This channel is for travelers. We are David and Robb, and have been traveling together for 30 years. We’ve been to over 85 countries and territories (so far) on trips that have ranged from a couple of weeks to a couple of years. We are currently taking a four year sabbatical and offer you an unconventional example of what is possible.
Whether you are looking at an extended vacation, a Gap-Year, a sabbatical, or even are a retiree who wants to travel, it can be invaluable to find peers who are doing what you want to do. You know what they say, we are the average of the five people we hang out with the most, so stick around and learn traveling skills as we discuss destinations, foods, SIM cards, visas, taxis, accommodations, safety, and whatever else comes up, so that you can draw your own conclusions and choose your own grand travel adventure.
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Glad I don’t have to worry about getting lost!
You have to pay attention, but you don't have to worry! 😀
Woah! Thank you for sharing our UL backpack ventilation frame with everyone. We are delighted to hear the frame is performing well on the Camino. Keep us posted on how it goes.
We will do a gear review at the end of our Camino, of what held up and what didn't, but so far we think it was a good choice to bring!
Memories...Great video. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Thanks for watching! We think about you guys frequently on this trip! 😀
The best (and safest) zones to visit are Zone 10 Zone 13 (only on the avenida las americas) Zone 14 Zone 4 (on 4 grados norte) And zone 15 and 16 But you should stay on zone 10. It’s safer. There are some parts in zone 9 where you can get your phone stolen.
The best (and safest) zones to visit are Zone 10 Zone 13 (only on the avenida las americas) Zone 14 Zone 4 (on 4 grados norte) And zone 15 and 16
Thanks for the recommendations! 😀
Great tips for the markings to look for.
Thanks, we hope it’s helpful! 😁
Hola Amigos! Awesome video, short and full of useful information. It brought me right back to that long day from Logroño into Nájera especially the site of a refrigerator full of refreshing, cold goodies near Najera that was so well timed (long, hot day and ran out of water). Keep it up! Rey
Sometimes a cold drink of water is the best thing in the entire universe. It's the simple things! 😆
Glad to see you're still trudging along! Sorry that Robb is suffering from blisters. What's with the unicycles? And from OK?!
The unicycles are kinda awesome, we haven't really spoken to them but we've been seeing them on the trails every so often, they go faster than we do but also take more breaks so we keep passing each other. Looks like hard work to me! 😆
@@tendegreeswarmer I did not think bicycles or unicycles were allowed on the Comino! I was so surprised to see them behind you, and yes - I lost track of what you were saying! had to replay! LOL, Stay safe, we enjoy the videos and how you both are doing! Josee
@@JoseeGill Officially, you can earn your completion certificate by walking, cycling, or by riding a horse. We saw lots of bicycles, and a couple of horses towards the end, but this group of unicyclists seemed unique! lol
This is way more than a humble spreadsheet. I love how you demonstrated how to create drop-down boxes. This is such a poweful way to make sheet easy to use. Keep it up - more spreadsheets!
So glad you liked it! Spreadsheets are an important part of our long term travel game plan, and we are happy to share our tools! 😀. (And yes, there are probably more forthcoming haha)
Most of the foreigner that come here love the place. I ho early never understood the bad rep but nowadays it's visited quite often and it's mostly safe .
This has been our experience as well, we had a great visit in Guatemala City. 😀
Did the prepared salads hold up ok or did the lettuce wilt badly?
We usually ate them the day we bought them, so we didn’t have a problem and found them quite fresh.
Sounds like I won't do well as someone who is gluten free?
We did talk to someone who was gluten free, but only one person so this is purely her experience, but she was struggling. She said some of the bigger cities were fine for options, but the smaller places could be a lot harder. Wish I had more specifics to share.
FYI, I have celiac and have done three Caminos. The grocery stores in the larger cities all carry gluten free products. So I always carried my own bread and cookies. As Robb said the tortilla was wonderful so I had that for my breakfast most days. A some of the albergues had gluten free pasta so that was nice. The restaurants, even in the smaller towns are very aware of celiac. When I said, I had to eat gluten-free there was no problem and the staff knew what was available for me. Even when I travel at home, USA, I always carry something to eat. Planning ahead is just part of our life.
@@marythereserenner1329 Thank you for sharing your experience!
I leave in 8 weeks SJPP. I’m starting to pencil in my itinerary. This is helpful. BTW, your channel name is no longer appealing to me. The heat index here in NW Arkansas has been over 105. I need 10 degrees cooler. 😅
Many travelers say they are chasing weather in the 70s. We’re much prefer the 80s or even 90s. We can tolerate hotter temps (we did Egypt in July and loved it) but we don’t usually seek out those hot temps. So I don’t blame you for being uncomfortable in that heat! 😁
You almost just died?????
Might have been a little hyperbole. 🤣🤣🤣
My luck is “Murphy’s Law”. I’ll be the one that passes the first place and can’t find another for hours. Heh. Glad I’m going to be traveling with you(the Experts).
Thanks so much! I'm leaving in five weeks for SJPP and hope to eat out of grocery stores bc of dietary restrictions. Your description of grocery store availability is so helpful. Many thanks.
We weren’t sure what to expect and are happy to report on the options we found. It was our primary choice when we had it. Buen Camino, have a great time!!!
Thanks to David for considering OUR needs as viewers if he falls into a ravine.
