NOOK ? yes or no

[PDO]

We will start walking mid September on the Via de la Plata and I am an avid reader; however I am wondering if I should bring my Nook or leave it behind...Will I have time to read? We are doing a slower walk,shorter days since I am just recovered from a broken bone in my knee in February. Thoughts? I am wondering by the time we finish walking, find a place to stay, wash our clothes, eat, mingle , journal, plan for next day, ---it might not be worth the weight to carry it...on the other hand we plan to be away 7 weeks with travel and other sight seeing mixed in....Thank you ,Peace, Pam

 

[cher99840]

I too am an avid reader and am in the habit of reading on my iPad to fall asleep. On Camino I use my phone/camera/all in one device. Even tho it is smaller than I like, it is better than nothing and I do not want the extra weight. Also I do not want an extra "valuable" to have to keep up with. Not sure if there is a Nook app.

 

[domigee]

Hi Pam,
Difficult one to answer! I never take a tablet with me, because of the extra weight and the extra hassle....but both my husband and my walking companion do. I use my smart phone instead for everything (including reading) but of course it isn't as convenient. I've got used to it though.
It really is up to you, if your pack is very light... or not.
Whatever you choose, buen camino

 

[PDO]

I too am an avid reader and am in the habit of reading on my iPad to fall asleep. On Camino I use my phone/camera/all in one device. Even tho it is smaller than I like, it is better than nothing and I do not want the extra weight. Also I do not want an extra "valuable" to have to keep up with. Not sure if there is a Nook app.

Thank you for your input...I think it would drive me crazy to read a novel on my phone but it may be the best solution!

 

[PDO]

Hi Pam,
Difficult one to answer! I never take a tablet with me, because of the extra weight and the extra hassle....but both my husband and my walking companion do. I use my smart phone instead for everything (including reading) but of course it isn't as convenient. I've got used to it though.
It really is up to you, if your pack is very light... or not.
Whatever you choose, buen camino

Thank you ...It will probably come down to last minute decision!! Thank you!

 

[vlebe]

Im not sure how much does your nook weights but, during my last Camino in 2009 I brought my Kindle paperwhite with me and I did not regret it at all!

If I have to choose between my phone and my Kindle, I'd choose my Kindle hands down!

 

[C clearly]

I am a keen daily reader at home, but find that on the camino, I'm not so interested in reading. I don't want to "escape" from that the foreign atmosphere, history, language and scenery that I have traveled to. I sometimes take a paperbook that I can throw away, but I try to pick something that will enhance/augment the reality of my trip. And I usually don't get much of it read! I would never, however, leave home without my smartphone.

 

[PDO]

I am a keen daily reader at home, but find that on the camino, I'm not so interested in reading. I don't want to "escape" from that the foreign atmosphere, history, language and scenery that I have traveled to. I sometimes take a paperbook that I can throw away, but I try to pick something that will enhance/augment the reality of my trip. And I usually don't get much of it read! I would never, however, leave home without my smartphone.

I absolutely "live" in my my book while I am reading and have been thinking I may read in exclusion of other things, as you say! I think I will try reading from my phone before I leave and then if I have time i want to read, it would be available. Thank you!

 

[jsalt]

We will start walking mid September on the Via de la Plata and I am an avid reader; however I am wondering if I should bring my Nook or leave it behind...Will I have time to read? We are doing a slower walk,shorter days since I am just recovered from a broken bone in my knee in February. Thoughts? I am wondering by the time we finish walking, find a place to stay, wash our clothes, eat, mingle , journal, plan for next day, ---it might not be worth the weight to carry it...on the other hand we plan to be away 7 weeks with travel and other sight seeing mixed in....Thank you ,Peace, Pam

Hi Pam, it is so easy to read a book on a smartphone, as you can change the font and the background colour. I downloaded Kindle onto mine. I read a lot, especially at night before going to sleep. Tucked inside my sleeping bag, using the backlight from the Kindle, it doesn’t disturb anyone. It is also very useful at home, for example: meeting a friend for lunch and she’s running half an hour late, waiting at the dentist’s surgery, sitting on the bus/train, etc. I just get my phone out, choose a book, and read.

Travelling to the camino takes me 24 hours, so I take a second-hand paperback book for the journey (to save the battery on my phone), and then leave the book at an albergue for someone else to pick up.
Jill

 

[PDO]

Hi Pam, it is so easy to read a book on a smartphone, as you can change the font and the background colour. I downloaded Kindle onto mine. I read a lot, especially at night before going to sleep. Tucked inside my sleeping bag, using the backlight from the Kindle, it doesn’t disturb anyone. It is also very useful at home, for example: meeting a friend for lunch and she’s running half an hour late, waiting at the dentist’s surgery, sitting on the bus/train, etc. I just get my phone out, choose a book, and read.

