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What are the Do's and Don'ts of Albergue Etiquette?

Hello, I'm new to the forum and planning my first walk (del Norte to Primitivo to Santiago) in the spring, and I'm a little disappointed and also concerned by some comments. The person who thinks fear of heights is normal but asking for a space near an exit is not needs to get used to the request. More and more pilgrims will be like me in the coming years: as a veteran of nine tours in a war zone it is taking all I have to plan a trip with known crowds. I chose what seems to be the roads less travelled and will go when it's cold and rainy and take my meds and pray a lot-- and I've already made a list of hotels just in case-- but part of this is about facing our fears which means I'll try my best to not use that list. I had hoped if I explained my need for a space by the door, even if not granted I would be at least not seen as rude to ask. Now perhaps going back to my original plan of making a lean to of my poncho.

As for snoring, as a physician I can say there is a lot to do to help prevent it-- not just insist others ignore it. Use your pack or items from it to keep you on your side. Don't use ear plugs in order to prevent your snoring or others from waking you up (unbelievable). DON'T drink alcohol.

As for windows, I've often noticed that those who want them open rarely sleep next to them while those who want them closed often do. It seems to me that deciding on the open/closed issue then agreeing to change beds to accommodate is an easy fix.

As for up late, up early-- perhaps i'm used to it from surgical on-call rooms but I don't seethe big issue--eye shades and ear plugs if it is is a lot easier than obsessing over the actions of others. Personally, I've slept well during a hundred mile march in europe housed in a gym with hundreds of women, and through rocket attacks, I think being really tired helps.
 
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Hola and welcome to the forum.
We found we were able to choose our beds last year on the Camino Inglés and also made use of hostals the previous year on the Camino Primitivo. I don't think Terry had any problems in 2009 walking from Santander, through Oviedo to Santiago. He did choose not to stay in one or two albergues because of their quality, but both of these have been replaced (Salas and Grandas).
We have the CSJ (UK) guides which list both albergues, hostales and some hotels.
I would have to ask for a lower bunk, as I couldn't climb up to a top one I chose initially last year. I don't see that there would be any problem, so if you need to be by the door feel free to ask. Helps if you can ask nicely in Spanish, but if you don't speak it then just try to learn that request or write it down and show it with a smile.
Folk on the Norte and Primitivo are very Pilgrim friendly. Maybe it is more difficult on the Francés with all the extra numbers.
Buen Camino
 

I wore earplugs every night and slept pretty well, especially for someone who has lots of sleep issues, including being an extremely light sleeper. Unfortunately, I also snore and bothered people a few times, I know. One night, a woman came over to my top bunk and woke me up, saying I was snoring loudly. I told her I thought it was my friend, Tom, sleeping and sawing logs in the bunk beneath me. She said, in a Canadian accent, "It is both of you -- in symphony!"
 
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People snore, even those who b*tch and moan about them! Bring ear plugs and tolerance.
 
Here is a tip: if you know you need a bottom bunk for health reasons, or you need a bed close to a window (for whatever reason), or if you are afraid of heights or claustrophobic or whatever reason you think you need special accommodation, then ASK the hospitalero FIRST before they assign you a bed. It makes you, the pilgrim, look like you are demanding things (regardless of your intent, that is how it comes across). I always reserved a couple of bottom bunks for pilgrims that came in later in the day (they were usually the ones who needed it, not the early ones who came when we opened the door at Noon!). However, you try explaining this to people who speak 10 different languages you don't and see how far you get.... Very rarely did a pilgrim request special accommodation while we were checking them in....if they had, we could have done something about it (and we did when we could), but pilgrims also need to understand that sometimes hospitaleros (especially in the larger albergues) are not at liberty to change the "rules" on a whim. Trust me, I would have LOVED to do so. So, what you think may be a "hard ass" hospitalero, in reality might be a person who is under a lot of pressure to follow the rules so they don't get yelled at by the powers that be. Another reason to stay at smaller albergues between the "stages"....those were my best memories.
 
This thread is two years old this month. It's full of all the stuff that makes the Forum what it is: sage advice, solid suggestions, facts, complaints, druthers, solutions and a sprinkling of hubris.
The Camino is, for the most part, a personal experience shared with strangers.
Enjoy your Camino, try your best to be a good pilgrim and relish in the fact that, in the largest sense you're sharing close quarters, some meals and the Way with tens of thousand others in a safe and congenial environment.
Buen Camino
Arn
 
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Everyone always talks about the "Raccaderos" or snorers. I think the rudest thing is people who stay in an Albergues and expect quiet without taking and wearing ear plugs. When you are sleeping with 20-40 and don't plug your own ears you are just a tad bit self centered. Plug 'em up!

good tip on the wine. I occasionally snore and don't drink wine before bed for that reason.
 

Weather I sleep on my side or have nothing to drink at all - I still snore,
Occationally however , the extra Brandy exaserbates the 'Night Terrors' - that scares everyone.....when I scream blue murder in the middle of the night..........sorry to all those who did experience it.
 
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Can I apologize in advance for my snoring :twisted: ,
promise, I don't do it on purpose but then I know if I've slept well then I've been snoring :lol:

ps prefer single malts but don't drink alc. much anymore
 
Abbeydore said:
Can I apologize in advance for my snoring :twisted: ,
promise, I don't do it on purpose but then I know if I've slept well then I've been snoring :lol:
Click to expand...
Actually, snoring is more likely to be a sign that you weren't getting a good night's sleep. Your airway is being obstructed, causing the soft tissues to vibrate. But that obstruction may also mean that your air intake isn't optimal, and neither is your sleep.
 

