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Ivar's new adventure

ivar

Administrator
Staff member
Hi all,

As you may remember I did try to open a Hostal a while back, and that this did not work out. Well, since my dream is to work with pilgrims from all over the world in Santiago, I am now about to start up a new business that does just that.

So here is my new adventure. I will open an office in Santiago old town offering travel related services for pilgrims doing the Camino de Santiago. The office is located in Rua do San Pedro 33 (see link above). This is where the Camino Frances enters town, about 150m before you enter old town. 5-7 minutes before the cathedral.

These are the services that I am planning on offering:

Luggage storage:
I have space in my office and will be offering storage for those that shipping boxes/things ahead to Santiago. You could even ship a set of clean clothes ahead to me before you leave home. Or maybe you are walking on to Finisterre and do want to leave some stuff behind.

Once I receive a package I will send a confirmation e-mail/text message notifying you that it has been received, if you add your e-mail/mobile number on the package.

There will be no time limit on the storage (ok, maybe 6 months), so you do not have to run to Santiago. :)

Lodging
I will create a 902 (free call from any land line in Spain) phone number for pilgrims that would like help with booking a pension/hotel for the night. I realize that many of you would like to stay in the albergues, and that this is not for you, but for some people having a place to call for help with a reservation I think will be helpful.

Before I can recommend a pension/hotel I would like to visit it first. Because of this, I will most likely start offering this reservation service first in Santiago. Then working my way out from Santiago towards Sarria and O Cebreiro. Then from Santiago to Finisterre/Muxia. Then the Camino Ingles. And then the Camino Portuguese.

So as you can see it may take a few months before I have a lodging option on each day stage for these caminos, but this is "the plan". I can of course also help in reserving a place to sleep on your way to your starting point as well, through the more traditional reservation systems.

Travel to Starting Point/Getting home from Santiago
I will be able to help in the reservation of bus tickets and train tickets in all of Spain. Call me and I will reserve and mail your your ticket as a pdf document to your e-mail address.

Airport transportation
I will be able to book transport from the airport in Santiago to your camino starting point. This might be Sarria, O Cebreiro, Tui, La Coruña or Ferrol.

What to do in Santiago?
Many times you arrive in Santiago and have a day or two that you are not sure what to do with. You may not have time to walk out to Finisterre, but there are options of going there with a guide. One popular trip is the one that leaves Santiago mid day and comes back to Santiago after having seen the sun set at the Finisterre light house. In addition to this, there are many other tours that might be interesting. Everything from a guided walk in old to to wine tasting in Rias Baixas.

The office
I will set up a message board in the office (like the one at the pilgrims office) were pilgrims that have walked a few days together, but later lost each other can post and leave messages. Write a message on a piece of paper and pin it to the board, when your friend comes by later he/she reads your message. All low-tech, but I think useful.

I am hoping to also have space for a table where visitors can check their e-mail, call home (Skype) or upload photos to blogs or photo albums.

I hope to open around February 1st 2009.

Some final thoughts
Our forum works great at the moment, I feel there is a good environment for sharing and learning about the camino. I would like to keep it this way. Therefor all of these services will have a separate website and I will not to mix the commercial activities with the forum. I think what I will do is to remove the google ads on the site and add some links to my new site and new products.

Another thing. I know that many pilgrims feel like finding your way around in Spain and finding a place to sleep each day is part of the whole pilgrim experience. I understand this, so I realize that these services are not for everyone. But I hope that this will be useful for some.

Anyhow. So there you have it. My new adventure. :D

Greetings from Santiago de Compostela,
Ivar
 
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Ivar,
That is great! Congratulations!

Make sure you have the mass schedule with when the botofumerio will be swinging each day, and a list of all the new albergues going to Finisterre/Muxia. Our guidebook did not do a good job on that and I would have loved to have a list to know of all the new places we could stay.

Plus a list of the typical Peregrino "hangouts" would be nice.

Oh and instructions on where/how to get a tour on the roof of the cathedral! That is a highlight of Santiago if you have the money to pay for the tour.

