Early Morning Pilgrims - Suggestion

[fraluchi]

[...]In the last few years I have walked three Caminos. Every year people are ruder and ruder.

This is the result of the Caminos' popularity, when the masses are discovering the "cheap and must do it" holiday. The pilgrims' spirit is being pushed aside by this new invasion.

 

[nycwalking]

This is the result of the Caminos' popularity, when the masses are discovering the "cheap and must do it" holiday. The pilgrims' spirit is being pushed aside by this new invasion.

Invasion of the camino snatchers.

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

Invasion of the camino snatchers.

Should we 'fear the walking dead'?

 

[nycwalking]

Should we 'fear the walking dead'?

Nah, only the Night of the Living Dead.

 

[Carlos Santiago]

If you intend to leave the albergue very early (5:30 a.m.), please do not turn on the lights for the entire room and speak in a loud voice. It is disturbing to those who want to sleep until 6:30 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. Please have your backpack packed and ready to go and just slip out quietly. It is courteous and those who would like to get up later would greatly appreciate it.

All albergues should post this on their ceilings visible to everyone ... and the undersides of the 2nd & 3rd deck beds .

 

[Pat Beals]

A funny story....In one of the hostels, I ended up being the only woman in a seven bed room. Three bunks and and one sacrificial lamb. I was assigned the "lamb" role. Upon reflection, I moved myself to a bottom bunk and used my bath towel as a privacy screen.

Late in the day six men as a group joined me in the room. I went to dinner, came back and settled down. Three of the men came back at lights out (10pm) and we went to sleep....every once and a while one of the gentlemen would wake us all up by clapping his hands...was I snoring? This went on all night. Around midnight, the other three men crawled through the window with much delight. And proceeded to enjoy their gastric bodily functions. All the while the "Clapper" participated.

I escaped before dawn leaving much of my underwaer behind. I have never slept with six men before and hope to never do it again

I do love Camino adventures

 

[Lydia Gillen]

It seems that a great number of us find difficulty with very early risers. I certainly do. However I try to think of the difficulties that pilgrims experienced through the ages. In 2007 when I started people wondered if a certain albergue had hot water or not. that is no longer a problem. Think of the really good foorwear and socks that we have nowadays. How about having to wait for a ferry before the bridges were built. problems do not go away. they just change. However I must confess to the most awful revengeful thoughts I get towards people getting up at 4.45.

 

[Peter Crowe]

I just returned from the Camino Frances. If you intend to leave the albergue very early (5:30 a.m.), please do not turn on the lights for the entire room and speak in a loud voice. It is disturbing to those who want to sleep until 6:30 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. Please have your backpack packed and ready to go and just slip out quietly. It is courteous and those who would like to get up later would greatly appreciate it.

And there are many that do just slip out, well prepared to ensure minimal disruption to others, and then there are those buffoons, those notice boxes that have to let everybody know they are leaving early. Take a deep breath and just accept that some do not understand the comfort of others!

 

[Kari204]

Hi everyone, Im new here (we'll I've been following the forum for awhile silently reading/learning lots of great things from all you veterans, but this is my first post). I plan on starting my walk April 5 out of SJdP and wondering if I will see a lot of these issues that early in the spring? I ask because it seems Ive learned from this forum to enjoy a more quiet/less congested camino to try and do early spring/late fall as the majority of walkers are there over summer June/July/Aug. Was hoping by going early spring, I'll avoid at least some of the rude pilgrims you all are referring to here (wishful thinking probably lol). I have many more questions, but will post them in appropriate threads
Kari

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

Welcome Kari !!!!!
Rude is definitely a subjective thing, but there probably will be individuals who inevitably will wake up before the sun is up, stumble into the bathrooms, then stagger back to their bunks. There will at times, be individuals who will begin rustling plastic bags, turn on lights, whisper to one another, all the while trying to pack the backpacks they should have packed the night before. Before long and after you are laying there awake they will leave the alburgue believing they were polite and quiet the entire time...........Sounds like fun huh??????
It really is/can be and will be no matter you've read or heard. You are the only one that can make this a good thing or a bad thing.
Buen Camino Pilgrim !

