May/June Camino

[elcunio]

Hello! I'm making a camino for religious purposes in May/June of 2013 (That's when my classes get out, but it seems like a decent time to do it anyway).

I plan to do it mostly barefoot since that's how I go around anyway and I don't have time to properly break in any new shoes. I might bring along some Vibrams for emergencies, but I really hate shoes

The plan is to fly into Barcelona, then bus to Irun or San Sebastian, walk the Camino del Norte then hang a left onto the Primitivo, then after Santiago continue on to Muxia, then bus back to Barcelona to catch my plane back home in time for the summer mini-semester.

I've got from May 7- June 24, including buses, etc. My main concerns right now are having enough time to walk it, and getting money along the way. I know that the Camino Frances has ATMs- what about Norte? I have a Visa checkcard, will that work anywhere along the route? Will I have time to stop at all the churches along the way and still get all the way to Muxia? What are peoples' thoughts on diverting to Oviedo?

Oh, I almost forgot: My parents want me to call home every few days. What's the best/cheapest way to get a phone for calling the USA from Spain? Should I just plan on picking one up when I get there?

Thank you thank you everyone!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hola and welcome to the forum.
You should have no problem with finding ATMs in most larger places. We always withdraw the maximum daily alowance to minimise fees and also to cover places where there maybe isn't an ATM. For Mastercard it is possible to find the ATM sites on-line; Visa may have this search possibility too.
Oviedo is worth spending a day there to see the Cathedral and Cámara Santa (chapel where the sudarium is kept) - free entry for pilgrims and sello from the Cathedral shop (10.00-12.00 and 16.00-18.00 approx).
The Primitivo is amazing. Take another day in Lugo if you can to see the Cathedral and walk around the Roman walls of the town. Some churches are open, others may be closed but the Camino passes so many that you will surely find some to visit or attend services.

If you check out various threads and members blogs you will get some idea of the number of days needed and also the places that call to you to visit.

Phone?? we take our UK one but others either buy a SIM or even a phone so they can advise you better.

Buen Camino

 

[slarti]

I'm going to make some assumptions here.
1: You have a smartphone
2: Your parents have smartphones or computer
3: there is free wifi along the northern route

Get skype on your smartphone and make your parents install skype on whatever device they're using and call them whenever you find free wifi.
I hope this helps.

 

[elcunio]

Tia Valeria: Thank you for the advice!

Slarti: No, neither me nor my parents have smartphones. We're sort of semi-luddites. Dialup internet until 2008, get a new car once a decade, using prepaid phones for the forseeable future. This is probably the first time a smartphone would have come in handy...

 

[Peregrina 2013]

No, neither me nor my parents have smartphones. We're sort of semi-luddites. Dialup internet until 2008, get a new car once a decade, using prepaid phones for the forseeable future. This is probably the first time a smartphone would have come in handy...

Your parents have a computer and that already is a plus. Along the Camino del Norte you will be going through some cities that will have Internet Cafés to communicate with them, otherwise if you buy a prepaid phone card you will be able to use it to call home from public phones. Or better yet, a prepaid phone.

¡Buen Camino, Elcunio!

Ultreia!

Mary