I will be back in five years with my son, so hopefully you will have a great operation going by then.

Rambler
 
Sounds great plan, Ivar, and a good position. We'll be dropping by in March!
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
I will definitely be sending a parcel of clothes to you in June.
And ask you to book a place in Ferrol the night before we start the Ingles.
Can I book you to reserve 2 rooms at Susos in early July?
 
Good idea Ivar-I'm sure I'll be using your services next year.Will you be having a web page where flights/trains/buses/accommodation can be booked or do you have to go in person?
Congratulations....maybe you could offer some of your home made wine!
 
Thank you for all your encouragements and kind words!

Can I book you to reserve 2 rooms at Susos in early July?
I hope to be able to book Hostal Suso. Before I can promise this I need to talk to them and see if they are interested.

Will you be having a web page where flights/trains/buses/accommodation can be booked or do you have to go in person?
In stead of creating a website where you can book everything from the site (there are "hundreds" of these online), I will try to differentiate myself by offering something more personalized. The idea is that you call me and that we do everything over the phone. This way, if you are already walking, you do not need an internet connection to make a booking. A phone is all you need, and if you are calling from a fixed line (and I believe a payphone as well) the call will be free.

If you are looking for a room "that night/same day" then you hang on the line while I call the place and book for you. You will know before you hang up if there is availability or not. You will pay me for the room, then I will pay the pension/hotel later (this is why I need to talk to each place before I can sell their rooms, many of these smaller pensions/hotels still uses paper and pencil as their reservation system). You receive a pdf receipt in your e-mail from me.

I am planning to also create a phone number is the USA, UK and Australia for those that are interested in a chat or making any type of reservation before they leave home.

Also, I will be able to make some bookings on flights, but this is not my main focus. I will of course help you out if this is what you need, but many times this can be booked online directly from the airline and it may be easier for you doing it this way.

I just came back from my new "office"... have been painting all day. Looks much better now. :)

Saludos,
Ivar
 
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Congratulations and good luck with the new venture Ivar. I am making plans and hope to walk the Le Puy and Camino del Norte routes in 2010. I'm sure I will be making use of your services.

Feliz Navidad - Joyeux Noël - Frohe Weihnachten - Vrolijke Kerstmis -Buon Natale - Feliz Natal -
メリークリスマス - Merry Christmas to you and all the friends I made on the Camino last Spring.

Dale
 
Ivar,

That's great! Thank you for helping out the Pilgrims. I'll be there in April, I hope. How far in advance should I try to find a place for Easter in Santiago?

Best of luck to you, and happy holidays!

Liz
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Fantastic, Ivar!
We'll be contacting you prior to our arrival in Santiago at the end of May - I really love the idea of this kind of person-to-person transaction.
Congratulations on your venture - your enterprising spirit assures its success!
Peace.
lynne
 
Hi all,

Just an update. Things are moving along, a bit slower than I would like, but things are moving. I am now waiting for my Travel Agency License from the Xunta de Galicia. They say 14 days, but... let's see. The office is more or less fixed up, I need some more things on the wall and another table a coffee machine and some guidebooks.

Writing from the office now, so internet is working!

Un saludo,
Ivar
 
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Hi Ivar!
That is great news! Did you post the address of the office back along this thread? I didn't see it. Perhaps it is one of the links at the beginning?

Congratulations! I'll be sure to stop in the next time I'm in Santiago - which will hopefully be soon! (That Springsteen concert is looking awewome!)

Buen Camino,
 
That is great news! Did you post the address of the office back along this thread?
I have not yet, since I don't want people to start sending me parcels quite yet. I am not there every day and it would not be good if someone starts to send me stuff quite yet.

Once I am open I will let everyone know.

I stopped by the office today and did some cleaning, it is starting to look like "something". :)


I am still waiting for my paperwork in the Xunta (as of yesterday they still had not received my papers, I sent them December 13th!!!) :roll:

Un saludo,
Ivar
 

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What a great idea Ivar!
I will be sending you some packages while on the Camino which starts September '09. Looking forward to meeting you.

Muchisimos gracias y bueno suerte!

