2 questions what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffle

[Portia1]

I am planning to begin the Camino in September 2009. Still searching for airfares. Wanted to leave USA on August 30th but it's looking like cheaper prices begin September 2nd so I'm already starting later than time away from my parish really permits (I am an Episcopal priest). So far the best price from DC seems to be Iberia--which for a few more bucks gets me to Pamplona. At least that eliminates trying to catch a bus or train. If pressed for time, I may decide to begin my Camino there rather than Roncesvalles.

What can I take on-board the aircraft with me versus what I have to check? Can I take my collapsible hiking sticks on-board, for example? Or do they need to be checked? I am wanting to have my pack packed for the Camino but also need to check a duffle of clothing, etc. for after the Camino. Can I pull the duffle in Madrid and store it at the airport? Then climb on the plane to Pamplona? I only have an hour in Madrid between flights so if I have to do a lot of repacking, etc. it could make time pretty tight. Or is there a place to send it in Santiago for holding for a month? My husband is not walking the Camino with me. He is coming to Spain for when I plan to end and we will spend another 10 days or so traveling around Spain. He will most likely come through Madrid and so could theoretically pick up my duffle if it was there. At the present time he is not planning to come up to Santiago but that could change.

I was looking through the forum but there is nothing current on how to arrange for post-Camino clothing, etc. Any recommendations? I have hiked 900 miles on the AT and so have been spoiled with mailing things ahead for mail drops. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[ivar]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Regarding your question about the hiking poles and the airplane, have a look here for some advice:
equipment-questions/topic1278.html

Regarding Iberia, the Madrid airport and your 1 hour layover. there is a luggage storage facility at the Madrid airport. But it is located close to terminal 3, and with Iberia you will most likely arrive at the new Terminal 4. These terminals are connected by bus/train, but you should calculate about 45-60 minutes to make it back and forth, at best! Your Pamplona flight is most likely out of terminal 4 (Iberia has that terminal for itself and "all" flights from that terminal is Iberia. So in short, it might be difficult to store your luggage at the airport, unless there is a new storage facility at terminal 4 that I do not know about.

Or is there a place to send it in Santiago for holding for a month?

I will in fact open such a service in a few weeks (I live in Santiago de Compostela). Stay tuned here for more info on when I am open. Once I am up and running you can send your bag to me and pick it up once in Santiago, no problem. You could, in theory, mail it to me before you leave home if you would like to reduce the stress with the bag.

The Spanish post office also offer a service where you could post the bag to yourself in Santiago, but they will hold it only for 14 days. There is a trick to making them hold it longer (adding as the "sender", the Santiago post office. This way they do not have anywhere to return the bag after 14 days). I have not tried this, but it might work.

At the present time he is not planning to come up to Santiago but that could change.

If he decides to come up, check http://www.ryanair.com for tickets starting at €0,- + taxes (!).

I hope this helps!

Un saludo,
Ivar

 

[Portia1]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

Thank you, Ivar and Arn, for your responses. Very helpful information. Ivar, I will definitely keep you in mind as time grows closer.

 

[WolverineDG]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

You can post things to yourself to Santiago, either to the post office or to Ivar, once you get to Pamplona. There is a Correos (post) office in the old town area that's open until about 7 or 8pm.

You will likely have to check your walking poles because even if the airline allows them on board, TSA will have a heart attack. Some here suggest getting a postal tube and putting them in there, along with rolled up clothing & other things. You can then use that tube to mail your going-home things to yourself once you get to Spain.

I plan to be on the Camino at that time, either leaving 8/30 or 8/31, & leaving from SJPdP on or about 9/2.

Kelly

 

[Anniesantiago]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

You "could" post extra clothes to Santiago... OR.. you could use the cash to purchase clothing there and support the local economy! The clothing in Spain is of excellent quality and often you can find things there you do not find easily in the USA. I found wonderful warm longsleeved undershirts that I fell in love with.

Your sticks could be checked in a mailing tube, or you could buy a "palo" along the Camino!

September is a wonderful time on the Camino! You're going to have a lovely time!

