Hi Wanderlusting RN from PA

[Wanderlusting RN]

Hi , I am Lisa from Pennsylvania and traveling Solo ...July 2019 Porto to Santiago. Has anyone used Mac adventures or Santiago Ways to handle hotels and Baggage. What has your experience been.

 

[Rick Davidson]

Both great companies for sure. Me and 3 friends are now 3 days from Santiago. A flexible option has been to use Jacotrans every day for our packs. Great service for €5/bag and then book hostals/pensions/hotels as you go. I used caminosleeps.com for most accommodation and generally booked out 5-7 days as our schedule and travel plan became clear. Very flexible approach. Caminosleeps.com uses booking.com for many of their reservations. In some cases I had to phone or use the lodging website. This worked great for us. The new Moon Camino de Santiago guide book is also great and generally has excellent accommodation and restaurant recommendations. Get the kindle version. Rick

 

[Linda Berger]

Hi , I am Lisa from Pennsylvania and traveling Solo ...July 2019 Porto to Santiago. Has anyone used Mac adventures or Santiago Ways to handle hotels and Baggage. What has your experience been.

Hello Lisa, I too have wanderlust in PA!!! I did the Frances route last fall. I used only a bag service- a friend used MACS and spoke highly of them. Buen Camino!!!

 

[KJFSophie]

Hi , I am Lisa from Pennsylvania and traveling Solo ...July 2019 Porto to Santiago. Has anyone used Mac adventures or Santiago Ways to handle hotels and Baggage. What has your experience been.

I used TuiTrans last September from Porto to Santiago...no issue. I set up first pick up by email ahead of time, then emailed them every evening to get transfer for next day. You can also call, and they do speak English. I didn't find the need to use a service for hotels/lodging, but booked ahead on my own.
Bom Caminho !

 

[Wanderlusting RN]

Hello Lisa, I too have wanderlust in PA!!! I did the Frances route last fall. I used only a bag service- a friend used MACS and spoke highly of them. Buen Camino!!!

Your not that far from me would love to talk. I have so many questions. Find me on facebook Lisa Adoni

 

[c0484]

Hi , I am Lisa from Pennsylvania and traveling Solo ...July 2019 Porto to Santiago. Has anyone used Mac adventures or Santiago Ways to handle hotels and Baggage. What has your experience been.

Hi Lisa. Since you live in PA, have you linked up with any of the Camino Chapters in PA? They have a lot of experienced pilgrims that can answer your questions. There are 4 Chapters of the American Pilgrims on the Camino in PA spread across the state from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Facebook group has formed a subgroup under the American Pilgrims on the Camino. I am not sure about the others.

 

[Wanderlusting RN]

Yes, i have just joined the Philadelphia chapter. But there are no events posted and I have not. met anyone yet.

 

[auburnfive]

We used Caminofacil for bag transfers on the Portuguese, worked perfectly.

 

[auburnfive]

Also booked our own accommodation, mostly through booking.com with help in a few places from gronze.com. Took about 3 hours and saved a lot a lot, over booking through a company. It was also enjoyable to choose our own accommodation, make sure to check on the distance from town and read reviews, comments by previous pilgrim very helpful

 

[Wanderlusting RN]

I really want the peace of the Camino... no plan.... and no worry of room, shower , food, etc. If I pre-book than am I not in a race each day to get to the booked room? If I am late will they still hold my room? What if I on my way decide I want to stop earlier and I don't make it to that room. If I am forwarding my bag am I sending it to the next town at a central station to retrieve when I get there or is it going to the pre-booked, hotel or hostel ? I just can't seem to wrap my mind around this process.

 

[The Kolbist]

in my experience, the drawback of sending your backpack ahead of you which I believe the transporters require a reservation on the next albergue otherwise the albergue does not want the responsibility of safekeeping your backpack if you are not staying with them in the first place - is that if that albergue is too far and you have no more energy or maybe it's physically extremely difficult anymore to reach, you either have to find a taxi (on a remote place might be difficult) or you have to forcefully drag yourself to that place because your backpack which is your life in the camino is in that far away albergue. On the flipside which actually happened to us, we got to the albergue because it was just 11 miles before noon and our backpack is not there yet at the albergue. Although, we still have a lot of energy that we still wanted to walk, we had no other choice but to wait for our backpack and just stay in that albergue.

