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  1. Gekkosan

    Most stupid question prize winner (Eyeglasses category)

    I was going to suggest this too. That’s what i used fit decades before cataracts surgery. One pair of progressive multifocals with transition photogray. Never had to take them off.
  2. Gekkosan

    Tips for a disabled person

    Each person is different, and as an able-bodied person, I would not presume to offer advice for your father. I would, however, like to share one of the most impressive and inspiring sights I came across during my walk earlier this year. Near the Sarria stage in El Frances, I noticed that one...
  3. Gekkosan

    Accommodations in Madrid

    I am fond of Hostal Inn Madrid, Mesonero Romanos, 10 Planta 4, Madrid City Center, 28013 Madrid, Spain. You can find it in Bookings. It is not fancy, but it is a fairly-priced hostal, very clean, and right by the center of Madrid. It's a short walking distance from Callao metro station. I get...
  4. Gekkosan

    Mid-April to mid-May Camino Francés, my experiences, insights, mistakes and lessons

    True, that's a possibility. Like everything else, I expect this is a matter of different importance to different people. In my case, my feet are extremely finicky. Buying shoes is somewhat complex process that involves trying out many models and configurations, and generally driving the sales...
  5. Gekkosan

    Mid-April to mid-May Camino Francés, my experiences, insights, mistakes and lessons

    Another GREAT post, thank you! Re: shoes - gosh! I know that there are enough threads about the subject, but to me, if only one piece of advice could be shared, it’d be “don’t even think about starting El Camino with footwear you haven’t worn for at least 50-60km, under as many road and weather...
  6. Gekkosan

    Mid-April to mid-May Camino Francés, my experiences, insights, mistakes and lessons

    Thank you for this. Your narrative very closely mirrors my own experience, down to your wonderful reflection about Sarria. The main difference for me is that I’m an introvert. I’m perfectly happy if I don’t speak to anyone, and my most enjoyable days were those when I could walk for hours...
  7. Gekkosan

    Surprised at our test results poncho vs jacket

    Takes a bit or wriggling and looking thoroughly undignified to the outside world, but so what? You’ll never see most of those people ever again. 🙂 I got memorably stuck trying to exit a busy restaurant in the middle of a downpour. Some kind folks helped me out that time. But it was the only...
  8. Gekkosan

    Surprised at our test results poncho vs jacket

    I note that a significant people are partial to using an umbrella, so obviously there is some merit to the idea. Personally, I find that holding an umbrella is tiresome, they can be unwieldy in a strong wind, and it means at least one of your hands is tied up with the task. In my case, because...
  9. Gekkosan

    Surprised at our test results poncho vs jacket

    I’m firmly on the poncho side, and anything I have to say about that has already been said. I just want to add that, having worn waterproof shoes (not boots), and shin gaiters, I ended up really wishing that I had spent a tad more on the kind that cover both the shins AND fully the top pf the...
  10. Gekkosan

    Buying shoes on a Sunday. Are sports stores open?

    To me, shoes are probably the most critical bit of equipment for the trail. As others have pointed out, an ill-fitting pair of shoes will result in a painfully disastrous experience. Thus, one thing I make sure of is that well before I start any trail anywhere, I have my shoes picked and...
  11. Gekkosan

    Bar etiquette

    I noticed a number of small bars and cafés that were run by one or two evidently overworked/understaffed persons. In those establishments I always made sure to pick up my stuff and leave my table clean. I invariably got a “gracias” from the attendant. In a well-staffed establishment, I let the...
  12. Gekkosan

    Most Dangerous stage on Camino Frances.?

    On dry days it’s rocky and uneven, but with reasonable care and attention it should be fine for anyone with steady legs.
  13. Gekkosan

    Poles or No Poles?

    I agree completely. I saw many, many people just sort of waving their poles around, and tapping the ground tick-tick-tick, which doesn’t seem to do much other than add weight. I played with mine a fair bit, changing the way I gripped them, how I wrapped the straps around my hands, and with the...
  14. Gekkosan

    Last minute decisons - fleece or puffer?

    I am siding with the “fleece under light rain jacket” lot. I started out with fleece and light puffer, and quickly found out that the puffer tended to absorbe water and get all soggy, whereas the fleece wicked the moisture out and kept me feeling dry. On the coldest, rainiest days I faced, I...
  15. Gekkosan

    Poles or No Poles?

    Fully agree. I had never used poles before El Camino. Wisely, I decided to take a pair, and watch some videos about how to use them properly. As I walked, I understood better and better how to combine the grip and the position of the wrist straps to get better support, and I now cannot picture...
  16. Gekkosan

    Hiking up O Cebreiro in the Rain

    My feelings exactly.
  17. Gekkosan

    Most Dangerous stage on Camino Frances.?

    I wrote a post about the apalling condition of the trail between Rabanal del Camino and Molinaseca. And I was lucky that it wasn’t even actively raining. It is not made clear to inexperienced pilgrims that you can simply walk along the highway, and will get there just the same without the risk...
  18. Gekkosan

    US International Phone plan or Spanish SIM card while on the Camino?

    Got Holafly. I used the T-Mobile international plan before, and it worked pretty well, until they stated sending unpleasant messages about my “excessive data usage”. Holafly is a bit more expensive, and I find that the setup instructions could be a lot clearer, particularly regarding how to...
  19. Gekkosan

    Need help deciding to bring or not to bring

    I love it how everyone has such different notions of what’s “essential” for them. I used my Apple Watch AND my phone heavily. Both of them. Likewise, I had never used walking poles before I started El Camino, but boy - I’m never taking to a trail ever again without them! Once I figured out how...
  20. Gekkosan

    Need help deciding to bring or not to bring

    I did take, and use, a power bank. I take tons of pictures, and stay in touch with my family during the walk, and that eats a considerable amount of battery from the phone. I walked 5-7 hours per day, and used two or three apps to guide me on the trail and help me make decisions. Running out of...

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