 

[papajohn]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

Hi and welcome Portia, my wife and I walked in Sept. 06 and as has been said TSA will not allow wallking sticks as carry on. My solution was to purchase some very light weight nylon material which I sewed up into a simple bag approx 14x24in. I put all the things that I could not carrry on, like sticks, swiss army knife, liquid soap, etc, into the bag and then wraped it with my light cord that I used as a clothesline, and checked it as baggage. No questions were asked. On the camino, I used the bag to hold my sleeping bag in my pack and as a pillowcase at night. On the return trip home we reversed the process and checked the packs and carried onboard in the bag the things which we had purchased in Spain and our compostelas which at that point were more precious than our packs. Additionally this made it very convenient that everything which we had to declare for customs was in one place. Buen Camino John

 

[Portia1]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

Is it possible to post somethingfromthe airport in Pamplona? For example, to send a box to Santiago (Ivar) from there without having to go to the post office in the city? I could check my duffle on the airline in a box, open it up (take out my poles, knife, etc. that must be checked) and reseal it and post it.

Looking at the map, it looks like I could walk out of the airport and go right up to the Ronda de Pamploma (can you walk along this without getting killed??) and then cut back over to Cizur on NA7027 (do I need to cross over the Rondo when I leave the airport so I end up on the northern side for passing under the highway?). As much as I would love to see the city, after a long flight it would be good to not have to hassle with getting into the city if I can handle this at the airport. My flight arrives in Pamplona around 2pm on Oct 3rd and I'd like to get to Cizur Menor from there. Thanks!

 

[ivar]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

Is it possible to post somethingfromthe airport in Pamplona? For example, to send a box to Santiago (Ivar) from there without having to go to the post office in the city? I could check my duffle on the airline in a box, open it up (take out my poles, knife, etc. that must be checked) and reseal it and post it.

Looking at the facilities at the Pamplona airport, it does not look like there is a post office there.

According to the post office site (http://www.correos.es) these are the closest post offices to the airport:

...so the closest one is about 10km from the airport.

So not sure what is best really.. :| mail it to Santiago from home maybe?

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[WolverineDG]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

Portia, take the taxi (or bus) into downtown. The post office is close by the old city. Once you've posted your package to Ivar, you can easily rejoin the Camino on Calle Mayor & walk to Cizur Menor. It's only about 4 kms from that point.

Kelly

 

[grayland]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

I am looking forward to hearing from Ivar on his "storage" venture.

 

[annakappa]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

I confirm that you will NOT have time to leave your bag at the left luggage office at Madrid Airport, apart from the fact that it's expensive to do so. (we did this 2 years ago). That year, in June 2007, there was a trial bus route running from Pamplona Airport to the central bus terminal in town. If I remember, it took about 15/20 minutes and we arrived on the same flight you intend to use (arriving at 2.00 p.m.). I have no idea what times the post offices in Spain keep!
After our experience in 2007, last year we decided to travel JUST with our backpacks, and if necessary buy whatever needed on the way, or in Santiago when arriving there. In the end we just bought little light weight souvenirs to take back home. We carried our packs on the plane and Iberia allowed us to take our one trekking pole along too into the cabin! This saved a lot of time at the other end. I agree that this might not be the case when flying from the U.S., but we live in Costa Rica!
So... for our 30 day walk, plus the travelling there and back, we existed on only the few essentials we carried in our pack (my total weight was 6 kg and Adriaan's 7 kg.) I had even brought too much. Could have managed with one pair of trousers and one T-shirt less!
Anne

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

So... for our 30 day walk, plus the travelling there and back, we existed on only the few essentials we carried in our pack (my total weight was 6 kg and Adriaan's 7 kg.) I had even brought too much. Could have managed with one pair of trousers and one T-shirt less!

Louder Anne please:

So... for our 30 day walk, plus the travelling there and back, we existed on only the few essentials we carried in our pack (my total weight was 6 kg and Adriaan's 7 kg.) I had even brought too much. Could have managed with one pair of trousers and one T-shirt less!