 

[Wanderlusting RN]

in my experience, the drawback of sending your backpack ahead of you which I believe the transporters require a reservation on the next albergue otherwise the albergue does not want the responsibility of safekeeping your backpack if you are not staying with them in the first place - is that if that albergue is too far and you have no more energy or maybe it's physically extremely difficult anymore to reach, you either have to find a taxi (on a remote place might be difficult) or you have to forcefully drag yourself to that place because your backpack which is your life in the camino is in that far away albergue. On the flipside which actually happened to us, we got to the albergue because it was just 11 miles before noon and our backpack is not there yet at the albergue. Although, we still have a lot of energy that we still wanted to walk, we had no other choice but to wait for our backpack and just stay in that albergue.

If i were paying for private hotel vs Albergue would it be the same.

 

[The Kolbist]

If i were paying for private hotel vs Albergue would it be the same.

I believe the idea is the fixed destination to send your backpack ahead of you whether it's an albergue or a private hotel. I have a friend who hired a tour operator that had a van following them all the time, this way they just hopped into the van whenever they are tired. So being tired was no problem with them because there was always transpo who followed them. It wasnt cheap though.

 

[twh]

If you really want the Peace and Freedom of the Camino then:

• Go Alone…as in don’t arrive at your starting point with a friend or family member from home. This way the unwritten “rules” of these relationships and their inherent weight and confinement are absent. You will not be alone on your walk unless you want to be. There will be dozens of people you meet daily and you get to decide if, “hello, buen/bom camino” is as deep as you want to go or not. Sharing this experience with a friend or family member would also be a wonderful thing but the freedom aspect will be at a very different level. When you do this trip “alone” you don’t have to consider another person when it comes to leaving time, bed time, when to stop for a break or bathroom, am I walking to fast or too slow for them, are they talking too much…I’d like to stop and a take a picture but I don’t want to slow them down and make them stop for me etc… If you only have to take care of yourself, it can be liberating in a giddy kind of way that you don’t really think about until it dawns on you and suddenly for no reason a big smile forms on your face and you feel that lightness that is so foreign in “normal” life. When you meet fellow Peregrinos on the Camino, everyone just understands that it is ok to come in to a group seamlessly and then to leave it in the same way with no formalities. You all just know that you will probably meet up again and if you don’t, it was great while it lasted. It sounds like you are going alone so you already have this biggest item checked off. And if you are going with a friend or family member, it will still be a wonderful experience.
• Commit to your training and do it religiously. A lot of people are distracted on their Camino due to inadequate training which usually manifests in blisters, ankle, knee, hip, endurance problems. You can mostly control this variable by being physical prepared with hardened feet. You must train with your pack fully loaded, on hills, using the shoes you will walk in.
• Pack light. This, along with being in your best physical condition will help you to walk more miles per day and it will allow you to eliminate that other variable that can diminish your freedom…bag service. Committing a day ahead where you will end up is the opposite of freedom on the Camino.
• Freedom is leaving in the morning not knowing where you will sleep that night. The early risers mostly arrive at their end point for the day at about 2pm and have no problem getting a bed. Many Albergues don’t even open for arrivals until 2 or 3pm but they do answer their phones before that. On busy sections of the Camino, where I had concerns about finding a room, I made reservations by phone after finishing my lunch. I looked in my guide, located my current position, took inventory of my energy level and how many more hours or kilometers I thought I wanted to walk and then figured out what town ahead would correspond with these constraints. I then made a reservation by phone. Be sure to tell them when you plan to arrive so they don’t give away your spot. I got the feeling on the CF they don’t like arrivals after 5pm and prefer 4pm as a “later” arrival. If you realize later in the day for whatever reason that you are not going to make it to your reservation and you will stay somewhere else, Please call them to cancel your reservation so they can give the precious bed to someone else and receive the precious revenue for it.
• Expect that sometimes things are not going to work out according to plan. Part of the magic of the Camino is receiving help from others when you find yourself in a bind. If you have everything perfectly planned out with options 1, 2 and 3 in place, you may never be in a vulnerable position to accept the gift of help. Accepting this gift not only benefits you, it provides much to the giver too. So let this happen and look for ways you can help others to maintain these precious interactions in a perpetual motion of good will.
• If you arrive in town with no reservation and there are no beds in ANY of the Albergues then check the hotels, casa ruals, etc… and pay the higher price for that one night on your trip. If those are also full, check for a Fire Department, or Sports facility or school for overflow. Check with the tourism office if it is open. If all else fails, check with the bartenders in town. They can usually find you a bed in a home but this is a last resort and a privilege not to be abused. There is also the option of taking a taxi to the Next or Previous town to find accommodation. It is extremely rare someone is forced to sleep under the stars. The Camino provides.

