Do you bring your laptop to Camino?

[Jamie Y. Mo]

Hello everyone,
I am not sure if I want to bring my laptop to Camino..
I have an iPad mini that I will be bringing but I won't have a phone.
I will need an electronic device to find some info occasionally for sure so I cannot abandon all the electronic devices behind me as I wish to... but the idea of bringing a laptop sound a bit too much for me.
I would like to hear how other people manage this issue, perhaps?

Thank you.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hi Jamie ,
Just my smartfone . You can do everything with it , no nead for a laptop.
Wish you well,Peter.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hello everyone,
I am not sure if I want to bring my laptop to Camino..
I have an iPad mini that I will be bringing but I won't have a phone.
I will need an electronic device to find some info occasionally for sure so I cannot abandon all the electronic devices behind me as I wish to... but the idea of bringing a laptop sound a bit too much for me.
I would like to hear how other people manage this issue, perhaps?

Thank you.

Hi, Jamie, Welcome to the forum.

IMO, there are two good reasons not to bring a laptop -- it is very heavy, no matter how light it is as a computer. It is a big issue for pack weight. And second, you will have to lug it around with you every where you go. I also bring some electronics, but they fit into my fanny pack and are easy to carry around after walking. I wouldn't ever leave anything of that much value in an albergue.

I know you said you are not bringing a phone, but maybe rethinking that will help you find the answer. Having a phone for emergency calls, and the occasional reservation call, can be a godsend. I just bring my phone from the US and they put in a Spanish sim card and I'm good to go. Wifi is everywhere, for facetime-skype, emails, etc.

I find that the iphone is all I need to communicate via wifi. The voice recognition function is quite good, so sitting off by yourself and talking to your phone is a pretty good way to send messages.

You will find as many answers as there are forum members, but I hope some of the many comments will help you find what works for you and your particular sitaution. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Bradypus]

If all you need to do is "find some info occasionally" then a laptop is overkill in my opinion. Heavy and easily damaged. Unless you intend to do a great deal of writing and need a physical keyboard a small tablet or smartphone would be a better choice.

 

[Robo]

Way too heavy! Leave it at home
A phone or iPad mini is ample....

 

[november_moon]

The only reason I could see for bringing a lap top is if you are a hard core writer and want the good keyboard - but even then, I would probably bring a tablet and make do with a foldout keyboard or something.

 

[VNwalking]

Save yourself the weight, the worry, and the temptation.
I'd leave the laptop and the mini at home--for all the reasons others have mentioned. For a bit of information a phone is all you need--it light and easy to keep secure. You will be glad you did.
(Laurie has a really good point--managing a laptop or even a mini in one of those tiny curtainless, hookless shower cubicles? It's way too much of a headache--and then you'd need a dry bag of some sort. The hassles just proliferate...)

 

[trecile]

Last year I brought my small Kindle Fire tablet and used it only once or twice. My phone was all I really needed. I didn't see a single person with a laptop on the Camino.

 

[gerardcarey]

On my 8" tablet I can Skype, keep in touch with facebook and associated messaging, and sometimes viber. Depends who I am contacting.
I don't want people contacting me directly so no phone.
Regards
Gerard

 

[jo webber]

Hubby is insisting on bringing his tablet. Plus his phone. I am trying to guess how long it will take before he sends it ahead or gets stubborn.

 

[Anniesantiago]

No way.
TALK to people for goodness sakes.

 

[tomnorth]

Hello everyone,
I am not sure if I want to bring my laptop to Camino..
I have an iPad mini that I will be bringing but I won't have a phone.
I will need an electronic device to find some info occasionally for sure so I cannot abandon all the electronic devices behind me as I wish to... but the idea of bringing a laptop sound a bit too much for me.
I would like to hear how other people manage this issue, perhaps?

Thank you.

I only brought my iPhone 6+. I was able to do everything I needed with that one device. If you won't have a phone, I'd bring the mini, but I definitely would not bring a laptop, unless my livelihood depended on my having my laptop with me. You can do a ton with an iPad mini.

 

[Jamie Y. Mo]

Great. Thanks everyone. I will just leave my laptop at home and won't bother anymore.

 

[Mike Trebert]

Hello everyone,
I am not sure if I want to bring my laptop to Camino..
I have an iPad mini that I will be bringing but I won't have a phone.
I will need an electronic device to find some info occasionally for sure so I cannot abandon all the electronic devices behind me as I wish to... but the idea of bringing a laptop sound a bit too much for me.
I would like to hear how other people manage this issue, perhaps?

Thank you.