Tony in New York
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
It looks very warm and inviting - nice colour!
Will you have internet facilities - or Wifi?
 
sillydoll said:
Will you have internet facilities - or Wifi?
I will set up a wifi access point and I am also planning on setting up a computer for visitor access.

...and just about where I stood when I took the photo I will have a table and some chairs with some guidebooks/pilgrim related books. I have two rooms in the back for luggage/parcel storage, so what you see in the photo is what is the "front office".

Ivar
 
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Looks great! Perhaps a large pinboard for pilgrims to leave messages for friends? And, perhaps one wall alocated to pilgrim Grafitti - messages or comments to you about the centre? Who knows, you might get some of those famous pilgrims who walk incognito coming in to sign your wall!!
 
Perhaps a large pinboard for pilgrims to leave messages for friends? And, perhaps one wall alocated to pilgrim Grafitti - messages or comments to you about the centre?
It is already there. See my backpack on the floor towards the right? Above, on that wall I have a 4 by 1 meter cork board for pilgrims to leave messages to each other, and a sign up list to the various guided tours that I will offer (Finisterre, old town and so on).

I also have the guest book that someone from South Africa (remember? :) ) gave me for my Hostal idea. Hopefully people could write some words in there when they stop by. :)

Ivar
 
What a great idea! I hope that you do well Ivar, you deserve to.

You could also put a laminator in there as well - I know there is that shop just down from the pilgrim office ... but think folk would get their compostelas done at your place if they had a choice.
And maybe a colour scanner so people can keep a pocket copy all folded up ....

a parcel mailbox - you just cannot go wrong - especially if you put notices up in refuges far away - I met a couple of people who realised how much they had brought with them and posted it on to Santiago rather than carry it all the way.

And don't forget to design your own stamp!

Will you be going out at night with a tin of yellow paint to ensure the Camino goes past your front door? :wink:
 
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Well, based on the photo, it is starting to look like a Wonderful "something"!!!! Look forward to seeing you there in the summer.
Buen Camino,
 
Ivar, If you haven't done already...establish an on line relationship with some lodging folks that can give you up to date info on availability for inexpensive lodging.

Here's how it works:
1. Get a listing of inexpensive...or expensive lodging providers in the immediate area...work out a rate where...if you send someone there...you get a small fee.
2. Contact them three times a day as to availability so you can stay current.
3. When a pilgrim checks in with you...you can check the availability...call to insure it's still accurate and book right in your office...providing the pilgrim with a chit from your office that is presented to the lodging agent.

You can do the same with restaurants...hair cutters, clothiers, etc. So many times the number of locations is staggering. If you have a few local and easy to reach providers and they agree to provide a small fee to you and a discount to the pilgrim...you both make money and the pilgrim isn't hassled.

Come up with a page/booklet of facilities: restaurants, cafes, pubs, boutiques, etc that will work with you. You provide each pilgrim with a card that will get them a discount if they go to that specific location.

best of luck.

Arn
 
Your place looks great Ivar. I love the arch, the desk and the color of the walls. Good luck in your venture.
 
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Looks wonderful Ivar ! You're getting so many good suggestions you will need to expand before you open. If you ever knock out a wall and build bigger a pilgrims Cafe/Bar might be profitable, café con leche y dulces with fellow Forum members would be nice. Best of luck I hope to visit in 2010. :mrgreen:
 
Dale said:
Looks wonderful Ivar ! You're getting so many good suggestions you will need to expand before you open. If you ever knock out a wall and build bigger a pilgrims Cafe/Bar might be profitable, café con leche y dulces with fellow Forum members would be nice. Best of luck I hope to visit in 2010. :mrgreen:
Yes, thanks for all your good feedback!

My only problem is that Galicia law says that I can only run a travel agency out of this office. No other business is allowed. That means that I can not sell other products in there. Most likely I will make things donativo, like internet access for example (15-20 min per person if there are people waiting, and then make it donativo).

