Showers...

[Anonymous]

Question for the experienced ones....shower experiences? is there a mad rush in the mornings as many of us are accustomed to showering in the morning, or is it generally done when you check in in the afternoon, or both....lineups? what order? usual types butting in? Extra cost? No shower available? No hot water, etc.... :?:

What's the scoop?

 

[mspath]

Question for the experienced ones....shower experiences? is there a mad rush in the mornings as many of us are accustomed to showering in the morning, or is it generally done when you check in in the afternoon, or both....lineups? what order? usual types butting in? Extra cost? No shower available? No hot water, etc.... :?:

What's the scoop?

Alan,

Generally pilgrims shower when they arrive at the albergue since then there is a better chance that the water will still be hot! Depending on how many pilgrims are at the albergue there may be a queue. Take your own soap. Most importantly carry all your important items such as money, telephone, passport, camera with you into the shower in a waterproof bag. Never leave such items exposed and easily accessible in the dorm when you are not there. I use a large resealable zip lock bag for this.

Happy scrubbing and Buen Camino,

Margaret

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There is no competition for a morning shower, and lots of hot water.

 

[mralisn]

I generally find most shower in the afternoon/evening after the day's walk. I think very few shower in the morning, but I leave early so maybe I miss this. On some days, I suspect you'll find lineups depending on the day and place. Butting in? I think most are respectful but of course this is "communal living" to some extent so there will be the occasional "mishap". I think maybe one or two places on the Camino Frances have no door/curtain but do have separated gender showers. I have only walked in the summer, so cold water is not an issue for me. I'm a normally hot person, and I quite like the cold water shower. Just as at home, hot water does become scarce when a flood of showers are all at once. In two Caminos, I can not recall one bad experience. On somedays, I've simply been too exhausted to even shower. Pew!

 

[Yallah]

Agreed-- no rush for morning showers. You'll be sweating before long anyway. I never had to wait too long in the afternoon. I usually got hot or warmish water. Some showers are better than others (I personally dislike the ones where you press a button for a certain time of water, with no temperature control, and you have to keep pressing the button every 30 sec. or so...)

I had a few experiences with awkward mixed gender showers without shower curtains in Xunta albergues in Galicia. Usually people are pretty good about self-organizing to give everyone privacy but it was sometimes rather uncomfortable.

 

[alipilgrim]

if you shower in the afternoon, your towel will be dry by morning and you can pack it away. It's also rejuvenating after a long day's walk. Showering in the morning means carrying a damp towel all day...

Most pilgrims are up early and walking right away. Some have breakfast first, many just dress and go and stop an hour or two along the way.

 

[zzotte]

I think you should shower in evening for two simple reasons one for the other pilgrims sake :mrgreen: two is that your foot skin would not be so soft ( after a shower) and prone to cause blisters.

Zo

 

[tyrrek]

Evening, definitely. Just smell your feet when you take your boots off and you'll know. The only decision is when you choose to take your boots off....

 

[dougfitz]

I tried to shower as soon after getting into an albergue as possible. This allowed me to wash the clothes I had been wearing that day. Most of the time, this allowed them to dry enough to be worn the next day.

Also, its much nicer wandering around a town feeling a little bit civilised rather than still sweaty from a day's walking.

Regards,

 

[CaminoGen]

Please take a shower everyday even (especially!) if you're tired. Not only will it make you feel better but, for the sake of the people who will be sleeping on the same mattress the following days. Sweat stains mattresses and burns the material. You may not smell yourself but others do!

 

[JillHives]

I tried to shower as soon after getting into an albergue as possible. This allowed me to wash the clothes I had been wearing that day. Most of the time, this allowed them to dry enough to be worn the next day.

Also, its much nicer wandering around a town feeling a little bit civilised rather than still sweaty from a day's walking.

Regards,

I still don't understand the logistics of this... how do you save your bed at the place you're staying and then venture out into the town? I was told never to let my pack leave my sight. Do people actually leave their big bags and take all their valuables in a smaller bag when venturing out into the towns after showering? Or do you take your full pack and only leave your sleeping bag on your bed?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Keep valuables with you at all times. The dry bag for the shower can also serve as your carry-all during the evening. Some showers have hooks. Others do not. An "S" shaped hook is handy for the ones that do not. If there is a gap at the bottom of the shower door, it is not wise to put the shower bag next to it where someone could pull it through. Theft is not a major problem on the Camino because pilgrims are cautious. Potential theft might be quite high. Thieves go where the money is, and pilgrims have the money. To be ultra-cautious, take a reusable electric tie with you so that you can secure your valuables bag to your chair while eating and dining.

 

[alipilgrim]

You save your bed by placing your sleeping bag on your mattress as soon as you arrive. Most pilgrims leave their backpack in the albergue by their bed (or under it) once they've 'checked in' and carry around with them their valuables (money, passport, cameras, etc) in a wallet, waist bag, cloth bag, or whatever.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Recent crime:

camino-frances-albergues-pensions-and-hostals/topic13896.html

 

[dougfitz]

I still don't understand the logistics of this... how do you save your bed at the place you're staying and then venture out into the town?

Its already been explained by alipilgrim and falcon269. Basically find a bed and spread out one's sleeping bag (or liner) on it. Move your valuables to a carry bag that you can take to the shower. I had a small day pack that I used for my camera and to do food shopping, but in the shower I used my sleeping bag stuff sack to keep things together as well as a wet bag.

