Hola Peregrinas!
I've had several people email me asking how the baggage transfer works so I thought I'd post the info here. Here's how it goes:
First, be SURE your bags are permanently tagged clearly with your name and contact details. Also, be sure you write in large letters, "ANNIEWALKERS." When we arrive in Pamplona/SJPP, I will give you my Spanish telephone number and you can also put that on your tags if you are not carrying your own phone.
Before our trip, Caminofacil will give me a file with luggage tags for every day of the trip. You will need to print these out and bring them with you. You will also need to bring a tiny stapler or roll of tape (you can pick this up in Pamplona if you forget) so you can attach the paper tags to your bag each day. It might be useful to have a plastic luggage tag sleeve of some kind to slip the paper tags into, but is not mandatory.
From Pamplona and St Jean:
The morning of May 3 (May 4 for Joe's group) the transfer company we hire will take us and our bags from Pamplona to St Jean. The cost is covered by me.
Next morning, you will leave your backpack at your gite and we will walk to Orisson.
We will arrange a lift from Orisson back to St Jean that afternoon for those who do not want to walk back.
You can have lunch in Orisson before you return to SJPP, or wait and eat in SJPP.
We will arrange for the transfer company to pick you and your bags the next morning (unless you choose to carry your bag.) They will drop you back at Orisson to continue walking, and they will take your bags to our lodging in Roncesvalles.
When you arrive in Roncesvalles and after you check in, ask one of the hospitaleros to escort you to pick up your transported bag. Follow him/her to the locked room and get your bag. This is where you will take your bag next morning.
Roncesvalles to Viana:
Before walking, return your bag to the place you picked it up. Look for a hospitalero to help you if the room is locked.
Remember, NEVER PUT ANYTHING IN YOUR TRANSPORT BAG YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE. I have NEVER had any problem with theft and I trust Caminofacil implicitly. However, your bags may often be left in the foyer of our hotel and the staff can't watch them 24/7. So please, never put electronics, passports, cash or credit cards in your transport bags. Those items MUST stay on your person at all times.
At each hotel until we reach Viana, you will be asked to fill out a tag and leave your bags in the foyer by 8am. You do not have to begin walking that early if you choose not to. However, your bags MUST be placed in the foyer (or wherever they tell you to put them) by 8am each day.
Once the driver has picked up bags for the day, he will NOT return for late bags. If your bag misses the pickup, YOU will be responsible for paying another transport vehicle or taxi to deliver your bag to the next stop.
The bags are picked up by the driver, and will be delivered to your hotel by 2:30pm – sometimes earlier. I suggest you carry your sandals in your day pack so that if you arrive before the bags, you can change shoes when you arrive.
Bus days
Please be on time to the bus station. I have not yet made the bus reservations, but in general, I make them quite early so we have time to spend in Burgos, Leon, and Astorga, the three major touristing cities.
From Viana, I hire a taxi to take us to Burgos. We will be staying in an apartment there, so I'll be sure everyone is awake and ready to move by around 8 am.
From Burgos to Leon, I haven't yet decided but I believe we will catch a bus.
I will give you clear directions to the bus station. You also can get directions to the station from your hotel reception or you can take a taxi. The bus station in Burgos is central and I usually book a hotel quite close. However, you may choose to share taxis to the bus station. Some may choose to walk the short distance. It’s up to you. The taxis will usually take 4 people per vehicle and they charge PER VEHICLE. Be sure to make your deal before you get into the taxi. But it shouldn't be much more than €5-10 per taxi.
In Leon, again you can walk, or hire taxis to the hotel and back to the bus station in the morning. We usually nab a couple of taxis.
From Villafranca, we will also be taking a taxi. It will pick us up around 8 to 8:30 am and carry us to O Cebreiro. There, you can see the beautiful little village, visit the church, and have breakfast. We will be there about an hour, which is plenty of time. The taxi will wait for us and then carry us to Samos, where we will begin our walk to Sarria. There is a monastery in Samos that some like to visit. That's up to you. Your lodging is booked in Sarria so take your time. There are places along the route to pick up a taxi if you decide to. By the time we reach Sarria, you'll be an old hand at finding a lift.
