Plug Adapter

[EmoJohnson]

Oh my goodness! I'm leaving for my Camino in five days!!! I am all nerves and disbelief. Can someone settle this for me? I'm in the US and have bought what I believe to be the plug adapter for Portugal and Spain but need verification. Picture attached.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Looks fine .

Wish you well,Peter.

 

[EmoJohnson]

Looks fine .

Wish you well,Peter.

All that neuroticism for naught! Thank you, Peter!

 

[SYates]

Buen Camino! Even if you have forgotten something - remember there are plenty of stores, especially at the typical starting points, that cater to forgetful pilgrims and their needs ;-)

BC SY

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Tape the adapter to the charger so the adapter isn't left behind in the outlet as happened to me (but at the next stop I picked up one that someone else lost the same way. ) If you do lose the adapter it will likely be easier and not much more expensive to seek out a European charger instead of an adapter that no one in Europe needs.

 

[Camembert]

Buen Camino! Even if you have forgotten something - remember there are plenty of stores, especially at the typical starting points, that cater to forgetful pilgrims and their needs ;-)

BC SY

In addition to SY 's reply everywhere in Portugal and Spain are so called China shops where they sell everything and even the "kitchensink" as the saying is.
So even there you could buy your plugconverter.
Bom caminho

 

[peregrina2000]

I for one would not recommend a "tienda de chinos" for electronics equipment. About all that's guaranteed is that it will be cheap. Many Spaniards have warned me that a lot of the devices like chargers and adaptors have fake stamps of compliance with international electricity norms (I think that's what that stamp that looks like "C€" is).

Those stores are great for a lot of things, like pillowcases that fit Spanish pillows, cheap sunglasses, socks, etc, and they also tend to be open without closing for lunch. In fact, you will often see the family eating their own lunch while you shop.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Ah the Chinese Bazaar - selling everything you never thought you'd ever need!

CE = Conformité Européene and it means that the object complies with European standards but, as Perigrina2000 says I wouldn't buy an electrical charger from a "Chino" - a straightforward adaptor should be OK and cost not much more than $1.50.

 

[Rick M]

Tape the adapter to the charger so the adapter isn't left behind in the outlet as happened to me (but at the next stop I picked up one that someone else lost the same way. ) If you do lose the adapter it will likely be easier and not much more expensive to seek out a European charger instead of an adapter that no one in Europe needs.

This is a very, very good idea. I lost three europlug adapters just this way. While a nuisance, I had no trouble finding shops that sold replacements in the larger towns - just by asking someone. The adapters are cheap and readily available for us nortamericanos, but never needing to find one is easier still!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I bought such an adapter in a Chino in Oviedo and the girl at the cash told me to keep the receipt "just in case". Sure enough, it was defective.

 

[Shades of Narnia]

I for one would not recommend a "tienda de chinos" for electronics equipment. About all that's guaranteed is that it will be cheap. Many Spaniards have warned me that a lot of the devices like chargers and adaptors have fake stamps of compliance with international electricity norms (I think that's what that stamp that looks like "C€" is).

Those stores are great for a lot of things, like pillowcases that fit Spanish pillows, cheap sunglasses, socks, etc, and they also tend to be open without closing for lunch. In fact, you will often see the family eating their own lunch while you shop.

Great spot to buy small lightweight clear containers, for cheese, biscuits, etc.........

 

[Camembert]

As long as it is a plugconverter and no electronic charger I would not bother to buy it in a China shop. I bought one set of world plug converters in such a shop many years ago and still using it and the family is borrowing the set regulairy and it was used from the USA , Brazil,Argentina to Malaysia and Australia.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

This is a very, very good idea. I lost three europlug adapters just this way. While a nuisance, I had no trouble finding shops that sold replacements in the larger towns - just by asking someone. The adapters are cheap and readily available for us nortamericanos, but never needing to find one is easier still!

That day without my adapter I was worried about where I would find another. Then I realized that what I really needed was not an adapter but a gizmo that could be plugged into a continental electrical socket that would supply 5 volts DC for USB charging. Those are easy to find. But by luck I found that adapter that someone else lost before buying a charger.

By the way, for USB chargers you don't need the heavier, bulkier and more expensive 3 pin adapters (the kind I had for a few days.)