 

[Kanga]

Welcome @Kari204. Go without expectations, if you can, and be prepared to suffer a little culture shock at the beginning. Not many of us are used to sharing close quarters with strangers, and at first it is daunting. But if you keep at it, after a while it becomes "the old familiar" and you will find your own way of being comfortable.

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

All albergues should post this on their ceilings visible to everyone ... and the undersides of the 2nd & 3rd deck beds .

Beats mirrors

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

I wonder do the early risers complain about those who go to bed late and create just as much noise. Is this pay back

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I wonder do the early risers complain about those who go to bed late and create just as much noise. Is this pay back

In all my days out on the Camino, only twice did I have someone going to be past bedtime/lockout, and both time they were drunk as can be.

 

[Deleted member 67338]

I just returned from the Camino Frances. If you intend to leave the albergue very early (5:30 a.m.), please do not turn on the lights for the entire room and speak in a loud voice. It is disturbing to those who want to sleep until 6:30 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. Please have your backpack packed and ready to go and just slip out quietly. It is courteous and those who would like to get up later would greatly appreciate it.

Totally agree mate I simply speak to the room and request the early leavers pack before 10pm when the lights go out, some people will always be a bit noisy but at least most will try and do the right thing and it's really only a small inconvenience. The only time I get narky is drunks who come in late and disturb the sleepers.

 

[domigee]

I think we have just forgotten what it is like to share sleeping quarters with others !
There are parts of the world where people cannot (ie would rather not) sleep on their own in total quiet. Seems unnatural and ...creepy.

 

[christy wharton]

Well most of the Alburgue I have been staying in the doors open at 630. I leave early as well. So I get up pack my gear and go as quiet as i can. I pay the same and have the same rights as late sleepers. Who btw make the staff nervous as some people are late getting out thus throwing off the schedule. It's futile. Good luck with your endeavors. Or get a room
My thoughts. Oh I am a walker not just a talker.

selfish!!! self centred!!

 

[Walk with Ernie]

I just returned from the Camino Frances. If you intend to leave the albergue very early (5:30 a.m.), please do not turn on the lights for the entire room and speak in a loud voice. It is disturbing to those who want to sleep until 6:30 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. Please have your backpack packed and ready to go and just slip out quietly. It is courteous and those who would like to get up later would greatly appreciate it.

I walked with a couple who had hearing problems. And could not see well in the dark. After the third night with them I "got hurt and stayed behind". I knew where they were staying and when I arrived in that town I didnt stop at thier albergue. A couple days later I was releaved to recieve an email from them, they took a bus and passed the Meseta completely. I enjoyed the quiet dark mornings after that. Thanks for posting. my last day on the Camino was May 1.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

What an admirable couple.......To challenge any Camino with "challenges" of their own !!!!!!! Bravo !!!!!! (True Pilgrims)........

 

[Marianne2011]

Isn't this a bit harsh? Talking about rights etc..." Your rights end where mine begin " springs to mind.
Like the OP writes : it is about courtesy.

Sorry to all the hospis that I must have made nervous by staying in the albergue till 8 am.
Not to mention those three occasions where I actually stayed until 9 am because we got into a nice conversation....Shame one me

 

[Marianne2011]

I walked with a couple who had hearing problems. And could not see well in the dark. After the third night with them I "got hurt and stayed behind". I knew where they were staying and when I arrived in that town I didnt stop at thier albergue. A couple days later I was releaved to recieve an email from them, they took a bus and passed the Meseta completely. I enjoyed the quiet dark mornings after that. Thanks for posting. my last day on the Camino was May 1.

