New pilgrim full of questions!

[Sansthing]

Hi everybody, I discovered your wonderful site yesterday and I know it is going to be a great help to me. After years of "one day I´ll do it", I have finally decided next year is the year. I´m not getting any younger and I want to enjoy the Camino while I can. One of my problems will be equipment, I live in Brazil and don´t think I´ll be able to identify things as the brands are different. A lot of the stuff here is either trendy or more suitable for short hikes. This means I´ll be asking loads of questions so that I can buy the right things, since I don´t think I can leave it all until I get to Spain. I´m only going to ask a few questions at a time, so that I don´t become a nuisance! Just for starters, what exactly is a fleece?
I´m planning to start my walk in Roncesvalles and am wondering the best and cheapest way to get there. I´ll be flying from Brazil and can go to either Paris or Madrid (or other European capital for that matter). I have been most interested to read the "boots versus sandals" discussion. I am a sandal fan myself. I actually did the Inca Trail in sandals a few years ago, because my boots were too painful, so I intend to do the Camino in sandals or trainers, depending on the weather. By the way, I´m female, late fifties and walking alone (not really worried about that). Anyway, now I´ve introduced myself I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[Deleted member 397]

I can't really comment about what would be the best flight plan but from Australia it's often cheaper to fly to london then get one of the cheap airlines to spain/france. If sandals suit you then I would say use them-I've never worn them and prefer boots but there will be lots of other replies encouraging you to use sandals, A fleece is like a pullover/jumper/top but is made of lightweight man made material that is warm but light-also a little bulky. My only other recommendation is to take EAR PLUGS!

 

[viajero]

Welcome!
I'm not sure about flights from Brazil but when I flew last spring from the U.S. (Washington D.C.), it worked out cheapest to fly to Madrid. I flew on Iberia and flew via Madrid to Pamplona (and then took the bus to Roncesvalles) and flew home from Santiago via Madrid back to Washington. THe extra flights to Pamplona and from Santiago were not much more (less than $100 US) than the round trip to Madrid. Unless the flight to Paris is significantly cheaper, I think it costs less to get from Madrid to Roncesvalles than from Paris to Roncesvalles. I would recommend looking at Iberia airlines or a website like Kayak.com where you can put in mutiple cities and flexible dates. When are you planning on going?

 

[Sansthing]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I´m thinking of going in Spring, May or June. Is Pamplona the nearest airport to Roncesvalles?

 

[WolverineDG]

Yes, Pamplona is the closest airport to Roncesvalles. You can spend the night in Pamplona, then take the bus or, if you have the money, a taxi to Roncesvalles the next day. What I am planning to do for my next Camino is to fly to Madrid, then fly to Pamplona. I'll spend the night in Pamplona (to get over jet lag), then splash out for a taxi to Roncesvalles, so I can do the sight-seeing that I didn't get to do the first time.

If you spend a day in Pamplona, you can walk around the old town & do a bit of sight-seeing, since you might be too tired to do it a couple of days later when you walk through again. :lol:

Buen Camino!
Kelly

 

[brendan nolan]

Hi Sansthing and welcome to the Forun
I'm sure you will get lots of advice about eqipment and travel arrangements. While flights can change from year to year I would just like to mention that there is a Pilgrim Association/Confraternity in Brazil and you may be able to get tips/advice from them since numbers from Brazil have been increasing steadily in recent years.

Buen Camino,
Brendan

 

[Sansthing]

Thanks for all the advice so far, I am getting more enthusiastic by the minute I´m wondering how light a sleeping bag I can get away with in June, and if there is a good internet site to order one from?

 

[WolverineDG]

I got mine off of Ebay. I searched for "ultralight sleeping bag" & waited until I saw one at a price I could afford.

Kelly

 

[Deleted member 397]

I like the Snugpak range of sleeping bags. Ebay have several new ones-I have the Travelpak Lite which is 850grs and packs away very small. It's a compromise between warmth and weight but I used it last year from Le Puy and this year from Granada when I had some pretty cool weather and did occasionally use a blanket or sleep in my clothes but I would certainly recommend them. Not sure what your budget is but these seem well priced and I try to adhere to the principle of buy something good and that way you only have to buy the item once

 

[Brett]

Don't worry about not finding gear. You can get everything you need (ultralight sleeping bag, etc.) in El Corte Ingles in Madrid (or Pamplona). At least that's what I did, even down to the backpack...

PS - My buddy and I ended up trekking with a Brazilian guy for part of the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal this past spring. Great company, and he had some crazy stories...

 

[Javier Martin]

The Corte Ingles may be the best for many things, but not for pilgrims material. I would try Decathlon, in many cities. I mean, outside the cities, but with a lot lof material to choose.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain

 

[Brett]

True, true...

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Javier - the problem that pilgrims from abroad have is finding the Decathalon or other sports shops if they are outside of the city centre! I have always found the Corte (especially in main cities) to have an excelent selection of equipment of all kinds. I think it is a real option to wait until arriving in Madrid for example to purchase some equipment.

 

[Deirdre]

I went to Barrabés in Madrid - it is located near Metro Cuzco on the Calle Orense 56 near the cross with Calle de Sor Angela de la Cruz. I got my rain poncho there and also a .5 kilo sleeping bag which was much more expensive in the US. It seemed to me ridiculous to shop online and pay shipping to the States when I was going to be in Madrid. I looked up what I wanted ahead of time and then bought it when I got to Spain.