The last place we may nab a taxi early morning is when we stay in Castañeda. From there, pilgrims pass by and walk to Arzua. If you are going to walk, you can have breakfast at the Camino Santiago Bar right on the corner. However, to make that stage a bit shorter, we CAN have a taxi take us to Arzua for breakfast and walk from there. If you are a purist, this means you cannot get a Compostela because you will not walk 6 kilometers. However, I personally feel we make up that 6 kilometers in all the extra walking we do, and I simply say "Yes" when asked if we walked all the way from Sarria.
I cannot stress enough the FACT that you MUST be ready when these taxis and buses arrive. If you are not ready to go, I WILL LEAVE YOU! I have done it before and the pilgrim was not a happy camper. The taxi will not wait, and if I leave you, you will be on your own to catch a ride to the next place. So if you are a late sleeper, better bring an alarm clock!
Security on the Camino.
A couple of you asked about security. So far, security with transported bags has not been an issue. This is a huge business, operated by many drivers of vehicles under the umbrella of the transfer company. The pilgrims are their bread and butter, and they are very aware of the need to deliver the bags unmolested and on time. They have cars, vans, mini-buses, tourist buses and even trucks.
Again, having said this, please do not EVER leave valuables in the transferred bags. Carry your passport, your money, your credit cards, and your electronics with you at all times. Never put anything in the transfer bags that you cannot afford to replace. This is true in any travel situation.
Bedbugs - there IS a possibility of your bag/pack picking up little hitchikers in the transport bus. If this concerns you, you can put your bag in a heavy plastic bag and tie it up. Just be sure it's tagged as usual. I spray the outside of my pack with permethrin so I don't worry too much about this (more about permethrin in a later post).
About petty crime on the Camino.
In general I feel much safer walking down the streets at night in Spain than I would in any USA city. The violent crime rate in Spain is very low.
However, Joe and I do know personally of 3 young pilgrims who made the mistake of leaving their valuables in their room while showering, to be watched by a friendly pilgrim roommate who they met on the trail. They returned to find all their cash and credit cards gone, along with their friendly peregrino roommate. There was no way of identifying or finding the missing pilgrim. The police just shook their heads and clucked their tongues. These young pilgrims had their trip cut short.
This happened in a large city (Pamplona) in a very large pilgrim hostel, not on one of Anniewalkers' trips.
If you have never traveled before, then please pay attention. Historically, unwary naive pilgrims have been targets for thieves. A few simple precautions can protect you.
BUY A MONEY BELT AND USE IT.
Wear it UNDER your clothing.
Wearing a money belt under your clothing takes some getting used to, but not as much getting used to as the inconvenience of losing all your cash and having to replace your credit cards and passport while in a foreign country!
If you do not have a travel store near you, then go online and purchase a money belt. You can buy them on the Rick Steves website or on Amazon.com and many other sites.
I also have a link to making one you sew into your waistband if you are crafty :Money Belt
A few years ago, I wore a Macabi Skirt and a belt. I found the type of money belt that slips onto the belt and hangs to be much more comfortable than the type that fastens around your waist.
ALWAYS keep your credit cards and cash and passport around your waist. Do not use a money pocket that goes around your neck unless it has wire running through the strap. They are easy to grab and break or slit with a knife. The strap is also very easy for a trained thief to spot.
Buy a small wallet or change purse for the cash you will use for the day. You can pick these up cheap in Pamplona at the China stores. Always access your money belt in private, never in a public place.
Never keep your valuables in your day pack. A professional thief can slit it, take your valuables, and be gone before you feel anything at all.
One year in Rome, we watched a woman put her money belt into the top of her backpack after shopping. As she walked the street in front of us, a thief ran up, slit her bag, took her money belt and ran. She never knew he was there. She just kept walking until she finally heard our yelling! They are GOOD at what they do!
Keep those valuables on your person.
Do not leave passport/money/cash in your room when you use the shower or toilet. Most of our rooms are ensuite. But even so, I suggest you carry a plastic zip lock bag, and when you shower, take your passport and cash into the shower with you unless a trusted roommate is going to stay in the room and watch your valuables.
PURSES. Please do not bring a common purse on the Camino. If you need a place for the day's items separate from your back pack, then use a fanny pack or waist bag and wear it in front. These are great for carrying items such as your phone or your camera and the day's cash. Something like this that holds your water bottle is nice.
Ok. That’s enough about that.
Have you opened a separate account for your travel money? Have you read up on what Euros look like? Did I post that yet? We’ll talk about money matters again before the trip.
Please feel free to post questions or email me if you need help.
Ciao!
Annie
:)
