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Camino etiquette

AlexB

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Francés
Hi,

This morning I arrived to Santiago, very happy and excited but wanting to express the lack of consideration along pilgrims in the Albergues
Right now the Camino Frances is full and albergues are having full occupancy which is great but I think we need to be kind between ourselves. The three things that tested my patience were:

1.- Please if you are planning to leave early, prepare your backpack the day before and not at 4:30am while others are trying to sleep
2.- Remember you are not the only one using the toilet, clean after yourselves
3.- set the alarm at 4:00am or at anytime is not cool, put the vibration instead

Sorry for the ranting but its unsettling to see these things and say Buen Camino the next day to someone that doesn’t have any respect towards their fellows pilgrims
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Many people are immersed in their own experience or perhaps have never had to think about their actions impacting others. Thank you for the reminder.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Most places I've stayed at, it seems the place is empty by 7am. I tend to rise around 6am and be out and gone by 6:30. I do use my alarm, but set it low and put it under my pillow. It is rare for me to be the first one out the door, in fact Ourense was the only time it ever happened. I'm not a morning person.

I think the worst thing is when people talk for ages at night when you want to get to sleep. That does my nut more than people getting up in the morning early or alarms going off. Or the dorm room full of school kids at the convent albergue at Sarria that tried to smash the place up after coming back from a restaurant rather worse for wear (they were about 13-14 and seriously drunk). The hospitalero actually came in and had words that from my rough spanish included if it carries on I will be calling the police and kicking you out, it was that bad. I think several pilgrims were being tested at that point as to who was going to be first to open a can of whoop.
 
At Sarria and Ourense there may be new pilgrims at the 100 km mark so expect some changes in behavior, I think. Doesn't mean it is right or polite, but may be pilgrims without experience.
 

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