Even the hospitaleros like a little break in their day even if it is at 8 AM

 

[cathy216]

I think we have just forgotten what it is like to share sleeping quarters with others !
There are parts of the world where people cannot (ie would rather not) sleep on their own in total quiet. Seems unnatural and ...creepy.

This is true!
I did my first camino in plain summer. There was no other option. We had to leave at 6 a.m. because of the heat. But we packed our backpack in the evening and grabbed our sleeping pack and got out of the sleeping room. In the evenings we asked the other pilgrims when they intend to get up and said that we try be quit when we leave.

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

Shhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Mariana Coffee]

Hahaha!
You can go back to the early 2000's and read the same complaints.
My advice is to take a sleep mask and earplugs.
It isn't going to change.

Yes. That's what I always did. One night the hospitalera left after diner and left us peregrinos on our own. There's an internal code 22 h is sleeping time, isn't it?? I became the upper bed and the ceiling lamp was practically 30 cm above my head. It turned 10 pm and I switched the lamp off. A young man (23 more or less) who was reading a book on the next upper bed without asking me anything, jumped off his bed and turned the lamp on again! He and other 3 belonged to the same group. My two other friends and I complained he should switch the light off soon. He didn't until 23.30 h! We were so upset and offended by his rude manners. And nobody else supported us to make him switch the light off again. We walked that day almost 40 km (on our 2nd day Camino... we were quite fit!), and reached the albergue also very tired and late. Next morning we woke up like most at 6:30 and I'm sorry but I returned the action... I turned the light on (over his head) to be able to pack my few things in my backpack. The young man, seeing that 8 pilgrims in the same room were packing stuff, jumped off his bed again and turned off the light leaving all of us in the darkness!! We left him alone in the room and went to have breakfast in the kitchen. We left the Albergue one hour later and to our surprise he was still chilling in bed... of course tired after the short night. The earplugs and a sleep mask can be indeed a blessing if you encounter such rude pilgrims on your way!

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

Yes. That's what I always did. One night the hospitalera left after diner and left us peregrinos on our own. There's an internal code 22 h is sleeping time, isn't it?? I became the upper bed and the ceiling lamp was practically 30 cm above my head. It turned 10 pm and I switched the lamp off. A young man (23 more or less) who was reading a book on the next upper bed without asking me anything, jumped off his bed and turned the lamp on again! He and other 3 belonged to the same group. My two other friends and I complained he should switch the light off soon. He didn't until 23.30 h! We were so upset and offended by his rude manners. And nobody else supported us to make him switch the light off again. We walked that day almost 40 km (on our 2nd day Camino... we were quite fit!), and reached the albergue also very tired and late. Next morning we woke up like most at 6:30 and I'm sorry but I returned the action... I turned the light on (over his head) to be able to pack my few things in my backpack. The young man, seeing that 8 pilgrims in the same room were packing stuff, jumped off his bed again and turned off the light leaving all of us in the darkness!! We left him alone in the room and went to have breakfast in the kitchen. We left the Albergue one hour later and to our surprise he was still chilling in bed... of course tired after the short night. The earplugs and a sleep mask can be indeed a blessing if you encounter such rude pilgrims on your way!

With some people it's just about me me me unfortunately I would have put the light back on again and said it was Karma coming home to roost and then put it off again and then on again and then.........

 

[bunnymac]

I just returned from the Camino Frances. If you intend to leave the albergue very early (5:30 a.m.), please do not turn on the lights for the entire room and speak in a loud voice. It is disturbing to those who want to sleep until 6:30 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. Please have your backpack packed and ready to go and just slip out quietly. It is courteous and those who would like to get up later would greatly appreciate it.

We had a particularly loud and obnoxious man last year on the Camino Frances. I complained in a very pleasant (I hope) way to the hospitalero. His remedy was to call ahead to the next albergue and inform them of the number of people this guy had offended. At the next albergue he was denied a bed, despite there being places available. He had to taxi ahead to find accommodation and thankfully our paths never crossed again. There was a large sigh of relief when the taxi arrived. The funny thing was that it was this guy's second Camino!!!

