little buggers

[Freedrik]

Will be starting out jouney a week from today, we will begin at sjpdp. Any updates on bedbug conditions along the route?

Just getting over a meeting with chiggers in Virginia, I hate itching. (and freeloading bugs looking for a free ride back to the states)


Fred

 

[Freedrik]

Now we have 60 views on my post, surely someone must have some inside info as the the present conditions and possible problems with bedbugs in the hostels.

 

[dougfitz]

Now we have 60 views on my post, surely someone must have some inside info as the the present conditions and possible problems with bedbugs in the hostels.

With a headline that provactive, I was curious about the content, which is really quite banal and regularly dealt with in other threads. In that context, your second post verges on being rude. Everyone here shares their experiences voluntarily - no-one has a right to demand a response.

 

[markss]

I don't want to turn any of this into a personal thing but will come to Fred's defense here. He just signed up as a Forum member and entered the first two posts. I don't think he was rude or out of hand waiting for a respose but rather did not know what to expect.

In all reality, finding the Forum's "search" feature is not all that easy despite the big bold words on the upper part of the page. This forum has a busy layout and as a result takes some time to learn to navigate.

Fred if you click "Search Forum" in the blue box on the upper right of the main screen you will come to the next page where you can enter "bedbugs" and follow the recent status and conversations.

The written words that are posted and read by wide audiences on forums can easily be taken out of context or have their intent be misinterpreted. There are times after hitting the send button when I say to myself "I hope this isn't taken the wrong way or as a personal affront".

Welcome to the Forum. Don't let the idea of a few bedbugs become a deterent. There are some great contributions on this forum for how to avoid or at least minimize the problem. It's not as bad as all those flying, crawling, biting things that you have there in Virginia!

Buen Camino!

 

[grayland]

Nice reply Markss.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola Fred

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your final preparations. There is no central database on bed bugs - all we can do is get a general impression. We are receiving 1000 pilgrims a day here in Santiago and this year only very occasionally do pilgrims mention problems with bed bugs. This is unlike previous years where they were a daily hot topic. In saying that wherever you get lots of people sleeping in communal dormitories you will get bed bugs and so prevention has to be the order of the day. If you look through some of the threads you will see that some people treat their gear with permetherin and others use mattress covers or sheets designed to resist bed bugs. Others take pot luck!

Buen camino

John

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Hi Fred,

Welcome to the forum and also welcome to the Camino.

It strikes me that those with the most up-to-date information are those who are actually walking the Camino at present. When I am walking I do not have access to the internet unless I make the effort to find an internet cafe or there happens to be one in the albergue not in use. I avoid internet use as much as possible as I want to be 'present' just where I am and to the people around me.

I hope you are having a good Camino and meeting lots of people and no bedbugs.

Buen Camino ,
Lydia

P.S I have never met a bed bug.

 

[daesdaemar]

Now we have 60 views on my post, surely someone must have some inside info as the the present conditions and possible problems with bedbugs in the hostels.

With a headline that provocative, I was curious about the content, which is really quite banal and regularly dealt with in other threads. In that context, your second post verges on being rude. Everyone here shares their experiences voluntarily - no-one has a right to demand a response.

Some of this may be cultural. Here in the USA, the word "buggers" is quite bland and used innocently. Unless I am wrong, it can have, as noted in the quote, quite a provocative meaning in the UK culture.

I once used the word in another forum headquartered in the UK and was kicked off the forum. I was able to get back on by the administrators doing a bit of research on American culture and realizing that it is used quite innocently here across the pond.

 

[Freedrik]

My intentions were not to be rude or disrespectful to the forum or its members, if it seemed so I will apologise to all. With over 12,000 questions being asked privously I choose to not read the other 11999 other questions.

I do not plan to allow the infestation of some hostels to ruin my plans. Like I expressed in my original I have had a recent issue with a Virginia itch maker and really do not desire to enjoy that pleasure on my upcoming walk. What I found on the Appalchian trail was enough. Thank you for those who answered my post.

Fred

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I am on the Camino Ingles. No bed bugs, but I assume they are everywhere and prepare and act accordingly. They move, so even a daily report does not help much.

Buen Camino!

 

[CaminoJohn]

Welcome to the camino Fred!
I have walked the Frances three times and have never had bedbugs. However, some fellow pilgrims have encountered them on my caminos. I find the smaller, private run albergues are cleaner and better equipped to handle and put down any infestations. If you get them burn everything in Santiago! There are some lovely clothing stores there! By the way...I am from Va. and lived in Fl. I KNOW why you don't want to experience "chigger" like itching again!

 

[Freedrik]

thank you CaminoJohn for your input,

I am not sure why this subject sparked such a fire, it was just a question. Once you have been enjoyed by the little bastards, any itch causing parasite can be of concern. Along the Appalachian trail I fought bouts of poison ivy and then chiggers. I am prepared to deal with what I might come along but if I can avoid them................its a blessing.

and for everyone, thanks for the comments and to the sunset..............

 

[capecorps]

And as the sun sets on yet another day, to you all, I bid Good Night.

May the angels bear you to your rest.

And if mayhap the bedbugs bite, squeeze them tight in the middle of the night.

 

[markss]

...

I am not sure why this subject sparked such a fire...

It's not this question. Stick around for a while and you will see the passion of this forum throughout. As is true of many special interest web forums, the people who troll them are not representative of the population at large.

Many who have walked the Camino experienced something truly extraordinary in their lives. They want to share the experience. Many like myself have 'a little too much time on our hands' therefore spend a good deal of it here. For others in a sense it can almost become addictive. In general we're not the average working person or person tending to young children who require our time. We spend it here. With that investment of energy and time this becomes serious business. You get the idea. And after a while we can also tend to become self-righteous experts.

Now do you have another question for us ...

 

[GunnarW]

I asked the question at two pilgrims who did the camino again during the summer 2012. They told me that there were lesser bedbug reports. But the information about bedbugs for example in the Spanish albergues on the camino is almost unexisting. Exceptions exist like the albergue where member Anna Kappa worked.
Try during a conversation with an other peregrino to speak about begbugs (chinches, punaises de lit, bedwantsen,...). More then 50% don't know what it is and are thinking it's the same as being bitten by a mosquito.
Some don't care a lot about bedbugs and simply say that it's a part of the camino. But (until now) you never read a report about someone who became depressed and/or who had to clean her/his house and paid a huge bill.

 

[renegadepilgrim]

If you want decent Camino intel, check out the APOC Facebook group, as well as the "Camino de Santiago" Facebook group.....you'll get current info without much of the attitude here...for instance, there is at least one Canadian pilgrim giving us regular updates on the APOC Facebook group...she'd be a good person to talk to.

As for bedbugs, learn how to identify the signs and inspect your bed thoroughly before putting your sleeping bag on it. Bedbugs are not small like chiggers...they are the size of an apple seed if you see one. I treated my clothing with permethrin before walking and was extra careful about where I stayed.

While serving as a hospitalera last October in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, we had a bunch of pilgrims coming from Logrono who had been bit by bedbugs a couple days prior. Some did not know they had been bit by bedbugs!

And p.s. we have bed bugs all over the US...if you ever want to have some fun, go to bedbugregistry.com It will make your skin crawl!!!

Welcome and buen camino!!!