Travelling to the camino takes me 24 hours, so I take a second-hand paperback book for the journey (to save the battery on my phone), and then leave the book at an albergue for someone else to pick up.
Jill

Great idea! Yes I HAVE to read on the plane!! Thank you

 

[Seabird]

I took the newest Samsung tablet, as light as a Nook, and I was glad to have it. But I also loaded my guidebooks onto it, plus a book about the cultural and artistic history of the sights along the camino. I also loaded all my music for playing my ukulele, so I didn't have a lot of time to read any of the other reading I had put on there. The guidebook alone weighed more than the tablet. But you do have to deal with charging it. Since I also brought a phone for communication, I brought a charging head with two USB slots, which was actually smaller than the standard Samsung charging head, and two cables. That way I wasn't taking more than one outlet, which can be scarce.

 

[Dave2525]

I brought one and eventually shipped it ahead. I prefer the e-ink technology for reading but I found I was just too busy with other things to bother with it.

 

[MTtoCamino]

I packed an IPad mini & a cell phone. The IPhone never came out of my pack did everything on the IPad didn't want to talk to anyone. Just used email. When I return it will just be an IPhone because it is way lighter, hopefully it will still never come out of the pack. 2 things I loved was having the google translate & books to read but rarely did I have time except when in Madrid for a week. Even then I spent most my time walking all over to see the sights. Also the ability to make reservations is nice after or if you find you need a nice break. So much to see! If you read a lot you will not find any or very few books in English. Unless you find a bookstore in the bigger cities.
Buen Camino

 

[november_moon]

I took my Kindle and read every day. At the very least, I read for a bit before going to sleep each night, but I usually read other times as well. I sometimes read when taking a break during the day, sometimes after walking while resting and elevating my feet on my bunk, sometimes while sitting out at an outdoor cafe having a glass of beer or wine, etc. After walking, there isn't a lot to do. It doesn't take long to wash up and do laundry. Some of the towns have interesting places to check out, but other places are very rural without much to them. Planning for the next day doesn't take long either - the plan is pretty simple: walk west, follow the arrows, stop and find a place to stay after 20-25km. There are people to chat with, of course, and I talked with a lot of people. In some places though we didn't have anyone really to talk with. In one albergue, we were the only people not part of a big Italian group. We made overtures toward conversation, but didn't get anywhere - maybe it was language, maybe lack of interest on their part, who knows? We talked a bit with the people who ran the albergue, but they were busy doing their jobs, so only had so much time for conversation. That day we had stopped early because of some really bad rain, so we had long hours to fill before bed time. We spent most of the afternoon and evening reading and drinking beer. It was quite nice, actually.

 

[gerardcarey]

Yes! Yes! Take it!
One of the best times of the day is after you have settled into your accommodation and done the washing. Then it's time for a rest! That means relaxing on your bed or bunk in nice clean clothes and doing one of your favourite things for an hour or so.
I took one of the older kindles which can't be beaten as to battery life.
These days I'm looking at a kindle fire. Not the latest biggest models but the 6 inch one. Lighter and a little more compact. Hopefully this will also provide the ability to access the net and give a Skype facility.
Regards
Gerard.
PS
I carried the kindle in the pocket of my zip-off pants. That way it went everywhere with me. Even into the shower.
Wouldn't take the chance of mislaying my treasure.

 

[Kiwi-d]

I found I was a fast walker, so had usually finished 25km or so by midday, which left a lot of afternoon to fill in. I was so glad I'd loaded heaps of books onto my phone. I'd bought a Samsung S3 deliberately, as this had a larger screen than later versions.

I used the phone as my camera, to journal, and to email. I'd loaded MapMyWalk, so was able to track the distance every day, and post it on Facebook so my worried family and friends could keep track of where I was, Google Translate (which came in quite handy when I needed to convey to my albergue owner that there was a snake in my bedroom!) and a Camino guidebook, which I used more than the Brierley one as it was very helpful to read recent reviews of albergues.

If you are an avid reader, I would definitely bring the Nook if you don't have a Smartphone. Seven weeks is an awfully long time to go without reading, I certainly couldn't do it. If you do have a Smartphone, you'll be surprised how quickly you get used to reading the small screen when it's a case of having to!

