

[Tina D.]

Camino bound in less than 48 hours!!! The nerves have finally crept up I have decided to keep my travel "plans" very loose, but I do have a couple questions.
#1. I decided bus over train (but that could still change ha)-- that being said- should I purchase my bus ticket before I go? Or should I buy it after I land? Are there customs that I must go through? The corazon puro is picking me up from the train or bus station (depending on what I finally decide on).
#2. Spork, bed bug spray- do I need?
#3. Camel pak vs nalgene- one over the other or both?
#4. Poncho vs rain jacket- one over the other or both?


I'm very excited to experience this with you all!
Love love.


Peace and cheers!

 

[petro]

What ever you decide will be good, relax and enjoy! Buen camino!

 

[JohnMcM]

Tina D,

It's your Camino. Make your choices, go with your heart, change things if necessary?

Try not to sweat the small things. You're going, love it for it brings you.

Buen, Buen, Buen Camino.

 

[Jeniffer]

Staying at Corazon Puro tonight. Lovely experience so far. It has been smooth and Istvan and Barbara are wonderful! There has been a lot of rain and we are expecting more in the next few days. If you don't have a backpack cover then a large poncho that covers you and it will work. Some of us here have opted for rain pants and jackets. You can buy your ticket at the station. It's quite easy to do so. Hope to meet you along the way. Breathe and enjoy the journey!
Buen Camino

 

[marjm007]

Thank you for the update. I arrive Thursday. Can't wait.

 

[bokormen91]

Camino bound in less than 48 hours!!! The nerves have finally crept up I have decided to keep my travel "plans" very loose, but I do have a couple questions.
#1. I decided bus over train (but that could still change ha)-- that being said- should I purchase my bus ticket before I go? Or should I buy it after I land? Are there customs that I must go through? The corazon puro is picking me up from the train or bus station (depending on what I finally decide on).
#2. Spork, bed bug spray- do I need?
#3. Camel pak vs nalgene- one over the other or both?
#4. Poncho vs rain jacket- one over the other or both?


I'm very excited to experience this with you all!
Love love.


Peace and cheers!

1 You can get both bus and train tickets at relevant stations, if you've not bought them, no need to stress. They are available - customs should only apply if you arrive from outside of the "Schengen" area, and then it's only an issue if you brought things you shouldn't...

2 Spork - no need, at most a spoon is useful for a yoghurt, if you decide on those for back up. Bug spray - most are fine without, but issues such as bed bugs move fast on the Camino. I carry Deet as mozzies love me. Permethrehin and Deet are restricted in some European countries, so bring them if you feel the "need"

3 Tough one.... Camel pack has to be cleaned, most water is safe to drink, but some has strong taste of chemicals. I prefer bottles of "local" water, cheap in the shop, refill when I can, easy to recycle. I also find it easier to rehydrate with a bottle where I can have a few large sips/gulps, instead of "sipping" on camelback/platypus

4 Personal choice... Poncho flaps in the wind, but that gets sorted with paper/document clips. I moved over to poncho after a long stretch of rain... Before my pack was dry, I was dry - but my backpack straps were wet, and after a while they reeked. Putting that pack on in the morning - those stinky straps were far too close to my nose. Now I use a poncho, skip waterproof trousers and use woolly leggings if it's cold/wet. Personal preferences

Buen Camino

 

[Tina D.]

1 You can get both bus and train tickets at relevant stations, if you've not bought them, no need to stress. They are available - customs should only apply if you arrive from outside of the "Schengen" area, and then it's only an issue if you brought things you shouldn't...

2 Spork - no need, at most a spoon is useful for a yoghurt, if you decide on those for back up. Bug spray - most are fine without, but issues such as bed bugs move fast on the Camino. I carry Deet as mozzies love me. Permethrehin and Deet are restricted in some European countries, so bring them if you feel the "need"

3 Tough one.... Camel pack has to be cleaned, most water is safe to drink, but some has strong taste of chemicals. I prefer bottles of "local" water, cheap in the shop, refill when I can, easy to recycle. I also find it easier to rehydrate with a bottle where I can have a few large sips/gulps, instead of "sipping" on camelback/platypus

4 Personal choice... Poncho flaps in the wind, but that gets sorted with paper/document clips. I moved over to poncho after a long stretch of rain... Before my pack was dry, I was dry - but my backpack straps were wet, and after a while they reeked. Putting that pack on in the morning - those stinky straps were far too close to my nose. Now I use a poncho, skip waterproof trousers and use woolly leggings if it's cold/wet. Personal preferences

Buen Camino

Thank you for all the advice!!!! It is VERY helpful
Buen camino


Peace and cheers!

 

[Tina D.]

