AlexanderAZ
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2017 (Sept/Oct): CF: SJPdP-->Fisterra-->Muxia (solo)
2019 (late Sept): CF: SJPdP-->Leon (honeymoon!)
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As discussed on another thread, bedbugs are virtually ubiquitous on the Camino Frances, and most hospitaleros have to deal with them regularly. I imagine they need to decide whether to close for proper treatment immediately upon a sighting, whether to give spot treatment every day after the pilgrims have left, when to close down for a day or two of full treatment, etc. It sounds like in your case, the hospitalero seemed too casual. On the other hand, what were his choices at that moment? Did he have any "reasonable option"?What was most disturbing was the owner's attitude when I showed him the photo... a shrug and "It's part of the Camino". If I had any reasonable option to leave I would have done so
Thank you for letting us know! Hopefully the establishment will perform the necessary intervention promptly! I am writing down the name and will check future reviews before I consider booking there!
For better or for worse, bed bugs are an aspect of the Camino. I think it is much ado about nothing.I read a post in the last week or so from someone reporting bedbugs in a specific location. The post included discussion about changing the title of the post to "Possible" bedbugs because it couldn't be verified. Last night while squarely looking at several bed bugs at 10pm I recalled this post so I took a photo of one of the bedbugs on the wall by my bed for proof. What was most disturbing was the owner's attitude when I showed him the photo... a shrug and "It's part of the Camino". If I had any reasonable option to leave I would have done so but I had earlier talked to friends in villages one & two back from Foncebadón who reported no beds available. There were none in Foncebadón either. If Cruz de Ferro & the ascent/descent wasn't in the next mile in front of me I would have just left & started walking even in the middle of the night. For those wishing to avoid a bedbug experience the info of the place is: Alburgue Monte Irago in Foncebadón, specifically the 2nd floor.
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arrived in Santiago sick, starved, full of lice and fleas. Some say that was the original intent of the botefumiero.
For better or for worse, bed bugs are an aspect of the Camino. I think it is much ado about nothing.
In this case, I would strongly recommend all the usual precautions (pretreatment, enclosing your backpack, isolating night things,etc.) plus liberal use of DEET, every night.For me, and I am aware of several other authors of posts on other threads, they are very serious medical condition.
What I'm curious about is whether those owners have ever found a stray bedbug during their careful inspections. That doesn't strike me as an infestation, but it is an occurrence. If they have never even found one, I'd say that is luck because no one has brought and left any.I do know some owners of private places who have never had an infestation, though, probably partly luck and partly fastidious inspection as part of the regular cleaning process.
Most people who likely respond that bed bugs are merely annoying, probably have never gotten bitten, or got a couple of bites. Having been bitten severely myself from a place that was clearly infested I think until one has encountered numerous bites one can not know the impact on another individual. I was bitten about 45 times in one night and the welts were like bee bites! So please do not minimize the the impact on someone else!For most people, bed bugs are just an annoyance and inconvenience. For me, and I am aware of several other authors of posts on other threads, they are very serious medical condition. I got "attacked" on a Liveaboard scuba diving off Queensland and again travelling in New Zealand. One very sick girl for an extended period and left with scarring. I desperately need any solid, reliable advice on dealing with them. I'm grateful for updates of infestation and especially monitor these type of warning posts
There must be a nest with eggs for an infestation. The diligent albergues that immediately exterminate bedbugs are the ones that deal with just hitchhikers instead of an infestation. No adults, no eggs, no infestation.
