Sleeping Arrangements in Refugios

[Crawley, Jeffrey]

Welcome Doug.

You'll find a lot of discussion about this in the archives but a lightweight sleeping bag will normally be OK although refugios can be chilly in both fall and spring (more so in the latter) but you can always top up with clothes.  Some refugios have blankets of varying states of cleanliness - they are not 5 star hotels and it's very hard to keep up with blanket laundry when there is only just enough stock and you through put hundreds of pigrims a week.

I'm not sure a Yukon bedroll would be any more benficial but then there are some very thin, light and warm 'fleece' blankets available nowdays.

It's true a lot of pilgrims carry 'kip-mats' but you shouldn't need to use one except in the height of the season when all of the beds and matresses are gone - beds range from a 3 inch (7.5cm) pad on the floor through three tier bunks to brand new beds and matresses.  I saw a 'glory hole' in one refugio just 200km from Santiago full of gear discarded by pilgrims including cook stoves, tents and about a dozen kip-mats.

Pillows - you get to see some really disgusting pillows, inflatable ones aren't really that comfortable.  I opt for clothes in the stuff bag of my sleeping bag - at least you can wash it out regularly (how often would you use the same pillowcase for 30-40 days at home without laundering it?).

Yes, dormitorios are 'co-ed' - so are most of the shower facilities.  Western european teenage girls and women tend to be less inhibited about being seen in their underwear (a generalisation I know) and I've seen middle aged and elderly Americans especially, embarassed by young girls wandering around in various states of undress.  Similarly a French woman couldn't understand why she nearly got arrested in Carolina for sunbathing 'topless' on a public beach. You'll get used to it and, besides, a gentleman wouldn't look.

Technology . . . boy you could start a real flame war here! Opinions vary between the hair shirts/sandles approach and 'must bring my satellite phone with me'. NOTHING, not even the snoring is as bad as the trilling of a mobile phone at midnight! I carry a mobile to enable me to text message my daughters, NEVER have it on all the time and have it switched to 'discreet' when it is on. If, like ET, you must phone home you'll find details of the various phone card options on archive too.  On the other hand there is a website by a Scot who carried a mini-disc recorder and recorded the sounds of the Camino: you could capture bird song, singing in the churches, the various blessings you'll receive, the silence of a mountain landscape. . .

Cameras too are useful and Pieter Pannevis did a great posting about the merits of film vs digital on 24 February this year (I'll forward it if you like as I kept it on file).

As an engineer I usually go for the 'KISS' route: Keep It Simple, Stupid! If it can't go wrong it won't go wrong.

Happy ramblings

Jeffrey

-----Original Message-----
From: Doug Tustin [mailto:pelicanaINNERCITE.COM]
Sent: 07 May 2003 04:31
To: GOCAMINO
Subject: Sleeping Arrangements in Refugios


Hi,

My name is Doug Tustin, and I am new to this site. I live in Placerville,
California. I recently traveled in Spain and developed a strong desire to
be a part of the Camino. Since my return, I have found these archives an
excellent source for preparation in both the physical as well as the
spiritual aspect. My thanks to all of you who have posted about your
experiences.

I may begin this Fall, or perhaps I'll wait until Spring. In either case,
I've got numerous questions. I'll start with a simple subject, sleeping
arrangements in the refugios.

Is it best to have a light-weight sleeping bag, or do some people find a
light-weight bed roll satisfactory? I have seen photos of pilgrims carrying
pads. Are they necessary, or are mattresses usually available? Do people
bring small or inflatable pillows, or is it easy to get used to a clothes-
in-a-bag pillow? Are the dorms and facilities co-ed?

On the one hand, I want to experience simplicity and get by without relying
on products of technology, but on the other hand, I realize I am a creature
that technology and some of it will probably enhance my experience. Any
thoughts on simplicity?

Thank you for your help,
Doug Tustin