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Do's and don'ts in the albergue?

D

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Hi fellow 'grinos

Albergues are a god send. They’re affordabe, a great place to meet people after a lonely day on the road and often come to our rescue when we’re running on empty. But! Yes sadly there’s a “but”! A minority of pilgrims use them and abuse them. Speaking from experience, here’s some do’s and don’ts I thought of to help make life in the albergues as harmonious as possible.

Do…

Clear up after yourself. If you’re making food in the kitchen wash and dry up. If you’re putting on your blister plasters, put the packets and used ones in the bin. If your socks have turned toxic and need to go into quarantine, put them in a place where they won’t sting the nostrils of fellow ‘grinos. You get the picture: leave the place the same if not better than you found it.

Don’t…

Cut your toenails in the dorms. I’ve seen people do it. If you see people too, put the cuttings in their sleeping bag and hopefully they’ll think again;)

Do

Leave boots in a designated area. It helps keep the dorms clean, saves space and one less whiff in a malodourous cocktail of sweaty stink already lingering.

Don’t

Play music or watch videos on your phone at full volume. Be considerate. For some people the camino is a bucket list item. They’re there to disconnect, rest and re-charge body and mind. Bring some earphones, turn down the brightness on the screen (the blue light is terrible for your sleep quality by the way) and play at a volume that won’t disturb others. Best case scenario keep it switched off and use only in emergencies.

Do

Plan the next day. Use your guidebook. Where can you buy some food supplies or eat? Where will you fill your water supply? How far until your next stop? That way you leap out of bed in the morning like a frog off a lily pad and hit the ground running.

Don’t

Leave your alarm on snooze. Chances are you’re sharing a hall/dorm/room with other people and they might want to sleep a little longer without being woken up on the wrong side of the bed by Smack My Bitch Up by The Prodigy. Get up or set the alarm for another time. Before someone throws it out the window!

Do

Pack earplugs and a blindfold to shield ears and eyes from snorers and torch wielders respectively.

Don’t

Shower dodge. By all means grow a beard, a moustache and let your hair take its own pilgrimage to the wild side. But please wash. There’s nothing worse than choking on the beefy body odour and vinegary feet of a fellow ‘grino.

Do

Do leave behind stuff that could come in handy for fellow ‘grinos instead of throwing it away. Your blisters cleared up and don’t want to carry the weight of disinfectant, plasters and gauzes? It may well serve someone else. You done with that book, map or info sheet? Pass it on! One man’s trash is another man’s treasure:)

Don’t

Dry your wet/sweaty clothes on the bunk bed frames. Saw this on many occasions on my last Portuguese Camino and had someone’s jumper dripping on my bottom bunk. Hang them up outside and make more friends not the dorms more smelly:))

¡Buen Camino!



[ivar edited the post to include the post that is linked below]

https://caminosantiagoblogcom.wordpress.com/author/theonlywayiswest/
 
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St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
Driving home in the dark a few weeks ago in the pouring rain, my 17yo son asked if I would pull over so he could walk. We were about 2 miles from home. Here? I asked. "Yes, here. Well.. back there." he said. So I pulled over, and he stepped out. I said to him "Buen Camino, Perigrino." He gave me a grin and swung the door shut.

So glad we walked together 2015 and 2016.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I saw a fair number of signs asking pilgrims to not do any foot care in the dorms. I also saw a lot of folks ignoring the signs.

Ditto for putting backpacks on the beds.

And, maybe a heads up for pilgrims in France - French rules and customs were a bit different than in Spain. There pilgrims generally cleaned up after the communal meals, even though the host cooked; and they always cleaned up after the breakfast. And one custom that I really liked was that backpacks weren't brought into the sleeping area at all! You'd get a little plastic bucket to put whatever you needed for the night in, and left the backpacks downstairs. It did keep things cleaner ... and it made for a quieter exit in the morning.
 
Good list. I'd add something about not putting backpacks onto beds in the hope of preventing bedbug migration.
A myth, I fear. Bed bugs live in walls and bed frames. They can leave a pack whether it is on the bed or floor. Packs get pretty dirty from being dropped to the ground. The main result of a pack on a bed is likely to be dirt and bacteria.
 
Here's a "Don't" that should be obvious... but: "Don't touch other pilgrims or their things."