CPAPS machine seems in order. I tend to snore when I go above a cwrtain weight (like now), but this will be off me in a couple of months and I should stop. I am relaiably informed by my wife that this is the case! However, we are all aware of snoring, but what about talking, hat is, talking in ones sleep.... I guess ear plugs are important too.

Torrent :lol:
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I read through these and especially liked the ideas about courtesy OUTSIDE the albergue. ie/picking up litter and tissue after you have used it and carrying it on to a garbage receptacle.Don't toss it to the ground!

As far as inside the Albergue and the noise that everyone complains about I really think the secret to it all is being able to tolerate and adapt. I just don't understand what someone's expectations are who plan to sleep in a large room with 50-100 others. LOL Get yourself some earplugs and relax. There will always be those who are rude and thoughtless. Don't let them affect your disposition and Camino.

I especially liked the comment about not putting your backpack on the bed. I hadn't thought of that and it's a great idea. Someone on another post had suggested a plastic bag to "set" your back pack in to keep critters out of it. Great idea.
 

I just like this... a sort of passing it on, remembering the compassionate, gentle side of humanity..

I might also add regarding the snoring question, that I both snore and talk in my sleep. I am reliably informed that my talking is mindboggling.
 
I took earplugs with me and only used them a couple of times. Occasionally the snoring is horrendous but, for the most part, I found it quite comforting.

In my adult life I had never slept in a dormitory before the Camino and was amazed at how much I enjoyed waking in the early hours, lying in bed with a silly grin on my face as I listened to the snuffling going on around the room.
 
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Bridget and Peter said:


Cheers,
LT
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world" M. Ghandi

Inspiring saying of Gandhi's - thanks.

(Ghandi, Ganhdi, Gandhi - I had to try them all and now I can't decide which looks right!)
Click to expand...

Neuro Linguistics (NLP) has a similar philosophy... the quickest way to change something/someone, is to change yourself.
 
Sandra88 said:
Snorers cannot help what they do .... and after a long day of walking, it is not surprising they snore. Find good earplugs and acceptance.....
Click to expand...

Of course they can! All they have to do is to stay awake all night (and every night) :?

I think I could easily make a gadget that attaches to the wrist, or a more sensitive area of the body, that can be tuned to the exact frequency of the snorer and sends an electric shock when activated - that should do it I think (so much simpler than having to be married).

Actually - I do snore extremely loudly but not every night apparently - too much wine will do it, as well as hay-fever - mind you, I have only been told that I snore ..... :lol:
 
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A Little Note from The Little Fox...
Are meals included with your stay...? Is`it donativo?
Don't ask for something special which the hospitalero then goes out to get for you and not offer to pay for it, or at least share...
Don't use the house's expensive jar of imported Dijon mustard to dip your raw veggies in...
Don't say you can't eat this and this and this, but you eat meat...
Don't help yourself to whatever is in the fridge without at least asking first...
Don't leave a donation which barely covers your breakfast...
We learn and live... :shock:
 

Sorry to read about this.... . Does it make you doubt your choice for donation? I really do hope it is only a small minority that behaves in this way in " The Little Fox"?
And OMG especially dipping raw veggies in that jar...
 
I arrive at santiago tonight or early tomorrow, hopefully i find the time visit muxia and your wonderful retreat

Frank P


---
I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?x4xzz4
 
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Quote: "Does it make you doubt your choice for donation?"
No, but it does make me put a lot back at the supermarket these days... :?
Frank, hope you can make it. This little place is magic...
 
Priscillian said:
Quote: "Does it make you doubt your choice for donation?"
No, but it does make me put a lot back at the supermarket these days... :?
Frank, hope you can make it. This little place is magic...
Click to expand...

I believe that this is your personal home that you open up to pilgrims correct? If that's the case, perhaps you should put a small fridge in your room or in the office or some other non-public area in which to keep your "special" foods. You shouldn't deny yourself just because some people have sticky fingers and no manners. When you're living somewhere you don't have easy/cheap access to specialty and "craving" foods there's nothing wrong with not always wanting to share them.

I live in Mexico and there are MANY things that I can't get here that I crave. Luckily I have friends come and visit periodically who bring me treats. Once, I had a small group of people visit (my mom and 4 friends) and we rented a house. My mom brought me 2 boxes of thin mint girl scout cookies. I immediately put them at the bottom of the freezer underneath the icepacks so people wouldn't see them and eat them. Yes, it was somewhat selfish, but everyone who was visiting was from the US and they all had access to girl scout cookies there. These would be the only ones I'd had access to for years and I didn't want to share. Had I been in the US it'd have been a no brainer, they'd have been out for everyone to enjoy. But they're a rarity for me and couldn't be replaced so I played hoarder.

You can also try mislabeling stuff if you find it's going missing. I once bought some really expensive cheese that was an amazing and rare discovery at the grocery store. I didn't even get to eat it. By the time I went to get it for my dinner that night someone else had eaten it. It was a sad night. From then on I started putting highly desirable food items in undesirable packages. Cut down a LOT on pilferers as few people are going to examine a tub labeled "lard" or a box of baking soda at the back of the fridge.
 