Cafe con leche is very good, and there are several nice places close to my office, so that should be no problem :)

Saludos,
Ivar
 
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€46,-
ivar said:
I am still waiting for my paperwork in the Xunta (as of yesterday they still had not received my papers, I sent them December 13th!!!)

Yes, but that's only a few weeks ago. In Rome, you don't expect any self-respecting bureaucrat to do anything with your papers for the first six months. Then - after that - they might tell you what the problems are with the papers and give you a forecast of how many more months it will take to process them. If, after a year, you still have not had your papers processed, it probably doesn't matter because by now you have simply begun to get on with whatever you need to without the official permission to do it. It's a system that works very well... :wink:

Spanish bureacracy is ten times more efficient than Italian bureaucracy, so count yourself lucky! And good wishes for your new venture!

Gareth
 
... and, the Spanish Correos is 100% more efficient than the Italian Posta! I have often sent stuff ahead Lista Correos on the camino and it has never failed to be there when I've arrived to collect it.
When walking the Via Francigena we decided to send a few purchases ahead to Roma but after being sent to 5 different post offices in Rome, nobody knew where the parcels were.
Let's Go travel series on Italy says that: "Domestic postal service in Italy is poor and a letter mailed less than 90 miles away may take as long as 3 weeks to arrive. You can be sure that anything of value will not reach its intended destination."
 
Fantastic endeavor, Ivar. We are leaving about 8 March and hope that your telephone number is posted by then. We would definitely use it for reservations along the Camino.

You mention free calls from land lines...we will have a cell phone with us. How will the cell phone work. It may be a good idea to post the entire number necessary from a cell phone and/or land line for those of us not familiar with Spanish telephones. :)
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
sillydoll said:
Ivar, I don't see a link from the pilgrimag-to-santiago.com page to your new website? http://www.CaminoTravelCenter.com
I know, I am not promoting it since I am not yet open. My fear is that people might start sending parcels, and I am not open. The Xunta is taking a looong time to give me my permission (thanks for the link earlier).

Once I am open, I am planning to have a small banner at the bottom of each page, advertising some of my products.
 
We must all hold thumbs that they hurry up so that you can get going! I advertised your site at the Camino Workshop in Durban this morning and will do so again at the workshop in Johannesburg next Sunday. We are also putting your contact details on the CSJ of SA website.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
sillydoll said:
We must all hold thumbs that they hurry up so that you can get going! I advertised your site at the Camino Workshop in Durban this morning and will do so again at the workshop in Johannesburg next Sunday. We are also putting your contact details on the CSJ of SA website.
Jippiii.. I appreciate all the help I can get. Thank you Sil!

Saludos,
Ivar
 
I got my Travel Agent License on Friday!

So today I am "Open" for business. "Open" in quotes since my bank is still waiting for the TPV (the device that you slide your card through when you pay). So without this "thingy" I can't really charge anything... an that makes things like hotel bookings a bit complicated. I should get it in about 2 days they say.

But as of today you can start sending parcel ahead to Santiago! I will be in the office every day now, from 09.00 to 16.00, so please feel free to stop by if you are in town. The number of pilgrims passing by my door has been increasing in the last week, so the "season" is here.

Saludos,
Ivar
 
YEEEHAAAA!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!
I think everyone should notify their CSJ's with the good news.
Advertise the centre folks - lets help Ivar, its pay-back time!
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
:D :D :D !!!!

Well I think that this is marvellous news!! Good luck Ivar, I really hope that the whole venture does well.
I'm just rebuilding my websites .. when I get to the point of workability I shall add your link.

Have fun!
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
Ivar - Congratulations also on the License. I visited the office and it is splendid. Reading previous posts I think David has a really good idea. Since the Camino Frances literally passes your shop/office why not have a Forum Sello which would literally be the last sello on members credenciales before they arrive at the Pilgrims' Office.
 
Congratulations Ivar! I have been checking on "Ivar's new adventure" posting for a while now, to see if there were any new entries. All the best and hope to visit you at the end of October when we should arrive in Santiago.
Anne
 
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Ivar, Congratulations on your new endeavor! I look forward to using your services next year when my wife and I walk our first camino. Will you be christening your office with a bottle of cava? :wink:
Cullen
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Congratulations!!!! Thank you so much for your generosity with this site and your expertise and now you are enlarging your scope! Looking forward to meeting you.
 
