Just in the last few weeks (travelling to and from the camino) I've seen people travelling to and from Dublin with hiking poles in their carry on backpacks.....
Just out of interest - I left Zamora on 17th of April and have found between 30/40 people walking...which has meant a little bit of a 'bed race' in some of the places with small albergues.
Buen camino! I'm just leaving the albergue in Granja to start the Sanabres after walking from Zamora. Weather pretty good - cold in mornings and evenings, warm and sunny in the afternoon. And the wildflowers are amazing! Quite a lot of people walking (for this route) at the moment.
Well, maybe...maybe it's time to try it? Not always crowded, noisy....
and it is beautiful...and can be wonderful.
(I don't do the compostela thing either).
I really like Sagrado Corazón in Rua Nova. I had a tattoo done there in October last year and prices started from 70 euros. I would definitely go back to them. (They speak English).
So, to get back to the Camino Frances crowded issue. I walked from St Jean to Burgos starting on 6th October this year. I've walked at this time of year before - but this time I thought there were so many more people. So many more taking the options for baggage transport, walking in groups...
Yes, for me the itching and the bites appear immediately. I'm walking at the moment and twice in different albergues the itching has wakened me up and I've seen the bed-bugs scuttling away. So two almost sleepless nights spent sitting in albergue kitchens.
I bought an Altus sleeping bag in Estella just a few days ago. It is so light. And tiny in it's little bag. Love it. Not cheap but I haven't seen anything similar for sale in Ireland/UK.
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