Bringing baby

[Jeffrey Crawley]

A tough one.

I've never seen kids younger than 8 or so on the Camino and they can get
sooooooooo tired and irritable just when you want to get some rest after
your day's walk.  My own daughters are 16 and 14 but I still haven't
forgotten the middle of the night screams from the youngest when she was 9
months old, I really don't think I'd have wanted to inflict my Philippa on a
room full of exhausted pilgrims.  Think back a couple of years, would YOU
have welcomed someone bringing a very small baby while you hiked the
highways and byeways of Spain?

As an ex-hospitalero I'd even have doubts about letting a dog in again
(sorry Trigo) after a bad experience of a spaniel tied up outside and
barking through to 2am! (I finaly got up and untied it whereupon it went in
and slept next to it's owner's bunk for the rest of the night)

Don't forget how hot it will be in the summer too - 40deg C in places.

Pushing a stroller, no matter how rugged, up O'Cebriero would be no joke.

I don't think that baby would suffer but you and everybody else might and
you don't want everybody disappearing as soon as you hove into view.

On balance, unless you are desperate not to be separated from your little
girl I think it would be better for you, her and your fellow pilgrims for
you not to take her along.

That probably didn't help a bit did it?

Jeffrey



-----Original Message-----
From: Teri Duff [mailto:teriaPASSITDOWN.COM]
Sent: 25 April 2003 00:19
To: GOCAMINO
Subject: Bringing baby


My husband and I are planning to spend two weeks walking the Camino,
(late June/early July).  We are planning to bring our daughter who will
be 9 months old at the time.  We have a very rugged jogging stroller
which I believe will allow us to push her over any terrain.

Do you think we will have any problems being accepted into the
refugios?  I was just planning to have her sleep with me in a sleeping
bag made of sheets.  Do other people bring small children?  Is there
anything special we should be taking into consideration?

Thanks,

Teri