We are new pilgrims from US in mid-May

[mipiro]

Hello, we (my wife and I) are new pilgrims, now with tickets from US to Madrid in hand, so we will be making the Camino, or the last parts of it, in mid-May. We are in our 60’s, fit enough I hope with plenty of walking experience, but not much backpacking experience; however we are training. We’re apprehensive but eager to start. I’ve seen a lot of helpful information on this forum, about packing, refugios etc.

We have about 10 days to walk to Santiago, plus one or two spare days for mishaps, sightseeing etc. I wanted to start at/about Villafranca del Bierzo. Is it feasible to first travel to Leon on the day we arrive in Madrid then the next day take local transport to our start point?

I’ve noticed discussions about what to do with extra bags while on the Camino, and the main suggestion seems to be to use Poste Restante addressed to Santiago. This sounds a good idea, has anyone done it that they can report about?

Finally, do most people check their (packed) backpacks when flying by air (as against taking in the cabin)? Does anyone have experience of doing this from the US?

Many thanks for any tips

Mike

 

[Kanga]

Mike,
There is a Talgo express that leaves Madrid at 8am, gets into Leon just about 12 noon. Alternatively you could travel from Madrid to Astorga or Ponteferrada by fast train. There are also numerous bus routes from Madrid, and there are buses from Leon, Astorga and Ponteferrada to Villafranca.

I assume you are cutting out the section from Leon to Villafranca because of time constraints (a pity - do it sometime!)

It is definitely worth seeing Leon sometime; it is a beautiful city and there could be no more stunning place to start your camino than by visiting the cathedral. It is, in my view, the most uplifting building on the whole camino. The stain glass windows will just take your breath away.
Also not to be missed are the wonderful early Christian frescoes in the Basilica de San Isidoro.

I've sent stuff to the post office in Santiago; they have a huge room full of pilgrim gear just waiting to be picked up and the post office is close to the Cathedral. Most large post offices along the camino are used to pilgrims needing to forward excess luggage. You need your passport for identification at the Santiago end, and make sure you label your parcel in the simplest way, so that it cannot be mis filed - eg use Mike Brown, not Dr Mike W Brown III.

Kanga

 

[mipiro]

Kanga,

Thanks for the information. I would certainly like to see Leon Cathedral and so much else. I am also thinking of staying over in Madrid for the first night to cope with jet lag, then go as you indicate by train to Ponferrada, say. I'm also considering going straight to Santiago for a night, then bussing etc to the walking start point, that has some advantage for dealing with any extra bags, but it seems a bit odd as the point of the trip is a pilgrimage TO Santiago (and I would like to walk in....).

A question - is the Post Office in Santiago where you can pick up "listas" articles open seven days a week?

Regarding air travel with backpacks (here's where my lack of knowledge shows) I've been informed by a local backpacker that he always checks the packed backpack with the airlines and has never had a problem. So I guess that's that....

What temperatures might one expect (max/min) in the last section in mid-May?

Mike

 

[ivar]

Hi there,

Regarding the post office opening hours (in Santiago), I had a look at their website... http://www.correos.es and their hours are:

Work Days
08:30-20:30

Saturday
09:30-14:00

Sundays (and holidays)
Sin servicio (Closed)

I have also heard a while back that the post office is about to do some remodeling and close it's old office down and open a new temporary (just 2 minutes walk from the old one), but do not know when this will happen. I assume the opening hours will be the same for the new temp office.

Regarding some ideas on the weather, have a look here:
viewtopic.php?t=515

Welcome to Santiago,
Ivar

 

[leslie]

about packing your backpack...
on the way over i pack my backpack in a strong cardboard box--
the kind you get from movers
you can take packing tape with you and tape the box closed at the airport
after tsa has finished with it
on the way back i take off the shoulder and waist straps and pack them in the bag then i wrap the bag with packing tape

i don't think you can take your backpack in the cabin
i'd be interested in hearing if anyone has done this

 

[marktqm]

Hi all,

I don't think airlines will allow large backpacks (as in bigger than 40L) to be carried in the cabin. There are limits to the dimensions of items that can be brought into the cabin. A 'test' box is usually near the check-in counter. If your stuff fits in, you can handcarry it. But it's probably too heavy anyway so it's best to check it in.

There is a need to protect your backpack's straps while in transit within the airport's conveyor belts and machinery. (And from the prying hands of curious airport workers; remember, most backpacks do not have locks like luggage do.) The problem with using boxes is if the customs officer in the destination demand that you open it. It's too much work and difficult to carry around. Also, what do you do with the box once you arrive? Do you buy another box before you return home?

What I plan to do next week when I leave for Bilbao is use a light sack which can be easily sent poste restante to Santiago once I'm on the road (not a black garbage bag as others suggest -- I've read somewhere that one ended up in the trash but was eventually found anyway). Visit http://www.pro-tector.co.uk. They have different sizes of stuff sacks for large backpacks and they weigh only around 300 grams. It can be locked as well.

I've also seen one which uses a net bag instead of a sack. Much lighter, but probably difficult to get your backpack in it.

Mark TQM

 

[Peter Robins]

my rule of thumb is: if your pack won't fit in hand baggage, you're carrying too much stuff. Airlines do vary on what they allow, so check yours out. Increasingly these days, budget airlines within Europe are encouraging people to carry their bags on the flight and charging extra for checked bags. Long-distance flights are run on a different basis though.

If your pack is just over the weight limit, there are several tricks you can use to reduce the weight. Wear as much clothing as possible (and if it's too warm for that, carry sweaters, coats, etc over your arm); put any small, heavy items in a pocket; carry a separate carrier-bag "for the things you need on the flight", and put any heavy items such as books in that - they won't count a carrier-bag as 'baggage'. If your bag is still over the limit, well, then you're carrying far too much.

