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Sorry, I should have made this clearer. I have to sleep sitting upright with my knees also propped up, which usually involves five pillows. I do also take my own travel pillow (Thermarest) for my neck. Five pillows are usually manageable given that most places provide two anyway, and what with cushions etc being useable too. But some Spanish hotels only offer one pillow, and finding four more is harder for them.A variety of manufacturers make pillows for trekking. Some of the more popular brands include Therma-Rest, NEMO, and Sea-to-Summit. Perhaps one of these might help you solve your problem?
I swear by these - https://www.thermarest.com/ie/pillows/foam-pillows/compressible-pillow/compressible-pillow.htmlHello fellow pilgrims!
As you may have seen in my planning post about Belorado to Sarria, I’ve been merrily working away, booking rooms for that section.
Everything is unravelling now that some of the places I’ve reserved have said they have no extra pillows.
I’m having a bit of a wobble over this. I struggle with my need for extra pillows vs my ability to do many things quife athletically. But without the pillows, I get dislocations (health problem). This is why I prebook rooms: bunk beds, sleeping in a sitting position, and stacks of pillows don’t work well. But I want to be a ‘proper’ pilgrim. I mostly accept this stuff really.
I’m surprised the ‘little rural’ hotels (quoting from emails) don’t have spare pillows particularly during Covid… but also not surprised because I’ve seen how it works in practice. Anyway…
I just wondered what might be the response here. I’m considering shipping pillows… and paying for hold luggage… and carrying them on the train to Madrid at the end… I really don’t want to do this.
If one remote place with scarce private rooms sends a ‘no pillows’ email (eg, Hontanas and Tardajos) the whole itinerary for the surrounding days collapses.
Has anyone else had health related logistical problems? Does it play tricks with your sense of independence?
To me, this is the answer. It's very inexpensive and LESS expensive than buying pillow and shipping them to each location. Just carry them alone if you're booking privates and have them delivered each day.Could you just pack them in a duffle that you have sent by baggage transport daily?
Everywhere was fine about it! That’s partly why I’m a bit shocked now. The meseta places are the problem mostly. Also some of the more remote places later (O’Cebreiro has been v difficult to arrange in general but the place I’ve booked has been lovely, despite few pillows).You have already walked part of the Camino, right? What did you do then?
I’m considering this. It’s just… I sort of want to find a way to be free of the baggage. And I’ll need to carry them to Madrid on the train, then through the airport, and use the hold on the plane which I wasn’t going to do. It was so freeing during the last three week Camino we did, to just have a backpack and no worries about other stuff. But I was quietly and invisibly dependent on places having pillows.To me, this is the answer. It's very inexpensive and LESS expensive than buying pillow and shipping them to each location. Just carry them alone if you're booking privates and have them delivered each day.
I am wondering about an extra super light but very large pillow and just carrying it despite some extra weight. Thanks for these links.@Lhollo The logistics of 5 pillow does seem daunting. Just some thoughts.
Inflatable reading pillow
Exped Large Inflatable Pillow I have a medium without the foam that I take camping sometimes that is very light.
Also what about your extra clothes etc. stuffed into a pillow case at night.
Maybe consider a transport for the extras each day.
Good luck.
Had you also contacted them in advance? Maybe once you are there in person and explain the problem they will be able to accommodate you?Everywhere was fine about it! That’s partly why I’m a bit shocked now. The meseta places are the problem mostly. Also some of the more remote places later (O’Cebreiro has been v difficult to arrange in general but the place I’ve booked has been lovely, despite few pillows).
Will a pillowcase stuffed with your spare clothing work? Something you could try at home. If that doesn't work I doubt any lodging except a luxury hotel will work.Hello fellow pilgrims!
As you may have seen in my planning post about Belorado to Sarria, I’ve been merrily working away, booking rooms for that section.
Everything is unravelling now that some of the places I’ve reserved have said they have no extra pillows.
I’m having a bit of a wobble over this. I struggle with my need for extra pillows vs my ability to do many things quife athletically. But without the pillows, I get dislocations (health problem). This is why I prebook rooms: bunk beds, sleeping in a sitting position, and stacks of pillows don’t work well. But I want to be a ‘proper’ pilgrim. I mostly accept this stuff really.
I’m surprised the ‘little rural’ hotels (quoting from emails) don’t have spare pillows particularly during Covid… but also not surprised because I’ve seen how it works in practice. Anyway…
I just wondered what might be the response here. I’m considering shipping pillows… and paying for hold luggage… and carrying them on the train to Madrid at the end… I really don’t want to do this.
If one remote place with scarce private rooms sends a ‘no pillows’ email (eg, Hontanas and Tardajos) the whole itinerary for the surrounding days collapses.
Has anyone else had health related logistical problems? Does it play tricks with your sense of independence?
Yes, I contacted them in advance and usually that’s all I need to do. One or two places have been a little abrupt his time, asking me to cancel the reservation, but most are either still happy to help or just literally unable to offer more than a single pillow, maybe two. I’m surprised they don’t have spares really but they must have a system.Had you also contacted them in advance? Maybe once you are there in person and explain the problem they will be able to accommodate you?
