electronic charging and internet

[Kam Wong]

My wife and I will be leaving Ottawa starting our Camino walk in mid September. We plan to take our Android cell phone mainly for taking pictures, uploading to the FB, blogging and communication back home.

What kind of charging available on the route? How should we prepare? We are not technically advanced
Thanks

Kam and Anjulia

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Hi Kam - pretty easy in this day and age! Just take your phone, normal charger and a Spanish 110 to 220 adapter (easily bought on Amazon.ca) and you're good to go. Lots of outlets in Albergues although you may have to wait your turn and you may also want to keep an eye on your device so it doesn't grow legs and walk its own Camino!

 

[Deleted member 43780]

Taking along a 3-way plug is very helpful.

When you go to charge (NB, cell phone, tablet, etc) and see two people have the only two plugs...what ya gonna do? wait -- wait -- wait.

Nope, ask them to let you plug in the 3-way plug so two or more can charge at one time. You will make friends real fast with it too.

I use a Spanish charger for my iPhone/iPod. Plug them into the USB port on it and away I charge.

The Spanish chargers are not that much and best way to go.

Friend has Apple NB. Small one. He plugs his "US" cord (plug) into his small Spanish electrical wall outlet adaptor.
Many devices will work on 110v - 220v (or something like that). I know his NB does. Can use in US and Europe. Only needs the small, very small, electrical wall outlet adaptor for US>European outlets.

The net. The net. The net...is everywhere. Bars, cafes, hotels, bus stations, train stations and more

 

[Telelama]

I agree with martyseville. We did exactly this, bought the Euro plug version and we were able to not only charge our phones, but others as well. We were popular with this plug because it allowed four devices to be plugged into one electrical outlet. We only had to carry this, plus some short USB cables.

It's called a "Yubi Power Foldable Universal Quad-Port USB Travel & Wall Charging Station for all USB-Charged Devices with EU Plug Type C". $15.00 on Amazon.

 

[Deleted member 43780]

I agree with martyseville. We did exactly this, bought the Euro plug version and we were able to not only charge our phones, but others as well. We were popular with this plug because it allowed four devices to be plugged into one electrical outlet. We only had to carry this, plus some short USB cables.

It's called a "Yubi Power Foldable Universal Quad-Port USB Travel & Wall Charging Station for all USB-Charged Devices with EU Plug Type C". $15.00 on Amazon.

Yep. Good post.

And if you forgot it, or dont have it... no worries. The electronic stores in Spain & France have any thing you need. To hook up, charge, cables, mini chargers and more.

 

[Deleted member 43780]

The net. The net. The net...is everywhere. Bars, cafes, hotels, bus stations, train stations and more and more

The word for getting the internet log in pass word ("key") in a Spanish cafe, bar, hotel etc is: "Clave de internet"

Most just simply say "clave, por favor"

Guess the three most popular "C" words on the Camino are: "camino?" "clave?" and "cerveza"

Don't mix up. "llave" (i.e. a room key). with "clave" (pass word for net)

 

[Stivandrer]

Hi Kam - pretty easy in this day and age! Just take your phone, normal charger and a Spanish 110 to 220 adapter (easily bought on Amazon.ca) and you're good to go. Lots of outlets in Albergues although you may have to wait your turn and you may also want to keep an eye on your device so it doesn't grow legs and walk its own Camino!

Or get a powerbank and let that into the wall and sit on your phone...

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Or get a powerbank and let that into the wall and sit on your phone...

Absolutely can do that as long as you don't mind the extra weight. For security reasons, your idea makes it much harder to lose the phone which is a big plus.

 

[CaminoJoy123]

My wife and I will be leaving Ottawa starting our Camino walk in mid September. We plan to take our Android cell phone mainly for taking pictures, uploading to the FB, blogging and communication back home.

What kind of charging available on the route? How should we prepare? We are not technically advanced
Thanks

Kam and Anjulia

After you charge the phone, now what? How would you get internet on the actual Camino without an international plan?

You can set that up in Canada or buy a Spanish SIM when you get to Spain.

There are also external battery packs that are popular. So you charge the battery pack and use that to charge the phone. It charges the phone maybe 2-4 times before it needs to be recharged.

The advantage is your phone is not out of commission and stuck in an outlet. while charging. You can charge your phone at a cafe or picnic table or walk around and be mobile while you charge

 

[Marietjie]

I can't believe it, thought I get away from a stealing mentality in my country! Who is stealing your stuff in the Albergues, fellow walkers??

 

[Deleted member 43780]

You can surf the net, send/receive e mails and more just using a hot spot in Spain / France etc.
No need to have any plans. Hot spots are located in bars, cafes, hotels, B&B and about every where.

I sometimes just take my iPod and use it for internet surfing, e mail etc.

Sometimes I have my note book on a trip. Or iPad..

For voice on a Camino I use my simple voice only phone. Plain, simple and reliable.
Not for data transmission. Top him off with more time at almost anywhere in Spain.

When home or elsewhere good olde iPhone 7 works.

