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Returning home to Australia

Africa

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Walked Camino de Santiago from SJPD to Muxia 2018
Hello to all the Aussies that have completed the Camino.
I am heading back home on Saturday and I’m wondering if anyone had any problems with their hiking boots/shoes when going through customs at Sydney airport. I.E was there an issue with walking through mud and dirt through France and Spain.
 
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I will be in the same boat on my return to Australia 2 days from now. As I was advised, scrub the boots on the outside and simply declare upon arrival on the usual form that you walked through farmland and wooded areas in France and Spain. They may ask to inspect the shoes. Inform them that you cleaned the boots on the outside. Should be ok.
 
Hope you had an amazing Camino.
Coming back into New Zealand they also checked our walking poles and waterproof trousers.
Wishing you a safe trip home,
Donna.
 
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Once, returning to Sydney from a camino, I declared that I had been walking through farmland.

They took my shoes at customs and gave them a very good clean!
 
I always scrub my boots in the hotel sink on my last night(and clean the sink) and declare on the form that I walked through farms. They have a quick look and I'm on my way.
 
Just declare you've walked in farmland on your custom form and they will inspect your boots and if necessary they will scrub them for you. I didn't scrub mine, just made sure no dirt visible and customs were happy.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Wash them. A novel concept but should work.
 
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Clean them as well as you can and declare them. A couple of times they haven taken my shoes or sandals away, cleaned them, and returned them ten minutes later looking like new! Also don’t forget to clean and declare anything else that may be contaminated - I have with trekking sticks and tents. I’ve never had anything I’ve declared confiscated, occasionally if they don’t think it’s clean enough they have cleaned the object themselves and returned it to me.
Foot and mouth is the particular concern and I certainly would not want to be responsible for bringing that to Australia.
 
Get a Spanish mobil number + data while on the Camino
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I returned through Perth Airport on the 19th May....marked the card as 'yes' to the question about visiting farmland etc. Boots were looked at briefly and I was waved straight through.....no issues at all.
 
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