If you decide to buy pillows in Spain there's an Ikea store in Madrid. You could buy some pillows there inexpensively.
I’ve had that in an Amazon list for ages and keep looking at it! It may well be the answer. Thank youCould something like this set-up (lightweight inflatable mattress & lightweight frame) get you part-way to a solution?
Trekker Chair Kit - Folding Seat Kit | Therm-a-Rest®
Lightweight kit to turn your mattress into a chair.www.thermarest.com
I have to giggle a bit because my clothing is so minimal! Last time, I fitted it into a tiny waterproof pouch, about seven inches long and four in diameter (I use and love these Gossamer Gear ones: https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.c...ybags-c29/stuffsacks-c176/air-zippditty-p9075). My backpack itself as a rest might work but again, I don’t put much in it to fill it up. Thanks for the ideas though!Will a pillowcase stuffed with your spare clothing work? Something you could try at home. If that doesn't work I doubt any lodging except a luxury hotel will work.
(I wondered if she cinched those trekking chair straps tighter/closer, so it was more of a "V" shape than an "L," and then maybe tucked her pack underneath, perhaps that would provide the padded knee-propping effect?)You may have to think for future Caminos about not booking so far ahead so that if this happens you can adjust your schedule. I personally love pillows and always request extras, but don't have to have them for my health. There are some inflatable chairs I can see online that might work, but probably won't help you with this Camino. I have had the thermarest treking chair when camping. It's nice because it does have a back rest, but it won't prop up your legs. Sounds like shipping the pillows ahead and the ditching them before you return home might be the best idea to finish out this Camino.
I speak intermediate Spanish so can explain the medical situation and I do so in Spanish when making bookings. I suspect the problem when I arrive is that I don’t look remotely disabled, in fact I tend to bounce around and jog about—I actually find moving quickly easier than moving slowly much of the time—which probably means I don’t look as though sleeping will be a problem. It’s when my muscles relax in a bad position that I lose control over the joints, though. I have a dislocating jaw, shoulder and knees.The other thing you can do is either carry a card in Spanish which explains what happens without the extra pillows with your condition and/or be prepared to share that over the phone with whoever you make the reservation with. We can't stay at some places because of my husband's need for electricity for his CPAP. At one location this trip he had made a reservation, but they had no way to get a cord to him. They helped him find another bed in town. It is possible they could help you with some extra blankets or cushions from the sofa if they fully understood your needs.
Thanks. I only need one pillow under my knees, just to stop them locking in a straight position. The challenge is getting a wedge behind my back, so I’m at a roughly 45 degree angle but with the lumbar support and support for my neck pillow.Can your backpack substitute for several of those under-leg pillows? If it’s simply height you need, a pillow on the pack may work
Thank you for this kind response. It’s funny, my reaction leaps to the Inca trail, something I hope one day to do but need first to figure out how I’d sleep in a tent. I used to love wild camping. Getting back into a small tent would be amazing. And if I can’t sleep on the Camino, I can’t even consider tents, nor other trails to places that I’ve always wanted to see.Hi @Lhollo in hearing stories from other pilgrims, and observing that in this day and age you just can't count on anything, I'd recommend keeping as much control over your pillows as possible.It's going to be too hard to count on hotels/lodgings consistently having what you need (even if they promise beforehand) and for your own peace of mind if you can either bring pillows to Spain and ship them every day, or buy them here and ship them every day, that way you can control almost all the factors and have what you need every night. You wouldn't be at the mercy of constantly changing circumstances, and one person in a hotel promising something now that someone else on duty the night you arrive in a few months can't fulfill. I do know that in this Covid era there are extra requirements for cleaning everything, and some places may be too overwhelmed to give you more than the one pillow.
You wrote above, "Does it play tricks with your sense of independence?"
If I could offer another perspective...since you know you need 5 pillows a night, I think the best way to maintain independence is to ensure that what you need definitely happens on the Camino, most likely by transporting the pillows with you.
My two cents! Hope things work out, and Buen Camino!
So… maybe you’re right and I have to accept that taking pillows everywhere is just something I need to do and take control of, but I don’t feel I’ve exhausted all routes yet, and some of the ideas in this thread has got me thinking about this. My thoughts turn from large pillows and mattress seats to whether carbon fibre engineers might be able to whip up a collapsible, wedge-shaped scaffold for me if I draw a nice diagram. I am only half joking. A simple foam wedge has also occurred to me, if I could get very light but also firm foam. This is to say… I know you’re speaking sense, and I appreciate it. I may well eventually accept that nothing else is feasible.
Thank you! That’s extremely helpful, and interesting!I did chat with Phil who is hospitalero in Caldazilla de los Hermanillos right now. He said albergues that have pillows will have lots of extras right now due to the reduced capacity limits. If you feel you need a private room you might try albergues with private rooms with that in mind. He said he has many extra pillows as his capacity is limited to only eight. His rooms are 2 person rooms. Yesterday he had 4 pilgrims and today so far none.