 

[C clearly]

110 to 220 adapter

Just a clarification... what you need for modern electronics is a simple plug adapter from North American flat pins to European round pins - a small and inexpensive adapter. This is not a 110-220 voltage converter. Check your devices, of course, but modern electronic devices are usually designed for 110-220.

 

[Deleted member 43985]

I can't believe it, thought I get away from a stealing mentality in my country! Who is stealing your stuff in the Albergues, fellow walkers??

"Trust in God but tie up your Camel" is an ancient Arabic saying that has (unfortunately) survived the ages because it never ceased to be true. In any Albergue you'll get the same advice over and over, take your valuables with you, even to the shower. I'm positive we'd all wish it differently but.........

 

[Marietjie]

Sad, sad, sad, is all I can say!

 

[patgreen]

I can't believe it, thought I get away from a stealing mentality in my country! Who is stealing your stuff in the Albergues, fellow walkers??

Reading on this forum many people say to take great care of anything valuable in albergues and I think that is good advice.
However one of the things that I was very pleasantly surprised to see when I first started walking caminos was that in almost every albergue expensive phones were left charging while people went out to eat or slept. It really reinforced my faith in humanity.
I've walked a few caminos and I never heard of a phone being stolen, I'm sure must happen but I've never met anyone that said it happened to them.
Having said that I prefer to leave a power bank on charge.

 

[Marietjie]

Well, that's what I hoped for, but gott the advice to even sleep with my valuables on my body! As my mother always said- "rather sad than sorry!"

 

[dougfitz]

Just a clarification... what you need for modern electronics is a simple plug adapter from North American flat pins to European round pins - a small and inexpensive adapter. This is not a 110-220 voltage converter. Check your devices, of course, but modern electronic devices are usually designed for 110-220.

Thank you @C clearly for providing this clarification.

To extend this a little, most handheld devices are charged using some form of USB standard port, so most can be charged from any USB standard power supply. However, there are some exceptions, notably Apple and Samsung devices. For tablets in particular, they need a high power port - generally 2.1A or more, depending on the device. If you do have an Apple or a Samsung, and you are considering a non-OEM USB power supply, I recommend that you check that has at least one outlet that can do this. On my non-OEM charger, this port is labelled 'Samsung'. My Samsung tablet won't even start charging unless it is connected to that specific port, while my Samsung phone is happy off any of the charging ports. There are similar issues with different sized Apple devices.

 

[Deleted member 43780]

Just a clarification... what you need for modern electronics is a simple plug adapter from North American flat pins to European round pins - a small and inexpensive adapter. This is not a 110-220 voltage converter. Check your devices, of course, but modern electronic devices are usually designed for 110-220.

Good clarification.
Yep, on most note books (direct) into the adapter via a charging block; But, for I phones, I pods, I pads, need to plug into a charging block with USB port or have the Apple charging block (small one) for the iPod

That one simple US > European socket adapter. The US flat prongs to the European round prongs. Bingo that is it using your charger.

I prefer the charger that has USB port built into it for my iPod.

 

[notion900]

The OP asked about a cell phone. I believe a simple 'Euro to USB charger' is what they need. An adaptor is then not needed. Also I don't recommend buying electricals from the Chino shops in Spain.

 

[AbbyDee]

"Trust in God but tie up your Camel" is an ancient Arabic saying that has (unfortunately) survived the ages because it never ceased to be true. In any Albergue you'll get the same advice over and over, take your valuables with you, even to the shower. I'm positive we'd all wish it differently but.........

As most are crimes of opportunity I like "do not tempt an honest man (or woman)"

 

[Deleted member 43780]

The OP asked about a cell phone. I believe a simple 'Euro to USB charger' is what they need. An adaptor is then not needed. Also I don't recommend buying electricals from the Chino shops in Spain.

I never buy cheap stuff from Chino shops in Spain. Never.
Only from top notch phone/computer stores.

A Aussie friend of mine go a cheapo phone charger from Chino shop in Estella. Darn thing caught on fire. Blew the breakers. He had to clean off the blacken area by the plug.
Told him to go to a high quality phone center.

Living in Seville, I could refer you to a few "Chino shops" as you say. (joking -- chill out)

Actually, I carry a Honda 2K generator in my pack. Kinda of hard to get in there.
But I have no worries about charging anything.

 

[Priscilla NC]

I had an iphone that I kept on airplane mode the whole time. I connected with friends via FB, I read my email and news via wifi in bars, albergues, everywhere. I communicated with family via Whatsapp.

If I ever needed to make a phone call for an emergency, it still would have been lots cheaper than the expensive international plans that were available to me.

 

[Sixwheeler]

Plenty of excellent advice here to help you choose what you want but consider buying when you arrive so you'll get it with an EU standard two pin plug and won't need an adaptor. I buy my stuff for European travel from Amazon France so that I get the right plug.
Ultreïa.