 

[JabbaPapa]

Hi everyone, Im new here (we'll I've been following the forum for awhile silently reading/learning lots of great things from all you veterans, but this is my first post). I plan on starting my walk April 5 out of SJdP and wondering if I will see a lot of these issues that early in the spring? I ask because it seems Ive learned from this forum to enjoy a more quiet/less congested camino to try and do early spring/late fall as the majority of walkers are there over summer June/July/Aug. Was hoping by going early spring, I'll avoid at least some of the rude pilgrims you all are referring to here (wishful thinking probably lol). I have many more questions, but will post them in appropriate threads
Kari

The worst spots for this are just after the typical starting points -- after Roncesvalles, Burgos, Leon, etc. The rudeness tends to go away after a few days on the Camino, including because these people will eventually get told off for it. Of course there are always a few who will never learn or quite simply do not care. And even some who positively blame people for not getting up at 4:30/5:00 AM like they do, and seem to think it's OK to "punish" them by refusing to be early ...

 

[Kanga]

I like those albergues where the hospitalero/a sets firm rules and enforces them. Everyone inside and lights out at 10pm, no lights on before 6am and no-one leaves before 7am. In the Albergue Emaus in Burgos they tell you those are the conditions, and you have to agree before getting allocated a bed.

It works well during spring and autumn, when daylight hours are shorter and it is not light until after 7am. Not so good during summer when daylight comes very early, and it is still bright at 10pm. Some people need to get up early to avoid the heat of midday, but others find it hard to go to bed and sleep when it is still daylight.

We all have to be tolerant.

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

The young man, seeing that 8 pilgrims in the same room were packing stuff, jumped off his bed again and turned off the light leaving all of us in the darkness!!

I like those albergues where the hospitalero/a sets firm rules and enforces them. Everyone inside and lights out at 10pm, no lights on before 6am and no-one leaves before 7am. In the Albergue Emaus in Burgos they tell you those are the conditions, and you have to agree before getting allocated a bed.

It works well during spring and autumn, when daylight hours are shorter and it is not light until after 7am. Not so good during summer when daylight comes very early, and it is still bright at 10pm. Some people need to get up early to avoid the heat of midday, but others find it hard to go to bed and sleep when it is still daylight.

We all have to be tolerant.

Jeepers reminds me when I was a small child when I asked (cried more like) my mam why I had to go to bed at 8pm when it was still bright outside and I could hear all the other children outside still playing

 

[mariahiles]

Well most of the Alburgue I have been staying in the doors open at 630. I leave early as well. So I get up pack my gear and go as quiet as i can. I pay the same and have the same rights as late sleepers. Who btw make the staff nervous as some people are late getting out thus throwing off the schedule. It's futile. Good luck with your endeavors. Or get a room
My thoughts. Oh I am a walker not just a talker.

Paying the same does not give you the right to be disrespectful and rude.

 

[Stivandrer]

- what a happy banter, but isn´t it still a good thing, though, that this state of unruly affairs when it comes to early risers and latecomers with headlamps, not to to speak of the Choir of Roncadores, resulting in that we, the chosen few are the ones using the albergues.
Anyone else can friggin´ well spend their dough on cosy accommodation elsewhere!!

 

[Satírico]

I agree with the comment about plastic bags. Last year on the CP there was a certain individual who got up early, left the dorm but stayed outside the door for ages just rummaging through a whole orchestra of plastic bags. Good advice I took before my first camino: bring cloth bags with you. And a keylight instead of a headtorch for the indoor part.

 

[Stivandrer]

I gave my son the latest in headlight for his hunting adventures some yrs ago, it has got a red film to put over the light, in nature for reading maps, perfect for dorms..
look for Petzl lamps, ideally with LEDs and adjustable intensity......

look for : //Petzl E49PC Headlamp with Flip Filter Red//

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

I gave my son the latest in headlight for his hunting adventures some yrs ago, it has got a red film to put over the light, in nature for reading maps, perfect for dorms..
look for Petzl lamps, ideally with LEDs and adjustable intensity......