I was in my bunk, in my silk sac in Gonzar when the fellow from the upper bunk reached out, held onto my sac (with me in it) and demanded to know what it was made from.

There were some apparent mental health issues, and that's OK... but touching someone else unbidden, or touching their stuff.... not cool.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
A myth, I fear. Bed bugs live in walls and bed frames. They can leave a pack whether it is on the bed or floor. Packs get pretty dirty from being dropped to the ground. The main result of a pack on a bed is likely to be dirt and bacteria.

Good to know as I did it plenty of times before picking up on the story.
 
Starting day four south of Pamplona and shared the albergue with a pilgrim who had his insoles stolen the night before. Don’t steal someone else’s insoles. And of course his feet were in tough shape last evening...not sure but that may be one of the cruelest things you can do to a person during this quest.
 
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
So if you aren’t supposed to care for your feeet in the dorm, where do you do it? In the kitchen ? The bar ? Don’t say the showers unless they come with chairs, some of us aren’t hat flexible!
 
So if you aren’t supposed to care for your feeet in the dorm, where do you do it? In the kitchen ? The bar ? Don’t say the showers unless they come with chairs, some of us aren’t hat flexible!

There's a difference between caring for your feet (applying plasters, disinfectant etc) to cutting your toenails where the shards of nail could fly off into someone's bed;;) Maybe I'm too much of a prude Brit? But I take my cheese pads outside to do my pedi-pandering.
 
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What a list!

Surprised breathing is allowed.


haha! which suggestion do you find particularly unreasonable? I think my suggestions are just being as considerate as possible. If you disagree, no probs. I'm open minded enough to listen. But do you really believe watching loud videos on phones without earphones, cutting toenails, leaving your alarm on to wake others and letting your wet clothes dry on the bed frames is considerate behaviour?
 
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Interesting guidelines. Here are a few thoughts:

I walked in the early Spring and the Fall. I put my damp clothing (not dripping) on my bed rail to dry if there is no where else. (When it is raining the outside doesn't work, and some places don't have tumble dryers or drying rooms.)

Nor do I see a problem with taking care of your feet (inc. toes) as long as you are considerate about flying pieces of nails and clean up afterwards. I'm not sure where else there is to take care of one's feet. Again, outside is tricky if it is dark and rainy.

I also offer my bottom bunk to others if I judge they may have a tricky time climbing up onto the top bunk.

I also often cook extra food to serve a meal to an incoming pilgrim.

Kate
 
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Hi fellow 'grinos

https://caminosantiagoblogcom.wordpress.com/author/theonlywayiswest/

anyone have anything to add to the blog post on do's and don'ts in the albergue?
I would add “ do read and be aware of the posted albergue rules when you arrive. I was unaware of these at orisson and it was my first camino. When i was found taking a shower at 2:30 am, i was pulled by the ear by a staff member to the bulletin board where it was posted ‘no showering after 10 pm’. A very bad experience for me on my first camino night!
 
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Rule 1: You are not at home and you are sharing dorms with others. Be mindful and respectful.
Rule 2: Respect rule 1.
 

I agree.

Kindness and consideration, meeting others and growing by hearing them and caring and simply being aware of them, is a huge part of my walking the Camino (Chemin). Hearing others stories and taking the time to reflect while walking opens the heart.
 
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I would add “ do read and be aware of the posted albergue rules when you arrive. I was unaware of these at orisson and it was my first camino. When i was found taking a shower at 2:30 am, i was pulled by the ear by a staff member to the bulletin board where it was posted ‘no showering after 10 pm’. A very bad experience for me on my first camino night!
Ah you poor thing thats a good point, am...... showering at that time is a bit mad though?!? Sorry I'm not being mean but come on!!
 
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I have to disagree with you about washing your clothes in the shower. This lengthens the time you take, and uses up valuable hot water - both of which are inconsiderate of fellow pilgrims. I certainly agree that a few clothes pegs are a great idea, though on more than one occasion I've had them removed from my clothes and used by others who obviously thought they belonged to the establishment!
 