Wishing you the best on your first Camino, you will love it!!!

 

[RemysMimi]

Both great companies for sure. Me and 3 friends are now 3 days from Santiago. A flexible option has been to use Jacotrans every day for our packs. Great service for €5/bag and then book hostals/pensions/hotels as you go. I used caminosleeps.com for most accommodation and generally booked out 5-7 days as our schedule and travel plan became clear. Very flexible approach. Caminosleeps.com uses booking.com for many of their reservations. In some cases I had to phone or use the lodging website. This worked great for us. The new Moon Camino de Santiago guide book is also great and generally has excellent accommodation and restaurant recommendations. Get the kindle version. Rick

I totally agree with Jacotrans. When I wanted to send my bag on (issues with my back), I used them. My bag was always waiting for me when I arrived with all of contents in tact. Honest and dependable.

 

[RemysMimi]

I believe the idea is the fixed destination to send your backpack ahead of you whether it's an albergue or a private hotel. I have a friend who hired a tour operator that had a van following them all the time, this way they just hopped into the van whenever they are tired. So being tired was no problem with them because there was always transpo who followed them. It wasnt cheap though.

I saw several people doing that. Seemed to somehow defeat the purpose to me. Just me though. Haha

 

[Wanderlusting RN]

If you really want the Peace and Freedom of the Camino then:

• Go Alone…as in don’t arrive at your starting point with a friend or family member from home. This way the unwritten “rules” of these relationships and their inherent weight and confinement are absent. You will not be alone on your walk unless you want to be. There will be dozens of people you meet daily and you get to decide if, “hello, buen/bom camino” is as deep as you want to go or not. Sharing this experience with a friend or family member would also be a wonderful thing but the freedom aspect will be at a very different level. When you do this trip “alone” you don’t have to consider another person when it comes to leaving time, bed time, when to stop for a break or bathroom, am I walking to fast or too slow for them, are they talking too much…I’d like to stop and a take a picture but I don’t want to slow them down and make them stop for me etc… If you only have to take care of yourself, it can be liberating in a giddy kind of way that you don’t really think about until it dawns on you and suddenly for no reason a big smile forms on your face and you feel that lightness that is so foreign in “normal” life. When you meet fellow Peregrinos on the Camino, everyone just understands that it is ok to come in to a group seamlessly and then to leave it in the same way with no formalities. You all just know that you will probably meet up again and if you don’t, it was great while it lasted. It sounds like you are going alone so you already have this biggest item checked off. And if you are going with a friend or family member, it will still be a wonderful experience.
• Commit to your training and do it religiously. A lot of people are distracted on their Camino due to inadequate training which usually manifests in blisters, ankle, knee, hip, endurance problems. You can mostly control this variable by being physical prepared with hardened feet. You must train with your pack fully loaded, on hills, using the shoes you will walk in.
• Pack light. This, along with being in your best physical condition will help you to walk more miles per day and it will allow you to eliminate that other variable that can diminish your freedom…bag service. Committing a day ahead where you will end up is the opposite of freedom on the Camino.
• Freedom is leaving in the morning not knowing where you will sleep that night. The early risers mostly arrive at their end point for the day at about 2pm and have no problem getting a bed. Many Albergues don’t even open for arrivals until 2 or 3pm but they do answer their phones before that. On busy sections of the Camino, where I had concerns about finding a room, I made reservations by phone after finishing my lunch. I looked in my guide, located my current position, took inventory of my energy level and how many more hours or kilometers I thought I wanted to walk and then figured out what town ahead would correspond with these constraints. I then made a reservation by phone. Be sure to tell them when you plan to arrive so they don’t give away your spot. I got the feeling on the CF they don’t like arrivals after 5pm and prefer 4pm as a “later” arrival. If you realize later in the day for whatever reason that you are not going to make it to your reservation and you will stay somewhere else, Please call them to cancel your reservation so they can give the precious bed to someone else and receive the precious revenue for it.
• Expect that sometimes things are not going to work out according to plan. Part of the magic of the Camino is receiving help from others when you find yourself in a bind. If you have everything perfectly planned out with options 1, 2 and 3 in place, you may never be in a vulnerable position to accept the gift of help. Accepting this gift not only benefits you, it provides much to the giver too. So let this happen and look for ways you can help others to maintain these precious interactions in a perpetual motion of good will.
• If you arrive in town with no reservation and there are no beds in ANY of the Albergues then check the hotels, casa ruals, etc… and pay the higher price for that one night on your trip. If those are also full, check for a Fire Department, or Sports facility or school for overflow. Check with the tourism office if it is open. If all else fails, check with the bartenders in town. They can usually find you a bed in a home but this is a last resort and a privilege not to be abused. There is also the option of taking a taxi to the Next or Previous town to find accommodation. It is extremely rare someone is forced to sleep under the stars. The Camino provides.

