Tomitacat
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Walked the Camino Frances from Pamplona to Burgos
I just returned (April 5-April 14) from walking the Camino from Pamplona to Burgos and had a couple of thoughts that may be helpful. Sim Cards: I purchased an Orange Prepaid Holidays sim card at the Crystal Media Shop at the airport in terminal T4. The clerk installed it in my iPhone SE and tested it for me. It was 40 euros for 3 gb of data, 30 minutes of call time in Spain/Europe and free texting. It worked well with my friend who had Movistar but we could not get it to work with our other friend who was using the ATT international plan. Showering: Some showers have hooks so you can hang a bag with your shower items. Some didn't so it's nice to have a dry bag or plastic bag that can go on the floor and still keep your items dry. We were thinking some kind of hook over the door would work but it may be too heavy. Packs: I saw several people using fanny packs but they wore them on the front so they could access items easily or stow small jackets/vests without taking your backpack off. I also put an elastic cord with a cordlock on my shoulder strap so I could secure the handles of my trekking poles if I needed both hands to do something. Maps/Books/Apps: We tore the pages out of our guide book for the day and kept them in our pockets. It made it easier to check on the route, services, etc. We also found that comparing the descriptions of albergues between our books and apps (I used the iphone app and my friend used the android app), we got a better idea of what to expect. On days when we were not sure how long it would take us, we called a private albergue (municipals will not take reservations) in the morning to reserve beds. They asked us to call before 4:00 pm, if we couldn't get there by that time. Pack Organization: I used plastic bags to organize my gear and keep things dry. It was a great idea except they made a lot of noise when I was trying to pack up for an early start. Charging Electronics: I thought this would be a problem, but it really wasn't. There were outlets available. Some albergues had an outlet next to every bed (Jesus Y Maria in Pamplona, Municipal in Burgos). Thanks to everyone who posted ideas. Your ideas were so helpful in preparing for my walk. Buen Camino.
