Guidebook advice needed

[erinadrift]

I am currently in New Zealand and cannot purchase a Camino guidebook at any of the local bookstores. They just aren't available. So, I was considering buying a guidebook in kindle format for my ipad, which I will be walking with already. But the two guides I am most interested in (Brierley and Village to Village Guide by Anita Dintaman) are not available in Kindle format (Brierley maps are available though). Should I wait and try to purchase one of these books in Spain or SJPP? Will they be available in English? Or should I just get another book and perhaps the Brierley maps as well in Kindle format?

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Hi @erinadrift, and welcome! Unless you're leaving in the very near future, you should be able to purchase a Brierley guidebook here at this forum and have it delivered to you. I contacted Ivar a little while ago as I have the same issue in Africa. He said it would not be a problem to ship here so imagine NZ will be a breeze!

That said, there have been some interesting discussion threads regarding guidebooks lately so try searching in the box at the top of the page and you will find some possible alternatives such as apps like Wisepilgrim for your ipad, guidebooks available in SJPDP (sorry, I've forgotten the name!) or even just printing out the many PDF files with all the stages/distances/Alberuges you can find here in the forum. Good luck!

 

[Rob the Slob]

Hi @erinadrift, have you tried the Kobo versions? I have both Brierley's "maps only" and Raimund Joos's guide, albeit on a Samsung tab, not an iPad.

 

[Kanga]

Ivar got my stuff to me within a week, so I am sure New Zealand would not take much longer. Look at the top of the forum and click on the link "services in Santiago by Ivar" and then follow the links to his online store. He has Brierley currently on sale, the guidebook as well as the maps only person.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Should I wait and try to purchase one of these books in Spain or SJPP? Will they be available in English?

Brierley is in English, but you will not find it too often in Spain. Hiking gear stores in SJPdP usually have it at the beginning of the season, but seem to run out of it later on.

 

[Mark Lee]

Brierley is in English, but you will not find it too often in Spain. Hiking gear stores in SJPdP usually have it at the beginning of the season, but seem to run out of it later on.

I can attest to that. When I did my first Camino I arrived in SJPdP with no guidebook. I figured I'd be able to buy one there. I was not able to find one in English, though. I was going to just do the CF without one and just use the elevations and towns charts they give you at the pilgrim's office, but was fortunate to find a guidebook in English on the donativo table at the albergue.

 

[Toreld]

There are some good apps to download for your mobile, too.
I do my first Camino walk in june and since grams is the mantra when it comes to the luggage,
I got all the information I need from this 2 apps.
They are listing all the sleeping places, with adress and phonenumbers and maps.
Maps over the whole Camino France, distance beetween every lodging.
What to see and so on.

1. Camino Pilgrim app
2. Camino de Santiago app
Both in English

 

[GettingThere]

I am currently in New Zealand and cannot purchase a Camino guidebook at any of the local bookstores. They just aren't available. So, I was considering buying a guidebook in kindle format for my ipad, which I will be walking with already. But the two guides I am most interested in (Brierley and Village to Village Guide by Anita Dintaman) are not available in Kindle format (Brierley maps are available though). Should I wait and try to purchase one of these books in Spain or SJPP? Will they be available in English? Or should I just get another book and perhaps the Brierley maps as well in Kindle format?

Hi @erinadrift - I'm in NZ and as you say, none of the local shops stock Camino guidebooks (someone's probably going to contradict me now!). I ordered Brierley and also the Village to Village guide from Amazon (US site) and they arrived quite quickly (with your April departure you're cutting it close, but they do have a very fast express option if you're able to pay!) As mentioned above, you can also order Brierley and other guides through this forum - Ivar provides a great service through the forum shop.

Buen camino!

 

[Rajy62]

I walked the Camino Frances with just a Michelin's map guide that i bought in SJPP. Very similar to the Brierly's map guide. Most people who brought the detailed Brierly's guide were leaving them behind as it was too big to carry. Camino office in SJPP will also give you a recommended staging and alberque info to start with. If you don't find the Brierly guide, look for the Michelin's map guide at any local book/souvenir store in SJPP. You can download all sorts of other camino documents in pdf if you are interested in studying in-depth the sites you are interested in visiting, including an alberque list of the entire camino (resource section). Buen camino.