Wishing you the best on your first Camino, you will love it!!!

Thank you my friend.. sitting in ny car getting ready to go into work.. your words were my blessing today. With gratitude, Lisa

 

[Roni]

Hello Lisa, I too have wanderlust in PA!!! I did the Frances route last fall. I used only a bag service- a friend used MACS and spoke highly of them. Buen Camino!!!

Jacotran and Carrelos are both good transport for bags 5 euros a day you just need to have a place prebooked that day to have bag transported. We have done the Francés , and shorter version on Camino last two years , enjoyed the walk and plenty of pilgrims to talk to.
Buen Camino

 

[Wanderlusting RN]

Thinking I want to travel a week more after reaching Santiago but how would I handle going back to civilian life with shoes, hairdryer, clothes etc. Should I send them to Santiago for pick up when I arrive?

 

[twh]

Ivar...the guy that runs this forum will store a suitcase for you. See the link below for his storage services. In his FAQ, the first line gives information for an alternative storage service called Correos which I believe is the Spanish version of the U.S. Postal Service. They also have a good reputation and store for free the first 15 days and then 1 euro per day afterward. Ivar is $25 euro for 60 days. Check out his website for lot's of good info on this process.

http://www.casaivar.com/luggage-storage-in-santiago-de-compostela/sending-instructions.html

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Hello Wanderlusting RN, Im also from PA, though transplanted to WA. I’m following your post, we have been reading and watching for some time and have decided to use MACS. Reviews are good and as much as I would love the true pilgrim style, our lifestyle and TIME doesn't allow it. good luck, following.

I'm curious. . . how does lifestyle or time require the use of a a third party tour operator for a Camino?

 

[trecile]

I'm curious. . . how does lifestyle or time require the use of a a third party tour operator for a Camino?

Good question, since all you need to do is show up at your chosen starting point.
I know, first timers don't understand how easy it is!

 

[trecile]

Hello davebugg, I hate saying this, but “our” life must be returned too. We want to hike all Europe and this is our start, so we want to know where we must be each night and have this pre-arranged. Can take or leave the rest offered, just never done this type of adventure before so we need to start with this. I know not everyone feels this way, but this is our way...

Perhaps, if you continue to read the forum, you will learn how easy it is to do this yourself and save thousands of dollars that you can use on future adventures! You can use a site like Gronze.com (it's in Spanish, but if you use the Chrome browser it will automatically translate to English) to determine stages and find accommodations - they include links to booking.com. Other good planning sites are Godesalco.com and ForWalk.org. Then you can easily contract with Correos or private companies to transfer your bags if necessary. I find that it's a much richer experience when you spend a bit of time planning and customizing your Camino.
I have read reports from people who used agencies, and they found that the stages that they were required to walk weren't realistic, some of the accommodations were no where near the Camino, they wanted to take a rest day and couldn't because everything had been pre-paid, etc.

 

[Robo]

Hi , I am Lisa from Pennsylvania and traveling Solo ...July 2019 Porto to Santiago. Has anyone used Mac adventures or Santiago Ways to handle hotels and Baggage. What has your experience been.

Is there a reason you want a company to book accommodation and baggage transfers for you?
Do you have mobility or health issues?
Are you walking a Camino, or going on a 'package holiday'?

You'll hear this a lot. Sorry

As you read more on the Forum you'll discover that for most people at least, the freedom of just carrying your gear (as little as possible) and not booking too far ahead (if at all), gives them a sense of fantastic freedom.

I know, it's hard to appreciate when you have not walked a Camino.

But on the most common routes, it is really easy to go it alone with minimal planning.

If you need additional luggage for post Camino, just mail it ahead to Ivar. All the details are here on the forum.

You might find this post helps you gain a bit of perspective.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/guided-vs-self-guided-caminos.51661/#post-567197

But whatever you decide, you'll find lots of great support here on the Forum.

Buen Camino!