I also bought my Tevas at Barrabés.. the only thing they didn't have was the small hand held linterna (lamp) I wanted... and they sent me to una Ferreteria or Corte Inglés for that. I found them to be very helpful and had most of the items that I had look at on the Decathelon site.There is also a North Face store on or near Calle Velázquez - I remember walking past it one day. So if someone is going to be in Madrid....

Buen Camino,

 

[JohnnieWalker]

I think this is really helpful information. Would it be helpful if we had a place on the fourm where everyone can list the equipment stores they have discovered on various routes. Others have mentioned good shops in Logrono, Pamplona etc.

 

[Sansthing]

I think the last suggestion is excellent. It would be really useful to know where to buy equipment in various places. I want to buy the Altus poncho at Barrabes, but will probably do so by internet as I am not sure I am going to Roncesvalles via Madrid, and don´t think it is available anywhere else.

 

[jl]

Depending when next year you are walking, you may like to think about this for an option. I walked in September - when the weather has been stable each time (twice) and I just got a cheap poncho from home for the first part of the journey on each occasion. The first time I bought a better quality jacket before leaving Leon because I had heard how wet it was in Galicia, and the second time I decided I would manage until I got to Sarria, where I bought, at the wonderful camping store in the centre of town, an Altus poncho. I am not sure if I was lucky, but the first time I never even used the jacket till I got to Santiago and the second time I used it for a few hours on the day I bought it and not again. Just food for thought. If you were concerned and wanted it earlier I would imagine there would be camping stores at Pamplona where you could get it. The Altus is quite heavy compared to the "Packa" (about half the weight) that I have since bought and intend to take for the entire journey next time. Janet

 

[sillydoll]

Janet, I loved the Packa when I saw it on this forum. It is quite a short jacket compared with the ALTUS and I didn't want to take rain trousers as well as a jacket. Being a shorty, the ALTUS comes down almost to my ankles!

 

[jl]

Hi Sil,

Yes the Packa is not quite as long as the Altus, but I weighed up the pros and cons of both and opted for the Packa.

Both Australians and New Zealanders tend to hike in shorts, working on the theory that it easier to dry the legs than trousers. Even in wet weather, New Zealanders in particular still hike in shorts and, (as Kiwi nomad said in one of her posts) wear thermals underneath. These are easy to dry and keep one warm even if damp. The time of the year that I walk I am prepared to risk dampness for a few days for the weight save. In Australia bushwalkers tend to wear Goretex jackets that come to the knee or just above and it is not very often that I see people with overtrousers. In Tassie and New Zealand trampers / hikers don't usually worry about wet feet either (it is a nice bonus if they are, mind you) as within about 20 - 30 mins of starting the days walking one is usually faced with a river crossing. For safety reasons we never ever take boots off but just wade through. Mainland Aussies have a somwhat different mind set though.

Having said that I would perhaps revise the situation if I were walking later and in very wet regions. Like I said, there are pros and cons for both jackets but when one is walking long distances and unlikely to need a waterproof for more than a day or so in the first 6 - 8 weeks weight seems to be even more important.

Cheers, Janet

 

[alipilgrim]

FYI - when I was in Pamplona in 2005 for the start of my Camino I found a Decathalon just outside the old City (took a bus) that was very well equipped for all necessary Camino-type equipment.

 

[Sansthing]

I am 1.70m which is why I plan to buy the longer Altus, I think anything shorter would leave me with wet knees as I don´t want to take rain trousers. I think the extra weight trade-off is worth it. One of my doubts is about gaiters. I intend to do the Camino in trainers/sandals and obviously want to keep my feet dry. I have this idea that a couple of plastic bags secured below the knees should suffice, should the need arise (am I being naive :?: ) unless I am very unlucky with the weather. I haven´t found anywhere that sells gaiters in Brazil, nor am I sure I would want to carry the extra weight. My peat-stained Lake District gaiters are a distant memory and long gone.

 

[sillydoll]

I once made a pair of gaiters out of the sleeves of an old raincoat. Elastic at the top - above knee - and a slight flair at the bottom means that they cover the shoe so that the rain runs over them.

 

[jl]

What a good idea Sil - will bear that in mind, Cheers, Janet

 

[Sansthing]

That is a brilliant idea, thanks a lot .
Sandra

 

[ksam]

Sil...that is a fabulous idea! I may even wander into a thrift/2nd hand shop and hunt down an old raincoat with that in mind!! would still be cheaper than buying some!! Keep on hiking here in the states in all sorts of weather....keeping a hand in to be ready for the next go at the Camino! Will be passing this tid bit on the rest of the crew from my pilgram group!! Thanks, Karin :arrow:

 

[Mary M]

Thanks for all the advice so far, I am getting more enthusiastic by the minute I´m wondering how light a sleeping bag I can get away with in June, and if there is a good internet site to order one from?

I used a silk sleeping bag liner in September and was fine. Only cold one night and I just wore my clothes and coat to bed that night. A friend bought a down throw from Costco here in the states. More flexible than a sleeping bag. You can use it as a blanket, a hiking vest under your jacket or a sleeping bag ( fold it over and sleep inside. Good luck!