Staying at Corazon Puro tonight. Lovely experience so far. It has been smooth and Istvan and Barbara are wonderful! There has been a lot of rain and we are expecting more in the next few days. If you don't have a backpack cover then a large poncho that covers you and it will work. Some of us here have opted for rain pants and jackets. You can buy your ticket at the station. It's quite easy to do so. Hope to meet you along the way. Breathe and enjoy the journey!
Buen Camino

So good to know! I will definately bring my poncho. Thank you so much



Peace and cheers!

 

[Suzanne Edminster]

1 You can get both bus and train tickets at relevant stations, if you've not bought them, no need to stress. They are available - customs should only apply if you arrive from outside of the "Schengen" area, and then it's only an issue if you brought things you shouldn't...

2 Spork - no need, at most a spoon is useful for a yoghurt, if you decide on those for back up. Bug spray - most are fine without, but issues such as bed bugs move fast on the Camino. I carry Deet as mozzies love me. Permethrehin and Deet are restricted in some European countries, so bring them if you feel the "need"

3 Tough one.... Camel pack has to be cleaned, most water is safe to drink, but some has strong taste of chemicals. I prefer bottles of "local" water, cheap in the shop, refill when I can, easy to recycle. I also find it easier to rehydrate with a bottle where I can have a few large sips/gulps, instead of "sipping" on camelback/platypus

4 Personal choice... Poncho flaps in the wind, but that gets sorted with paper/document clips. I moved over to poncho after a long stretch of rain... Before my pack was dry, I was dry - but my backpack straps were wet, and after a while they reeked. Putting that pack on in the morning - those stinky straps were far too close to my nose. Now I use a poncho, skip waterproof trousers and use woolly leggings if it's cold/wet. Personal preferences

Buen Camino

Great pancho/raingear advice! Adopting. Thanks. The raincover lets water into the back part of the pack... straps and pads... I can just see my lovely big padded hip belt becoming a giant sponge.

 

[pastorsharon]

Camino bound in less than 48 hours!!! The nerves have finally crept up

We, too, are leaving Idaho in less than 24 hours. So excited and so nervous. And absolutely blessed! Thanks, JohnMcM, for the reminder to "Try not to sweat the small things. You're going, love it for it brings you. Buen, Buen, Buen Camino." A grand adventure.

 

[Mark Lee]

From my limited experience I would say you don't need a spork and you don't need a Camelbak, and I was never bitten by a bed bug. I like a rain jacket instead of a poncho, but that's just a personal preference (rain jacket can double as a wind-breaker on cooler evenings).
Buen Camino.

 

[Al the optimist]

Don't forget to pack your sense of humour!

 

[Dutch]

-I had a spork, but only used the spoon part for yoghurts ect..
- unfortunately There is no such thing as bed bug spray. Permethrin does not kill instantly nor does it scare 'm off. It only kills bed bugs when they are in contact with permethrin treated fabric for a quite some time. On the other hand, my backpack ect is treated with it, so if they do crawl in my stuff fand stay their for the long haul, that should kill 'm. I hope.
- I prefered rainjacket over poncho for same reason as @Mark Lee
- don't like the rubbery taste that a camelback gives my water. I cant seem to get rid of that. Long live the bottles and fountains along the way.
- good tip from @Al the optimist and.....it doesn't weigh much.

 

[xin loi]

Hate Ponchos but love poncho liners! Ponchos trap body heat and you get WET from sweat. Can't beat a rain coat that comes to knee level. In the military, Ponchos are generally worn when you are NOT going to walk and build up sweat.

 

[Jackie]

Pastor Sharon,
We would love to hear about your trip. We leave from Boise next May.

 

[gregoryjf]

Some of the issues are personal and gear choices may change during the walk there doesn't seem to be a high tech over the backpack poncho / rain outfit?
I am a fan of to the knee lenght rain coat Mont Tempest and can't stand rain pants but again shorts and gaiters work for me? Not much help but your not heading into the wilderness and additional gear is available en route.

 

[Larry from Sydney]

-I had a spork, but only used the spoon part for yoghurts ect..
- unfortunately There is no such thing as bed bug spray. Permethrin does not kill instantly nor does it scare 'm off. It only kills bed bugs when they are in contact with permethrin treated fabric for a quite some time. On the other hand, my backpack ect is treated with it, so if they do crawl in my stuff fand stay their for the long haul, that should kill 'm. I hope.
- I prefered rainjacket over poncho for same reason as @Mark Lee
- don't like the rubbery taste that a camelback gives my water. I cant seem to get rid of that. Long live the bottles and fountains along the way.
- good tip from @Al the optimist and.....it doesn't weigh much.

We bought some lite silk lining and soaked them in DEET this should discourage bed bugs plus we are taking pillow cases with a rubber lining - plus we are bringing clear garbage bags to put our back packs in at night


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