 

[MermaidLilli]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

You're funny, JohnnieWalker!!
Again, what's your mantra?

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

It is just that I constantly need to remind myself

 

[Timo]

Re: 2 questions: what taken on-board & where stow "after" duffl

Hi and welcome Portia, my wife and I walked in Sept. 06 and as has been said TSA will not allow wallking sticks as carry on. My solution was to purchase some very light weight nylon material which I sewed up into a simple bag approx 14x24in. I put all the things that I could not carrry on, like sticks, swiss army knife, liquid soap, etc, into the bag and then wraped it with my light cord that I used as a clothesline, and checked it as baggage. No questions were asked. On the camino, I used the bag to hold my sleeping bag in my pack and as a pillowcase at night. On the return trip home we reversed the process and checked the packs and carried onboard in the bag the things which we had purchased in Spain and our compostelas which at that point were more precious than our packs. Additionally this made it very convenient that everything which we had to declare for customs was in one place. Buen Camino John

Hello, I´m planning to do the same and get backpack in it too. All the loose ends won´t stuck anywhere allong the way. There are also flight bags for backpacks. Sorry, my link is only Finnish, but I guess you get the idea. Planning the camino is very stimulating...
-T-
http://www.scandinavianoutdoorstore.com ... universal/

 

[Portia1]

Spoke at length yesterday with someone who walked The Camino last year--the airlines allowed them to take their hiking poles on board because theirs had the rubber tips installed (they were on three different airlines) and were securely attached to their packs. Something to consider--given the aggravating sound that the carbide tips can make. Given that I am still going to be sending through a small duffle for the two weeks afterward, I will probably put the poles in the duffle anyway just to get them out of the way until I arrive.

 

[nmspain08]

I have a family member who is finishing up a year in Spain and will be hiking the Camino for a month this summer. He will have one large and one smaller suitcase from his year studying that he needs to store while he is on the Camino (he'll have a lighter backpack for the Camino itself). He'll be coming through and flying out of from Madrid. I have not been able to verify whether or not the "left luggage" facility at the Madrid airport would allow storage for a month. Can anyone help to verify how long luggage can be left at the airport? or any other ideas for luggage storage while he is on the route? (One idea I heard was to leave it in a hotel in Madrid where he might stay on his way through and then overnight after his walk.)

 

[annakappa]

You can leave your left luggage at Madrid Airport, but it's very expensive. Under the circumstances, his best bet would to leave it at the hotel where he intends to stay in Madrid upon arrival and then pick it up again when he stays there when he returns. I guess that if he books in advance, just to be sure, he could ask if they will store his luggage and what they would charge. Anne

 

[nmspain08]

Yes, the more I think about this, the best course seems to be to store with a hotel or other lodging place. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[saskatoonwalking]

Is there a way to send a small suitcase to Santiago from Biarritz? /from St.Jean Pied de Port? Will a post office send a suitcase to Ivar Rekve in Santiago?

 

[WolverineDG]

there is a post office in SJP & I'm sure there's one in Biarritz as well.

Kelly

 

[ivar]

Is there a way to send a small suitcase to Santiago from Biarritz? /from St.Jean Pied de Port? Will a post office send a suitcase to Ivar Rekve in Santiago?

I did receive a duffel bag (no box) today form the post office in SJJP. So I think the post office in SJPP does send almost "anything". The bag was 32kg (!), about 1 meter long.... if your suitcase is not a big one I think you should be ok with sending it via the post office.

Greetings from a grey (but no rain!) Santiago,
Ivar

 

[WolverineDG]

Ivar, about how much was the postage on that duffel bag? I'm going to be on a very tight budget & am trying to figure out my expenses beforehand. Good to know I can mail something from SJP instead of hauling it to Pamplona!

Kelly

 

[ivar]

Ivar, about how much was the postage on that duffel bag? I'm going to be on a very tight budget & am trying to figure out my expenses beforehand. Good to know I can mail something from SJP instead of hauling it to Pamplona!