Just be sure Pilgrims in a half dozed state dont think they are in another establishment if they see that red light

 

[HappyHiker1007]

I just returned from the Camino Frances. If you intend to leave the albergue very early (5:30 a.m.), please do not turn on the lights for the entire room and speak in a loud voice. It is disturbing to those who want to sleep until 6:30 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. Please have your backpack packed and ready to go and just slip out quietly. It is courteous and those who would like to get up later would greatly appreciate it.

The thought of sharing with anyone, let alone strangers, is one I am not keen on at all, I'd rather sleep out in the open. I don't mind sharing bathrooms and kitchens but sleep is sacred! That's why I always took individual rooms if I stayed in albergues when I walked the via de la plata in March and April, sometimes paying for both beds in a double room to have my peace and space, and most nights stayed is casas rurales which cost only 5€ more than the albergues

 

[Stivandrer]

This year, I had two opposites; One morning, 12 people in narrow dorm getting up as quiet as could be, nobody spoke, everybody doing the dance of not getting in each others way, several nationalities, - and then, two nights later, to have an early night in large Dorm #5 in Estrella where a large group came back from wining and dining, conversing as normally as were they still seated in the restaurant; one woman laughing hysterically for 20 minutes.
I tried to keep my composure, earplugged and blindfolded and mummyfied as I was in my bag.
My neighbour, an elderly German, had had too much after about ½ an hour when it seemed that even when curfew was getting nearer there was no stopping in sight, got irate and started talking loudly in German.

I had to translate as he was getting hotter; - could they possibly at least whisper instead of having a party, when they should be able to observe there were at least 20 people sleeping in full view (as they had already turned all the lights on was they came back) !?
The point here being both that someone has to speak out in the end, but also that irritation is contagious. Best if I had just let it pass, but... !

We will never get to the bottom of curbing irresponsible and inconsiderate behaviour, only praying and hoping for first timers to get an insight into the benefits of being a good fellow human being on an Albergue. Irrespect of nationality. And age...
- I had later a fun time arranging a rucksack line up at an albergue we arrived at, where all the young people were unaware of how democratic a lineup actually is, how tensions calm as you are in a perfect place, where your place is being respected...
In no time we were all conversing and waiting, not having a problem in the cold wind...

 

[RealErnie]

Good idea, but I think you are "preaching to the choir" here on the forum ;-) Buen Camino, SY

Hello from New Jersey, USA
Bought your book and finished reading 3 months ago. I know you provided an email for readers to forward questions/comments, but since I saw your email reply just now... What is best email address to forward/reach you.
Ernie Arias

 

[SYates]

... What is best email address to forward/reach you.
Ernie Arias

I am sending you a PM here on the forum in a minute. Buen Camino and welcome to the forum, SY

 

[vegoodrich]

Some people really really like walking during sunrise...it was my favorite time of every day on the camino (fall so sunrise was relatively late). Not everyone who leaves first thing is racing for a bed or avoiding the heat. For some people it is a very special time of day. I tried to be respectful leaving, just as people generally try to be respectful getting to bed if others are already sleeping. Respect, non-judgement, and tolerance...I'm still working on it and will continue. Lessons from the camino can be applied to so much more!

 

[Gillean]

If you are concerned about being woken up by early risers I have two suggestions:


Eagle Creek eye shades - they even have a pocket for:


Mighty Plugs ear plugs.

Or you could hope that somehow ill-mannered people will read a forum post, see the error of their ways and modify their behaviour to suit your needs. I suppose it could happen.

By the way both of the above products are very good and have helped me enjoy a good night`s sleep in many an albergue. They also work well on economy class flights to Europe. I`m sure that there are other similiar products out there.

Just saying.