For Priscillian

Sorry to post this message on the forum , i tried to PM but it kept failing i am not sure where the problem lays, Tapatalk or the WEB?

"Hello, Are you Tracy S on Facebook? I messaged FB a request to visit muxia Little Fox House, I was hoping to travel by bus to Muxia tomorrow morning (monday) possibly for two nights as i need to be back in Santiago on Wed 4Jul If this time is not suitable that is ok there are several alternatives, I am sure I will return for another camino Regards Frank P"


---
I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?exgyzu
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
(Never mind, Frank...we'll catch you next time!)
As for "personal use": two things are Off Limits: 1/ My ever diminishing jar of Marmite snuck past the security at Malaga airport, 2/ My SlimFast which is occasionally used for actually losing weight, but not often. Easy breakfast for people who can't face food in the morning.
Other than that, what is here is shared. But some things DO need to be asked for, don't you think?
Even if my daughter visits she will say: "Is it OK if I have X?" That is the way I brought her up and the way I was brought up too.
This IS my home and by far the greater number of pilgrims are respectful and Harmony reigns throughout.
 
I totally agree, pilgrims should respect your home and not treat your pantry/fridge like the donativo cupboard in an albergue kitchen. Maybe see you next year?
 


You do seem to have a bit of a problem there Tracy, it would appear that the boundaries haven't been clearly marked yet. In a way it could be good to put a caravan in the garden and live in that!
There are two residential retreats that I know of - and visit - in England that are extremely clear about how things are done. All work/chores is shared out amongst the guests by the core workers .. visitors are expected to join in working on the veg gardens, or in the kitchen, or in cleaning, every day. By having all doing an equal share a rather pleasant sense of community is built up - it works and there are never complaints.
The kitchens are separate from the communal areas and only those working in them go in them so there is no 'filching' of food stocks, people eat at mealtimes and only then. If they want to snack then they stroll into the village/s and buy their own treats.

As for donativo in your home, as it were, and the abuses of it that you have recently encountered - could you add something like a note that shows an advisory amount? "this is what it costs me to feed and house one person" sort of thing ?

It is a good thing you are doing Tracy, to be open and donativo but societies exist because humans don't do well without rules so I think that you should not be hesitant about introducing clear house rules - think of the YHA.

As for your personal treats, such as marmite .... ah... well here is the thing ... can you have private treats in a shared space? Monasteries, convents and friaries have 'no personal ownership' for exactly this reason, because you just cannot, it breeds separateness and dissent and jealousy .. you cannot sit at table with others and eat the marmite yourself, saying no to others ... so you either have to have 'marmite days' where it appears for all to share or you have to construct a separate space where you can secretly consume your marmite - door bolted, radio turned on high to drown out the munching, hastily hiding the pot and wiping your mouth when someone knocks! :lol:

Boundaries and community living is quite tricky isn't it!

(pm me your address and I will post you a pot - though I am a Vegamite man myself)
 
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Have just finished walking from LePuy to Santiago. The use of mobile phones in albergues is very annoying. Please talk on the phone outside the dormitories and not when people are in bed. Also, the alarms on mobiles wake everyone up in a dorm.
Sharon
 
Priscillian said:
Other than that, what is here is shared. But some things DO need to be asked for, don't you think?
Click to expand...

No, not really. I think it's either ALL shared or ALL permission based unless you put up a very specific list of what is not to be shared, mark it in some very clear way, or keep it separate. Why would people assume it's ok to share the jar of mayo but not the jar of marmite?

When I visit my mom it would never occur to me to ask permission to eat something in her kitchen, just as she would never ask here. Same at most of my friend's house. However, when I arrive they tell me (or I ask) if there's something special they're saving so I don't touch it (and vice versa). Then I don't, but you can't necessarily trust that a stranger will act in the same way.

So, you'll either need to really accept that it's all for one and one for all or figure out a way to keep the stuff that's really for you separate. As far as consuming your private stuff in private, I don't think that's necessary. Most people won't think twice about you having your own jar of marmite that wasn't in the general fridge. If someone does make a "wow! marmite! That stuff is awesome! (Note: I really can't imagine anyone saying that! ) I haven't had that in AGES!" comment, you can explain that it's really hard and expensive to get in Spain so you generally keep it out of site but you'd be happy to share a bit if they'd like it (assuming you're willing to do so). Odds are they'll say no and maybe they'll offer to send you a replacement.

Good luck. IMO, when it's your home you can't really have it be fully open. A person needs some private space. I mean, I'm sure your bedroom is off limits, why shouldn't some of the kitchen stuff be? At many hostels I've been to there's a private staff fridge or cabinet that is clearly marked and/or in a separate area - it doesn't bother anyone, it's just normal that the people who *live* there have different requirements than those passing through for a few days.
 

You're never going to get rid of alarms. For various (sometimes incomprehensible) reasons, people will need them to get up early. However, i think banning the use of phones in the dorm area is a *great* idea. I'd vote for that as well as banning the use of aerosol sprays (deodorant, body spray, hair spray, etc.) in there as well.
 
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...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
It would be nice if there was an established time in the morning where a person can turn on the light without feeling guilty, most places hav a lights out time but not an on time, on many occaisions the most in the room are out of bed with torches, but no-one dares to turn on the light for fear of disturbing sleeping beauty who will probably sleep till 0830.
 