I think it's great that @Theonlywayiswest has made an effort to share his very personal observations about a number of topics, but I'm not sure that I would be taking any of that advice all that seriously, nor would I recommend it to others as it currently stands. It might seem nice and breezy, and it is superficially appealing in places, but there is nothing new, it is far from complete despite the claims made for it, and there is far more measured and insightful advice offered elsewhere on this forum about the topics that he has addressed in his blog.
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Last month in SdC I was walking through the town when I was called over and invited for a drink by some pilgrims ('grinos FFS) who recognised me from the office (the bright blue voluntario tee-shirt probably helped).

We traded stories about their Caminos and what it was like working the other side of the counter.

One bright young thing said her group were lucky because they'd palled up with a guy called Luke who was on his second Camino and had been their guru and had all the answers.

I must have smirked or sniggered because Luke rounded on me and asked how many Caminos I'd done.

Six I said, but I don't know all the questions yet let alone all the answers.

Can we have a blog explaining how to suck eggs please?
 
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Last month in SdC I was walking through the town when I was called over and invited for a drink by some pilgrims ('grinos FFS) who recognised me from the office (the bright blue voluntario tee-shirt probably helped).

Can we have a blog explaining how to suck eggs please?

I will start a discussion on the Non Serious thread...Will keep us occupied for at least five pages....:p
 
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I have to disagree with you about washing your clothes in the shower. This lengthens the time you take, and uses up valuable hot water - both of which are inconsiderate of fellow pilgrims. I certainly agree that a few clothes pegs are a great idea, though on more than one occasion I've had them removed from my clothes and used by others who obviously thought they belonged to the establishment!

Hey great point. Rinse in the sink with tepid water?
 
I think it's great that @Theonlywayiswest has made an effort to share his very personal observations about a number of topics, but I'm not sure that I would be taking any of that advice all that seriously, nor would I recommend it to others as it currently stands. It might seem nice and breezy, and it is superficially appealing in places, but there is nothing new, it is far from complete despite the claims made for it, and there is far more measured and insightful advice offered elsewhere on this forum about the topics that he has addressed in his blog.
I trust that to be true and I'm not claiming at any point to know it all. Just sharing things in my notebook I thought could be more use to rookie pilgrims on the web than in my notebook where no one can see it.

A seasoned 'grino may well know all this already. If you have the links to more measured and insightful advice i'm sure we'd all be grateful for those links:)
 
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If you have the links to more measured and insightful advice i'm sure we'd all be grateful for those links:)
If you didn't do your own research before you posted on the topics you chose, don't expect others to do that for you now. But having said that, here is a list of forum members whose contributions have stood the test of time, and who are well known for the quality of their advice.
 
If you didn't do your own research before you posted on the topics you chose, don't expect others to do that for you now. But having said that, here is a list of forum members whose contributions have stood the test of time, and who are well known for the quality of their advice.

Haha thanks for being so diplomatic.

My "research" was my time spent walking the camino and based on the pain points of my experience, experience that I simply wanted to share. Little steps I took to iron out creases on my routine. Pilgrims can take it, leave it, criticise it. No problem. Ultimately, I hope someone might get something useful from my good intentions.

I'm not "expecting" anything from anyone. You made a point about other sources of useful info and in the camino spirit I thought you might like to share them to help me and others.

Buen Camino Doug
 
Really like your intentions & I am sure it will benefit some people. Possibly this issue has been discussed on the forum before, but so are many other threads, and I do not see the problem of this. It keeps us occupied. Those who have seen and read it all before, well they can simply ignore the thread I suppose.

Your list of do's and dont's seems sensible to me. But I think its preferable if people do not play music at all, not even on a low volume (unless it's The Prodigy of course). Planning the next day does not seem a necessity to me. Overall, the main do is simply being considerate. This could also include offering a lower bunk bed to those who may need this.

The use of the word grino. .... hmm, I am not sure - it's a don't for me...:)
 
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If you didn't do your own research before you posted on the topics you chose, don't expect others to do that for you now. But having said that, here is a list of forum members whose contributions have stood the test of time, and who are well known for the quality of their advice.

It's going to take me 30 years to make that list :(
 
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Hi there Theonlywayiswest. I think your blog post is great - fun, concise, sensible and a good starting point especially for new pilgrims who are beginning to plan and gain an understanding of the journey and environment they are about to experience.