Regards,

 

[capun]

I have a question about showers. I am kind of leery of getting Athlete's Foot (bad experience) so I normally take a pair of lightweight flip flops, are they needed?

I want to take as little gear as possible and the gear usually does double duty as much as possible, I don't want to take my hiking shoes plus a camp/town shoes and shower shoes if it can be helped. I could take a pair of camp shoe that could be used in the shower but I don't want to be walking with moist shoes.

Thanks

 

[vagabondette]

i would definitely bring shoes to wear in the shower. personally, i'll be bringing (ugh!) crocks sandals which will do double duty as my shower shoe and non-walking shoes. since they're foam they should be pretty easy to dry off after a shower.

 

[CaminoGen]

I have a question about showers. I am kind of leery of getting Athlete's Foot (bad experience) so I normally take a pair of lightweight flip flops, are they needed?

I want to take as little gear as possible and the gear usually does double duty as much as possible, I don't want to take my hiking shoes plus a camp/town shoes and shower shoes if it can be helped. I could take a pair of camp shoe that could be used in the shower but I don't want to be walking with moist shoes.

Thanks

Bring cheap tongs for the shower. Met a girl who was hospitalized for a week because her blood got infected through blisters on her feet. If you can walk around town in Crocs, bring only that. I ditched mine as I need more support.

 

[3walkingtoSantiago]

I showered and walked around town in flip-flops (thongs). If it was going to be a long walk, though, I (reluctantly) pulled my hiking shoes (trail runners) back on.

 

[tyrrek]

I just went for a shower. Sometimes my clothes got a bit damp, but they dried out afterwards. I didn't die, get robbed or even infected. I guess I was just one of the lucky ones.

 

[Yallah]

Agree with others:

Shower after you get in. Either take your valuables with you or ask a trusted friend to watch your valuables (and return the favor). I carried a very lightweight reusable cloth grocery bag, which I used as a "purse" in the evenings to carry around my valuables. My big bag I left unattended in the albergue (I proved correct in my assumption that no one wanted to steal my grubby hiking clothes, toiletries or half-eaten snacks). Some albergues have lockers, which is great (Burgos I remember has nice big lockers). While gear (sleeping bags, packs, technical clothing) is valuable, it's are not worth much to a thief since it can't be sold as easily as electronics on the black market.

 

[Abbeydore]

Showers are lovely,
shower when ever you feel like it,
after-all people snore like hell when they feel like it :lol: :lol:

 

[elzi]

Haha! This post made me laugh (in a nice way!) The thought of a nice leisurely line of pilgrims waiting for a refreshing shower in the morning! Much better than the bag-rustling-head-torch-blinding-rush-away-from-the-snorers chaos that usually ensues!!

Seriously, I'm more of the sleep in my clothes for the next day brigade, as has been said they're going to get smelly anyway!

Basically after a few hundred km - everyone smells...

...good news is you do too so you don't really notice!

P.S. Someone on here once gave me a good tip for when you hit Galicia and everything stinks, try putting some eucalyptus in your bag with your clothes, smells much better than handwash soap!

 

[zoopeter]

I completed the camino from SJP to santiago on may 12th.
it took me 33 days I can say that in that time I only saw people showering in the morning about twice.
Everone tends to shower after the long daily walk.which is usually around 2pm onwards.
I never had one morning shower.

 

[fsam33]

I showered both when I came in in the afternoon, and again in the morning before setting out.
It was lovely to feel fresh after a day's walk and when starting out in the morning.
I didn't see any one else shower in the morning - plenty of hot water then.
I didn't get one blister and it's a furfie that showering before walking will cause blisters.
(I did use talc before putting on socks.)
I did tend many blisters and steadily worked through my blister kit tending other people's blisters.
I wore thongs to the shower and all evening, no matter how far the walk in the evenings - kept the toes dry and tough. Loved the feeling of liberated toes after the day's walk. Highly recommended.
Cheers,
Frances

 

[Vlui]

I have one practical question.
Everybody says that all valuables should bring into the shower.
Does it mean that a small bag should bring into the shower box, not just let it outside the boxes? I'm just thinking of how it could be carried out in case of a not too small bag in which is a larger DSLR camera plus other smaller things.
Thank you for your answer in advance.

 

[Eimear Flanagan]

I was amazed at the cleanliness, quality and seemingly endless supply of hot water throughout my Camino in May-June 2012. I brought 'flip flop' crocs so I could wear them in the showers. I was NEVER in a dirty shower and I wore the shoes to protect my own occasionally blistered feet. I don't recall noticing people showering in the morning... it's an up, out, walk.... wash when you arrive schedule that most people seem to follow.

 

[sulu]

I have one practical question.
Everybody says that all valuables should bring into the shower.
Does it mean that a small bag should bring into the shower box, not just let it outside the boxes? I'm just thinking of how it could be carried out in case of a not too small bag in which is a larger DSLR camera plus other smaller things.
Thank you for your answer in advance.

Hi Vlui
The short answer is 'yes' you should take all your valuables with you into the shower. Mostly this isn't a problem, there is usually somewhere to hang: towel; clothes; bag of valuables.
I can think of 1 or 2 places where the showers are very tiny or they have no door and you have to leave clothes etc outside. I have never had a problem, I walk when it is quiet so usually there is no-one else in the shower room, but I think it was Arzua where belongings had to be left out of sight. I don't know how others manage in those situations.