Camino questions (backpacks, suitcases & airport transfers)

[Remi & Jen]

Nancy,
it isn't really clear why you would put your backpack inside a suitcase...
If it is for protection for straps and such, then I would recommend asking
for a bag at the airline check-in.  I have done this several times, and the
bags are tough enough to serve as your pack rain-cover during the trip and
still be used for getting your pack home.
If you need to ship a few after-camino items to Santiago, and to ship larger
things home, you can purchase a number of different sized boxes at the post
offices themselves.  They are recycled cardboard, quite tough, and only a
couple euros.  We shipped 17kilos of unnecessary post-academic
trip/pre-camino books, clothes and 2 daypacks in a box where the post office
employees in Barcelona were very helpful (packing tape, felt markers). The
monster of a box cost about 35-40 Euros to ship to Calgary by boat (4-6
weeks), but arrived in only 2 weeks. There are size limitations, so best to
use the supplied boxes if items are large enough that you are concerned.
I don't have info on Madrid transfers, especially with checked luggage (mine
was delayed from London to Barcelona last trip in June), but 3 hours seems a
little tight for any large city where the airport is outside of the city
itself, especially if you are trying to use public transit.  Save a few
minutes by getting money at an ATM, they are literally everywhere (don't
forget to have a 4-digit pin). You'll get better rates and check with your
bank for service fees (I paid $2canadian per withdrawal, so generally better
than %-based currency exchange).
Buen Camino,
Remi
Calgary, Alberta
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