Just curious though why you've shortened Peregrino to 'grino. The word in it's full form has a meaning and connection to something long established and important to many (including me). I ask mostly because words / language fascinate me and how over time and generations (and trends), words are deconstructed / shortened or used in a way different from the original meaning. Often we never really know why. So now, in this instance I have a chance to directly ask.."why?" :)
 
Seasoned pilgrims cringe at being called Grinos (even with an apostrophe) and also at the suggestion that they are all-knowing and have found THE recipe for a camino.
Is a seasoned pilgrim an "old salt"? Should we be using salt in our recipes? :):)
 
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Ah you poor thing thats a good point, am...... showering at that time is a bit mad though?!? Sorry I'm not being mean but come on!!
Being dragged, presumably naked, through a refugio is a bit harsh but obviously had the desired effect!
Do - Always share your treats with the adorable Perrogrino next to you.

Don't - Don't let cats in the Albergue.
Or dogs.
 
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Hi there Theonlywayiswest. I think your blog post is great - fun, concise, sensible and a good starting point especially for new pilgrims who are beginning to plan and gain an understanding of the journey and environment they are about to experience.

Just curious though why you've shortened Peregrino to 'grino. The word in it's full form has a meaning and connection to something long established and important to many (including me). I ask mostly because words / language fascinate me and how over time and generations (and trends), words are deconstructed / shortened or used in a way different from the original meaning. Often we never really know why. So now, in this instance I have a chance to directly ask.."why?" :)

Well... great question! I fell in love with the camino and Spain so much I moved over and learned the language to a very high level. My Spanish is fluent but not perfect. The word peregrino for English speakers can be troublesome in getting the mouth and tongue around the "r". So I just thought to hurdle that and say fellow 'grino.:)

Obviously not so popular with some but again thought I'd help out those that can't role the "r" sound in Spanish. Would shell mates be more acceptable?;)
 
Well... great question! I fell in love with the camino and Spain so much I moved over and learned the language to a very high level. My Spanish is fluent but not perfect. The word peregrino for English speakers can be troublesome in getting the mouth and tongue around the "r". So I just thought to hurdle that and say fellow 'grino.:)

Obviously not so popular with some but again thought I'd help out those that can't role the "r" sound in Spanish. Would shell mates be more acceptable?;)
No.
 
I can managed a rolled R, as in Aargh, or Arse. In the case of Peregrino, if absolutely essential to avoid any possibility of confusion or doubt I could always try Pilgrim. A word understood by most native and secondary English speakers. Happily, grino has no meaning or context even in colloquial Spanish so should not cause any confusion or distress even in a crowded bar.
 
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Well... great question! I fell in love with the camino and Spain so much I moved over and learned the language to a very high level. My Spanish is fluent but not perfect. The word peregrino for English speakers can be troublesome in getting the mouth and tongue around the "r". So I just thought to hurdle that and say fellow 'grino.:)

Obviously not so popular with some but again thought I'd help out those that can't role the "r" sound in Spanish. Would shell mates be more acceptable?;)
How about just using peregrino? I don't think that the first R is any harder to pronounce than the second one.
 
The word peregrino for English speakers can be troublesome in getting the mouth and tongue around the "r".

Not the best argument. The world does not consist entirely of native English speakers & I think it is only fair for native English speakers to have a bit of linguistic struggle every now and then. :)
Shell mate ...... ? No.
 
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Not the best argument. The world does not consist entirely of native English speakers & I think it is only fair for native English speakers to have a bit of linguistic struggle every now and then. :)
Shell mate ...... ? No.

Pilgrim or peregrino/ a please.
Shell mate sounds like checkmate ;) Or a friend of a gasstation ;)
 
Well... great question! I fell in love with the camino and Spain so much I moved over and learned the language to a very high level. My Spanish is fluent but not perfect. The word peregrino for English speakers can be troublesome in getting the mouth and tongue around the "r". So I just thought to hurdle that and say fellow 'grino.:)

Obviously not so popular with some but again thought I'd help out those that can't role the "r" sound in Spanish. Would shell mates be more acceptable?;)

Thanks Theonlywayiswest. Your reply though leads me to another "Why?" and your justification confuses. Why mangle and change up a word from a language you are learning and obviously love, due to a perception that you may be helping others of a different language pronounce it? Every language has it's linguistic challenges for anyone learning, as you must know. I don't expect (or want) words to be altered to suit my ability to pronounce them.
 
