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I like Omnifix and the similar Hypafix tapes. They are widely available in Spanish pharmacies, and can be purchased on Amazon. I like the 4" wide version. It's a soft slightly stretchy tape that conforms well to the contours of your foot.
I use Google Maps for live location sharing.
https://support.google.com/maps/answer/7326816?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
And Find Penguins for blogging/sharing photos with friends and family.
I've used Relive in the past, but it wasn't always that accurate with distances. But that was...
There are several albergues with pools on the Francés, and I've never seen a woman in a one piece bathing suit. Only bikinis or sports bras and shorts.
Cut and run thefts are really not an issue on the Camino. I use different strategies when I'm in more pickpocket dense areas.
But I might like some stollen, it looks delicious.😄
I don't think so. I would choose a private hospital or clinic because they are set up to receive credit card (and I assume cash) payments. I speak as someone who had two surgeries in Portugal - I paid up front and was reimbursed by my travel insurance. The hospital didn't need my travel...
TrekkInn carries Merrell Antora.
https://www.tradeinn.com/en?products_search%5Bquery%5D=merrell%20antora
You can order them and have them delivered to a pick up point. I would recommend someplace where you will be in a little over a week. Google the postal code for the town where you would...
I can freeze my Schwab debit card on the app. In fact I can do this with all of my credit and debit cards. It's pretty standard now. Last year I only used the "tap" function to withdraw cash from ATMs, eliminating any worry about the machine "eating" my card. Up until today I had always done...
Since you are in the US I strongly recommend a Schwab Account and debit card. It's so easy to set up, and you never have to worry about ATM fees anywhere. There's also no foreign transaction fees and no minimum balance.
Allow yourself more days to complete the Camino than you think you'll need, and definitely more days than the guide books tell you. Keep these days in reserve for when you want to stop early or take a day off.
If you never use those reserve days you can use them to spend more time in Santiago...
There is a bus (number 550 I believe) that goes from Canfranc Estación yo Oloron Sainte Marie, buy it only goes all the way to Oloron once a day. But, you can take the bus to Bedous then a local train to Oloron.
There are posts in this thread with the schedules...
I don't have any doubt each day that I'll be walking, but I look out the door or window to decide whether I need my rain gear, or which outer layers I'll need.
You don't need a separate day pack. You can carry your regular backpack everyday. On days that you need to carry less weight offload heavier items into a lightweight duffel bag like this one from Amazon that @J Willhaus has recommended and send that ahead.
Update: just picked up my package. The parcel locker was in a lavandería.
Super easy process. I entered my code, and the locker with my package popped open.
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