 

[henrythedog]

... Correos which I believe is the Spanish version of the U.S. Postal Service.

I think that the USPS is the American version of Correos!

The origins of Correos dates back to 1716. The change of dynasty in Spain ended the tradition of giving to some relevant families the duty to take care of the postal services and, in July 8, 1716, King Philip V appointed Juan Tomás de Goyeneche as Chief Superintendent and General Administrator of the Postal Offices, making the postal service responsibility of the State.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Hello davebugg, I hate saying this, but “our” life must be returned too. We want to hike all Europe and this is our start, so we want to know where we must be each night and have this pre-arranged. Can take or leave the rest offered, just never done this type of adventure before so we need to start with this. I know not everyone feels this way, but this is our way...

Gotcha. If you are using an agency to arrange the details of your Camino, what is it that this Forum can help you with? Google can provide a listing of reviews of your tour agency that will be far more in-depth.

 

[TGwalkers]

Gotcha. If you are using an agency to arrange the details of your Camino, what is it that this Forum can help you with? Google can provide a listing of reviews of your tour agency that will be far more in-depth.

Well davebugg, veteran member, I appreciate your insight on ?. I guess my life is different and because of this I’m not welcome on this forum, I apologize for intruding and must say I’m quite disappointed how quickly you have just pushed away an adventure seeker with complications. We have looked forward to this adventure for some time and arranging home care for disabled family member is as challenging as the adventure itself. Again I thank you for ? and will move away from your forum shortly. T

 

[TGwalkers]

Perhaps, if you continue to read the forum, you will learn how easy it is to do this yourself and save thousands of dollars that you can use on future adventures! You can use a site like Gronze.com (it's in Spanish, but if you use the Chrome browser it will automatically translate to English) to determine stages and find accommodations - they include links to booking.com. Other good planning sites are Godesalco.com and ForWalk.org. Then you can easily contract with Correos or private companies to transfer your bags if necessary. I find that it's a much richer experience when you spend a bit of time planning and customizing your Camino.
I have read reports from people who used agencies, and they found that the stages that they were required to walk weren't realistic, some of the accommodations were no where near the Camino, they wanted to take a rest day and couldn't because everything had been pre-paid, etc.

I wanted to again thank you for this information, I spent a good part of today looking at the Gronze.com site and putting together a plan that may allow us more customization that still fits our situation, I really appreciate the information. T

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Well davebugg, veteran member, I appreciate your insight on ?. I guess my life is different and because of this I’m not welcome on this forum, I apologize for intruding and must say I’m quite disappointed how quickly you have just pushed away an adventure seeker with complications. We have looked forward to this adventure for some time and arranging home care for disabled family member is as challenging as the adventure itself. Again I thank you for ? and will move away from your forum shortly. T

Huh? I have no idea why you upset with me. No one has pushed you away, and I do not understand the bitterness expressed.

You were asking for information about a tour agency in your initial post. I suggested a possible resource that may have been helpful in obtaining more information to help your research. I did so because this Forum is more focused on those who do Camino planning and organizing and implementation themselves, and so we may be lacking for the personal reviews of the tour operator that you are interested in.

I specifically asked how we can be of help. . and I still ask that in a genuine desire to provide any other insights aside from tour groups, of which I am not knowledgeable.

A lot of us have medical problems, complications, illnesses, and family members who are under our care. If you are stressing over how to deal with such concerns, perhaps we can lend support, but we cannot make guesses on the type of guidance or advice or experiences that may be of help.

If you leave, I sincerely and warmly wish you the best. If you decide to stay, you are, indeed, most welcomed here.

BTW. . you are probably unaware, but the labels like "Veteran Member" under our usernames are sort of put there automatically. I still haven't figured out how they get assigned, but it just shows up unless you manually go into the account page and give yourself some other title.

 

[Kathy F.]

This question took a weird turn.
Maybe the people who are insistent that they won't have the ability to get from point A to point B in their allotted time, or their lifestyle won't accommodate their schedule, are packing a bit too much fear in their backpacks.
We all have issues that pull us in many directions. Please understand that we are all human, love the Camino, and are offering our advice and opinions in the spirit of generosity and experience.
TGwalkers, I didn't see anything in Davebugg's reply that was offensive, just for the record. He wanted to know what you needed from the forum. I think it is a legit question. Let us know what you want to know, we're happy to help.
I think we must all admit that finally hitting "buy" on that plane ticket to the Camino is a risk and is a gigantic leap of faith. Fear, yes, but have courage. You can do it!