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I woke up feeling something on me. Grabbed my phone turned on light and saw many bedbugs all moving around. I kind of freaked out and started grabbing my stuff. I was able to capture one live and put it in a zip bag. The Europeans in room said to just calm down and grab a different bed....I do not think that's good idea. I am currently sitting downstairs in the lounge unsure what to do. Possibly considering ending my Camino now. I don't have any reactions to speak of from bites, at least not yet. But I am American and really freaked out by this kind of thing. No staff is here at current moment that I know of. Is all my stuff infected now? My backpack was close to bed within jumping distance.
Edit: forgot to mention, I was using my own sleeping bag and hikers pillow. Are they both definitely infested now with bedbugs?
Update: all the other beds were infested. The Europeans are all down here in lobby now too. And 3 are using the tiny pots in kitchen to boil water for their clothes.
the wool didn't shrink?When this happened to me I washed even merino wool in hot water and put in hot dryer. The clothes were fine. I put my backpack and other stuff in black plastic bag outside. All bedbugs dead. (I'm American too)
I woke up feeling something on me. Grabbed my phone turned on light and saw many bedbugs all moving around. I kind of freaked out and started grabbing my stuff. I was able to capture one live and put it in a zip bag. The Europeans in room said to just calm down and grab a different bed....I do not think that's good idea. I am currently sitting downstairs in the lounge unsure what to do. Possibly considering ending my Camino now. I don't have any reactions to speak of from bites, at least not yet. But I am American and really freaked out by this kind of thing. No staff is here at current moment that I know of. Is all my stuff infected now? My backpack was close to bed within jumping distance.
Edit: forgot to mention, I was using my own sleeping bag and hikers pillow. Are they both definitely infested now with bedbugs?
Bed bugs live with their family and the wall or crevices. They have no particular interest in anything of yours except your blood. After they feed, they return home.Is all my stuff infected now? My backpack was close to bed within jumping distance.
I'm glad things are looking up. I know it's a pain but please notify the albergue (email) about the problem. The person who cleans in the am may not read English, your note could fall off the door, they may just be a housekeeper so not feel it's their place to tell the hospitaleros, etc. If you email they can look at their records and know you stayed there. Maybe just a quick email over dinner, or your morning coffee. It would be a big help to subsequent pilgrims. It can be in English, everyone knows how to use google translate. Make the subject line Chinches.Thank you all for the responses. When I first typed this I was starting to lose it, and I did not think anyone really spoke English there so did not know where to turn. Come to find out that 3 of the other pilgrims from the room were really nice, and all spoke decent enough English. We all ended up on same bus here to Burgos where plan is to follow instructions that were posted here using a laundry-mat.
I checked into a hotel here, don't worry I stripped down at entry of my room and quarantined everything by the door.
The lady that ran the alburgue never showed up and we had to leave to catch the Burgos bus. I left a strongly worded letter on the door of the room we had been in, with a ziplock bag containing a bedbug safety-pinned to the bottom of note. Someone suggested here that I call them too, but unfortunately I do not have a calling plan on the SIM card I am using. I may however write them an email.
I am not going to let this ruin my whole Camino. But I do think I will be missing the part between belarado and Burgos.
Once again thanks for responses they really helped. Buen Camino.
I'm glad things are looking up. I know it's a pain but please notify the albergue (email) about the problem. The person who cleans in the am may not read English, your note could fall off the door, they may just be a housekeeper so not feel it's their place to tell the hospitaleros, etc. If you email they can look at their records and know you stayed there. Maybe just a quick email over dinner, or your morning coffee. It would be a big help to subsequent pilgrims. It can be in English, everyone knows how to use google translate. Make the subject line Chinches.
Buen Camino.
Thanks!!Ok, I sent the following email with chinches as subject line.
"Hi,
There was a few of us that stayed in room 2 last night. We woke up and every bed was completely infested with bedbugs(Chinches). We all had to leave the room and a few of us decided it was safest to ride bus to Burgos so we could clean all of our gear and throw away what could not be cleaned. We left a note but I am sending this in case the note was not received."
Sent from my iPhone
Kill who? The bedbugs or the ones that brought them?I was there in Juni, it is clean. So these bedbugs must be newWash your clothes, all of them. It is hard to say, who bring the bedbugs. Just kill them.
