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My son and I are 10 days away from our first Camino and I find the whole thing a bit overwhelming. It seems like an episode of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles or Around the World in 80 days. I'm not too concerned about the actual Camino. I'm concerned about getting there in a timely fashion and packing for my health condition. Please review and see if you can help me out in any way.
First , we fly into Madrid the morning of the 10th. I know I'm supposed to take a bus at Terminal 4 to Pamplona, and I think I can just get the tickets for the bus there. I also know that once I get to Pamplona, there should be a bus to Roncesvalles. Not sure where to take that bus. I'm assuming at the bus station at Pamplona, and that I can just buy tickets there. Once I get to Roncesvalles, then it gets kind of sketchy to me. Will there be a shuttle at the bus station there, or do I have to hire a taxi?
Next thing to worry about is packing. I have a thoracic aortic aneurysm, so I can't pack heavy. I can probably only carry about 10 pounds, so I'm thinking I'll just have a couple pairs of shorts, two pair of socks, two t-shirts, a pair of long sweatpants, and then toothpaste, deoderant, mouthwash, shaving supplies, shampoo, water bottle, toothbrush, a notepad and pen, a phone, travel docs, sleeping bag,first aid kit, travel guide (Brierley). Maybe a Kindle or a paperback. That's all. Is that a ridiculously short list or can I make it on that? Our trip is 15 days with only 11 days of walking, from SJPP to Pamplona, and then O'Cebriero to Santiago.
Thanks in advance,
Gerry
So well said, Kanga, subscribing every single of your words......With health concerns why choose to start in SJPDP? There is nothing that makes SJPDP any more special than any other place. .....Yes, the scenery is glorious between SJPDP and Roncesvalles - but only if the day is fine (and it often is not) and if it is scenery you are after there are much better places in the world...... Walking the Camino is not a competitive event; there is no-one checking you in or out at any particular point.
If there's ONE place you should use Jacotrans or Caroline at Express Bourricot it's going over the Pyrenees. A backpack plus the mountain can literally and figuratively kill you on the first day. I used a daypack and had Caroline deliver my pack to the albergue in Burguete. I actually borrowed it and Caroline returned it to its rightful owner!I think I will try using the backpack and if it's too much then use the Jocotrans.
BTW - I am a practicing Catholic (my husband is a Deacon). When visiting a church while traveling, men and women should have their legs covered (no short shorts, or short skirts) and their shoulders covered (no tank tops). The rule is modesty when choosing what to wear to church, not necessarily the "niceness" of the clothes. If you are wearing a tank top just have something you can use to cover your shoulders like a shawl.Gerry Del - the sweat pants are heavy and an overkill for church. So unless you are taking them for another reason, leave them home. Wear your long hiking trousers and you will be fine. I like the ones that zip off so they can be worn as shorts or long pants. When you have them on as shorts and decide you want to go to mass or into a church/cathedral, all you have to do is zip on the lower legs and off you go! When you come out of church just unzip again and you're back in your shorts.
I'm Catholic and on a hot day never hesitated walking into a church. Don't "sweat" it! It's OK. BTW, consider who's walking "with" you. All those fears will fade.I was going to use the sweatpants for times when I attend Mass. I didn't want to carry bulky jeans and thought dress pants would get wrinkled up. I am Catholic, and I've never stepped inside a Catholic Church in shorts, ever in my life. The prospect of doing so is a little scary to me
Oh yeah, I do have a lightweight jacket and a pancho. I was wondering about the hat. Was thinking of just taking a ball cap so I don't stand out. Thanks for the advice.
I am Catholic, and I've never stepped inside a Catholic Church in shorts, ever in my life. The prospect of doing so is a little scary to me
Pilgrim's attire certainly will suffice, provided it excludes shorts and tank tops for the church visit.I'm Catholic too, and I brought a long dress and a shawl to go to church. No need in Spain, I promise you, you'll be fine in your pilgrim's attire.
I would take one more pair of socks if I was you as you will need to change them daily and if you cannot dry the pair you wore the previous day you will be wearing wet socks.Take some safety pins so you can pin your socks together to dangle them over a rail to dry or pin them to your rucksack to dry whilst you are walking.
Go to alsa.es. You can buy your bus tickets there from t4 Madrid airport to Pamplona with one stop and then a separate ticket from Pamplona to SJPP. They have three buses per day. The last one is at 5 or 6pm. When you buy your first leg Madrid to Pamplona you will find the route in the "regional" tab on the website. To buy the second leg Pamplona to SJPP you need to go back and search destinations through the "international" tab bc SJPP is in France. It took me a while to realize why it wasn't showing up as an option. Also even after calling my bank to have them sign off on foreign transactions my credit card was rejected in the website. The only way I was able to pay was through PayPal. I think you'll be fine buying the tickets as you go in case of delays as well. Good luck!