This is why it is a good idea to always assume there are bedbugs everywhere, and take precautions.most pilgrims didn't take precautions and likely carried them on to the next places
Yes! The owner is not necessarily being irresponsible if a bedbug or 2 are found. They should not be dismissive, but even the diligent ones might not react with the same shock and horror that the pilgrim was perhaps expecting. Owners who deny they have ever had a bedbug might be afraid of ruining their reputations on the internet. This is why it can be counterproductive to immediately publicize a single encounter. Again there's no simple solution, but that is why we sometimes caution against naming and shaming here on the forum.better communication would probably help
Can you tell me how not to transport these critters or am I just being a tad stupid here!!As discussed on another thread, bedbugs are virtually ubiquitous on the Camino Frances, and most hospitaleros have to deal with them regularly. I imagine they need to decide whether to close for proper treatment immediately upon a sighting, whether to give spot treatment every day after the pilgrims have left, when to close down for a day or two of full treatment, etc. It sounds like in your case, the hospitalero seemed too casual. On the other hand, what were his choices at that moment? Did he have any "reasonable option"?
The bedbugs are a real problem, with no simple solution. Each of us needs to to do our best to help by not transporting them. The albergue operators also have to carry out appropriate pest control and hygiene practices that make control more effective.
I disagree that bedbugs have to be an aspect of the camino - once you have been bitten by these critters and have had a reaction then you will surely change your tune!!!For better or for worse, bed bugs are an aspect of the Camino. I think it is much ado about nothing.
I always think back to what it must have been like throughout history. Most pilgrims had nothing. And if they weren’t robbed, beaten or murdered, they very likely arrived in Santiago sick, starved, full of lice and fleas. Some say that was the original intent of the botefumiero.
Can you tell me how not to transport these critters or am I just being a tad stupid here!!
Well, I have been bitten many times and haven't figured out how to make them not an aspect of my Caminos!I disagree that bedbugs have to be an aspect of the camino - once you have been bitten by these critters and have had a reaction then you will surely change your tune!!!
When you arrive in an albergue, put your back pack into a large airtight dry bag or plastic garbage bag. At night, put everything away in it and close it up. Bedbugs are most active at night. In the morning, isolate everything that was exposed (sleeping bag, night clothes, etc.) in a separate air tight bag placed inside your pack. During the day, if neither you nor your roommates develop itchy bites, you are probably free of them. If you or they do develop reactions, then you must find a dryer. Put your sleeping stuff, that was isolated all day, straight into the dryer (dry already) for 30 minutes.Can you tell me how not to transport these critters or am I just being a tad stupid here!!
Lol! Yeah, I meant to mention that. But I think it was also thought, it might delouse them too.You forgot to mention that when they arrived they smelled really bad! That was the purpose of the botafumiero!
They really are everywhere on the Francés. If you don't see them, you just don't know what to look for (either because you don't react to the bites or there are less because of the season).
I know someone who had the bugs, and a very nice, concerned hospitalero called the last four albergues that pilgrim had stayed at. Three of them admitted to have an infestation. None of those had mentioned it to the pilgrims who stayed there, of course, therefore most pilgrims didn't take precautions and likely carried them on to the next places unknowingly (some people don't react to the bites at all, some react days or weeks later, and the bugs are sneaky and hide well, which makes it easy to spread them without knowing).
Don't get me wrong, this is not meant as an accusation. But better communication would probably help dealing with the problem, and in most cases, that's not exactly happening right now.
Regarding bed bugs/cleanliness:
It really isn't connected. Bed bugs don't live off filth like roaches. They survive in perfectly clean environment, all they need is a small crevice to hide (even behind a socket or light switch) and someone's blood from time to time (they can survive for over a year without a meal!). You can clean as much as you want and never get rid of them. They're immune to most chemicals, also. That's why they're so difficult to get rid of and why you really, really don't want to bring them home.
I stayed there last night and one of the floors was closed for disinfecting. They said the other floor had been disinfected the previous day.I read a post in the last week or so from someone reporting bedbugs in a specific location. The post included discussion about changing the title of the post to "Possible" bedbugs because it couldn't be verified. Last night while squarely looking at several bed bugs at 10pm I recalled this post so I took a photo of one of the bedbugs on the wall by my bed for proof. What was most disturbing was the owner's attitude when I showed him the photo... a shrug and "It's part of the Camino". If I had any reasonable option to leave I would have done so but I had earlier talked to friends in villages one & two back from Foncebadón who reported no beds available. There were none in Foncebadón either. If Cruz de Ferro & the ascent/descent wasn't in the next mile in front of me I would have just left & started walking even in the middle of the night. For those wishing to avoid a bedbug experience the info of the place is: Alburgue Monte Irago in Foncebadón, specifically the 2nd floor.
