Newbie questions

[nangiakki]

Hello - I'm a Newbie to the Forum and to the Camino as well so if I'm goofing up the etiquette please let me know. My daughter will be doing a study abroad in Oviedo this summer. Her course is over on August 1st and then we are hoping to walk the Primitivo. I have a few questions.
1. What kind of weather can we expect in August?
2. Where can I find a good summer packing list?
3. I was thinking about walking the Northern Route to Oviedo in July and then meeting up with my daughter in Oviedo but am a little worried since I would be a Newbie female solo traveller. Is that a bad idea?

Thank you!!

 

[naplesdon]

First of all there is no "goofing up" on this forum. The questions and answers range from arcane to philosophical. You will get responses that are as helpful as they are rhetorical.
As far as the Primitivo is concerned I have not walked it, but you can be assured August will be warm, the amount of rain is totally optional.
A summer packing list is available on many other threads and resources on this forum.
A solo female pilgrim is becoming more the rule than the exception these days, there is nothing to worry about and you will join up with a group of your choosing very quickly as there are lots of pilgrims walking the Camino that time of year.
Beun Camino.

 

[fraluchi]

[...] The questions and answers range from arcane to philosophical. You will get responses that are as helpful as they are rhetorical.[...]

Which caps it!. July and August, high season not only because of summer temperatures but also vacation time for people in the larger part of Spain and Northern Europe.
Spain is a civilized country in which you can find most of your necessities as you might find them at home. (perhaps with a bit of asking about, but so you might at home)
The Primitivo goes over altitudes which may be rather pleasant to walk in August. Ultreya!

 

[Chacharm]

I think that would be SO much fun! Walking alone and THEN walking with your daughter - perfect. The Northern route will be less crowded, too. Just be sure that you've both protected your gear from bedbugs, have some sort of a light jacket, good rain gear and some footwear you've tested out.

 

[Theatregal]

I walked the Primitivo end of July into August. The temperatures were quite variable - a few very hot days but mostly very pleasant, warm days. Had two days of rain with cooler evenings and early mornings. The 4 hottest days happened to be just before, during, and after the walk / climb over the Hospitales route. Pack as light as possible and I can't stress enough...make sure you have enough water if you are taking this route. There is a long stretch where there is no option to get water.

You will be absolutely fine as a solo female traveller. And should you desire it, you won't lack for company along the Norte or the Primitivo.
Buen Camino!

 

[nangiakki]

Thank you for all the encouragement and advice. I see there are a few things I need to look into - such as bedbugs. I suppose there is a guide to protect one's gear from bedbugs somewhere on the forum?

 

[ebrandt]

Thank you for all the encouragement and advice. I see there are a few things I need to look into - such as bedbugs. I suppose there is a guide to protect one's gear from bedbugs somewhere on the forum?

If you search for the word bedbugs in the forum you will come up with a number of threads. Briefly, the problem of bedbugs has been growing in many urban areas in the US and around the world. As the volume of pilgrims builds up on the caminos, the problem of folks bringing the bedbugs with them has also grown. My sense is that the problem is greatest on the Camino Frances where the numbers are bigger. But also, the later in the year you walk the more the chance of exposure (as the numbers build up so does the possibility of bugs).

Having said that, I will say that we walked the Camino Frances in April of 2013 with no problems. Also, bed bugs are generally harmless. They are uncomfortable but not more. Many people do not react to the bites or only have minor reactions.

Here are my tips:

1. Know what to look for and ask to look at the sleeping quarters in any albergue before deciding to stay. Go to the next place if you think you see evidence of bed bugs. Here is a link to a very good University of Virgina Department of Entymology publication on bed bugs: http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pesticides/pdffiles/bb-identify1.pdf . Be forewarned the pictures are a bit extreme -- scientists showing the worst case scenarios. But the publication is scientific and accurate.