I brought an iPad because I wanted to download and view photos frequently (I don't own a laptop - they weigh a ton, I have a big desktop machine and iPad is very productive when away from home). I brought a phone too. If money is an issue for you and you're only choice is the iPad mini, you could make calls via Skype but only when you have wifi. You wouldn't be able to make emergency calls or use Google maps while on the move. A phone would be a very useful investment as everyone has said. You don't need an expensive model, 32gig would be plenty big enough, even if you're using it as your camera ( just backup to the cloud when you have wifi at night). People who use a 64 or 128gig (I think 256gig is absurdly big) phone are carrying thousands of photos and movies and games and are shooting videos all the time without downloading - just a sloppy bad habit! I have a good few apps which I use mostly for travel, my phone is a 64gig which has turned out to be way overkill, I could have done with a 32gig easily. I lost phone reception only briefly once on the whole CF - out east in the hills near Pamplona.

Buen Camino, - Mike

 

[KinkyOne]

Last year I brought my small Kindle Fire tablet and used it only once or twice. My phone was all I really needed. I didn't see a single person with a laptop on the Camino.

Oh, I've met a man in Moratinos in 2011 with a 28 kilos backpack with TWO (!!!) laptops in it. Forgot why he was using them for but I couldn't believe it and eventually he pulled them out of his backpack. It was true. And completely crazy

 

[VNwalking]

I also met someone in like that. More than one someone, actually. They were students from Korea walking the camino during the university break in March. It was in the early stages, and I lost touch with them after Logrono. So I don't know if they lugged all their machines all the way to Santiago or not. But the packs were really heavy and they were suffering, no doubt about it.

 

[SabsP]

Last month I saw a pilgrim with a really heavy laptop ( and many other electronic devices ). He practically never left his bunkbed and was constantly busy on his blog and arranging his pictures. Of course everyone walks his / her Camino for their own specific reasons but we did feel a bit sad for him because he preferred this than a casual conversation...Not to mention that he occupied the few electric outlets in the room for the whole afternoon and evening.

On a personal note : even at home I have a tendency of letting the laptop slip out of my hands so I cannot even imagine to bring it on a Camino : that would be begging for a disaster to happen

 

[RoamingTheWorld]

I brought a laptop because I needed it to write my blog but it was a hassle and something I always had to be aware of. Unless you HAVE to have it for work, don't bring it.

 

[kelleymac]

Great. Thanks everyone. I will just leave my laptop at home and won't bother anymore.

In some albergues there are computers to use. I got on to check train schedules once. The computers were slow, but with patience, I got the info I needed on a big screen. -- I only took my iPhone, and turned it off during the day. I checked in with my husband (who was sure I'd get eaten by a lion), every evening.

 

[wcsjms]

Hello everyone,
I am not sure if I want to bring my laptop to Camino..
I have an iPad mini that I will be bringing but I won't have a phone.
I will need an electronic device to find some info occasionally for sure so I cannot abandon all the electronic devices behind me as I wish to... but the idea of bringing a laptop sound a bit too much for me.
I would like to hear how other people manage this issue, perhaps?

Thank you.

We had a very basic Michelin map pamphlet and a watch ... we made out fine.

 

[edstep]

I only brought my iPhone 6+. I was able to do everything I needed with that one device. If you won't have a phone, I'd bring the mini, but I definitely would not bring a laptop, unless my livelihood depended on my having my laptop with me. You can do a ton with an iPad mini.

Thanks for the info. What is the electrical voltage in Spain?

 

[tomnorth]

Thanks for the info. What is the electrical voltage in Spain?

220. Most chargers these days are universal, meaning they will work on 110 or 220. The iPhone charger is universal. All you need is a European style plug adapter.

 

[Playful Dread]

Hello everyone,
I am not sure if I want to bring my laptop to Camino..
I have an iPad mini that I will be bringing but I won't have a phone.
I will need an electronic device to find some info occasionally for sure so I cannot abandon all the electronic devices behind me as I wish to... but the idea of bringing a laptop sound a bit too much for me.
I would like to hear how other people manage this issue, perhaps?

Thank you.

I manage with just my phone. It's small compact and does everything I need.

 

[jdpiguet]

220. Most chargers these days are universal, meaning they will work on 110 or 220. The iPhone charger is universal. All you need is a European style plug adapter.

I don't want to be pedantic, but most of Europe is now providing 230 V at 50 Hz.

For your phone/tablet/iPhone/iPod, the best solution is to buy an USB charger, with multiple plugs: you will be loved!

Buen Camino, Jacques-D.

 

[KinkyOne]

...
On a personal note : even at home I have a tendency of letting the laptop slip out of my hands so I cannot even imagine to bring it on a Camino : that would be begging for a disaster to happen

I guess you would be posting here non-stop

PS (Which is not really a disaster )

 

[KinkyOne]

I don't want to be pedantic, but most of Europe is now providing 230 V at 50 Hz.

For your phone/tablet/iPhone/iPod, the best solution is to buy an USB charger, with multiple plugs: you will be loved!

Buen Camino, Jacques-D.

As I know it's between 220-240 V at 50 Hz, which makes 230 V right. 210 V wasn't