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No - it's not the big modern one....that one is after the descent. It is the hippie-ish one in Foncebadon. I hated that place, but my daughter thought it was so cool. I thought it was dirty and overcrowded.That's the big modern one with the expansive balcony/porch. I stayed there in June. I didn't realize there were two levels in the building. The mattresses were the vinyl kind too, I believe. I think I'm starting to itch now!
I don't think I'd be happy if everyone was spraying stinky DEET all around the albergue...Have you heard of Camino Annie’s Method? She keeps her bag outside then sprays her bedding area with DEET or similar local compound and waits about 10 minutes. After that she looks for bedbugs. He chemicals sprayed do not kill them as they have become resistant, but it does drive them away. If she sees the bugs, she goes elsewhere if possible.
True. Say an albergues has 30 beds, and each day each pilgrim sprays DEET or permethrin (or other anti-bedbug treatment) on his bunk. Do that for a six month season for three years, and you would need a trowel to remove the accumulation! It is not fair to the hospitalero or other pilgrims to treat someone else's property. Whatever you do, do it at home or outdoors. If you feel the need to use such methods, stay at home.I don't think I'd be happy if everyone was spraying stinky DEET all around the albergue...
Looks like we may be getting close to the point that the newsworthy post will be when someone finds an albergue that DOESN'T have bedbugs. I do know some owners of private places who have never had an infestation, though, probably partly luck and partly fastidious inspection as part of the regular cleaning process.
While you take a break during the caminho and laydown the backpack on the grass field, where bugs are living, and jump into your backpack.
I understand that the intent is to flush out hiding bedbugs. Has anyone ever found this effective in this way, and scared a bedbug into the open? If not, then I suggest that you apply the Deet to your exposed skin, as recommended by the manufacturer.As for the precautionary practice of spraying the bunk/bed -its not an overkill spray - just a couple of short sprays around the edges
No - it's not the big modern one....that one is after the descent. It is the hippie-ish one in Foncebadon. I hated that place, but my daughter thought it was so cool. I thought it was dirty and overcrowded.
Hi Trecile,I agree with most of what you wrote, but bedbugs are not in grass fields.
I understand that the intent is to flush out hiding bedbugs. Has anyone ever found this effective in this way, and scared a bedbug into the open? If not, then I suggest that you apply the Deet to your exposed skin, as recommended by the manufacturer.
Yes, I have read about this suggestion and agree that this idea has an intuitive appeal. However, I am curious about whether anyone can report that it actually has worked to flush out bugs.I received this tip from a fellow Aussie (one who is a moderator here), she has and continues to use this method. I used it in a couple of albergues I was not sure of. I do use the insect repellent as necessary.
Rather that than bedbugs!!!I don't think I'd be happy if everyone was spraying stinky DEET all around the albergue...
How on earth could they treat/spray the bed outdoors and frankly the bed bugs obviously did not travel from home - sorry for this answer but if you have ever been bitten and had reaction to the bites you would seriously have a different mindset - buen caminoTrue. Say an albergues has 30 beds, and each day each pilgrim sprays DEET or permethrin (or other anti-bedbug treatment) on his bunk. Do that for a six month season for three years, and you would need a trowel to remove the accumulation! It is not fair to the hospitalero or other pilgrims to treat someone else's property. Whatever you do, do it at home or outdoors. If you feel the need to use such methods, stay at home.
You cannot, therefore do not spray it at all!!How on earth could they treat/spray the bed outdoors
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