Perverts and bed bugs

[dink56]

Hello there
I have just completed the Camino Portugese. A word of warning when heading out of Ponte de Lima. It is a beautiful walk out along a path and coming up to a underpass (first few km out) I noted a man luring in the bushes under the motorway overpass who appeared to be looking to see who was on the track then disappeared back into the bushes only to re appear again as I passed to flash his old feller. Another female who followed some way behind me also had the same experience and other female couples walking together noted him hanging around. While nothing further eventuated this did leave me disconcerted fro a while as he was clearly targeting females walking alone and I have no doubt that he will frequent this spot again. So not to be alarmed but if you can perhaps for this first section walk in pairs if you can. I did advise the owner of the next Albergue I stayed out who told me she would advise police.

Bedbugs, Much to my dismay I contracted these little blighters, at least that's what I believe they were, as i had multiple bites and found a flee on my person. I cant be exactly sure where I contracted them but believe it was most likely the municiple albergue in Vilanova de Arousa on the Espiritual Variante. Another pilgrim was also bitten in Amanteria in the albergue there so if you plan on completing this section perhaps choose the Monastery in Amanteria and the Hotel in Vilanove de Arousaas alternate accommodation. I know it will of course be more costly but the distress, effort and expense required to treat flees/bedbugs with make it worthwhile.
Happy trails

 

[trecile]

Bedbugs, Much to my dismay I contracted these little blighters, at least that's what I believe they were, as i had multiple bites and found a flee on my person

If you found a flea, maybe they were flea bites.

 

[Donnatravelling]

Hello there
I have just completed the Camino Portugese. A word of warning when heading out of Ponte de Lima. It is a beautiful walk out along a path and coming up to a underpass (first few km out) I noted a man luring in the bushes under the motorway overpass who appeared to be looking to see who was on the track then disappeared back into the bushes only to re appear again as I passed to flash his old feller. Another female who followed some way behind me also had the same experience and other female couples walking together noted him hanging around. While nothing further eventuated this did leave me disconcerted fro a while as he was clearly targeting females walking alone and I have no doubt that he will frequent this spot again. So not to be alarmed but if you can perhaps for this first section walk in pairs if you can. I did advise the owner of the next Albergue I stayed out who told me she would advise police.

Bedbugs, Much to my dismay I contracted these little blighters, at least that's what I believe they were, as i had multiple bites and found a flee on my person. I cant be exactly sure where I contracted them but believe it was most likely the municiple albergue in Vilanova de Arousa on the Espiritual Variante. Another pilgrim was also bitten in Amanteria in the albergue there so if you plan on completing this section perhaps choose the Monastery in Amanteria and the Hotel in Vilanove de Arousaas alternate accommodation. I know it will of course be more costly but the distress, effort and expense required to treat flees/bedbugs with make it worthwhile.
Happy trails

Thanks for posting this. I’m heading for the Portuguese Way in less than a week though starting from Tui. Although I realize this happened (flasher) before Tui, I am concerned about walking alone. I am hoping to find someone to walk with at least some of the time. As you’ve just finished, can youvgive me any tips and can you estimate how many other pilgrims were walking? Thanks.

 

[Robert Long]

Four old guys just finished the Portugues Camino. There are by no means the numbers here as on the CF. BUT there are other groups. In fact we were adopted by a tour group. They even saved seats for us at the cathedral for noon mass. We are guessing there are 20 to 30 walking. On thursday you will pick up approx 50 bikers. I would just recommend you stay in the center if town and be ready to walk early with others

Buen Camino

 

[Donnatravelling]

I really appreciate your response. Beginning to wonder if I should start in Sarria on the CF. Even if I walk as fast as I can, I will soon be left behind. So starting early only gives me company for a while. Thanks.

 

[sojourners]

Hello there
I have just completed the Camino Portugese. A word of warning when heading out of Ponte de Lima. It is a beautiful walk out along a path and coming up to a underpass (first few km out) I noted a man luring in the bushes under the motorway overpass who appeared to be looking to see who was on the track then disappeared back into the bushes only to re appear again as I passed to flash his old feller. Another female who followed some way behind me also had the same experience and other female couples walking together noted him hanging around. While nothing further eventuated this did leave me disconcerted fro a while as he was clearly targeting females walking alone and I have no doubt that he will frequent this spot again. So not to be alarmed but if you can perhaps for this first section walk in pairs if you can. I did advise the owner of the next Albergue I stayed out who told me she would advise police.

Bedbugs, Much to my dismay I contracted these little blighters, at least that's what I believe they were, as i had multiple bites and found a flee on my person. I cant be exactly sure where I contracted them but believe it was most likely the municiple albergue in Vilanova de Arousa on the Espiritual Variante. Another pilgrim was also bitten in Amanteria in the albergue there so if you plan on completing this section perhaps choose the Monastery in Amanteria and the Hotel in Vilanove de Arousaas alternate accommodation. I know it will of course be more costly but the distress, effort and expense required to treat flees/bedbugs with make it worthwhile.
Happy trails

Thank you for useful info.

 

[dink56]

If you found a flea, maybe they were flea bites.

yes indeed after a bot of googling to see what bed bugs look like it was indeed a flee, never the less the bites were a pain and the treatment laborious.

 

[dink56]

Thanks for posting this. I’m heading for the Portuguese Way in less than a week though starting from Tui. Although I realize this happened (flasher) before Tui, I am concerned about walking alone. I am hoping to find someone to walk with at least some of the time. As you’ve just finished, can youvgive me any tips and can you estimate how many other pilgrims were walking? Thanks.

Hello there, sorry I didnt reply earlier, if you are walking from Tui you likely wont have a worry there will be a lot more people around from that point on, hope it is all going well for you

 

[nidarosa]

Just a word of caution when naming places where you might have been bitten by bedbugs - the bites can take up to 5 days to appear and unless you have actually seen the bugs, you could have been bitten somewhere else. In my case they woke me up and I was in no doubt, so I alerted the hospi and got my stuff treated. The next time I was bitten I saw a sluggish and blood filled bug on the wall the next morning, alerted the manager and got my stuff treated. Bedbugs can and will be transported by pilgrims who are unaware or have not treated their stuff, so a more expensive accommodation does not guarantee you will avoid them. LOOK for them on and under the mattress and around the bed before you even have a shower, never put your pack on the bed, and if you must spray toxins on anything, spray your pack and contents before you leave home, don't spray beds on your way.

 

[Ctshagr]

Thanks for posting this. I’m heading for the Portuguese Way in less than a week though starting from Tui. Although I realize this happened (flasher) before Tui, I am concerned about walking alone. I am hoping to find someone to walk with at least some of the time. As you’ve just finished, can youvgive me any tips and can you estimate how many other pilgrims were walking? Thanks.

I think you will find someone to walk with from Tui. I did it in early March and found we met lots of people along the way. Seeing there is a big muni across the river in Valenca there should be lots of others coming along. By the way don’t miss the old walls surrounding Valenca. Just a couple of things for your Camino you might like staying at the monastery Hebron outside Padron lot of history there. Albergue Catro Canos in Caldas de Reis is nice and family run. My thing was sitting on the walls in Valenca and wondering what were those soldiers thinking as they had to charge up the hill to attack the fort beside certain death. Buen Camino