 

[Deleted member 43985]

For anyone still a little confused, thought it may be helpful to show pictures of the adapter and USB charger that I used with my devices (iPhone, iPad, Camera, Gimbal) and still had several ports available to share. A little heavy for most but (sadly) I've not yet cut the cord with all my toys.........

And because I use my iPhone all day for GPS, I use a Mophie battery pack that extends my phone battery by 120%.

 

[notion900]

https://www.movilzona.es/2016/12/02/el-99-de-los-cargadores-de-iphone-falsos-son-peligrosos/

 

[CaminoJoy123]

You can surf the net, send/receive e mails and more just using a hot spot in Spain / France etc.
No need to have any plans. Hot spots are located in bars, cafes, hotels, B&B and about every where.

I sometimes just take my iPod and use it for internet surfing, e mail etc.

Sometimes I have my note book on a trip. Or iPad..

For voice on a Camino I use my simple voice only phone. Plain, simple and reliable.
Not for data transmission. Top him off with more time at almost anywhere in Spain.

When home or elsewhere good olde iPhone 7 works.

Yes it's really great when there is free wifi, or a wonderful hotspot.

At the same time, know this. I've been to albergues where there is no wifi.

And I've been to albergues with wifi, but it is not really functional.

And along the actual Camino it might be important to have GPS for km distances, or to look up something about an alternate destination, or to search for something online that's not previously loaded on your cell.

For example, you might need to look up cab companies. Or reserve a pension suddenly. Or check a bus schedule.

And some people might be inspired to upload some foto right from the Camino that moment.

Some pilgrims might be in Europe for more than just a couple of weeks.

And if you've spent the last decade with an internet connection in the palm of your hand it might be weird to go without it.

So there are reasons why people get their own internet plan in Spain.

 

[Oravasaari]

Charging - no problems, cafes take no notice if you plug- into an available socket. If your
Albergues - If your unattended phone is fully charged in albergue then someone may unplug it to use socket. Never heard of anyone I was with having their phone stolen. Could happen tho. Most people just plug in and leave, go for shower, shopping etc. I've never seen anyone hovering on guard over a charging point for an hour.
Data plan - I never take one. Phone has data turned off for whole trip. Can still get calls and text msgs. I turned on wifi when available to use intenet. You can make international calls for free using Whatsapp.

 

[CaminoJoy123]

Charging - no problems, cafes take no notice if you plug- into an available socket. If your
Albergues - If your unattended phone is fully charged in albergue then someone may unplug it to use socket. Never heard of anyone I was with having their phone stolen. Could happen tho. Most people just plug in and leave, go for shower, shopping etc. I've never seen anyone hovering on guard over a charging point for an hour.
Data plan - I never take one. Phone has data turned off for whole trip. Can still get calls and text msgs. I turned on wifi when available to use intenet. You can make international calls for free using Whatsapp.

Yes, WhatsApp seems to be the thing to do. Works for text also? Not just calls?

 

[dougfitz]

Yes, WhatsApp seems to be the thing to do. Works for text also? Not just calls?

A couple of things about this and other IP based services. They only make calls and send text to a device with the same application loaded. And they normally don't give access to emergency numbers. You will still need to be able to access a mobile network to do that.

 

[notion900]

WhatsApp is for calls, text, voicemail, pictures and is very useful for sending a location map if you are meeting someone or giving directions. You can make groups with your new camino buddies.

I find it has one downside which is that the photos you open in WhatsApp download into the same folder on your phone as your own photos. You therefore end up with lots of photos that are out of chronological order because you downloaded them later. If anyone knows how to set up a specific download location or put them in order that they were actually taken, would love to hear it.

 

[C clearly]

I find it has one downside which is that the photos you open in WhatsApp download into the same folder on your phone as your own photos.

This is not the case for me. It must be a difference in the phone apps that we have. I didn't do anything to make it happen, but mine download into a separate "WhatsApp" folder.

 

[Kanga]

You can change the settings in What's App so that it does not automatically download photos. You can then save them manually wherever you want.

 

[stevov]

My wife and I will be leaving Ottawa starting our Camino walk in mid September. We plan to take our Android cell phone mainly for taking pictures, uploading to the FB, blogging and communication back home.

What kind of charging available on the route? How should we prepare? We are not technically advanced
Thanks

Kam and Anjulia

 

[stevov]

I had my adaptor, but my daughter also bought me a solar charger, which I wasn't sure about, but took with me, and actually I found I was using it most days...plugging in whilst walking. It was lightweight and readily attached to my back pack. I've got smart kids!

 

[Anthony18]

I had my adaptor, but my daughter also bought me a solar charger, which I wasn't sure about, but took with me, and actually I found I was using it most days...plugging in whilst walking. It was lightweight and readily attached to my back pack. I've got smart kids!

I'm definitely looking into that. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Anamiri]

Sad, sad, sad, is all I can say!

Sometimes I think its accidental. Someone comes along, moves yours and plugs theirs in, and your phone isn't where you thought it was.
We lost washing off the line that way. Pretty sure no-one actually wanted a single sock and an old bra. I was actually more upset at losing the pins they were on.