I argee that it would be a very good idea to have a 'Lights on time' and also to ban the use of mobile phones in dorms.

I can remember one night lying awake as a young pilgrim played games on her phone.
 
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0630 is a reasonable time for most, it even coincides with daylight if only the shutters were left open, cerain cultures have a thing with closing window shutters during the night, it could be midday and you would think it is midnight. I understand closing windows because the feel cold, but why shutters, for security from what?
 
When i volunteer as a hospitalaro next year i will turn on all dorm lights at 0630
 
Dawn when the roosters are up? With most albergues urging pilgrims out the door by 8 a.m., lights-on at 7 a.m. is about all the accommodation that late sleepers should expect. Until that hour, I usually work by flashlight, prepacking the night before to the extent possible. A substantial number of summer pilgrims are out into the morning coolness before sunrise, so regardless of the lights, it becomes difficult to sleep after about 6 a.m. Some places actually post the lights-out hours, giving the pilgrims a policy to follow. If music comes on at 6:30 a.m., it probably is time for the lights! Absent a policy, empathy from both sides may be the only guidance.
 
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Hello,

I use to believe, during the day to walk, during the dawn to rest.

Best time to walk up, not earlier than 30 min before he day is up-. Yellow arrows can not be followed during the night!

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain
 
Lydia Gillen said:
I argee that it would be a very good idea to have a 'Lights on time' and also to ban the use of mobile phones in dorms.

I can remember one night lying awake as a young pilgrim played games on her phone.
Click to expand...

Since this is an etiquette question, I feel compelled to respond. I worked for years on an aircraft and we had rules about any kind of electronic equipment for adults OR CHILDREN'S games - if they made audible noises . . . . .Use earphones or turn it off!

I do believe it is acceptable to speak to someone who has so little respect for those around them. :roll:
Sorry Lydia that you had to endure such rudeness. Please tell me she wasn't an American.

My Canadian friends, whom I flew with had a joke . . ."What is the definition of a Canadian?"
Answer: "It's an American with manners." :?
 
rubyslippers said:
My Canadian friends, whom I flew with had a joke . . ."What is the definition of a Canadian?"
Answer: "It's an American with manners." :?
Click to expand...

Haha - yes, I remember when I travelled across Europe and Asia long, long ago - all the Canadians had maple leaf flags attached to their packs, their clothing, sticking out of their ears - to ensure they weren't mistaken for Americans.....
Their quote, not mine,before the wrath of our US forum members descends on me....lol
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
In my case, I wear a Canadian flag not to be mistaken for a Frenchman. :mrgreen:
 

When I walked the Frances last year, the guideline for lights on seemed to be 6am. The albergue in Roncevalles has automatic lights that turn themselves off at ten and back on at six. At Casa Paderborn we were greeted with an operatic morning call from the German hospitalero.

At many of the albergues, once the majority of pilgrims were awake or their beds empty, the lights were turned on. This seemed to be 6am on average. As a late riser, I was the sleeping beauty and only once was I asked if I minded if the lights were turned on. Which I didn't. It seemed foolish for them to be hunting around in the dark because I like to wake up slowly.
 
I put a couplke of relevant questions over (a delicious may I add) dinner to my most recent visitors at The Little Fox- The questions and answers were these:
Does Donativo mean either open house or free?
Categorically no! Everyone should evalute that opportunity according to its merits and their capacity to either pay or give in other ways.
Is there any advantage in getting up at 6 or earlier?
Categorically no (most times you arrive earlier than the next albergue is open anyway)
So, there you have it...
 
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It is not uncommon for pilgrims to join together and form a "Camino Family'. While I'm sure some people enjoy the companionship...these groups can be a true nuisance by their insular behavior. Unfortunately, groups can frequently lose the individual civilities of their members. I've experienced groups that took over kitchens (didn't clean up their mess) and continued their 'party' when they came into the albergue after hours.

If you do decide to become part of a group...don't fail to realize that your group is part of a larger population.
 
1: to the early morning rustler. the record for me was 04:20. thanx american old guy, you sure knew how to make the most of your cellophane wrappers & that disco light on your head. grrrrrr.
pack your bag the night before & leave out your walking clothes. take it all into the hall & rustle to your heart´s content, if you must

2: clean your dishes, wipe down your benches, wrap your food. just like mama told you to

3: bed bugs. big issue, esp later on in the camino. just about everyone gets a nip. some worse. some far worse. some far far worse. buy some bug spray, the pharmacies have it. i bought a product called ¨bio-kill¨on advice & sprayed my mattress & pillow each night. call me paranoid, but i escaped the plague, & was one of the few. if you aint sure, treat your stuff, hot wash & dryer the lot. that bite on yourt chin? it aint no mosquito. aint no stigma in trying to get of them, sayin it aint so just makes you part of the problem.

4. you snore? tell the peregrino next to you that its ok to give you a nudge at 2am when you´re keeping the room awake with your chainsaw impersonations, that way you can roll onto your side & everyone has sweet dreams of jacuzis, gondolas & luggage on wheels

5: leave your boots&sticks&bags on the floor or at the door. you put em down all over the place thru the day & pick up little passengers, & when you put your stuff down, they get off. like in beds & on sofas where you & other pererginos eat & sleep & hang out

6. say g´day to people! sit down at a table of strangers! share your wine! share your food! buy someone a beer sometime! we´re peregrino brothers & sisters, man!