I woke up feeling something on me. Grabbed my phone turned on light and saw many bedbugs all moving around. I kind of freaked out and started grabbing my stuff. I was able to capture one live and put it in a zip bag. The Europeans in room said to just calm down and grab a different bed....I do not think that's good idea. I am currently sitting downstairs in the lounge unsure what to do. Possibly considering ending my Camino now. I don't have any reactions to speak of from bites, at least not yet. But I am American and really freaked out by this kind of thing. No staff is here at current moment that I know of. Is all my stuff infected now? My backpack was close to bed within jumping distance.
Edit: forgot to mention, I was using my own sleeping bag and hikers pillow. Are they both definitely infested now with bedbugs?
We got bed bug bites from the worst motel I have ever clapped eyes on in Tamworth NSW Australia - disgusting in this day and age - I think I can be judgemental about that .I don't think you're over reacting. It's shocking if you haven't seen it before.
But don't end your Camino.
What you DO need to do is find a place to wash and dry everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) in HOT water and a HOT dryer. Spray your shoes and pack and sleeping bag.
Go here and read my blog for more help:
http://caminosantiago2.blogspot.com/2011/06/dont-let-bedbugs-bite.html
REPORT THIS TO THE HOSPITALERO!
Then, just be sure to leave your things outside when you get home until it's all treated. You don't want to carry eggs into the house.
Bedbugs are everywhere in America. Just do a search on "bedbugs I-5" to see the many hotels here that have them.
I believe it was the Frances, but it really won't matter...other threads have reported problems on other Caminos recently, and by the time you arrive at a "problem" albergue it may have been treated and resolved, while you stay at a place with a new problem. I would recommend taking precautions if you want in terms of sprays, etc. (I did not think it would be worthwhile personally), checking the place when you check in and if you want using precautions there (pack not on floor or bed, pack in plastic, etc) and if you discover bugs, following the sage advice posted above and elsewhere on the web. Even 5 star hotels can get bedbugs...high turnover with lots of travelers from all over is the risk factor. Cleanliness is not the important thing, it is reporting by pilgrims to the albergue (which too often does not happen). Reliable reporting, in person, by phone, or by email (note: not notes left for someone to find) is what helps control this. Kudos to the OP for reporting by email.Ooh that's awful. Wash your stuff. Which route is that on?
Bedbugs were almost eradicated (in part through use of pesticides, I believe) in the mid-20th century. It is because of modern travel and the greater caution around broadcasting pesticides, that they have recovered and flourished. So our "day and age" is contributing to the problem. There is no safe, easy and permanent solution that hostels can use to eliminate the problem. Thus your judgement might be misplaced. However, of course, every hostel should try to be as clean as possible for many reasons.disgusting in this day and age
I liked this related article linked to itUnfortunately, bed bugs are more and more common "in this day and age." Just saw that the Chicago CTA found some on the Red Line!!!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-cta-red-line-bed-bugs-20160927-story.html.
Bedbugs were almost eradicated (in part through use of pesticides, I believe) in the mid-20th century. It is because of modern travel and the greater caution around broadcasting pesticides, that they have recovered and flourished. So our "day and age" is contributing to the problem. There is no safe, easy and permanent solution that hostels can use to eliminate the problem. Thus your judgement might be misplaced. However, of course, every hostel should try to be as clean as possible for many reasons.
Hmmm. Don't waste your efforts.I liked this related article linked to it
http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/sc-bed-bugs-color-health-0504-20160426-story.html
off to buy a yellow back pack
I'm not sure if I should want to travel with you (good at finding bedbugs) or not travel with you (you are a bedbug black cloud)I've seen bedbugs on all color sheets including yellow, on white walls, behind pictures on walls of albergues, in dark holes of wooden bunkbeds, in the folds of the metal beds, in black, red, and pink backpacks. Personally, as long as they can suck your blood, I'm not sure they care what color you're wearing or sleeping on.
I'm not sure if I should want to travel with you (good at finding bedbugs) or not travel with you (you are a bedbug black cloud)
[please note smiley, as in yellow backpack this means I'm joking]...besides, my backpack cover is already dayglo yellow for rain walking
True! Just be carefull not to scratch bites with your fingernails, just finger pads, as they itch like hellYes they are - as bed bugs neither transmit diseases nor cause cancer ;-) Buen Camino, SY
Bedbugs were almost eradicated (in part through use of pesticides, I believe) in the mid-20th century. It is because of modern travel and the greater caution around broadcasting pesticides, that they have recovered and flourished. So our "day and age" is contributing to the problem. There is no safe, easy and permanent solution that hostels can use to eliminate the problem. Thus your judgement might be misplaced. However, of course, every hostel should try to be as clean as possible for many reasons.
