Your Camino de Santiago Questions - Answered

Thanks for submitting all your questions about the Camino de Santiago .
Here are the answers. Use the time stamps below to jump to specific questions.
I'm sure your questions will provide tips for others.
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I love to talk and share about all aspects of the Camino!
And hear your tips too!
TIMESTAMPS (in case you want to skip) 👇
0:00 Intro
1:55 Access to Home Mobile Number w/ Local Sim Card
4:50 Advance Bed Booking
7:22 Long Distances with No Bars & Shops
14:22 Luggage Service Apps
16:29 Spiritual Aspect of Camino Invierno
18:34 Path Population and Route Differences
21:24 Water Sterilising Tablets
22:59 Via De La Plata Provisions
25:32 Stats for Kiwis (NZ)
26:11 Does losing weight make Camino easier?
28:00 Reason for Repeating the Camino
32:29 Are Hipsta Clips still in business?
33:50 Pilgrims Walking Back, Pulling Small Cart & Young Pilgrims
37:33 Using Card Instead of Cash
39:45 Albergue Dorms Experience
42:42 Snakes on Camino
43:25 Shoes & Foot Care Routine
47:20 Outro
⚡ Camino Blog ⚡
For more details about each journey you can visit the detailed blogs at robscamino.com/
It includes daily videos, blogs and photos.
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GOOD CAMINO VIDEOS FOR NEWBIES
I thought it might be useful to point these out, as they address a lot of questions that Pilgrims have when planning their first Camino:
🦶🏽 How to Avoid Blisters on the Camino - Yes it can be done:
• How to Avoid Blisters ...
🤐 What They Don't Tell You about the Camino - 10 Things to Know:
• What They Don't Tell Y...
🧳 Camino de Santiago Packing List:
• What's in my Pack for ...
⚠️ Camino Warning - Before You Walk the CAMINO de Santiago:
• Camino Warning - Befor...
📅 Planning your First Camino - 12 Camino de Santiago Planning Tips:
• Planning your First Ca...
👟 Camino de Santiago Footwear - Boots, Shoes, Trail Runners or Sandals?:
• Camino de Santiago Foo...
✈️ Camino Travel - Trekking Poles on the Plane:
• Camino Travel - Trekki...
😨 8 Common Fears about the Camino:
• 8 Common Fears about t...
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TOP 10 MOST COMMON CAMINO QUESTIONS
1. *What is the Camino de Santiago?* The Camino is a network of pilgrimage routes leading to Santiago de Compostela, where the tomb of St. James is located.
2. *How long does it take?* Depending on the route, it can take from a few days to several weeks.
3. *Which route should I take?* The choice depends on your preference for scenery, difficulty, culture, and crowd levels.
4. *What is the best time to go?* Spring and autumn are generally good, but busy.
5. *What should I pack?* Essentials include comfortable hiking shoes, lightweight clothing, rain gear, and a small first aid kit.
6. *How physically demanding is it?* This varies by route and individual fitness level, but most people can complete it with appropriate preparation.
7. *Do I need a pilgrim's passport (credencial)?* Yes, it's used to collect stamps along the way to to gain access to Pilgrim only accomodation qualify for the 'Compostela' certificate.
8. *Where will I stay?* There are numerous accommodations along the routes, including pilgrim hostels (albergues), hotels, and guesthouses.
9. *What is typical Camino cuisine?* Local specialties vary by region, but staples include tortilla española, Galician octopus, and Tarta de Santiago. But the Pilgrim's Menu which is often on offer, is a great value.
10. *Do I need to speak Spanish?* It's not essential, but learning basic phrases can enrich your experience. Some locals and fellow pilgrims will speak English, but less so away from the most popular routes..
#caminodesantiago #caminovideo

[@karenmunday3610]

I absolutely love your videos. They are so helpful! I'm a Spanish native speaker, when I watched videos in Spanish regarding el Camino, they are not as good as yours. Your videos are precise, full of facts and helpful advice,. Gracias !

[@robscamino]

Thank You, that is a very nice compliment. I'm glad you find the videos useful.

[@taketothehighwaydotcom3152]

Hi Rob. I am just back from the Camino Frances, where I had an incredible experience! 45 days, and I loved every one of them! I am just circling back to thank you for all the great info you have published in your videos. I took many of your suggestions, but by far the most beneficial was the introduction to "Hiker's Wool." I had never heard of this before, but I ordered online and used it EVERY single day! I wrapped it around my toes, padded the insides of my heels, and handed out to other pilgrims in pain. I walked the entire Camino and never got a blister! Thanks again for this excellent tip, among many others!

[@robscamino]

So glad to hear that you had a great Camino! 🙂

[@jacklonergan9991]

Rob you looked jacked!! Your massive weight loss is amazing and I’m sure helped you on the silver route

[@robscamino]

Yes, It helped a huge amount.

[@brycenielsen1159]

Brilliant love every bit of considered content. Thanks

[@robscamino]

Thanks, glad it makes sense.

[@britchie7224]

Thanks Rob. Always appreciate your thoughts.