Sounds like the solution is either inflatable pillows, or daily shipping of them which is simple enough via pack services. You might be able to arrange for them to be shipped to the first hotel of your itinerary to avoid carrying though airport, donate at your last place.I’m considering this. It’s just… I sort of want to find a way to be free of the baggage. And I’ll need to carry them to Madrid on the train, then through the airport, and use the hold on the plane which I wasn’t going to do. It was so freeing during the last three week Camino we did, to just have a backpack and no worries about other stuff. But I was quietly and invisibly dependent on places having pillows.
Inflatable pillows???Hello fellow pilgrims!
As you may have seen in my planning post about Belorado to Sarria, I’ve been merrily working away, booking rooms for that section.
Everything is unravelling now that some of the places I’ve reserved have said they have no extra pillows.
I’m having a bit of a wobble over this. I struggle with my need for extra pillows vs my ability to do many things quife athletically. But without the pillows, I get dislocations (health problem). This is why I prebook rooms: bunk beds, sleeping in a sitting position, and stacks of pillows don’t work well. But I want to be a ‘proper’ pilgrim. I mostly accept this stuff really.
I’m surprised the ‘little rural’ hotels (quoting from emails) don’t have spare pillows particularly during Covid… but also not surprised because I’ve seen how it works in practice. Anyway…
I just wondered what might be the response here. I’m considering shipping pillows… and paying for hold luggage… and carrying them on the train to Madrid at the end… I really don’t want to do this.
If one remote place with scarce private rooms sends a ‘no pillows’ email (eg, Hontanas and Tardajos) the whole itinerary for the surrounding days collapses.
Has anyone else had health related logistical problems? Does it play tricks with your sense of independence?
Yup, I’m considering one or two of those, particularly the chair-shaped ones. My main concerns with them are they’re not the lightest, and that if the seams blow, or they get a puncture, I’ll have a problem. But definitely a good idea, thanksInflatable pillows???
Thanks. I don’t carry enough clothes to fill more than a very small pouch-style dry bag. It is something I’ve considered as a lumbar area extra pillow.How about stuffing clothes in a bag and using it as a pillow? It worked for me…
OkTh
Thanks. I don’t carry enough clothes to fill more than a very small pouch-style dry bag. It is something I’ve considered as a lumbar area extra pillow.
Yup, I’m considering one or two of those, particularly the chair-shaped ones. My main concerns with them are they’re not the lightest, and that if the seams blow, or they get a puncture, I’ll have a problem. But definitely a good idea, thanks
The answer is a resounding YES.Could something like this set-up (lightweight inflatable mattress & lightweight frame) get you part-way to a solution?
Trekker Chair Kit - Folding Seat Kit | Therm-a-Rest®
Lightweight kit to turn your mattress into a chair.www.thermarest.com
Thank you so much for doing this! You’ve answered many of my uncertainties about this Thermarest system, and the photos are exactly what I looked for but couldn’t clearly find on Google. It’s extremely kind of you!The answer is a resounding YES.
I own one of these, and l always use it on my camping trips here. It is ideal for sitting up in a small tent. I have just experimented, prompted by @C Statz post, and I am positive that it will solve your problem .View attachment 110040
Although you see me leaning against the bed head, in fact I am barely in contact. I adapted the set up by stuffing a small towel into the mattress fold under my head which gave me perfect head support using only my small inflatable pillow.
As I understand it, this is specifically designed to be used with the Thermorest mattress, which is quite compact when folded, and is excellent quality.
Bought!The answer is a resounding YES.
I own one of these, and l always use it on my camping trips here. It is ideal for sitting up in a small tent. I have just experimented, prompted by @C Statz post, and I am positive that it will solve your problem .View attachment 110040
Although you see me leaning against the bed head, in fact I am barely in contact. I adapted the set up by stuffing a small towel into the mattress fold under my head which gave me perfect head support using only my small inflatable pillow.
As I understand it, this is specifically designed to be used with the Thermorest mattress, which is quite compact when folded, and is excellent quality.
You can experiment endlessly with the few variables. Notice in the picture that I have the straps adjusted to give an angle somewhat tighter than a right angle, which seems counter intuitive until you get into it. Also you'll find that firm inflation of the mattress will give appropriate rigidity to the back support, because you will need much more of the mattress to project out to support the pillow.I’ll let you know how I get on with the Thermarest Chair Kit!
@Lhollo, I wonder how your new Thermarest chair will work for you as you had indicated your legs needed to be bent at the knees.I should have made this clearer. I have to sleep sitting upright with my knees also propped up, which usually involves five pillows.
I can bend the bottom part back on itself and it’s then perfect! The weight of my legs keeps it in place. I may also improvise for this part though—pillows from rooms, backpack, dry sacks of clothes, rolled-up towel, etc—because I don’t need to raise my lower legs much.@Lhollo, I wonder how your new Thermarest chair will work for you as you had indicated your legs needed to be bent at the knees.
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