 

[PDO]

Yes! Yes! Take it!
One of the best times of the day is after you have settled into your accommodation and done the washing. Then it's time for a rest! That means relaxing on your bed or bunk and doing one of your favourite things for an hour or so.
I took one of the older kindles which can't be beaten as to battery life.
These days I'm looking at a kindle fire. Not the latest biggest models but the 6 inch one. Lighter and a little more compact. Hopefully this will also provide the ability to access the net and give a Skype facility.
Regards
Gerard.
PS
I carried the kindle in the pocket of my zip-off pants. That way it went everywhere with me. Even into the shower.
Wouldn't take the chance of mislaying my treasure.

Thank you for your enthusiastic response!

 

[Jakke]

This is what I'll carry: a phablet (= larger mobile phone) plus solar charger that sits on my pack while I walk.

 

[GettingThere]

I never go anywhere without a book to read, and haven't since I was old enough to hold a book. Everyone is different, but to me not having time to read is a bit like not having time to eat! Back in the "old days" when backpacking around Europe I spent considerable time tracking down English language book shops and acquiring paperbacks which I then either abandoned at hostels or posted home when I couldn't bear to lose them! On the Camino I took my old Sony Reader and was glad of it. Though it's an extra device I much prefer it to reading on a phone or tablet - the E-Ink screen is much easier on the eyes than a back-lit screen, it doesn't heat up in my hand, and the battery charge lasts for ages.

 

[jmcarp]

It seems like the avid readers all say take it, but I found I would rather spend my spare time in the late afternoon/early evening after shower, laundry, etc, meeting and chatting with my new Camino friends from around the world. I can read as much as I want at home, but being on the Camino is an unique experience and I didn't want to waste a minute doing something as inward as being off to myself and reading. As they say, different strokes for different folks.

 

[La Barre]

I took an earlier version of this one
Dragon Touch Y88X 7-Inch 8 GB Tablet (Black)
on the Portuguese last year . Weighs only 9.8 ounces, has front and back camera (not great but ok) micro sd slot, with the kindle app had many books including the great " The Pilgrimage road to Santiago, the complete cultural guide by Gitlitz and Davidson( this is for the Frances, though. Had my music on it, did all emails from it, with a Magic Jack app can use as aWiFI phone, and since I stayed in Portugal for 3 weeks after the Camino, even able to download a movie from Amazon. All for only 50.00 at the time, now 68.91. on Amazon. As you can tell I would definitely take again

 

[John Sikora]

I have to agree with others. I think either using your Iphone or Android phone as a reader (if you're taking one of those) is a better option than taking two devices. In my case, I did take an Iphone with part of the intent to use it as a reader but in reality I didn't get the opportunity to use it at all. I found that I had too much to do (basics of walking the Camino, longer dinners and lunches with people that you meet, and just sightseeing at each of the towns, villages, or cities that I stopped in).

 

[SYates]

I personally don't think a Nook or Kindle is worth the extra weight. Always ask yourself "what is the absolutely worst thing that could happen if I don't take xyz with me?" In the case of a Nook/Kindle the answer is most likely - nothing really serious. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Jen Marsden]

I'm going to go against popular opinion and say take it. If you read at home, you will read on the trail I would imagine, and don't forget sometimes you may just need an hour of "me" time and that reader will be a godsend. The weight of one small item is not going to make or break you but sometimes the small things that are part of our "normal" life are important to keep. Just my 2 cents...

 

[gerardcarey]

I personally don't think a Nook or Kindle is worth the extra weight. Always ask yourself "what is the absolutely worst thing that could happen if I don't take xyz with me?" In the case of a Nook/Kindle the answer is most likely - nothing really serious. Buen Camino, SY

Nothing really serious?
Surely you josh.
One of the most enjoyable times on my Camino is.......Nothing really serious?
Should I take that as "If it not really serious to me then it shouldn't be serious to you?"
I think I should.
Regards
Gerard

 

[SYates]

Not really sure I understand what you wrote. What I meant is that pilgrims should take, when in doubt, a piece of equipment in their hands and ask themselves "what is the worst that can happen to me if I don't take this particular piece of equipment with me?" The answer the pilgrim gives him/herself determines if that piece of equipment gets taken on the Camino or not.
Hope that clarifies things, Buen Camino, SY

 

[Phillypilgrim]

Two walks, took my Kindle both times (the early version Kindle). Read 5 novels each walk. It is an essential for me.

 

[long trails]

Kindle is one of the most important things I travel with. The app doesn't cut it and as been said, can harm your eyes.

 

[Elle Bieling]

Don't know if anyone already answered this, but indeed there is a Nook app and a Kindle app for smart phones. And I too use a "phablet" - a larger phone - the Samsung Galaxy Note. I download guides, maps, spirituality books and use it constantly for voice journaling, music, Google maps, jotting down notes and everything! Buen Camino!