News

Cathy Daff · Jan 4, 2015

I am australian and love listening to the news on my mobile while walking. Not sure if this is possible? Any ideas?

dougfitz · Jan 4, 2015

If you are thinking of an internet based service like the ABC provides, you would need to be able to stream the service, ie have a data service enabled on your SIM. If you don't arrange for a local SIM with reasonable rates, this is likely to be an expensive proposition.

The alternative is that you are currently using your phone to receive local free to air FM radio. You can still do that, but will only receive local stations wherever you are. There may not be either any English language service or a dedicated news service.

Kanga · Jan 4, 2015

A local Spanish SIM card and a little app called TuneinRadio. But I'd hate it - part of the pleasure of the Camino is to tune out, not tune in!

Patch · Jan 4, 2015

Free WiFi in just about every cafe, hostel and also in a great many public places. No reason from what I could see to use a phone just get a cheap tablet (uk price less then 60 pounds) Skype and hey presto free video calls world wide.

SYates · Jan 4, 2015

Cathy Daff said:
I am australian and love listening to the news on my mobile while walking. Not sure if this is possible? Any ideas?

One of the joys of the Camino, for many, is to listen of the sounds of the moment and place you are and not being distracted by things that happen far away and that you can't influence anyway. Just food for thought, Buen Camino! SY

dougfitz · Jan 5, 2015

Patch said:
Free WiFi in just about every cafe, hostel and also in a great many public places. No reason from what I could see to use a phone just get a cheap tablet (uk price less then 60 pounds) Skype and hey presto free video calls world wide.

@Patch, have you tried this? I understand that it is an option but I always found free WIFI pretty slow, and I wonder whether Skype would work at all.

Patch · Jan 11, 2015

Skype in Spain - not tried but have used it in numerous places in NZ and Auz which are pretty slow compared with Europe. in addition my brother did use the apple equivalent of skype with no problem on the Camino Frances.
Also If speed is a problem then you can always turn of the video and just use voice.

dougfitz · Jan 11, 2015

Patch said:
Skype in Spain - not tried but have used it in numerous places in NZ and Auz which are pretty slow compared with Europe. in addition my brother did use the apple equivalent of skype with no problem on the Camino Frances.
Also If speed is a problem then you can always turn of the video and just use voice.

I didn't try Skype either, but those who I saw using it had troubles getting a reliable connection even for voice only in some places. When it works, it's great, but still seems to me to be a supplement to more reliable communications methods, rather than being sufficiently reliable to be relied upon as one's only method of calling home.

peregrina2000 · Jan 11, 2015

dougfitz said:
I didn't try Skype either, but those who I saw using it had troubles getting a reliable connection even for voice only in some places. When it works, it's great, but still seems to me to be a supplement to more reliable communications methods, rather than being sufficiently reliable to be relied upon as one's only method of calling home.

Hi Doug, In 2013 I walked the Levante from Valencia and was able to skype home on my iphone almost every night with free wifi -- lots of little towns, small bars, but I never had a problem. The only place I had trouble was in San Martin Pinario in Santiago, and I assume that had something to do with the fact that everyone in the room was using some sort of wifi device.

LesBrass · Jan 11, 2015

I found that free wifi along the route was more than ample for catching up. I used it for access to things like caminopedia and keeping in touch with home so nothing with a heavy drain but my phone/camera was set to download any images whenever I was at a wifi spot... I downloaded almost 3000 photos along the way without any problems. Friends I was walking with were able to facetime and skype also on free wifi.

hope this helps

Patch · Jan 11, 2015

dougfitz said:
I didn't try Skype either, but those who I saw using it had troubles getting a reliable connection even for voice only in some places. When it works, it's great, but still seems to me to be a supplement to more reliable communications methods, rather than being sufficiently reliable to be relied upon as one's only method of calling home.

I guess its horses for courses. I don't see any need to be constantly in touch with home - hate the thought of being constantly available 24 hours a day which is one of the reasons I go walking. For me a UK based pay as you go phone - which people can text me on in case of emergency - and Skype is more then adequate. But that's just me.