7. dont forget the hostelaros! many of them give up there time for you. think what they go thru on a daily basis. it´s no wonder they get grouchy sometimes. i do. i bet you do too! a glass of wine? that plate of ham & cheese & crackers? its a small thing to offer in return. oh, & thankyou goes a long way.

8. that whole ¨do unto others...¨ thingy that jesus was so wild about in his book. there will come a time when you find yourself on the need-it side, & a friendly face is good to find. pass it fwd.

9. lastly, learn some spanish. mio dio, it helps!
 
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Pablo - I like your list .... I like it very much

Buen Camino :wink:
 
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I got ya beat. We had a group of twenty or so pilgrims arrive at 7:30p, wait until 10p to find beds then they all got up at 3a to leave! Happened in Porriño a couple days ago.
 
I am really torn on this one. Where I have shared a room, such as in a youth hostel, I have warned the other occupants, but I personally don't advise it in a dormitory.

On the matter of nudging, shaking or touching a stranger, I am quite clear. If you haven't been invited to in the manner Pablo describes, DON'T. I certainly won't be inviting you to, and like others here, a nudge in the back in the early morning might be more than an invitation to roll over and go back to sleep. Such an action might result in both of us being disappointed

My only exception - if the dormitory needs to be evacuated, I am happy to be invited to participate.

Regards,
 

If you're snoring and keeping others awake, then you need to be evacuated. It's totally unfair to the others.
I really appreciate snorers who, aware of the distress they cause, opt to sleep in another room, kitchen or hall.

Buen camino!

Stephen
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Stephen Nicholls said:
If you're snoring and keeping others awake, then you need to be evacuated. It's totally unfair to the others.
Click to expand...
If people who have not prepared themselves properly to sleep in a dormitory are kept awake by a snorer, that is not the snorer's fault. Given the extensive information available that there will be snorers in the albergue dormitories, it is unfair to suggest the poorly prepared should be given special treatment.

Stephen Nicholls said:
I really appreciate snorers who, aware of the distress they cause, opt to sleep in another room, kitchen or hall.
Click to expand...
For reasons explained here at http://www.caminodesantiago.me/boar...?sid=73b3b42da1d0ee33593350bf238d02fa#p108605 I would advise snorers not allow themselves to be pushed into the kitchen, hall, etc. Those who cannot tolerate snorers should be the ones to move. It is, after all, they who are seeking special treatment, not the snorer.
 
Hi dear members,

I am sorry as I am off topic, but I'm in a hurry and about to go get my camino boots...

I was wondering, are there powerboards in the albergues (I imagine some must do!) for the use electronic gadgets? And would they be located in the restrooms/bathrooms, and/or the dormitory etc?

Hopefully, I leave for the camino on 23rd of this month.
 
Shirin said:
I was wondering, are there powerboards in the albergues (I imagine some must do!) for the use electronic gadgets? And would they be located in the restrooms/bathrooms, and/or the dormitory etc? )
Click to expand...


Answer: all of the above,

power sockets are sought after and are in use very quickly in the Albergues, especially if they are in short supply, people will unplug another pilgrims charger if they feel it has been plugged in long enough, I have no problems with this if the charge indicator is green.

Beun Camino

Frank
 
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Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Al the optimist said:
I include a 3 in one multisocket. it makes me feel I am contributing to others enjoyment of their camino
Click to expand...

good one Al
 
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Oh dear.
I am a snorer.
If I end up in albergues, I might just hang out a sign that says, "please wake me if I snore"
I can sleep, anywhere, any time. I feel awful for those who can't, because I am sawing logs. Fortunately DH is the same.
Perhaps I will carry extra earplugs for those around me.
 
i will put in my five cents worth of albergue etiquette.

1. please have your passport, picture id or national identity card and credential ready at hand when checking into an albergue. of course not every albergue requires the id.

2. please check your laundries hanging out on the clothes line before retrieving them. make sure that you have not mistakenly taken somebody else laundry.

3. lights out in most albergue is 22.00 hour (10 pm), please show consideration to other peregrinos.
refrain from talking or turning on the lights. if you have to talk on your cell phones or skype with someone, please go outside to the common room and try to keep your voice down.

4. if you are in an albergue with a midnight curfew or no curfew, please be quiet so as not to wake other pilgrims.

5. again, if you can not drink, don't drink too much and come into the albergue drunk and disturb everybody else. keep your drinking in moderation.

6. please don't give the hospitaleros a hard time. they are all volunteers and have to adhere to the rules and regulations of the particular albergue. they all donate their time to give something back to the camino and to assist the peregrinos. these albergues are run by different organisations - jacobeo foundation, xunta of galicia, spanish foundation, cfsj, parochial, municipal government, local government and most of them have the same rules and regulations.

7. please, please leave your botas (hiking boots) outside the sleeping area. don't put them on and then go back into the dormitory.

8. as mentioned before, please do not placed your rucksack on the bed. this is why we have bedbugs in some of the albergue.
 

He he , I love these lists(please don't get me wrong) , that to some who are gunuinely ignorant , have astonishing reactions .........Who , ME???

Many people have never , in their lives , had to share?

