Backpack transfer to a place I’m not staying

[longshanks]

Is there any way I can send my backpack with a service like Jacotrans to an albergue if I’m staying in a different place? Is that considered bad form?

My problem is that Jacotrans doesn’t offer the albergue I’d like to stay in as a destination. I’m hoping to visit the Refugio Gaucelmo in Rabanal.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

I met people who did this. Of course it is bad form. Maybe chose a popular albergue. Perhaps it'll be full and they'll apologize to you! Or call and ask and offer to pay a few Euros.

Or best yet, carry your pack if you are able, at least that one day.

 

[longshanks]

Thanks! I’m battling an injury at the moment, that’s why I’m hoping to ship. I’ve found that Jacotrans send to Tienda de Susana, which is apparently a shop round the corner from the Refugio. I guess they offer that as a paid service, or expect you to buy something in return.

 

[FoxyR]

We’ve done this a few times - currently on the Francis. To be sure, we’ve contacted the destination in advance and they have been very accommodating. The baggage delivery guys are in and out frequently and one more bag does not seem to bother the hosts at all. (I have been amazed by the number of bags being shipped - this forum makes it seems like a rarity and it’s not).

 

[longshanks]

Good to know, thanks FoxyR. Buen camino!

 

[good_old_shoes]

Refugio Gaucelmo in Rabanal as far as I know does not accept pilgrims that do not carry their own pack.

The first time I stayed there, I remember them sending someone away who had had their pack sent to another albergue in town.

If you want to stay at an albergue like that, stick to their rules.

Also, it is a bit unfair to put the burden of luggage storage until you arrive on a place where you don't intend to stay.

In an emergency or case of very sudden change of plans I can understand that, but wouldn't plan for it. It's just not fair.

 

[longshanks]

Oh that’s useful info, thanks.

 

[grayland]

It seems to me that the practice of asking an albergue to handle your "luggage" (pack?) for you when you are not stayng there is seriously a breach of ethics....despite some claiming that it is common.

It falls in the same catagory as those who book several albergues for a night and then just show up at one of them....they also claim that it is "common".

 

[dick bird]

Contact the transfer company and tell them where you are staying. They know which albergues do not accept bags and will have an alternative destination. usually a nearby bar or cafe.

Just noticed that this is what they do. It’s common practice. You don’t have to buy anything but it would be a nice gesture.

 

[Simperegrina]

If it’s the store I’m thinking of, the lady there is very nice. And I would certainly buy something as a token of appreciation. I’m sure some fruit or drinks or snacks wouldn’t go amiss.

If you’re staying at Refugio Guacelmo, you’ll be wanting to buy food and maybe drink for the evening - guests often get together to prepare an evening meal, using the kitchen there.

 

[SEB2]

@good_old_shoes is offering wise advice regarding the rules at Refugio Guacelmo. Better to book another albergue in the village to save any difficulties on arrival.

 

[longshanks]

Thanks all - yes, I think I’ll have to miss Guacelmo this time as my leg is still playing up.

 

[Lawton]

Is there any way I can send my backpack with a service like Jacotrans to an albergue if I’m staying in a different place? Is that considered bad form?

My problem is that Jacotrans doesn’t offer the albergue I’d like to stay in as a destination. I’m hoping to visit the Refugio Gaucelmo in Rabanal.

When a bag can not be delivered to a certain place, there is usually an alternative. May be a local bar, post office, store. Jacotrans should know of an alternative. I used them and they would leave it somewhere in that town if not deliverable.

 

[hikentravel1234]

Thanks! I’m battling an injury at the moment, that’s why I’m hoping to ship. I’ve found that Jacotrans send to Tienda de Susana, which is apparently a shop round the corner from the Refugio. I guess they offer that as a paid service, or expect you to buy something in return.

Occasionally an albergue doesn't have someone there to accept bags, so they make arrangements with a shop or bar, that can accept bags.