Kelly

I am not in the office right now, and I am not quite sure... but around € 50-60 euro I think. Remember this would be an international shipment. Pamplona would be more "local" (and cheaper).

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[WolverineDG]

wow. might be worth the extra euro to haul it myself. or find a post office before heading across the border. ouch!

Kelly

 

[saskatoonwalking]

Is there a way to send a small suitcase to Santiago from Biarritz? /from St.Jean Pied de Port? Will a post office send a suitcase to Ivar Rekve in Santiago?

I did receive a duffel bag (no box) today form the post office in SJJP. So I think the post office in SJPP does send almost "anything". The bag was 32kg (!), about 1 meter long.... if your suitcase is not a big one I think you should be ok with sending it via the post office.

Greetings from a grey (but no rain!) Santiago,
Ivar

Thank you Ivar. Now the questions become: do you think some sort of 'courier' (e.g. FPS) would be cheaper? do you think a box would be cheaper? can we send a small suitcase by bus to you in Santiago instead of using the post office? train freight? Any ideas would be most helpful. thanx from Canada!
Heather

 

[saskatoonwalking]

Ivar, about how much was the postage on that duffel bag? I'm going to be on a very tight budget & am trying to figure out my expenses beforehand. Good to know I can mail something from SJP instead of hauling it to Pamplona!

Kelly

I am not in the office right now, and I am not quite sure... but around € 50-60 euro I think. Remember this would be an international shipment. Pamplona would be more "local" (and cheaper).

Saludos,
Ivar

Thank you for the information Ivar! 50 euro!! Do you think a box mailed from SJPP post office is cheaper? Do you think I could send you my small suitcase by bus from SJPP? / by train? by courier? As you can probably tell, a suitcase for the remainder of our holidaying in Spain would be nice. Not crucial - but nice. I'd rather send a small suitcase than a box.
Heather-from-Canada-going-to-Spain-June 1

 

[anniethenurse]

IVAR and others!

I would like to send a package to Sitges outside Barcelona. What is the adress to the Poste Restante in Sitges where I could send a package to myself? Do they keep it about 30 days? I´m learning Spanish but my Spanish is not yet so well developed that I could understand ´correos`home site i Spanish. I need some stuff for my holiday after the camino and want to bring some souvenirs from Scandinavia to some friends living in Spain (not sure yet if they are at home when I´ll be arriving).



annie

 

[viajero]

I was told at correos that they only old items for 15 days. I imagine this is a policy for all post offices there but I have no details.

 

[ivar]

Ivar, about how much was the postage on that duffel bag? I'm going to be on a very tight budget & am trying to figure out my expenses beforehand. Good to know I can mail something from SJP instead of hauling it to Pamplona!

Kelly

I am not in the office right now, and I am not quite sure... but around € 50-60 euro I think. Remember this would be an international shipment. Pamplona would be more "local" (and cheaper).

Saludos,
Ivar

Thank you for the information Ivar! 50 euro!! Do you think a box mailed from SJPP post office is cheaper? Do you think I could send you my small suitcase by bus from SJPP? / by train? by courier? As you can probably tell, a suitcase for the remainder of our holidaying in Spain would be nice. Not crucial - but nice. I'd rather send a small suitcase than a box.
Heather-from-Canada-going-to-Spain-June 1

A small box should be a lot less. The bag I was mentioning was 32kg! It was very heavy...

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[ivar]

I was told at correos that they only old items for 15 days. I imagine this is a policy for all post offices there but I have no details.

As far as I know, the post office in Spain will hold it for 15 days. The post office in Santiago used to have a special deal, holding it for 30 days, but this has now stopped. Now they are holding it for 15 days. This said, as with many other things in Spain.... one thing is what they say and another thing is what they do... I have heard of people picking up their box at the post office, and the box was there for more than 15 days... but it might be a bit of a gamble.... One trick was to send the box to Santiago, with the "Sender" address being the Santiago post office. (=they had nowhere to return it).

Anyway, I have this luggage storage service over here for anyone that is interested. For me it is the same how you ship it, but in general, the post office has the best prices.

Saludos,
Ivar