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And in the meantime, members will know that you have been making regular and consistent contributions that have added to the breadth and depth of the discussions that make this forum such a powerful and useful resource.
Elegantly put, sir, elegantly put.
 
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According to Don McLean on the Amazon "the jungles swarm with green apostrophes". Perhaps France and England could import a few from Brazil?

Composed after reading Lewis Carroll and taking a swig of laudanum?
I'd rather have a slice of pie anyday!
 
The mere fact of having to make a list of "What to do" and "what not to do" and remember the pilgrims these things, In places where volunteers and people with a lot of commitment make a great effort to maintain cleanliness and order, it only shows the lack of common sense that prevails today. by other hand,
The term peregrino (from the Latin peregrīnus) refers in its most classic meaning to the traveler who, by devotion or vote, visits a sanctuary or some place considered sacred. At least respect the traditions of the camino before making the final list.
The spirit and the essence of any guideline of coexistence in the "Albergues" or even in "EL Camino" , is RESPECT. Buen Camino, Peregrino.
 
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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Ah you poor thing thats a good point, am...... showering at that time is a bit mad though?!? Sorry I'm not being mean but come on!!
I arrivedclate at orisdon, a slow first day, had no time to shower after dinner and was jet lagged and wide eyed at 2:30 am. Still, no excuse for menot knowing the rules.
 
Obviously not so popular with some but again thought I'd help out those that can't role the "r" sound in Spanish.

I think we can manage. ;)
It's a sign of respect and common courtesy to at least try to pronounce words correctly when visiting other countries.
 
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Hi fellow 'grinos

Albergues are a god send. They’re affordabe, a great place to meet people after a lonely day on the road and often come to our rescue when we’re running on empty. But! Yes sadly there’s a “but”! A minority of pilgrims use them and abuse them. Speaking from experience, here’s some do’s and don’ts I thought of to help make life in the albergues as harmonious as possible.

Do…

Clear up after yourself. If you’re making food in the kitchen wash and dry up. If you’re putting on your blister plasters, put the packets and used ones in the bin. If your socks have turned toxic and need to go into quarantine, put them in a place where they won’t sting the nostrils of fellow ‘grinos. You get the picture: leave the place the same if not better than you found it.

Don’t…

Cut your toenails in the dorms. I’ve seen people do it. If you see people too, put the cuttings in their sleeping bag and hopefully they’ll think again;)

Do

Leave boots in a designated area. It helps keep the dorms clean, saves space and one less whiff in a malodourous cocktail of sweaty stink already lingering.

Don’t

Play music or watch videos on your phone at full volume. Be considerate. For some people the camino is a bucket list item. They’re there to disconnect, rest and re-charge body and mind. Bring some earphones, turn down the brightness on the screen (the blue light is terrible for your sleep quality by the way) and play at a volume that won’t disturb others. Best case scenario keep it switched off and use only in emergencies.

Do

Plan the next day. Use your guidebook. Where can you buy some food supplies or eat? Where will you fill your water supply? How far until your next stop? That way you leap out of bed in the morning like a frog off a lily pad and hit the ground running.

Don’t

Leave your alarm on snooze. Chances are you’re sharing a hall/dorm/room with other people and they might want to sleep a little longer without being woken up on the wrong side of the bed by Smack My Bitch Up by The Prodigy. Get up or set the alarm for another time. Before someone throws it out the window!

Do

Pack earplugs and a blindfold to shield ears and eyes from snorers and torch wielders respectively.

Don’t

Shower dodge. By all means grow a beard, a moustache and let your hair take its own pilgrimage to the wild side. But please wash. There’s nothing worse than choking on the beefy body odour and vinegary feet of a fellow ‘grino.

Do

Do leave behind stuff that could come in handy for fellow ‘grinos instead of throwing it away. Your blisters cleared up and don’t want to carry the weight of disinfectant, plasters and gauzes? It may well serve someone else. You done with that book, map or info sheet? Pass it on! One man’s trash is another man’s treasure:)

Don’t

Dry your wet/sweaty clothes on the bunk bed frames. Saw this on many occasions on my last Portuguese Camino and had someone’s jumper dripping on my bottom bunk. Hang them up outside and make more friends not the dorms more smelly:))

¡Buen Camino!