I think three factors sum it all up

1.) Genuine ignorance
2.) arrogance
3.) selfishness
:mrgreen:
 
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Lights out rules, curfews etc are generally well publicised, however,

Something that is rarely mentioned but is just as important is what time can the lights be turned on?
If someone wants to sleep till 8:00 should we all fumble in the dark to keep them happy?
I have been in dorms where almost everyone was awake preparing for the upcoming day by torch light, but no-one was prepared to turn on the lights for fear of offending the one or two not in a hurry to start their days walk.

If the Albergues set an earliest time that lights could be turned on that would make the morning routine much easier but few do, where the dorm is not to large I would normally ask the others in the room what time they are happy to turn on lights, At some Albergues the hospitalaro actually turn on the lights and may play music to gently wake the sleeping pilgrims.
 
ffp13 said:
Lights out rules, curfews etc are generally well publicised, however,
Something that is rarely mentioned but is just as important is what time can the lights be turned on?
Click to expand...

Frank , I agree ........... I know that there are people who like to sleep in , including myself ........ so I always ask the rest of the pilgrims to go ahead and switch on the light - fair is fair. Why should a dozen pilgrims 'cat foot' about while lazy bones are sleeping ....it could be their last day anyway? I think all lights should be switched on as least 1 hour before expected departure time? During spring and autumn this is most applicable.
 
My husband snores. Boy does he snore. Waking him, turning him, shouting at him - have no effect. He's good for five minutes and then it starts up again. He can't help it. At home it doesn't worry me (I wear earplugs) but on Camino in an albergue I'm on tender hooks. I know how much it disturbs others. I am constantly waiting and listening ready to prod him again. My sleep is ruined and so is his.
A kindly hospitalero once told me to stop worrying. He said if people choose to stay in albergues they must accept snorers, in the same way we accept any disability. If not, pay for a private room.
In spite of the kind words it just got too much for me. We now pay for the private room. The majority of the time we don't stay in albergues at all. We stay in hostals or private rooms. At least I can relax and we both get a decent sleep.
 
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Kanga said:
My husband snores ............ We now pay for the private room. The majority of the time we don't stay in albergues at all. We stay in hostals or private rooms. At least I can relax and we both get a decent sleep.
Click to expand...

This prompts me to go though my list of Albergues and let pilgrims know where I was given a snoring room - in all my 10 years of walking the camino ...I have only ever shared a snoring room ONCE with a fellow snorer.
 
Trinidad de Arre has a snoring room but the last time I stayed there, the guy who snored the loudest didn't use it. Was that you??? ::::laughing::::
 
I had my best nights sleep in a snoring room, I was the only one in there. The person that I had walked with was in the main dorm about 40 beds almost complete, he complained he had the worst night ever for snorers
 
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Well, it appears that I am now lazy, as well as being a snorer!
RENSHAW said:
Why should a dozen pilgrims 'cat foot' about while lazy bones are sleeping
Click to expand...
I didn't ever see the sense in rising early to walk in the dark, and it didn't take long to get ready to leave, so I was generally happy to let the early risers rattle around. Only a few of them could 'cat foot' - unless they were some pre-historic variety related to a mid-sized dinosaur. So many times, it wasn't so much a matter of sleeping soundly as trying to catch a few extra winks before another onslaught of bag rustling and stomping around on creaky floors.

The best places were those that had a clear 'lights on' policy, except perhaps at the albergue I stayed in at Sarria, where there was a policy that was ignored completely.

Regards,
 
piogaw said:
1. please have your passport, picture id or national identity card and credential ready at hand when checking into an albergue. of course not every albergue requires the id.
Click to expand...

Now the interesting thing here was that At every albergue that I went to I was asked to produce my passport untill one day I asked a hospitalero why ........... My passport number had not been written on my credencial when originaly issued.
 
Speaking of Camino etiquette, last night I was at an albergue in Terradillos de Los Templarios. I arrived early, and was shown to my bed, a bottom bunk. I made my bed, then left to enjoy the nice weather outside. When I returned, I thought I was in the wrong room, because someone had moved my stuff to a top bunk and claimed the bottom bunk as theirs. This wasn't an older person, or someone with an injury. This was someone younger and probably more physically fit than me. When you're walking the Camino, your bed is your space. What that person did was like someone deciding they liked my house better and moving all my stuff out and moving their stuff in. I was shocked!
 
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How did you handle this outrage?
It would be a shame to let them get away with this and continue to bully people all the way to Santiago.
 
I did let them get away with it, sadly. I had just watched pilgrim after pilgrim turned away and sent on to Sahagún, so I guess I was just grateful to have a bed. I'm not sure what I should do if it were to happen again.
 
Callea said:
I did let them get away with it, sadly. I had just watched pilgrim after pilgrim turned away and sent on to Sahagún, so I guess I was just grateful to have a bed. I'm not sure what I should do if it were to happen again.
Click to expand...
A tough one this. On one hand as "pilgrims" we try to be considerate and to turn the other cheek, but by doing so we are facilitating bad behaviour. I'd probably wimp it too; who wants to cause ripples?
 
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Regarding snoring problems - my husbands snores quite badly and I have found that if I put my hand gently on his shoulder then 90 % of the times he becomes quiet. He just turns around and continues to sleep, without snoring. Some nights I have to do it a few times, but often one gentle hand is enough for him to be quiet. I do not know if this works on everybody, but it seems worth trying. Throwing things at people, yelling or such does not seem very nice nor helpful.

