033: What to Really Expect on the Camino, Part 2: Shower Doors, Screens, and Other Room Mysteries
And. . . we're live on the Camino Inglés!
Hello Camino friends! Here’s what’s in this issue:
💡“What to Really Expect on the Camino, Part 2: Shower Doors, Windows, and Other Room Mysteries”
📸Scenes from the Camino: Rainy Day Thoughts
🎥Live from the Camino!
🇺🇸Come Meet Me in the USA
🥾How to get help planning your Camino.
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💡What To Really Expect on the Camino, Part 2: Shower Doors, Screens, and Other Room Mysteries
“Has anyone figured out how to turn on the lights in your room?”
I chuckled and then explained, “When you open the door, you’ll see the switches on the left, but they don’t work initially. Look a few feet above those and you’ll see the master switch. Once you flip that, all the other ones will work.”
We were in the Parador Hotel in Ferrol, Spain—one of the starting points for the Camino Inglés. Most in my group had read Part 1 of this series—where I explained that here in Spain you often have to insert your room key in a box by your door in order for the lights to go on. But this master switch six feet up the wall? That was a first for me!
We’ve just finished Day 1 on this inaugural Camino Walk with Rebecca, which means another hotel room to learn about. Tim Wesolowski, a recent pilgrim, explained that it always feels like the first inning on the Camino—you never know what to expect.
But having lived in Spain for 4.5 years now and having walked over a dozen Caminos, it’s rare I run into something I haven’t seen before (at least when it comes to hotel rooms).
But I’m always thinking of you, future pilgrims, so I’ve noted a few other quirks to be aware of. . .
In Part 1 of this series, I explained the disadvantages of having a “room with a view.” But I didn’t mention that your windows most likely won’t have screens on them. Screens are not common in most parts of Spain. But, somehow, neither are flies. There are exceptions—like if you’re in a small farming village close to grazing cows. In that case, you will probably have flies. You may or may not have screens to keep them out.
And now, let’s take a step into the bathroom. If yours has a tub/shower, there is often not a way to completely close off the shower from rest of the bathroom. What keeps water from getting everywhere? A half door. Yes, just half. So, depending on how skilled you are at keeping the water in that half, you may or may not have a puddle of water soaking your bathmat when you get out.
Oh—and that half door? It moves. So don’t use it to support you when exiting the shower.
In your bathroom, you may see a rectangular network of white pipes. You may think that’s the heating for the bathroom. You would be correct. But you know what else we use it for? To dry our clothes.
Clothes dryers are not common in this (or many) European countries. If you’re renting an apartment, open all the windows and peek out in order to find your clothesline. But if you’re in a hotel room after a rain-filled day on the Camino and you find this contraption on your bathroom wall, you may have just hit the jackpot. I say “may” because it’s often linked to the heating system—so if the heating system is not on, you may turn the dial and nothing happens. (And FYI: some hotels wait until a specific date to turn on the heating system—independent of the weather.)
Speaking of getting things dry, let’s talk shoes. If they get wet, see below for my explanation of what to do.
Tomorrow we start Day 2 on this inaugural Camino Walk with Rebecca. These are hybrid trips: I accompany small groups for their first few days, giving them the skills and confidence to finish the trip on their own. Today I interviewed Emily Kiefer, one of our group members. Apologies for the camera angle oddities—just like hotel rooms, even when you think you know how they work, something else pops up. Hopefully I can redeem myself with tomorrow’s interviewee—join us at 12 ET.
With love,
Rebecca
P.S. If you want to be the first to hear about my Camino Walk with Rebecca trips for 2026, click here.
📸Scenes from the Camino: Rainy Day Thoughts
🎥Join me for live interviews here on Substack!
Sure, I can tell you all about how to train for, plan, and walk the Camino de Santiago. But what’s better than me? Conversations with others (45+) who have done it—or, in this case, are on it right now!
Sunday, October 5, 12 ET - Live from the Camino Inglés
Monday, October 6, 12 ET - Live from the Camino Inglés
If you missed today’s Live from the Camino Inglés, click here to watch it.
🇺🇸Come meet me in the USA!
I’ll be in the US for a few months at the end of 2025. If you’d like to have an in-person Camino planning session, I’d love to meet you! Click here and I’ll be in touch.
Asheville, NC (Oct. 15- Nov. 4; Nov. 24- Dec. 12)
Poughkeepsie, NY (Nov. 10-14)
Columbus, OH (Nov. 20-21)
Also, on Nov. 5, I’ll be giving a Camino talk at REI Asheville. It’s free but registration is required. I’ll post the registration link on the newsletter once REI publishes it.
🥾Ready to start planning your Camino?
Rebecca Weston
Camino Planning & Preparation Guide (for People 45+)
Rebecca@TheCaminoCalls.com
Your Camino adventure should feel exciting, not stressful — here are some ways I can help you get ready:
Watch Camino Conversations for practical tips and advice from my guests who have done the Camino (or more than one!).
🗓️ Camino Planning Session (60 min): Get answers to your top questions and a notes doc created during our call.
📞 Full Camino Experience: 6 coaching calls with detailed notes to plan your trip with confidence and ease.
🥾 Walk With Rebecca: 7-day hybrid Camino walks — 3 days guided, 4 days independent, private rooms, preparation classes, and optional check-ins. Click here to be the first to be notified about my next trip.Rebecca Weston is an American who walked her first Camino in 2012.
About me: I’ve walked more than a dozen Caminos since my first in 2012. I’ve spent many days volunteering along the trail, and if I’m not walking one now, I’m planning the next—and would love nothing more than to help you plan yours, too. Originally from the US, my husband and I live in a town of 6500 people on the Camino del Norte.