 

[Rick M]

That day without my adapter I was worried about where I would find another. Then I realized that what I really needed was not an adapter but a gizmo that could be plugged into a continental electrical socket that would supply 5 volts DC for USB charging. Those are easy to find. But by luck I found that adapter that someone else lost before buying a charger.

By the way, for USB chargers you don't need the heavier, bulkier and more expensive 3 pin adapters (the kind I had for a few days.)

You are correct, a simple small one can be had. I LIKE the bigger one like the one attached in the picture though. Full disclosure, the picture shown is a European plug in version, mine has a US plug in - hence the need for the adapter as well. It has two advantages for me on the camino.

- It doesn't take up a wall plug. Where they are scarce, you plug this into the wall, and someone else can plug in to the back of this one. Some Albergues have lots of plugs, others not so much.

- It has two USB jacks, so I can charge two devices at once. I only have one, but my wife insists on having her phone charged up as well. This halves the time you need to keep an eye on things.

 

[trecile]

I also bring a wall charger with 2 or 3 USB ports and a European plug.

 

[FLEUR]

@Rick of Rick and Peg.
That's a good tip. I had a really great little adapter that I left in the albergue at Hospital on the way to Finisterra. Hopefully someone else requiring a UK to European adapter could make use of it.

 

[trecile]

Amother thing I brought last year was a 10 foot/3 meter cord for my phone. This enabled me to have the phone in the bed while it was charging in most of the albergues I stayed in.

 

[Jersey]

Just a side note to those of you staying in hotels for the first time in Spain. In Spanish hotels it's likely you will have to use your hotel key to activate the electricity. Lights, TV etc
There will be a slot on the wall you insert your hotel key card into.
Obviously this is to conserve energy.
My Spanish buddies later informed me any hotel card key should work.
I'm guessing this is common in many parts of the world but to my inexperienced world travel self, this was something new.
I'm actually proud it only took me a few minutes to figure out on my own LOL

 

[Anemone del Camino]

In Spanish hotels it's likely you will have to use your hotel key to activate the electricity. Lights, TV etc
I'm guessing this is common in many parts of the world ...

Common in the USA as well.

 

[trecile]

Common in the USA as well.

Really? I've never encountered it in the US.

 

[Jersey]

Really? I've never encountered it in the US.

I haven't either. And I've been around the block a few times lol

 

[trecile]

I haven't either. And I've been around the block a few times lol

I've mostly stayed in hotels in the west coast, so I'm not sure what's customary elsewhere in the US. I think that I first encountered the practice in South Korea.

 

[Jersey]

I've mostly stayed in hotels in the west coast, so I'm not sure what's customary elsewhere in the US. I think that I first encountered the practice in South Korea.

I'm 4 miles west of NYC so obviously would have no idea if NYC hotels are doing it. Most of my vacation time the last 20 years has been spent down the Jersey shore but that's always at family's place or with friends in private homes. Outside of that I haven't seen it in PA, CT, Florida, Las Vegas or any of the Atlantic City hotels for that matter.
I've been across the country and up to Canada a few times but to be fair that was before they would have had the technology

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

If the adapter doesn't work I guarantee you will find the correct one in any of the numerous variety stores in Spain. (Tienda de Chinos is a good call). Either way don't sweat it. Go and have the time of your life !!!!!!!!!!

 

[peregrina2000]

If the adapter doesn't work I guarantee you will find the correct one in any of the numerous variety stores in Spain. (Tienda de Chinos is a good call). Either way don't sweat it. Go and have the time of your life !!!!!!!!!!

No, no, no is what I say to that advice! I do not know a single Spaniard who would ever buy any electronics paraphernalia in a Tienda de Chinos. The things sold there are likely to be of very poor quality, and not up to international standards. Actually I think I already said that in this long thread, so I'm sorry for repeating myself.

 

[trecile]

No, no, no is what I say to that advice! I do not know a single Spaniard who would ever buy any electronics paraphernalia in a Tienda de Chinos. The things sold there are likely to be of very poor quality, and not up to international standards. Actually I think I already said that in this long thread, so I'm sorry for repeating myself.

I'm not sure that I would consider a simple plug adapter to be "electronics".