Buen Camino!
 
My pet peeve was the number of men who thought it was o.k. to parade around in their underwear like they were home or in the locker room. Please be discrete when changing clothes and put you pants back on in a reasonable amount of time. Most of us don't care to look at you sitting/standing around in your underwear.
 
What do you do with your passport and wallet when you are in the shower?
 
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NH pilgrim said:
What do you do with your passport and wallet when you are in the shower?
Click to expand...
I think that I would take valuables with me to the shower in a waterproof plastic bag, things like cash, cards, passport, phone and camera....or else trust fellow pilgrim to look after them and return the favour when they go to the shower!
 
"If you tend to snore, don´t drink a lot of wine in the evening. It makes you reverberate."

As a kindness to other pilgrims...
If you tend to snore it would be good if in preparation for the trip you might consider getting a mouth guard so as not to be terribly loud. Also you would probably find you sleep better if you did. Snoring can be prevented and you will be healthier if you are actually getting the oxygen that you do NOT get when you snore. My father has sleep apnea and it helps enormously to have a guard.

And yes I know I can bring earplugs...but preventative medicine is for everyone!
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Great tips throughout! There are excellent, free apps that create "white noise." I like Sleep Pillow. It has saved my marriage. It can be set to turn off after 15 minutes to an hour, and you can mix your own sounds (waves, rain, whales.) With earphones in I can sleep through an awful lot.
 
Peace. This is a pilgrimage, not a cheap holiday. Albergue living is the opportunity for all of us to get to see ourselves. I saw some people go nuts with snorers, and I saw some snorers get torn to shreds by people. I kind of figure snoring is not a malicious act, and if you need a good night's sleep, you need to pay for a room and give yourself a break. Both snorers and those blessed with quiet or silent sleep patterns.
 
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Communal living is a challenge for each individual. I enjoy those cultures who still value the importance of the community. They teach us that the individual's wants and needs are sometime sacrificed for the welfare of the whole. If we have a personal problem, tend to it as best we can; don't consciously do things that aggravate the issue. If you find another with a personal problem, be patient and forgiving.

If "I" have a known, atrocious problem, then look in the mirror and realize "I" don't need to make every other member of the albergue suffer. We need to prepare to be good fellow pilgrims as much as possible. Also, we cannot do more than what we can do; a stunningly obvious principle, but too many of us stress ourselves out what we cannot change. Do your best and forgive yourself also.
 
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Whilst there is a place for a lot of posts and a heated discussion about snoring I do not think it is this thread. Please could you start a new thread, maybe when I have discovered how to split threads I will do it myself.

The recent conversation has been moved to a thread in FAQs titled Snoring and Snorers
 
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For me the only complaint I had sleeping in the albergues was the early starter pilgrims who sometimes woke everyone up before the crack of dawn.
I snore and shout in my sleep, and sometimes sleepwalk so before I crashed out for the night I always made everyone in the room aware of this and I think it was exactly at that same point in time when people would think, oh great!
 
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ffp13 said:
When i volunteer as a hospitalaro next year i will turn on all dorm lights at 0630
Click to expand...
How about writing a short report on your experiences. It might help both the pilgrims and also anyone considering volunteering as a hospitalaro. Cheers
 
Callea said:
I did let them get away with it, sadly. I had just watched pilgrim after pilgrim turned away and sent on to Sahagún, so I guess I was just grateful to have a bed. I'm not sure what I should do if it were to happen again.
Click to expand...
Callea - yes it can be a problem (bullying) but if you don't have any previous experience with the problem you may not be sure of the protocol. For me (a senior, but fairly fit and over 190 cm tall) I would be sorely tempted to dumping the offender on their butt and very sternly informing them of Albergue etiquette: do not touch another pilgrim's stuff!!
 
Camino is populated by humans (for good and ill) so be flexible and be courteous, and don't let few bad experience taint an otherwise life improving experience. When my phone was stolen, the good will toward people went out the door for awhile. Eventually not having a 'leash' helped me to be more immersed in the 'here and now' and enjoy the moments, and, all the good people I meet along the way soon restored my faith in people .. Even these folks who came into room after everyone is asleep and whistled - wakening everyone to 'stop' the snoring.
 
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2nd ed.
The only blessing of hearing defect, you don't hear snorers, on my first camino I managed to irate a lovely German lady, she complained about my snoring, but she snored very loudly, so one morning and still half asleep, she started complaining, I told did she know she snored, I thought she would attack me , but 2 nights later she walked into an albergue and straight to my mat and laid out her gear beside me, she then asked me to join her for a vino, still friends .
 
Beautiful stories!
 
I just read through all nineteen(I believe) pages of this silliness and I must ask if some of the people here have ever experienced or considered the gravity of real hardship not just trivial nuisances? Rewind a few hundred years and imagine the provincial governor has taken a fancy to your fair maiden and sets about to bring you up on false charges where the sentance is to return with a compostela. It's December and you're in Austria and you must return by April or not at all? Use your imagination, count your blessings. Oh and what posesses people to broadcast the nationality of the percieved offenders? Whatever is is God's will. If nothing else patience and tolerance is a persistent lesson.
 