[ivar edited the post to include the post that is linked below]

https://caminosantiagoblogcom.wordpress.com/author/theonlywayiswest/
I agree, some need to be more civilised.
 
Hi fellow 'grinos

Albergues are a god send. They’re affordabe, a great place to meet people after a lonely day on the road and often come to our rescue when we’re running on empty. But! Yes sadly there’s a “but”! A minority of pilgrims use them and abuse them. Speaking from experience, here’s some do’s and don’ts I thought of to help make life in the albergues as harmonious as possible.

Do…

Clear up after yourself. If you’re making food in the kitchen wash and dry up. If you’re putting on your blister plasters, put the packets and used ones in the bin. If your socks have turned toxic and need to go into quarantine, put them in a place where they won’t sting the nostrils of fellow ‘grinos. You get the picture: leave the place the same if not better than you found it.

Don’t…

Cut your toenails in the dorms. I’ve seen people do it. If you see people too, put the cuttings in their sleeping bag and hopefully they’ll think again;)

Do

Leave boots in a designated area. It helps keep the dorms clean, saves space and one less whiff in a malodourous cocktail of sweaty stink already lingering.

Don’t

Play music or watch videos on your phone at full volume. Be considerate. For some people the camino is a bucket list item. They’re there to disconnect, rest and re-charge body and mind. Bring some earphones, turn down the brightness on the screen (the blue light is terrible for your sleep quality by the way) and play at a volume that won’t disturb others. Best case scenario keep it switched off and use only in emergencies.

Do

Plan the next day. Use your guidebook. Where can you buy some food supplies or eat? Where will you fill your water supply? How far until your next stop? That way you leap out of bed in the morning like a frog off a lily pad and hit the ground running.

Don’t

Leave your alarm on snooze. Chances are you’re sharing a hall/dorm/room with other people and they might want to sleep a little longer without being woken up on the wrong side of the bed by Smack My Bitch Up by The Prodigy. Get up or set the alarm for another time. Before someone throws it out the window!

Do

Pack earplugs and a blindfold to shield ears and eyes from snorers and torch wielders respectively.

Don’t

Shower dodge. By all means grow a beard, a moustache and let your hair take its own pilgrimage to the wild side. But please wash. There’s nothing worse than choking on the beefy body odour and vinegary feet of a fellow ‘grino.

Do

Do leave behind stuff that could come in handy for fellow ‘grinos instead of throwing it away. Your blisters cleared up and don’t want to carry the weight of disinfectant, plasters and gauzes? It may well serve someone else. You done with that book, map or info sheet? Pass it on! One man’s trash is another man’s treasure:)

Don’t

Dry your wet/sweaty clothes on the bunk bed frames. Saw this on many occasions on my last Portuguese Camino and had someone’s jumper dripping on my bottom bunk. Hang them up outside and make more friends not the dorms more smelly:))

¡Buen Camino!



[ivar edited the post to include the post that is linked below]

https://caminosantiagoblogcom.wordpress.com/author/theonlywayiswest/
Is snoring a Do, or Don't
 
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Good list. I'd add something about not putting backpacks onto beds in the hope of preventing bedbug migration.
Many, even most albergues explicitly forbid this. A good idea is to carry an S hook to hang your pack from the bunk frame (and your clothes in the shower).
 
A myth, I fear. Bed bugs live in walls and bed frames. They can leave a pack whether it is on the bed or floor. Packs get pretty dirty from being dropped to the ground. The main result of a pack on a bed is likely to be dirt and bacteria.

Do not bring grocery plastic bags with you. They make a lot of noise early morning and during the night when others want to sleep.
Absolutely, in fact, don't pack your pack in the dorm in the morning at all. Either pack it up the night before, or lug your stuff into the common area/kitchen and do it there. Drysacs are better anyway.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Using some of this “quiet” time to tidy up, reminisce, etc. I found this on a scruffy piece of paper:

“Now shall I walk or shall I ride?
‘Ride, Pleasure said;
‘Walk’ Joy replied.”
—W.H. Davis

And this, with no attribution. If it is from one of you, thank you, and please let us know.

“if you knew the journey beforehand
You’d never learn anything along the way
For in your journey is the meaning, and your footsteps make the Road.”