[@robscamino]

There were some great questions, thanks.

[@sara7834]

Thanks for answering both my questions!! I'll start camino primitivo in about a month and what you said was really useful 😊

[@robscamino]

Buen Camino!

[@isabelcastillo2394]

Thanks so much for this great video and thanks to the folks that contributed the questions. I watched the entire vid. Very helpful. I'll be working with my cell provider on various options.

[@robscamino]

Feel free to ask questions any time. It gives me ideas for new videos 😉

[@DavidHRyall]

eSims are great! I didn't need to do phone calls because all the Albergues are on WhatsApp, so you only really need data. I left my Aussie sim in just as backup, and incase anyone called. But everything else went through data

[@robscamino]

Glad that worked well for you.

[@KiwiPilgrim]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my query about whether the Camino Invierno is as 'spiritual' as the Frances. I did think that there would be the difference that you spoke of. For me, the spirituality on the Frances was almost tangible. We shall have to carry our awareness with us on the Invierno and allow the beauty of the hills and valley's speak to us in their own way.

[@robscamino]

You will love the Invierno....... 🙂

[@julianlord5366]

Even on the very tertiary Camino routes without any waymarking at all and that virtually nobody ever walks, it's pretty rare to have to rely on what's in your backpack for your meal of the day. What's typical in most of Spain and nearly all of Portugal is that each village will have at least one bar and often a little shop, though there are exceptions. Don't use pack transport myself, but on some routes without those services, local taxis can sometimes transport your stuff for you. On Camino routes even less traveled than the VDLP, you actually have to include route planning day-to-day in your routine, which villages have a bar, restaurant or shop, ATM and so on, which is the easier route for youre needs and so on, and you can't just blindly follow an official route, unless you're a fast day-to-day walker -- but even then, some degree of shifting away from the official route for whatever reasons may be desirable. My big Camino was my 2nd -- I was a bit more of a hiker/tourist on the 1st, and it was a bit of a failure, but my 2nd was Home (Paris) to Santiago and it was the real thing. The Francès and the various Português routes are the ones with the larger proportion of young pilgrims, though there were quite a few on the Catalàn, and the Aragonés is basically a variant of the Francès so there are youths on that one too. The tiny little snake you saw sounds like a viper, and you do need to be careful with those, they can kill you. The larger European snakes aren't that big, but they're not venomous.

[@robscamino]

Yes, I'd agree, rare. I always found a meal at my overnight stay, (and hence breakfast) as they were usually larger villages and 'common' stopping points. But I have to say on the VdlP and to a slightly less degree on the Invierno, it was the norm, for nothing to be open during the walking day. Unless it was quite a large village. To find somewhere open for a coffee or snack during the day on the VdlP for example, was a treat. Maybe on 5 days out of 35? So I'd agree, it would be very rare to not have a meal at the end of the day, but very common to carry your food to be consumed 'during' the day. Though 2 days out of 15 on the Invierno, there was no food anywhere in the evening. But I knew ahead of time. Quite a few times breakfast was a DIY affair though. As the one bar/cafe might not open early enough. It just required planning ahead a day or so. I suppose ultimately, I felt more 'comfortable' having a small food reserve with me 'just in case'. It often got consumed on the trail the next day....

[@jacintabuckley4060]

I was thinking of doing the French cammino, wondering exactly where it stats. However I have z disability ms makes me unstable but I can walk a bit on the treadmill I walk 3.5 km per hour. Thank you for answering my questions.

[@robscamino]

None of the Camino routes actually start anywhere. Traditionally, Pilgrims would walk from home. So start where you like. Maybe try some walks locally and see how you go. And hiking poles might help with stability

[@johnavery5384]

The question “why do you walk the Camino more than once?” Is silly. Why do anything you love more than once? Because you love doing it! Good video. Thanks.

[@robscamino]

I suppose some people might think that some element didn't work or 'click' the first time around, or maybe to try different routes or something. For those who have never walked a Camino, they may not realise the 'pull' it exerts on us to return. 🙂

[@edwardmoran1739]

Thanks. Wished you had a short map review at the start.

[@robscamino]

Good idea. I can't edit a video that is already published, but I have added a map to this Blog Post for you. robscamino.com/flights-are-booked-via-de-la-plata-here-i-come/

[@rossnairn6488]

Hi Rob and thanks for answering my (and all the others) questions. In the past I have used walking apps but they are really bad at draining the battery on your phone so do you have to take a powerbank (weight!) and also make sure that once you come out of the app it is still not actually on and draining the battery in the background. Thanks again and looking forward to my first camino (Portuguese) in September.

[@robscamino]

I had a powerbank with me, but it failed after a week. I didn't need one really. I was running maps.me and mapmywalk all the time I was walking, as well as google maps sometimes. It depends on the phone really.