 

[Kirkie]

It seems to me that the practice of asking an albergue to handle your "luggage" (pack?) for you when you are not stayng there is seriously a breach of ethics....despite some claiming that it is common.

It falls in the same catagory as those who book several albergues for a night and then just show up at one of them....they also claim that it is "common".

Common. A word that has connotations in an inner city part of Dublin. The local people understand it to mean cheap. Worth little. (They internalised it. It was part of my task as an educator to help them unpack it. Common needs unpacking).
Back to the question. My experience of luggage/pack transfer dates to 2019, the Ingles. My final pre Santiago night was in Siguiero. In the morning, we saw people come in to leave packs, for Correos to collect. So clearly, from that observation, it is not necessary to sleep in an albergue that is on the Correos list. Only to arrange to have your pack on the floor, ready to be collected. Arrangements to be made, presumably, with the albergue in question.
As an esteemed member often says: hope this helps!

 

[Canche]

Refugio Gaucelmo in Rabanal as far as I know does not accept pilgrims that do not carry their own pack.

The first time I stayed there, I remember them sending someone away who had had their pack sent to another albergue in town.

If you want to stay at an albergue like that, stick to their rules.

Also, it is a bit unfair to put the burden of luggage storage until you arrive on a place where you don't intend to stay.

In an emergency or case of very sudden change of plans I can understand that, but wouldn't plan for it. It's just not fair.

I stayed at Refugio Gaucelmo and they accepted the bag that I shipped.

 

[donnaonthego]

Is there any way I can send my backpack with a service like Jacotrans to an albergue if I’m staying in a different place? Is that considered bad form?

My problem is that Jacotrans doesn’t offer the albergue I’d like to stay in as a destination. I’m hoping to visit the Refugio Gaucelmo in Rabanal.

Extremely bad form

 

[Simperegrina]

I stayed at Refugio Gaucelmo and they accepted the bag that I shipped.

After all the replies re disapproval going through this thread about shipping somewhere where you’re not staying (and btw I don’t disagree), the irony is that I have a feeling that the volunteer hospis at Guacelmo may have been instructed to accept bags, very recently.

 

[Kirkie]

After all the replies re disapproval going through this thread about shipping somewhere where you’re not staying (and btw I don’t disagree), the irony is that I have a feeling that the volunteer hospis at Guacelmo may have been instructed to accept bags, very recently.

A feeling? Or information?
Edit: for some reason I cannot connect to the London website. I will try later. Much later. Wimbledon calls.

 

[Canche]

A feeling? Or information?
Edit: for some reason I cannot connect to the London website. I will try later. Much later. Wimbledon calls.

My experience with Cuacelmo receiving my bag was 4 or 5 years agol

 

[NicP]

My question is this- if an albergue says they don’t accept pilgrims who don’t carry their own bag, why would anybody who doesn’t carry their own bag want to plan to stay there? It seems like a recipe for finding yourself without anywhere to stay (I.e. don’t be disappointed if they turn you away if you know from the outset that this is their rule). There are plenty of options where bag transfers are accepted.

Perhaps more broadly, you might consider “rules” of individual establishments as an indication of whether you might be suited to a certain kind of place (I.e. “no pilgrims who don’t carry their own luggage accepted” = I send my bag every day, therefore this isn’t the place for me).

I know that this is not a view universally held, but “rules” might service a purpose other than presenting a challenge to people who want to get around them and “beat the system”….

[there are plenty of threads re: why you’d want / not want a piece of paper from the cathedral saying you walked XXX many km when in fact you might only have walked half, and travelled by bus, train and taxi for the rest, including the last 100km into Santiago…]

It’s a reasonable question to ask, especially as it seems to come up more and more often!

 

[Marbe2]

Contact the transfer company and tell them where you are staying. They know which albergues do not accept bags and will have an alternative destination. usually a nearby bar or cafe.

Just noticed that this is what they do. It’s common practice. You don’t have to buy anything but it would be a nice gesture.