Hi Ivar,
Congratulations & good fortune in all your endeavours.
ivar said:
....Before I can recommend a pension/hotel I would like to visit it first. Because of this, I will most likely start offering this reservation service first in Santiago. Then working my way out from Santiago towards Sarria and O Cebreiro.
I guess it will be some time before you start bookings outside of Santiago? Are you planning to extend this to places like Burgos and Leon? I think this could be good for pilgrims who although staying in albergues, might need a hotel for rest or exploring days.
We will most likely give you a call for a hotel when we get near to Santiago in June.
Col
 
That's wonderful news, Ivar! Best of luck on an incredibly successful endeavour!
Buen Camino,
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
Ohhh, Ivar, I am so happy for you. You have been waiting for this a long time and we have waited with you.
Did you know a few years ago, where this forum would be taking you?
Will be using your services pretty soon.
:arrow:

Lillian
 
colinPeter said:
Hi Ivar,
Congratulations & good fortune in all your endeavours.
ivar said:
....Before I can recommend a pension/hotel I would like to visit it first. Because of this, I will most likely start offering this reservation service first in Santiago. Then working my way out from Santiago towards Sarria and O Cebreiro.
I guess it will be some time before you start bookings outside of Santiago? Are you planning to extend this to places like Burgos and Leon? I think this could be good for pilgrims who although staying in albergues, might need a hotel for rest or exploring days.
We will most likely give you a call for a hotel when we get near to Santiago in June.
Col
When I get the ability to charge a credit card (in a day or two) I can make a booking in over 45000 hotels in Spain and around the world. Have a look here for some examples.

Thank you everyone for your support! Slowly the website will get updated with new products.

Saludos,
Ivar
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Best wishes on your new business. You've run the Spanish bureaucracy gauntlet- now I'm sure you're prepared for anything.
 
Ivar,

Last Saturday I arrived in Santiago and I tried to meet you but you were closed. Bad luck for me.

I left my telephone number to your neighbour, hoping you received it.

Otra vez será.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Javier Martin said:
Ivar,

Last Saturday I arrived in Santiago and I tried to meet you but you were closed. Bad luck for me.

I left my telephone number to your neighbour, hoping you received it.

Otra vez será.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.
Ohhh noo... I was there on Saturday.. too bad I missed you. I did not receive the number neither.. I will ask for it.

Next time!

Ivar
 
congratulations! I'm really looking forward to seeing you mid October and, probably, picking up all the things that I've had to forward because I packed too much :D
 
Hi Ivar,
If only I had know about this web site when I walked in October 08. Better late than never maybe next Camino I will use your offerings. thanks
Susanna
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
ivar said:
Luggage storage:
I have space in my office and will be offering storage for those that shipping boxes/things ahead to Santiago.
Ivar

This is great news...
We would like to ship extra clothing before we leave from Montreal and pick it up once in Santiago.How do you want us to proceed ?

Ginette
Montreal, Canada
 
ginette said:
ivar said:
Luggage storage:
I have space in my office and will be offering storage for those that shipping boxes/things ahead to Santiago.
Ivar

This is great news...
We would like to ship extra clothing before we leave from Montreal and pick it up once in Santiago.How do you want us to proceed ?

Ginette
Montreal, Canada
You ship it to me at my office address, have a look here:
http://www.caminotravelcenter.com/lugga ... ompostela/
...once you arrive in Santiago, stop by my office and pick it up. Note that my opening hours are from 10.00 to 13.00 ( I work from home in the afternoons) on weekdays. For a Saturday pickup please let me know in advance.

You pay €15,- per parcel when you pick it up, this include 60 days of storage. Cash (preferred) or credit card.

When I receive your parcel, I will look in my inbox to see if I have heard from your before. If I have, I will send you an e-mail telling you that I have received your parcel. Write me an e-mail at ivar@caminotravelcenter.com so that I can find you later.

