• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Advanced search…

Search results for query: *

  1. MaryLynn

    Those who have walked at least one Camino - What are your favorite insoles and why?

    I have good orthotic insoles, designed for my feet. Before I walked my first Camino in 2011, I went to a Chiropodist, who analyzed my feet and recommended the best footwear for long-distance walking. I'm glad I did because I have had very few foot problems in all my eight Caminos and other...
  2. MaryLynn

    Pocket coin pouch for those EU coins?

    This is exactly what I use instead of a purse in my everyday life - and on the Camino. There is space for a few folded bills and cards (drivers license, membership cards, etc.) in the main section and space for coins in the smaller sections. It fits in my pocket and it is much sturdier than I...
  3. MaryLynn

    Hiking poles vs staff

    I agree! I like the freedom and rhythm of walking, unencumbered by a wooden staff or a pole. But I always use one pole when the terrain is rocky and/or steep to keep my balance.
  4. MaryLynn

    Recommendations for Warm and Comfortable Shoes in Town during October

    Before I walked my first Camino many years ago, my chiropractor asked to see the shoes I planned to wear after arriving at the days' destination. At my next appointment, I showed him my Ecco walking sandals, which he approved. He said that the shoes or sandals that you wear after walking in...
  5. MaryLynn

    Shakedown request: February on the Camino Frances, 35 pounds current weight

    I always take only one walking pole - it's lightweight; I only use it for stability on rocky or steep terrain.
  6. MaryLynn

    Pee Cloth - leave no trace

    In my nine years of walking the Camino Frances, I only had to use a bush one time...plenty of opportunities to visit a bar.
  7. MaryLynn

    Best all purpose soap

    That's what I take - Camp Soap.
  8. MaryLynn

    Sleeping bag

    I bought it at Mountain Equipment Co-op, MEC brand.
  9. MaryLynn

    Sleeping bag

    Yes! April can be cold and wet. Even when the weather is warm, there are some albergues that are cold due to their stone construction and/or lack of heat. I take an indoor/outdoor sleeping bag that is warm down to 15C and a silk sleep sack. Both are lightweight and invaluable at 3a.m. in a...
  10. MaryLynn

    Recommendation on what to do with slides

    Our public library has a machine/device that converts slides to digital files. We just have to make an appointment and a techy librarian will show you how to use the device...once libraries re-open. I think there is a time limit for each visit, but it is a great service.
  11. MaryLynn

    Question for DSLR users

    How do I carry my DSLR on the camino?? I don’t. I leave it at home so it doesn't get dropped or dirty or stolen, but I do take my Nikon Coolpix A900, a good-quality compact camera, with excellent zoom, macro, and high-resolution capabilities, in a padded case that has a 'half-loop' on the...
  12. MaryLynn

    Arrrgh. . . It's Too Red. Will It Be Like Carrying An Easter Egg?

    Just in case you are keeping a tally of opinions, I thought I would weigh in, too. A few years ago my walking-mate wore a red backpack and it was always reassuring when I could easily spot him ahead of me in the distance...and I agree that a red pack is more easily seen than grey or black in an...
  13. MaryLynn

    Sock, to wash or not too wash?

    I was recently told that you should not wash merino wool socks often--just take them off and hang them to dry inside out.
  14. MaryLynn

    Do I need a VPN?

    Many albergues have wifi, but many donativo albergues do not. I was going to suggest using the public libraries, but maybe they are not secure?
  15. MaryLynn

    I don't wear socks 😂

    My advice: wear not one, but two pairs of socks - thin liners and outer thicker socks, both Merino wool...you won’t be sorry, and Andy will be happy.
  16. MaryLynn

    Paper map

    I have used this handy Michelin mapbook for the past several years on the CF - I always pick up a new one in Leon at the bookstore close to the front of the Cathedral. It's lightweight, easy to carry and includes information about services in towns and albergues, and an elevation and road...
  17. MaryLynn

    Poles don't fit in checked luggage!

    I have had no problem if I put the poles, one on each side of the pack, with the tip-ends inside the mesh side-pockets and the rest of each pole secured tightly under the straps, and my pack cover on. The clerk then puts it in a blue bin and onto the conveyor belt. Never had a problem in the...
  18. MaryLynn

    Dyslexic.... are the camino routes possible with no gps? Dyslexic, bad with technology but do you think a possibility would be using a book?

    'I want to be away for about 3 - 5 months.' Check the Schengen Area rules--Wikipedia is a good place to start. The UK is in the EU so you don't need a visa to enter Spain, but the UK is not a Schengen Country and not part of the Schengen Agreement, so you cannot stay more than 90 days in a...
  19. MaryLynn

    Wake up alarms?

    When I was a hospitalera once, I needed to get up very early, ~4:30a.m. because several guests wanted to get an early start to avoid the heat in June, and I wanted to make sure they had what they needed for breakfast and to say goodbye. After a few days, I finally realized that even though the...
  20. MaryLynn

    Best Poncho in the Universe

    Thanks for your offer of a large blue Altus - I'll stick with my nifty thrifty Ikea poncho. Cheap at twice the price, and it works great!

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Latest posts

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top