Having said that, there's only 2 real disadvantages to checking a bag: it may get lost, and you have to wait at the far end for the baggage-handlers to get it off the plane - some airports are far faster at that than others. And of course, as Mark says, it's more likely to get damaged, particularly the straps.

Oh yes, and in these security-conscious days you can put certain items in checked baggage that won't be allowed into the cabin.

 

[BillJackson]

backpack bag

My wife, Kathy, and I just finished our first camino (O'Cebreiro to Santiago). We used duffle bags from REI to pack our backpacks for our flights (Delta ATLMAD, Iberia MADSCQ), mine was made for that specific usage, and was a lot bigger than needed, Kathy's was a generic duffle bag that her pack fit snuggly into. We did not have any problems. We had one advantage - we were booked into the hotel Virxe de Cerca on our arrival in Santiago, and for the end of our camino, and they were kind enough to store our extra suitcase while we walked (we had checked on this before flying, so we knew we could bring an extra suitcase), so we did not have to carry the bags on the walk.
I'm sure you will have a wonderful time, if we can answer any questions, send me a message, and I will send you my email address.
Buen Camino
- Bill

 

[Kanga]

It is not the weight that is a problem when it comes to carrying a backpack on board a plane, it is the shape. I also have walking sticks. I can't imagine scrummaging down the narrow aisles, knocking people with the pack as you go, manhandling it up into overhead lockers, carting it across airports when changing planes, going through all those security checks each time.....
When I leave Sydney I check my backpack through to my final destination. For security and to keep the straps from getting caught I carry a roll of acrylic carton sealing tape. I wrap it round and round the pack, straps and poles securing them tightly as I go. Although the tape would not stop someone from getting into a pack, at least I know if someone has tried, and I use LOTS. The tape is easy to remove if the bag has to be opened or inspected.
Kanga.

 

[leslie]

Mark asked:
The problem with using boxes is if the customs officer in the destination demand that you open it. It's too much work and difficult to carry around. Also, what do you do with the box once you arrive? Do you buy another box before you return home?

You take your backpack out of the box and you throw the box away.

You could buy another box, I suppose, but I just take the straps off and wrap the bag with packing tape. There's a chance the frame could get bent in transit but I worry about that less on the way back than I do on the way over.

 

[sejeleme]

Q & A

I am 60 years old and did the Camino last year. The first question you need to ask yourself is why are you doing this. Once this is clear to you you must travel light and free. The camino is the destination, it will be a metaphor of your life. Don't travel with anything you don't need. Using the post office is an admission you are burdened by too much stuff.

 

[mipiro]

Many thanks to all of you, Bill, Ivar, Kanga, Leslie, Sejeleme, and others for the above help and advice for a neophyte. I actually don't know or really question why I want to do it, I just felt I did from the time I first heard of it about 2 years ago. From reading, I know that's not unique. But I had to sell it to my wife (she does like walking, fortunately)!

One other question (maybe should be in the travel section). I had assumed there would be several trains or buses daily to go between Madrid Baraja and Santiago de Compostela, but it seems not. Unless I am misreading the renfe web site, there are only two trains daily, one leaves Madrid about 1:00pm (or so) and gets in around 9:00pm (8 hour journey), the other is an overnight train. Similarly, Alsa has only one bus scheduled and that's overnight too. There are several short Iberia flights daily, but of course they are expensive. Am I missing something?

 

[Peter Robins]

there are no trains or buses from Barajas to Santiago or anywhere else. You must take the metro (or taxi) into Madrid. Trains go from Chamartin; buses (Alsa) from the Estacion Sur, metro station Mendez Alvaro, 6 buses a day, 2 of which are the faster though more expensive Supra ones.

 

[Mabel]

Site for altitudes and other great stuff!!

Peter Robbins has it right....I have always used the Metro from Barajas to the bus station. My folks live in Zaragoza and when I travel without my family, I use the bus. EASY to get to the station. YOu can get help from the info desk at the airport!

The site I have here:http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/

is excellent for info on Santiago. FANTASTIC maps!! shows the altitude of each stage. I have NEVER seen that on any other website OR in any book. Click on the number on the map and you get a great map and underneath it you get a map of the altitude. It also shows you, at the end, albuerge addresses and photos.

Also, once you have the COMPOSTELANA you can get 40% OFF the airfare ticket on Iberia or Spanair. that is how I am getting back to Barcelona. Cheap (about $50 with the Compostelana), easy airport to get to via bus from Compostela, and schedules to choose from!!!

buen camino peregrinos!!!

 

[Mabel]

Leon etc

Hi!

I am in the dark about Leon although I may be able to find out. From Villafranca de Bierza it is a climb to O Cebreiro (but the town of O Cebreiro is beautiful indeed!). There are several villages along the way so you can walk 10 or 12 kilometers and find a place to stay (paid lodgings). I won't be that far along until June.

Also, one year, when I twisted my ankle rather badly, I ended up taking a bus from the main road in Villafranca (the outskirts) up the mountain to a point where you can get off and go to O Cebreiro.

I walked the last 6 or 7 kilometers. The down side was that the walking was on the asphalt and there is no water along the way, the upside was that it was lovely to see all the scenery, AND I could take the bus, thereby staying on schedule and giving my ankle some rest.

I will let you know if I discover anything about Leon. I am really glad that you have enough Spanish to be able to use that website. I think it will be especially helpful in the last stages when there is some ups and downs along the way!

Hasta la proxima,
Mabel