Send me an e-mail if you have questions.

Greetings from a rainy Santiago,
Ivar
 
ivar said:
So here is my new adventure. I will open an office in Santiago old town offering travel related services for pilgrims doing the Camino de Santiago. The office is located in Rua do San Pedro 33 (see link above). This is where the Camino Frances enters town, about 150m before you enter old town. 5-7 minutes before the cathedral.
Ivar

Ivar,

I just realized it was exactly one year ago today you wrote of your new business proposal on the Forum. I'm curious (and bet others are too), how's it going? Is it what you expected? Are you making money and keeping your head above water? I certainly don't mean to pry but you've got a lot of fans out there hoping you make it! :p
 
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Telluridewalker said:
ivar said:
So here is my new adventure. I will open an office in Santiago old town offering travel related services for pilgrims doing the Camino de Santiago. The office is located in Rua do San Pedro 33 (see link above). This is where the Camino Frances enters town, about 150m before you enter old town. 5-7 minutes before the cathedral.
Ivar

Ivar,

I just realized it was exactly one year ago today you wrote of your new business proposal on the Forum. I'm curious (and bet others are too), how's it going? Is it what you expected? Are you making money and keeping your head above water? I certainly don't mean to pry but you've got a lot of fans out there hoping you make it! :p
Thanks for asking!

We are doing quite well, it is always difficult in the beginning... and me going off to work for Xacobeo was not in my initial plans.. but Frank (that works in the office now) does a great job and we are looking forward for 2010.

Right now we are working on a new website, simpler and less cluttered. We are also working on some new products, one of them is a package of the "Camino del mar"... up the fjord from Villagarcia to Padron on a boat, and then the last day on the Portuguese from there... and we have agreed to offer bike transport to Holland and part of Belgium starting January 1. We are collaborating with a Dutch firm that will come and pick up bikes at our office and drive them to north.

Winter is always quiet, but it gives us time to make some plans... :)

Greetings from Santiago,
Ivar
 
Next step might be transporting horses and donkeys back home (usually to France or other parts of Spain) from Santiago. I understand there´s a real need for that, and the few people who provide the service are charging abusive rates for it.

Reb.
 
Hi Ivar... please advise

Hi Ivar...

I have been using your forum for 6 months or so (just completed my first leg of camino SJPP to Logrono) and have always found it to be a wonderful help. I have now returned to Australia and already planning my next leg (arrived home at 6am this morning!!). However when I type in your address ie. http://www.caminodesantiago.me I am immediately diverted to caminoadventures.com ... am I being hijacked or do you have some affiliation with this website... in order to get back to your website I have to type ivar on the address bar (after the address) otherwise everything I type onto the address bar is overridden and takes me to caminoadventures ... do you know why this might be happening ??

Thanks Jo
 
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Re: Hi Ivar... please advise

yogaflowjo said:
Hi Ivar...

I have been using your forum for 6 months or so (just completed my first leg of camino SJPP to Logrono) and have always found it to be a wonderful help. I have now returned to Australia and already planning my next leg (arrived home at 6am this morning!!). However when I type in your address ie. http://www.caminodesantiago.me I am immediately diverted to caminoadventures.com ... am I being hijacked or do you have some affiliation with this website... in order to get back to your website I have to type ivar on the address bar (after the address) otherwise everything I type onto the address bar is overridden and takes me to caminoadventures ... do you know why this might be happening ??

Thanks Jo
Hi there,

If you click your own link above, you will see that it works as it should... the one that gets redirected has a .uk at the end.

There is no relation between these two sites.

Saludos,
Ivar
 
yogaflowjo said:
. However when I type in your address ie. http://www.caminodesantiago.me I am immediately diverted to caminoadventures.com ... am I being hijacked
Thanks Jo

It could be your web browser auto completing the web address, this is more likely to happen with sites that the particular computer has visited previously. Bit like auto spell check, sometimes I review what I wrote to find spell check has made a mess of it.
 