Agree! Sometimes I have stayed at a private place that doesn’t accept baggage transfer service because of access. I asked the company for an alternative site and one was provided nearby. This was only a problem if we wanted to leave before the other establishment was open to drop oddthe bag for next pickup.

 

[Marbe2]

Extremely bad form

Says who?!? Please explain why? This occurs with some private establishments as well? If the baggage service and the receiving business have some sort of agreement, who are we to judge this?

 

[henrythedog]

Says who?!? Please explain why? This occurs with some private establishments as well? If the baggage service and the receiving business have some sort of agreement, who are we to judge this?

I’m certain that Donna will answer for herself but my reading was that to try to stay at Guacelmo where (at least until recently) those not carrying their own bags were not admitted by sending your bag elsewhere, collecting it and turning up at Guacelmo with your bag and expecting admittance would be ‘extremely bad form’.

That seems fairly clear.

I judge people.

Most of us do.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Says who?!? Please explain why? This occurs with some private establishments as well? If the baggage service and the receiving business have some sort of agreement, who are we to judge this?

Says me. And the people who oversee volunteer-run albergues. We do not provide free drop-off and custodial care for the luggage transfer services, and we serve old-school pilgrims who carry their own packs. People who want to stay with us should bring their own bags, or stay elsewhere. It worked that way for years. It's only good manners to not try to game the system.
This whole new idea of "no one is allowed to judge on the camino" doesn't work here on the ground, where the work of many good people deserves to be treated with respect, not exploitation.

 

[Marbe2]

Says me. And the people who oversee volunteer-run albergues. We do not provide free drop-off and custodial care for the luggage transfer services, and we serve old-school pilgrims who carry their own packs. People who want to stay with us should bring their own bags, or stay elsewhere. It worked that way for years. It's only good manners to not try to game the system.
This whole new idea of "no one is allowed to judge on the camino" doesn't work here on the ground, where the work of many good people deserves to be treated with respect, not exploitation.

I do understand that if you and a group of volunteer run albergues don't want luggage transfer, that’s up to you! But if a pilgrim and another business allows such an arrangement, how is that our business to say it is in “bad-form”…after all The OP states he has an injury, and is perhaps one of meager means? Should he be excluded? Not everyone is gaming the system! Is this consistent with Benedictine Spirituality, which I know you value?

Your idea of an “old school” pilgrim is based on what may I ask? Pilgrims came by horse, wagon, boat, foot, donkey, bike and even cars (1975) and were recognized by the bishop as pilgrims, and lots of them didn’t carry bags. So carrying a pack can’t be the criteria for making one an old-school pilgrim? Can it?

It is human nature to judge others, but I would hope that on a pilgrimage we would do less of it and trust other’s motives more.

 

[Kathar1na]

Extremely bad form

@donnaonthego, you replied to @longshanks' post #1. I guess that you, and others, did not bother to read @longshanks' posts #3, #5, #7 and #12. Had you, and others, done so you would know that @longshanks is no longer planning to stay at Gaucelmo.

There are albergues that don't want to let Camino peregrin@s stay under their roof if they did not carry their backpacks all the way from the previous night's stop; there are albergues that don't want to let Camino peregrin@s stay under their roof if they have a suitcase transported from the previous night's stop while a transported backpack is ok; there are albergues who will accept transported backpacks as well as transported suitcases but have an arrangement with the transport companies to deliver them to a bar or similar where pilgrims have to pick them up; and finally there are albergues that directly accept backpacks and suitcases.

Not everyone who is new to the Camino world in Spain is aware of these peculiarities. It is more helpful, in my humble opinion, to clearly and patiently explain the situation instead of throwing everybody together and venting about imagined behaviour of people who would not dream of setting foot into an albergue that does not want them and other pilgrims because of what if anything they carry on their backs during the day.

 

[peregrina2000]

@Kathar1na has just given us the “Backpack Transfer Coda” , and with a conductorial flourish I will close the thread.