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If you aren't tired enough to sleep through snoring maybe double up on your distance. I pose this question, does anyone actually believe anyone snores by choice? As far as the other "offenses", peoples spirits will quicken when they quicken. Appointing oneself the pointer out of others shortcomings is a bit of zealotry, no? One love
 
iPods are a great idea! Sadly, I know this from personal experience, as I'm an extremely light sleeper. I have, however, trained myself to sleep wearing not only a pair of earplugs but also a giant pair of Bose noise-canceling headphones through which I listen to white or brown noise playing on my iPod. That combination seems to block out most noise. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will work on the Camino!

(And because of all the excellent information provided by people on this forum I have budgeted for at least the occasional night in a private room at a hostal or pension in the event I am not sleeping as well as I would like to in the albuergues. : )
 
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What does one do with his or her backpack as far as safety? Is there lockers that they can be stored in while out for dinner or just exploring the town? I know keep valuables with you at all times but my clothing and gear is also my valuable. What do you all recommend?
 
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Very few places have lockers, so you mostly take your chances and trust!
 
I think that the risk of losing your clothes and gear in albergues comes more from confusion than actual stealing. The morning leaving is a mess -everybody is getting ready, talking loudly, doing a final repacking, calling their friends, picking the clothes drying on the clothes line, looking for their stuff under the bunk beds, the hospitalero is announcing that everybody has to leave in five minutes...So, put some nice ribbons on your clothes, color tape on your gear -you get the idea.
Anyway, be watchful. There has been some reports of stolen valuables.
Between Roncesvalles and Burgos I feel quite safe -we are a kind of nomadic brotherhood, everybody is known. My personal "alert-ometer" buzzes more loudly in big cities and as I approach Santiago. Anyway, it is a kind of muffled buzz...
 
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Good luck with all that. Never saw much etiquette observed. Stayed in pensiones after a few nights of dealing with albergues.
 
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GerryDel said:
....Never saw much etiquette observed. Stayed in pensiones after a few nights of dealing with albergues.
Click to expand...
Too funny! Reminds me of the time I had to deal with someone's ire after she had observed a peregrino emerge from a bathroom stall without flushing the toilet; he then exited the bathroom without washing his hands.
 


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The first time I cooked in the Camino I was so excited that I bought too much food supplies, and, although we were two, I cooked for a family of eight. Actually, It was fun, because we could invite some fellow pilgrims, somebody went to buy a bottle of wine, and we had a good time. But in the end, there was some left. I asked the hospitalero and he told me, “Oh, don’t worry, leave it in the fridge and this night or tomorrow next pilgrims will have it”. I did so, I thought it was in the communal spirit of Camino.

But a couple of days later in an albergue there was a real fuss: a pilgrim got very angry because somebody have taken his lettuces, tomatoes, or something (I don't understand well “Angry English”).

Next Sunday I cooked again (I had discovered something vaguely similar to “chilis” in the supermarket), and I was careful to buy anything needed. The hospitalero saw me, smelled approvingly, but said “Oh, why did you buy so much things? There are already enough supplies in the fridge, nobody uses it, I will have to discard too much”.

I was somewhat confused about “fridge etiquette” -and still are.
 
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When I'm walking, I always put my name on my food bag before I put it in the fridge.
I do not think one should "assume" that just because something doesn't have a name on it, it's free game.
It's different if you are the very first to arrive and you KNOW the food has been there all night.
Then, by all means, use it.
But you can always ask the hospitalero to be sure?
 
Felipe said:
I think that the risk of losing your clothes and gear in albergues comes more from confusion than actual stealing..
Click to expand...

I agree with you Felipe, that sometimes this happens.

On one of my group trips, we left SJPP in the wee hours and it was dark in the Gite.
Everyone got their shoes on, grabbed their bags, and took off.

When we arrived in Orisson, one of my clients flagged me down and in embarrassment told me she had picked up the wrong shoes!
The shoes were EXACTLY like her own, same size, same color.
But when she squatted to pee along the way, she noticed in horror the shoestrings were tipped with red shoe polish!
These were NOT her shoes!

We never discovered if SHE was the one who picked up the wrong shoes…or if it was the other woman.

But mistakes can and do happen.
Which is why I always suggest people don't bring ANYTHING on the Camino they cannot afford to lose.
 
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I wonder if these and all the other sundry observations, ruminations and insinuations..
have been carried out since time primordial?
i can imagine, and would love to have participated in some of the earliest of the same

"who left the chamberpot untended"
why oh why are the windows letting all the night air in/out?
my sandals are sooo worn....
my feet are killing me, oh the blisters,
man, i GOT to wash my robe...
man..he GOT ! to wash his robe
he snores?, I pass the evil humors from my nethers
good LAWD! wherefore pray tell..did those evil EVIL !humors emanate from!
and in some forgotten corner of the Albergue/Gite/Monastery... some unfortunate soul, that red eyed, Peregrino of little sleep, huddles silently, tearfully, at the prospect of this wonderfully human act of community, and the fact he will not harden fast enough to the hardships, and lose sleep yet another nite, to wander the morn in a daze and wibble all over the countryside until the next place of rest comes to sight.

to gaze in wonder and gratitude, fear and awe, upon yon spire in the morning light, and weep
is it of grace? or relief at the last pilgrim step upon the Scala Sancta, as if every step was not...

to feel the presence of greatness, in the act of being small to the world

I wonder and await my steps upon the millennial road, to find Humanity, to be wholly..Human
I offer humor and jest
i offer no offence
Peace
 
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