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Deleted member 73892
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My parents, from the North East of England (I don't know if its a regional saying?), always said this to me and my siblings when we went to bed. Our beds were not BB-ridden; it was a smiley-effect, a cosy traditional saying that sent us up the 'apples and pears' - 'stairs' (I was born in the East End of Old Smokey), and I didn't encounter my first-of-many bed bugs until the Camino Francés - many, many years later. As a child, I didn't know what they were going on about, but it sounded cute (childhood naivety is so wondeful). Now, a hardened adult full of marshmellow, I know all too well what my parents were referring to. Anyway, I digress a little from my questions: I'm planning the Salvador and Primitivo for Sep-Oct., on limited budget and having to take into account my aches and pains, thus my rucksack weight. I got Jake's weight (my rucksack), down to 8.5 kilos for the Inglés, rather like trying to diet a few kilos off my waist - a painful and testing trial, full of excuses and justification as to why another bar of my fave choco or packet of crisps is, in fact, a very healthy slimming choice. But on the Inglés I could still feel the life-long of playing Rugby and other sports bruises and injuries reminding me of my youth (when you're my age, its amazing how those injuries you thought were long healed and gone come back and bite your… every step).
My poor old sleeping bag is now in sleepy-bag recycling heaven. It had its fair-share of Camino bedybugs, and I was so close to my beloved schlafsack (Marilyn, I called it
that I couldn’t do the burning and dancing naked around the pyre probably-get-arrested-knowing-my-luck ceremony. I’ve searched for a new one - as light as a feather and a 20€ note. Here in Tirol - I humbly live at the feet of a majestic 2,700 m mountain range (the Alpine Nordkette), they have mountain stay-overs called Hütte - communal huts where you can sleep over with other walkers. They vary, like our ubiquitous Alberque, and can also be found empty or cramped full to the ceiling – with all the familiar smells, sounds, coughs, sneezes, etc etc. People, no different the world over, always make room for you in the Hütte, even if its a strip of floor 30 cm wide and 1 meter long with your nose squashed against a wall. My momentous discovery is that you can purchase cheap and a light Hüttenschlafsack (Hut sleeping bags). Yes!Yes! My new one is 280 grams, cost 21 €, is a significant decrease in weight, size and difficult-to-zip-upyness as it has no zip to wrestle with that always snags in the cloth and can you really be bothered after a 15 - 40 k hike to unsnag it when all you want to do is be horizontal and sleep? And yet another bonus - it rolls up and pops into its little carry sack almost of its own accord; early-morning Camino getting-up trying not to disturb my fellow pilgrims who are comfortably sleeping heaven
I’m wondering – is it a safe gamble? Or is a bit of pain acceptable (some say necessary), on Camino, and I should carry a heavy-duty sleeping bag like penance? No! I want pain-free and light. Am I right in thinking/remembering, from my modest Camino experience, Alberques are warm and cosy, have roaring, log-burning fires and thick, fluffy wool blankets? At worst, if the log fires burn low to ash, I could wear my socks, undies and T shirt if cold (we get used to that old, sweaty, itchy aroma along the way, don’t we), or have any of you experience of Camino with such a Hüttenschlafsack and can advise me otherwise, that I’m a cheap fool to go light and all Tirol-Hütte like in my thinking/buying/preparation? Do let me know, and when you wrestle into your sleeping bag tonight, Good Night, God bless, and mind the BedBegs don't bite
LLN Keith PS Marilyn is gone, will never be back - any suggestions (polite, clean, not too serious), for the name of my new Hüttenschlafsack? I will take a poll but probably chose my fave anyway. PPS I live in a village on the Jacobsweg - St Jame's way: If you're ever passing through, let me know and say hello. You're very welcome here.
My poor old sleeping bag is now in sleepy-bag recycling heaven. It had its fair-share of Camino bedybugs, and I was so close to my beloved schlafsack (Marilyn, I called it
that I couldn’t do the burning and dancing naked around the pyre probably-get-arrested-knowing-my-luck ceremony. I’ve searched for a new one - as light as a feather and a 20€ note. Here in Tirol - I humbly live at the feet of a majestic 2,700 m mountain range (the Alpine Nordkette), they have mountain stay-overs called Hütte - communal huts where you can sleep over with other walkers. They vary, like our ubiquitous Alberque, and can also be found empty or cramped full to the ceiling – with all the familiar smells, sounds, coughs, sneezes, etc etc. People, no different the world over, always make room for you in the Hütte, even if its a strip of floor 30 cm wide and 1 meter long with your nose squashed against a wall. My momentous discovery is that you can purchase cheap and a light Hüttenschlafsack (Hut sleeping bags). Yes!Yes! My new one is 280 grams, cost 21 €, is a significant decrease in weight, size and difficult-to-zip-upyness as it has no zip to wrestle with that always snags in the cloth and can you really be bothered after a 15 - 40 k hike to unsnag it when all you want to do is be horizontal and sleep? And yet another bonus - it rolls up and pops into its little carry sack almost of its own accord; early-morning Camino getting-up trying not to disturb my fellow pilgrims who are comfortably sleeping heaven I’m wondering – is it a safe gamble? Or is a bit of pain acceptable (some say necessary), on Camino, and I should carry a heavy-duty sleeping bag like penance? No! I want pain-free and light. Am I right in thinking/remembering, from my modest Camino experience, Alberques are warm and cosy, have roaring, log-burning fires and thick, fluffy wool blankets? At worst, if the log fires burn low to ash, I could wear my socks, undies and T shirt if cold (we get used to that old, sweaty, itchy aroma along the way, don’t we), or have any of you experience of Camino with such a Hüttenschlafsack and can advise me otherwise, that I’m a cheap fool to go light and all Tirol-Hütte like in my thinking/buying/preparation? Do let me know, and when you wrestle into your sleeping bag tonight, Good Night, God bless, and mind the BedBegs don't bite
LLN Keith PS Marilyn is gone, will never be back - any suggestions (polite, clean, not too serious), for the name of my new Hüttenschlafsack? I will take a poll but probably chose my fave anyway. PPS I live in a village on the Jacobsweg - St Jame's way: If you're ever passing through, let me know and say hello. You're very welcome here.
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