[@robscamino]

Thanks for all these great questions! In the description below the video are 'time stamps' so you can jump to the questions of interest. This Blog Post has a map of the route at the bottom of the page. robscamino.com/flights-are-booked-via-de-la-plata-here-i-come/

[@dittanymorgan7039]

Thank you for this video. I cannot settle at all and all I can think of is how to do another. I thought it would settle me but it’s made me 10 times worse. I walk most days in the uk but not the same. I’m like you, I love solitude but also like the camaraderie of cafes or meal times. I’ve made a couple of life long friend on the Frances which is fantastic but just need to be out there somehow. In spite of sleeping ( or not) on a park bench in Pamplona and breaking my wrist in Sarria walking down the street, ( I carried on to Santiago) I still loved it and basically can think of not much else. Help!!!

[@robscamino]

I feel for you... 🤥 Sadly I'm not sure it gets better the more Caminos we walk. But I try to take that Camino 'feeling' into my everyday life. Silly example. My wife has been in Bangkok for 2 months visiting her sick Father (he's getting better). I'm here for a week to see him. This home/suburb is a new one to us. Pat has been exploring the Malls and great places to eat that all involve a car ride. Last night I got into Camino mode and just looked for places to eat on Google Maps. We walked 500 metres to a street that was full of local markets, stalls, restaurants! Pat was amazed. "How did you know all this was here?" LOL. We'll walk around there for dinner tonight again....... I think we have to learn to appreciate and enjoy what is right in front of us sometimes .....

[@dittanymorgan7039]

@@robscamino you’re right of course. I live in a beautiful part of the country and can be out walking in 5 minutes. It doesn’t help that my father died last month. Although he was 91 I wasn’t expecting it, it’s made me worse of course. Ah Well, I’ll have to find a way of going again next year I think. Maybe the Norte or primitivo. Think it will have to just be a couple of weeks this time. Thanks once again for all your videos, had a bit of a camino video fest tonight. Also watched the way for the millionth time again the other day.

[@robscamino]

@@dittanymorgan7039 Grab a red wine and watch the Way again ! Been there, done that a million times or so LOL You know The Way 2 is coming out soon.......

[@robscamino]

Something I discovered this year.........short Caminos can work just as well as long ones! 7-10 days. 60 days was totally unnecessary LOL

[@robscamino]

@@dittanymorgan7039 So sorry to hear about your Father. That's never easy.

[@auzzygirl8175]

Hi Rob. Welcome home. Can I ask which bank has the euro bank account? Thanks for all your work on the channel.

[@robscamino]

Good to be back, thanks. But now I miss the Camino. 🙂

[@auzzygirl8175]

@@robscamino Can I ask which bank offers the euro account? Thank you.

[@robscamino]

@@auzzygirl8175 I think most of the major Australian banks do. I have had them with Westpac and CBA.

[@lugsdin]

NAB no longer offer a Travel Currency Card

[@robscamino]

@@lugsdin Thanks for the update. My current card is from CBA.

[@nataliefalepin284]

Thank you for all tge info. Though...lol your accent regarding certain products is difficult to follow. Thank you for all the advice❤

[@robscamino]

Sorry about the accent. Where are you from?

[@cltinturkey]

Thanks very much! No one seems to do videos on getting used gear for the Camino. I imagine many reusable gear items are abandoned near Santiago or other end points. Does anyone (shops or organizations) gather and redistribute them for resale? Are there any used gear shops along the Camino Frances route? I've got everything but hiking sticks and would like to buy used ones along the route. Can anyone answer this or guide me to used gear options?

[@robscamino]

This is often raised in online discussions. as a lot of hiking poles are left behind in Santiago as they cannot be carried as cabin luggage (Santiago airport rule currently). But the economics of transporting used poles back to the various start points would be a challenge I think. If you are passing through Santiago on your way to your start point, you may find used poles at Pilgrim House.

[@robscamino]

As for gear, other than poles, I'm not sure much gets left behind. I imagine most people use that same gear at home, or like I do, put it aside for the next Camino.

[@cltinturkey]

@@robscamino Thanks very much! It might be worthwhile for some enterprising person to collect the reusable detritus and sell it to some shops near the beginning for resale. I'm facing the same flying challenge, since I virtually never check a bag. I'm packing spare and at the end of my Camino I imagine my few clothes won't amount to enough to check.

[@robscamino]

@@cltinturkey Doing the numbers on the back of an envelope, I sadly can't see how it would work. Unless it was funded somehow. Also the shops probably prefer to sell new poles. (higher margins, less problems). Tough call. Maybe someone will come up with an idea...

[@bethsola2617]

Thanks once again for your video, Rob! I’m heading to Spain for my first small Camino second half of Sept. hope to do Astorga to Santiago, but a Camino all the same! I really appreciate your perspective on the few days you had on the Frances this past time. It was truly an unexpected surprise that was your favorite part! I’m looking for that energy as well. As far as booking ahead, for me I’ll book my first night and plan to let the Camino provide, as they say. Gracias!

[@EsaiasP]

You talk a lot abt VideoP. What does it mean? Is it one of the caminos?

[@martink8080]

It's that Aussie accent: VDLP or Via de la Plata, the name of one of the Camino routes.

[@robscamino]

Correct 🙂