2. Consider whether you want to "pre-treat" your things with chemical repellents -- ie permethrin. I plan to thoroughly spay my pack and then to use a plastic bag as a pack liner. This will give me some protection against rain also. I don't like chemicals and would rather deal with itchy bites for a few days so I don't plan to spray my sleeping sack or any of my clothing. Another thing some folks do is carry a permethrin sprayed hostal sheet. Again. I don't want to sleep on a chemical sprayed sheet, so...

3. If you feel itchy and see bites, know how to treat it and be prepared to take the time to thoroughly treat your gear. You can do this by going to a location far from an albergue and shaking everything out, then bagging it securely in a plastic garbage bag until you can get to a facility with a dryer where you run everything through the dryer at the highest possible temperature. Many albergues will help you with this. The one I am working at this summer even maintains a spare set of one size fits all clothing for folks to wear while they are treating their stuff. You also can apply new spray. The product available in Spain that I have been told about is called Cucal. I think its basically got the same chemical as permethrin.

4. Consider organic repellants -- there are lots of home remedies. But be aware that most are not supported by scientific research. Still they might make you feel better!

Buen Camino.

Liz

 

[fraluchi]

[...] I don't like chemicals and would rather deal with itchy bites for a few days so I don't plan to spray my sleeping sack or any of my clothing. Another thing some folks do is carry a permethrin sprayed hostal sheet. Again. I don't want to sleep on a chemical sprayed sheet, so...[...]

You may be quite happy to carry a few telltale "breakfast, lunch and dinner" spots, but many concerned hospitaleros may "quarantine" you.

 

[Archsas]

2. Consider whether you want to "pre-treat" your things with chemical repellents -- ie permethrin. I plan to thoroughly spay my pack and then to use a plastic bag as a pack liner. This will give me some protection against rain also. I don't like chemicals and would rather deal with itchy bites for a few days so I don't plan to spray my sleeping sack or any of my clothing. Another thing some folks do is carry a permethrin sprayed hostal sheet. Again. I don't want to sleep on a chemical sprayed sheet, so...

Bedbugs might be fairly harmless, but some people do react strongly to them. They also spread ridiculously easily and are very hard to get rid of. If you're not concerned about your own comfort, you might want to think about the kinds of problems that could occur from you spreading bedbugs, if you haven't done so already (for example, allergic reactions in other pilgrims, costs associated with bedbug treatments of albergues, or even the hassle of bringing them back home).

I occasionally work at a summer camp that had bed bug issues one year, and for creatures that are pretty harmless, they're a gigantic pain the butt. At worst, I've seen bedbug infestations spread from twenty minutes of contact between a backpack and bed, affect structures that are supposedly bedbug-proof, and refuse to go away after multiple heat treatments. Research has shown that, when dry, permethrin is perfectly harmless and effective at keeping bedbugs away. If you're not comfortable with treating sleeping materials, that's okay, but it might be worth thinking about whether it's a risk that's worth taking in the long run. I'm not crazy about it either, but personally, after having dealt with the critters before (admittedly, under what were probably the worst conditions possible, so I'm probably too paranoid about them), I'm willing to do whatever is necessary to keep from bringing them back home, let alone spreading them on the Camino.

 

[nangiakki]

Something else I hadn't considered before - my daughter will have luggage since she is doing a study abroad program in Oviedo but we don't want to return there after our Camino to retrieve it. How expensive/reliable are the bag transfer services and are they even available on the Primitivo?
Thanks!

 

[mspath]

The Spanish Correos/Post Office offers a transport service for backpacks on the Camino Primitivo as well as other caminos. Another alternative to consider is mailing the luggage from Oviedo to Santiago to be picked up by you at the end of your camino. Ivar Rekve, the Forum administrator and founder, provides a luggage storage service in SdC.

 

[nangiakki]

The Spanish Correos/Post Office offers a transport service for backpacks on the Camino Primitivo as well as other caminos. Another alternative to consider is mailing the luggage from Oviedo to Santiago to be picked up by you at the end of your camino. Ivar Rekve, the Forum administrator and founder, provides a luggage storage service in SdC.

Thanks for the information! I will have to get my daughter to translate since the site is in Spanish.