... it says to me that things are not being cleaned enough. I suppose it's a busy busy route but i still think if you can't clean - I am happy to vacuum when I get there even if I am bombed. There must be something natural that repels them???
? it says to me that things are not being cleaned enough.
I disagree. It's like saying headlice only go on dirty hair.
Bed bugs have very little to do with cleanliness, they tend to hide during the day in crevices in walls and floors, behind floor boards, behind light switches etc. These hiding places are very difficult to reach and, even when treated chemically, the next pilgrims, potentially, bring the next bugs into the albergue.
And no, so far nobody has found anything natural that repels them. Bed bugs search for their 'prey' (us) by the CO2 we exhale and don't care how we smell otherwise. Buen Camino, SY
@Kate fowles they are a problem everywhere. The University of Sydney Department of Entomology has a whole website just devoted to bed bugs. What kills them naturally is heat or cold.
Cleanliness is pretty much irrelevant, except that daily cleaning probably also includes daily inspections.
But you see if you were cleaning propperly you would be vaccuming up those little black peppery things???Well there are signs that we pilgrims have researched and know what to look for. Therefore, any respectable albergue host should be looking for the same signs. I noticed some of the things beforehand, but unfortunately I did not recognize them at the time, only afterwards when doing research and looking back. Dark spot(s) on sheets, coffee grind looking things under mattress in crevices etc. so yes it does have to do with improper cleaning/ attention to details.
Maybe...but there are too many people who think that and don't do anything to get rid of the lice and then you are stuck with the problem.I disagree. It's like saying headlice only go on dirty hair.
If you do get bitten by the little buggers (I have) I found that tea tree oil is a great solution. The bites don't go away any sooner but the itch does and you won't scratch yourself and make things worse. Believe me, I feel for you!True! Just be carefull not to scratch bites with your fingernails, just finger pads, as they itch like hellAnd you really don't want to get an infection on Camino with all that sweat, dust etc.........
Brilliant!!! That's an excellent tipIf you do get bitten by the little buggers (I have) I found that tea tree oil is a great solution. The bites don't go away any sooner but the itch does and you won't scratch yourself and make things worse. Believe me, I feel for you!
I don't know...maybe...or would they eventually find their way there, since bedbugs don't just hide in beds? as for quiet departures, we'd just have more folks getting up in the middle of the night to look for something in their pack...or someone elseIt seems to me that it would be very helpful if albergues provided lockers outside the sleeping areas to help stop bed bugs hitching a ride in backpacks. It would also help people to leave the dorms more quietly in the mornings.
And No sorry we - the public should not have to tolerate it. Would you support a shop that consistently sold chicken that was going off and made you ill?? Would you support any supplyer that just kept breaking their promise and took your money? I wouldn't. I know it's hard (and one has to be compassionate) must be a very tough job with lots of back-breaking work but it needs to be done well unfortunately. I have had to wash toilets and dishes in a cafe when we relocated despite my university degrees!! It's a horrible job but someone has to do it and it has to be done correctly.
We the public do not have to tolerate it. We can stay home.And No sorry we - the public should not have to tolerate it... Would you support any supplyer that just kept breaking their promise and took your money? ... I know it's hard (and one has to be compassionate) must be a very tough job with lots of back-breaking work but it needs to be done well unfortunately... It's a horrible job but someone has to do it and it has to be done correctly.
... according to a number of sites I read today and the Huffington Post there are natural deterant one can make that help deter them. ....
Yes to all the above, IF it is an established infestation. If the bugs were brought in the night before, it's unlikely they can be spotted.Well there are signs that we pilgrims have researched and know what to look for. Therefore, any respectable albergue host should be looking for the same signs. I noticed some of the things beforehand, but unfortunately I did not recognize them at the time, only afterwards when doing research and looking back. Dark spot(s) on sheets, coffee grind looking things under mattress in crevices etc. so yes it does have to do with improper cleaning/ attention to details.
I'm not sure which countries you were in, but many developing nations still use DDT indoors for the control of mosquitoes (an exemption from WHO and other advisory boards because the known risks of DDT were outweighed by the morbidity/mortality caused by malaria). one possible reason for the differencewe never experienced lice or bed bugs living in the 3rd world where i grew up till we moved to the first world 7 years ago...needless to say I am really shocked
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