It speaks to me not only about the Camino paths, but about the journey that is life itself. Thanks to all of you for every thought you share with us here, and to Ivar with his providing the space!
 
S hooks can also hang semi dry socks/pants from the bottom of the top bunk when one has the bottom bunk.
They have 101 uses - if you are in the lower bunk, they can be used to hang your backpack from the upper bunk and give a little bit of privacy. Also, the S hook keeps your backpack off the floor (where bedbugs tend to live) and out of the way of other pilgrims. We never leave home without them.
 
Yes. Just be kind and considerate.
I'm 100% with you but some people seem to be vague about what that means specifically. I'm sure its a kind and thoughtful person who sets his alarm for 4:30 am and then continually hits the snooze button until 6:30. Somehow there was a blindspot in his awareness of how his activity negatively affected others. Just like in marriage and other personal relationships, its good to be upfront and specific about behaviors that negatively impact others. I appreciate it when others are honest and upfront with me so I can be aware and adjust my behavior accordingly.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I'm 100% with you but some people seem to be vague about what that means specifically. I'm sure its a kind and thoughtful person who sets his alarm for 4:30 am and then continually hits the snooze button until 6:30. Somehow there was a blindspot in his awareness of how his activity negatively affected others. Just like in marriage and other personal relationships, its good to be upfront and specific about behaviors that negatively impact others. I appreciate it when others are honest and upfront with me so I can be aware and adjust my behavior accordingly.
I also prefer people who are upfront with me. However I have learned over time that there are a lot of people who are not comfortable with this. I suspect that this is also a cultural preference for people from the USA.

There are lots of different people and cultures on the Camino. I think that we should take this into account when interacting with others.
 
I'm 100% with you but some people seem to be vague about what that means specifically. I'm sure its a kind and thoughtful person who sets his alarm for 4:30 am and then continually hits the snooze button until 6:30. Somehow there was a blindspot in his awareness of how his activity negatively affected others. Just like in marriage and other personal relationships, its good to be upfront and specific about behaviors that negatively impact others. I appreciate it when others are honest and upfront with me so I can be aware and adjust my behavior accordingly.
The challenge in being specific about behaviours in general advice threads like this is that the specifics of kindness and thoughtfulness are so many and vary so much depending on the people and the context. For just one, simple example, consider whether it is kind and thoughful to leave the window open at night. Some people will say it absolutely is and to close it negatively impacts others. Other people will say the exact opposite. And for still others, it depends on the weather outside.

Kindness is really about making the effort to consider how your words and deeds will impact others. Just as you are sure that the person in your example is "a kind and thoughtful person", I am at least as sure that, in this situation, they were not making the effort to consider how their deeds were impacting others, making them not "kind and thoughtful" then.

It is good to provide examples so that people can learn what distinguishes kind and thoughtful actions from unkind and thoughtless ones. But it is also good to generalize from them, so that (a) the person doesn't walk away thinking "This is all I need to do: do these things and avoid those things. I don't need to think for myself." and (b) so that people learn the principles that they can apply in situations other than the ones you've covered.
 
The challenge in being specific about behaviours in general advice threads like this is that the specifics of kindness and thoughtfulness are so many and vary so much depending on the people and the context. For just one, simple example, consider whether it is kind and thoughful to leave the window open at night. Some people will say it absolutely is and to close it negatively impacts others. Other people will say the exact opposite. And for still others, it depends on the weather outside.

Kindness is really about making the effort to consider how your words and deeds will impact others. Just as you are sure that the person in your example is "a kind and thoughtful person", I am at least as sure that, in this situation, they were not making the effort to consider how their deeds were impacting others, making them not "kind and thoughtful" then.

It is good to provide examples so that people can learn what distinguishes kind and thoughtful actions from unkind and thoughtless ones. But it is also good to generalize from them, so that (a) the person doesn't walk away thinking "This is all I need to do: do these things and avoid those things. I don't need to think for myself." and (b) so that people learn the principles that they can apply in situations other than the ones you've covered.
Very well said. Reminds me of what I wanted to teach my children. I wasn’t concerned that they learn The Ten Commandments but that they come to enjoy practicing kindness in their daily lives. Kindness is complicated, situational, and never completely neat and tidy.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms

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