Any hiking-gear store carries liners....but you can buy one when passing through Pamplona: http://www.caminoteca.com/index.php/virtuemart/sleeping-bags-liners-16/CA071402-detail.html
We bought "cocoon silk travel sheets" from amazon. They were perfect. I also bought a Nahari silk from amazon that I used as a pillow "case". Both were based on weight.
I have reservations there too for next month!If you're starting in SJPP and you want to stay the first night in Roncesvalles, consider an afternoon stroll to Hunto the first night. That makes the trip over the Pyrenees shorter the next day. And, if the weather is really bad, you could still revert to going around via Valcarlos. Use the porter service to get your bag to Roncesvalles and enjoy the lighter load the first couple of days. Roncesvalles to Zubiri can be challenging, especially in wet weather - just completed my Camino starting in SJPP on May 1 and finishing in Santiago on June 8.
In July, I can't imagine a sleeping bag is needed, but a liner is necessary as many beds do not have sheets - you can get one treated for bed bugs, and it's plenty comfortable. Wouldn't worry about sweatpants, but a pair of shorts to wear while doing laundry and/or sleeping is helpful. Shoes are the absolutely most important piece of equipment. I wore Lowa boots and will opt for trail/trekking shoes next time with gaiters to help keep water away. Good socks and a good backpack are the next priority. Rubbed my feet everyday with Vaseline - no blisters.
I stayed in Corazon Puro with Istvan and Barbara the first night. Flew to Madrid, trained to Pamplona, Istvan picked us up at the train station, stayed a night at his place and then drove us to SJPP. Had a nice supper and breakfast and he was very accommodating. Even if you're traveling with your son, take some time to walk alone and soak up the experience. Already planning a return trip for next year. Buen Camino!
Bring your own; no towels in albergues.
Expensive lightweight micro-fibre travel towel from a specialist hiking store or cheapskate micro-fibre cloth purchased from the supermarket or $2 shop - I can't tell the difference! Just give it a good wash to remove any chemical residue.Do they provide towels at the albergues or do I need to bring my own? Thanks.
I booked my coach (ALSA) from Madrid to Pamplona online, I then also booked Pamplona to SJPP (ALSA) online, just print off tickets ready for travel on the day. I will be a day behind you getting into Madrid on the 11th July however I will look to spend the night in Pamplona (booked) and take part in the Bull Run Saturday morning, seems a pity to miss such a big event. Then onto SJPP in the afternoon that Saturday. As for kit, depending on your budget, you can always add kit as you go, if you need more socks then get them when you need them.
I just looked up the weather in St. Jean and it's a low of 50 and a high of 71 in SJPDP. I'll need long pants for that! I'm a Texan. That's chilly. I've been training in 95+ heat.
I'm booked for Pamplona too. Hoping to enjoy the running of the bulls. They want 50 euro to rent a hotel balcony to watch it though. Anyone know of a cheaper way?
prices go crazy during the festival week, 50 euro may be a good price?
REI, Mountain Hardware, Sea to Summit, Campmor, Columbia. They are made in Silk, silk + cotton, cotton, polyester, fleece, thermolite reactor - lots of choices.Where do you find just a liner? Do they sell those? I went to Academy here in the states and they did not have them.
REI, Mountain Hardware, Sea to Summit, Campmor, Columbia. They are made in Silk, silk + cotton, cotton, polyester, fleece, thermolite reactor - lots of choices.
Preach the Gospel always; use words when necessary.
On my Camino last fall most people wore hats. It was quite a bit hotter in September than I had expected, and I saw several people with heatstroke. Wear the hat, please. Protect yourself. Besides, I LIKE your hat!Most people do NOT use the little travel towels. The full size towels are what most people carry. There is a hiking store next to the supermarket in SJPDP that carries everything you will need in case you forget something. Do NOT expect to buy much gear along the route as most stores are NOT located on the streets you will walk and most close for siesta and Sundays. Took me FOUR days to replace a bar of soap! Take clothes pins and a length of clothes line!
Majority of people don't bother wearing hats. I wore a baseball hat but left it hanging on the Cross of Iron along with my dog tags.
Everyone is different, but I would not even think about doing the Camino without a hat. Walking day after day in even partly cloudy weather will bake your scalp, ears, and the back of your neck. We walked from mid-August through late September, and believe me, it was plenty hot on most days. We took cotton bandanas and soaked them in water and wrapped them around our necks when it was really hot. My wife made me a lightweight sun shade like those you see in the old French foreign legion films, and I wore that many days, especially on the Meseta. It snapped onto the brim of the hat you see in my profile picture. Yes, it looked pretty dorky, but I'm sure it saved me from heat stroke on at least a couple of days. The little oasis at the Fuente del Pioto, with its cool spring, was like a slice of heaven after the long climb up the Alto Mostelares and the long, nearly treeless stretch between Castrojeriz and Itero de la Vega.
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