Hello!!! I’m happy to find your post. I am traveling with my 8yo and myself at not in the best physical condition so I was thinking of sending my pack ahead. We plan on staying in private rooms (because I’m a nervous nelly and a very light sleeper) and I was wondering if you could explain a bit more about the logistics. I was thinking of planning all my stays ahead, but the beginning of our trip will be a bit different. We will bumble around Porto and go to the zoo and do a few things before we start our shorter stage Portuguese coastal Camino. We also plan on the spiritual variant. Would Truitans work for something like that?
Thanks in advance!
Lydia
I walked the French Way from Pamplona to Santiago in March Aril 2022. It was a great experience and hence, I am walking the Portuguese Camino from Porto to Santiago in April 2024.
On the French Way I met a young mother two two kids maybe 8 and younger. I have nothing but respect for her.
Baggage transfer on the French Route is very organised and each hostel / some auberges has envelopes for the various transfer companies. You simply wrote the name address of the destination for the next day and put 4 to 5 Euro as required in to the envelope and your bag / suitcase got to the next stop. I never heard of a failure.
The French Route can be rugged and I would not recommend that route in its entirety if you have a 8 year old. The Portuguese Way from Porto has many more options for short hops each day.
I did the French Way initially staying in auberges but after 10 days with some sleep deprivation I switched to private rooms in hostels. I believe to get the full Camino Experience / fellowship, the auberges are the way to go but the realities of noisy floors / beds and people wanting to leave at 5 am got in the way of a decent nights rest for me.
The Portuguese Route does not appear as well set up but apparently Tuitrans provides the service. I am sure there are others too. There does not appear to be a cost factor indicated anywhere.
I request veterans to respond and share.
I pray that you have a great Camino leaving you with a desire to do more.