Which Camino has the Worse Chinches?

[pilgr]

Any good Chinches stories out there? Any specific camino that is reputed to have them?

I ran into them twice on the Camino Norte. The second time I actually caught a few crawling on me and slipped them into a plastic bag, to show the manager of the pension. They shut the pension down for a few days. But it is incredibly challenging to get rid of those beggers!


Moderators edit. Remember all the stories in this thread are about a particular place at a particular time and unless stories are repeated do not mean that any particular albergue has a problem as pilgrims can carry them in their clothes from one place to another. Most places are very keen to do all the can to exterminate these pests but outbreaks can occur anywhere. WM

 

[KinkyOne]

Any good Chinches stories out there? Any specific camino that is reputed to have them?

I ran into them twice on the Camino Norte. The second time I actually caught a few crawling on me and slipped them into a plastic bag, to show the manager of the pension. They shut the pension down for a few days. But it is incredibly challenging to get rid of those beggers!

No "chinches story" is a good story
I got them twice really bad. First it was on Frances in 2014 when I was beetwen Madrid and Invierno. Can't really say by 100% accuracy where it happened but either in El Ganso or El Acebo.
Second time it was last year on Sanabres (after Levante) and it happened in Santa Marta de Tera. Although the albergue is very nice and seems clean too there was a large pile of blankets in the first dormitory and I think that was their hidding place. A Canadian guy second my guess few days later.
I also got biten few times in Ourense municipal albergue. First lower bunk to the right as you enter the dormitory.
This year I got biten in El Burgo Ranero in La Laguna but just 8 bites appeared. Luckily.

On Sanabres there's albergue in Mombuey which has long history of chinches problems and is very often closed for fumigation. In general you should be cautious when there are piles of blankets and wooden floor with cracks beetwen the boards.

I hope you know how to deal with these nasty creatures

 

[pilgr]

The first time I was bitten, they itched so bad that I had to go to a doctor to get special cream.

My way of 'dealing' with them is as follows: First, I go to the nearby city that has a Chino dime store and also a dry cleaner. I buy the cheapest shorts and t shirt, put them on. Then I take ALL of my stuff to the dry cleaner and tell them to clean them for the huevos del chinches. I know, it sounds like an entre' at a restaurant. Since they understand the WHY, I tell them to use dryer heat to kill those little eggs if any.

What approach do you use to kill the chinches???

 

[JohnnieWalker]

I obviously need to get out more - I read this as " Which Camino has the worst CHURCHES? "

 

[pilgr]

I obviously need to get out more - I read this as " Which Camino has the worst CHURCHES? "

I imagine part of the reason for the confusion was my profile picture has a large church in the background, together with the CH(in)CHES in the title. Perhaps I should photoshop a big Chinches in the background of my profile photo?

 

[C clearly]

Any good Chinches stories out there?... What approach do you use to kill the chinches???

At first I thought this thread was a call for war stories and commiseration, and decided not to participate. Those threads do not end well, and I am at risk of becoming known here as the "bedbug lady." I am bitten frequently and have reached peace with the risk.

If you want information on how to kill bedbugs, read the summary by @SYates on this thread.

If you want a jumble of facts, opinions and old wives tales, you can search "bedbugs" and find many threads on the forum.

If you research bedbug management on the internet, remember that most of the research focuses on infestations in homes and hotels, where the eradication approaches are different from what you would have to be doing as a travelling pilgrim.

Also it is important to understand that some (or many?) people do not react to their bites and thus don't know they are around. I have found no reliable estimate of what percentage of people do react. It is an allergic response, which is apparently different from the response to toxins/whatever from many insects.

 

[Acordner]

The first time I was bitten, they itched so bad that I had to go to a doctor to get special cream.

My way of 'dealing' with them is as follows: First, I go to the nearby city that has a Chino dime store and also a dry cleaner. I buy the cheapest shorts and t shirt, put them on. Then I take ALL of my stuff to the dry cleaner and tell them to clean them for the huevos del chinches. I know, it sounds like an entre' at a restaurant. Since they understand the WHY, I tell them to use dryer heat to kill those little eggs if any.

What approach do you use to kill the chinches???

Your way is the best way. I did almost the exact same thing. To be doubly sure, I put everything that wasn't dry cleanable into a large garbage bag which I also bought at the chinese dime store and sprayed about half a can of bug spray which I bought at the pharmacy into it. Tied it up, let it do its magic overnight.

 

[Old Gringo]

I think that bedbug infestations grow and wane according to many different factors, warmer weather, heavy pilgrim traffic definitely increase the chances of one and the hospitalero's conscientiousness will also figure in. I did the VdlP last year with friends and we successfully avoided bedbugs. One friend monitored the Camino blogs everyday (smartphone) for alerts and when we saw an upcoming albergue with complaints of bedbugs we avoided it.

 

[pilgr]

I think that bedbug infestations grow and wane according to many different factors, warmer weather, heavy pilgrim traffic definitely increase the chances of one and the hospitalero's conscientiousness will also figure in. I did the VdlP last year with friends and we successfully avoided bedbugs. One friend monitored the Camino blogs everyday (smartphone) for alerts and when we saw an upcoming albergue with complaints of bedbugs we avoided it.

which websites can you monitor for a Chinche alert (besides this one, of course)?

Thanks!

 

[SYates]

For example the comments people leave on the Eroski web site for specific albergues. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Old Gringo]

which websites can you monitor for a Chinche alert (besides this one, of course)?

Thanks!

Reviews in Eroski and Gronze, Blogs of people a few days ahead (if you are lucky enough to find them), and of course,https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/live-from-the-camino.15/

 

[Kiwi-family]

The worst ones are the ones that get you.

 

[Doti]

We did the Primitivo the first couple of weeks of June, staying only at municipal alburgues until Santiago. Happy and relieved to report not one bed bug sighted, or rumored during our entire camino.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

From what I have gleaned over the years before my Camino will begin, just 5 weeks away, though I leave in two, is to bring several garbage bags and keep everything I own inside at least one of them, especially if I have any possible inkling that there may be an infestation.

Howver, I do plan on camping out at least half the time which should reduce the odds of encountering them.

 

[ParistoCapeCod]

Pilgrims want/demand blankets and pillows (see all of the Do I needs a Sleeping Bag? questions) but most places have no ability to wash them. Those dirty blankets harbor more than just bedbugs and would make Gordon Ramsey's Hotel Hell look like the Georges V.