Ivar, how do I contact you? I have some questions about having some things sent to you. Thanks for your time!! by the way, when you expand your business, you should open one in StJPP, you could send us off, and welcome us home !!! Thanks again, looking forward to hearing from you. Shannon
Hi all,

As you may remember I did try to open a Hostal a while back, and that this did not work out. Well, since my dream is to work with pilgrims from all over the world in Santiago, I am now about to start up a new business that does just that.

So here is my new adventure. I will open an office in Santiago old town offering travel related services for pilgrims doing the Camino de Santiago. The office is located in Rua do San Pedro 33 (see link above). This is where the Camino Frances enters town, about 150m before you enter old town. 5-7 minutes before the cathedral.

These are the services that I am planning on offering:

Luggage storage:
I have space in my office and will be offering storage for those that shipping boxes/things ahead to Santiago. You could even ship a set of clean clothes ahead to me before you leave home. Or maybe you are walking on to Finisterre and do want to leave some stuff behind.

Once I receive a package I will send a confirmation e-mail/text message notifying you that it has been received, if you add your e-mail/mobile number on the package.

There will be no time limit on the storage (ok, maybe 6 months), so you do not have to run to Santiago. :)

Lodging
I will create a 902 (free call from any land line in Spain) phone number for pilgrims that would like help with booking a pension/hotel for the night. I realize that many of you would like to stay in the albergues, and that this is not for you, but for some people having a place to call for help with a reservation I think will be helpful.

Before I can recommend a pension/hotel I would like to visit it first. Because of this, I will most likely start offering this reservation service first in Santiago. Then working my way out from Santiago towards Sarria and O Cebreiro. Then from Santiago to Finisterre/Muxia. Then the Camino Ingles. And then the Camino Portuguese.

So as you can see it may take a few months before I have a lodging option on each day stage for these caminos, but this is "the plan". I can of course also help in reserving a place to sleep on your way to your starting point as well, through the more traditional reservation systems.

Travel to Starting Point/Getting home from Santiago
I will be able to help in the reservation of bus tickets and train tickets in all of Spain. Call me and I will reserve and mail your your ticket as a pdf document to your e-mail address.

Airport transportation
I will be able to book transport from the airport in Santiago to your camino starting point. This might be Sarria, O Cebreiro, Tui, La Coruña or Ferrol.

What to do in Santiago?
Many times you arrive in Santiago and have a day or two that you are not sure what to do with. You may not have time to walk out to Finisterre, but there are options of going there with a guide. One popular trip is the one that leaves Santiago mid day and comes back to Santiago after having seen the sun set at the Finisterre light house. In addition to this, there are many other tours that might be interesting. Everything from a guided walk in old to to wine tasting in Rias Baixas.

The office
I will set up a message board in the office (like the one at the pilgrims office) were pilgrims that have walked a few days together, but later lost each other can post and leave messages. Write a message on a piece of paper and pin it to the board, when your friend comes by later he/she reads your message. All low-tech, but I think useful.

I am hoping to also have space for a table where visitors can check their e-mail, call home (Skype) or upload photos to blogs or photo albums.

I hope to open around February 1st 2009.

Some final thoughts
Our forum works great at the moment, I feel there is a good environment for sharing and learning about the camino. I would like to keep it this way. Therefor all of these services will have a separate website and I will not to mix the commercial activities with the forum. I think what I will do is to remove the google ads on the site and add some links to my new site and new products.

Another thing. I know that many pilgrims feel like finding your way around in Spain and finding a place to sleep each day is part of the whole pilgrim experience. I understand this, so I realize that these services are not for everyone. But I hope that this will be useful for some.

Anyhow. So there you have it. My new adventure. :D

Greetings from Santiago de Compostela,
Ivar
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Ivar, how do I contact you? I have some questions about having some things sent to you. Thanks for your time!! by the way, when you expand your business, you should open one in StJPP, you could send us off, and welcome us home !!! Thanks again, looking forward to hearing from you. Shannon
Hi, gypsywind,
Ivar will probably answer here, but you could just start a Private Conversation with him using the "Private Conversation" tab at the very top of the thread. Buen camino, Laurie
 

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