The risks we take for y’all 🤣🤣🤣
As a Native to “la capital”, I have to give you props for all the places you discovered and ventured to. Your descriptions are all on point and accurate, your video on our city really stands out in my opinion. I actually had my partner’s mom (Belizean) visiting us during the protests and it was kind of nerve wracking. I am glad you had a pleasant stay in Guate. ❤
Vuelvan pronto muchachos
Thank you for the kind comment. We have always loved our visits to Guatemala and I’m sure we’ll be back!
Really appreciate you guys! There's much valuable advice and a treat to join in on your journey! Infinite thank you's! xx
Thank you for the kind comment, we are happy to have you along! 😁
Those Doner Kabobs are soooo good. Had the lamb version in Germany
I’d like to try that sometime!
Booking ahead for sure
You can do it! As long as you don’t get blisters like David! lol
Thank you for all this wonderful information! Can you give me an idea of the pricing on private rooms?
We tell the price in every video of the place that we stayed. At the end of the series I'll run the numbers and do a budget video where we can talk about how much we spent on average on accommodation. But so far I think our cheapest private room was about 35 Euros and the most expensive was about 100 Euros, with an average of (I'm just guessing) somewhere around 50 - 60 Euros. Private rooms in Albergues are cheaper, hotels are more expensive, and it makes a difference if you want a private bathroom or are ok with a shared bathroom. We often just booked the first thing we saw, we decided to splurge on accommodation more than we cared to splurge on food, so we still are staying in budget (about $100/day for both of us.) So you could do cheaper than we did if you wanted.
Good lodging tips!
Thanks! There are a lot of factors involved but we were happy it ended up being so easy for us.
Such beautiful scenery!
It really is!
I’ll echo @nancymiller. How’s the birding going? Do y’all have a guide to Spanish birding?
We didn't want to carry a guidebook, and really, there isn't a ton of exotic birds along this route. We've seen some minor variation as we've walked through different regions, but it is getting harder and harder to see anything new. We will do another video towards the end of the series and talk about the birding we did, what we did see, and where we had the best luck.
What sort of wildlife have you encountered?
Honestly we haven't seen to much (besides dogs/cats and birds of course.) Beyond lots cows and sheep and a few goats and horses, I think we've seen two deer, a handful of little critters I suspect are voles, some lizards, and lots of snails. Oh and one good sized snake. Too many people scare off a lot of animals. In one of our later videos we will talk about all the birds we've seen along the Way and in different regions.
I love to follow you both, love the information you share and you are inspiring! Stay Safe and Buen Comino!
Thanks so much!
Thanks for promoting my country.. love from an albanian of fier thats live in Italy.. love!
Thank you, we had a wonderful time! Saranda in February is delightful. 😀
I love David’s intros.
We are enjoying this format too! 😀
I would definitely need a bandana and sunscreen refresh on long hikes like El Camino.
They are important! The sun can be relentless in many sections of the Camino.
Sunburn can ruin the best of adventures!
It sure can. I’m glad we’ve avoided any problems!
If I remember correctly Mario loved Estella beer in Spain, wonder if it comes through that beautiful village! Stay safe and Buen Camino!
We’ve had it and yes it is really good! I’m not always sure what they are serving us but if I see it again we’ll have a toast to Mario!
The town you stayed in looks just lovely! The church looks very similar to a mission I saw in San Antonio. Thanks for the updates and pictures!
There are a lot of really lovely towns…and a few more forgettable ones. They are all starting to blend together in my head! lol. But every one has at least one church, if not several.
You guys are having so much fun! I can tell from your smiles and upbeat attitude. Great tip on the sun sleeves. I’ve never seen them before and they look so handy.
We are having a blast! And yes, the sun sleeves were a late idea that we almost passed on, and I'm so glad we went for it. They've made everything so much better not having to carry all that extra sunscreen and feeling greasy all day.
Love your daily information. Thank you!
So glad to hear that! Buen camino!
where to stay Zone 10 ,Zone 4 or Zone 14 .Zone 14 Las AMericas is also very nice and very safe ;with great apartments.
Thanks for the recommendations! 😀
Guatemala City is excellent :has restaurants from all over the world.High end restaurants to local eatiers :all good food.Beautiful modern malls,modern movie theatres with movies in English . Modern supermarkets with everything in them ,plus local markets .I would consider Guatemala City a world class city Have you guys been to Costa Rica ? how does Guatemala compare to Costa Rica ? I hear Costa Rica is more expensive? have you guys been to Mexico ? Colombia ? WHat about language ? can one get around with only English ?
We haven't yet been to Colombia, and only had a week in Costa Rica in the cloud forest so that is hard to compare, but I would assume Costa Rica would be more expensive than Guatemala. Mexico is probably a similar level price wise in many areas, though the big tourist areas and places like Mexico City can be much more expensive of course. But that is the fun part of traveling, is finding the ways to go to and experience all of the countries you want to see! Language wise, we have transactional Spanish and can order lunch and bus tickets, but can't really have a conversation, and we have been fine traveling all over the Americas. A lot of people speak English in the bigger touristy areas, but even when they don't, a little Spanish goes a long way if you stay calm and smile a lot. 😄
Great presentation, guys! Learned a lot. thank you for the help! One question (sorry if I missed it in your presentation), is entertainment (shows) provided on repositioning cruises?
It sure is! Every line is different I'm sure, and sometimes you might get a new cast coming in to get their sea legs, but we've had great entertainment even on our longer repositioning cruises.
Every respectable Hobbit needs a second breakfast.
Well your first mistake was thinking we are respectable. 🤣🤣🤣
@@tendegreeswarmer 😆 🤣 😂 😹
Robb and David you make such great videos and are inspiring. I know your mom is anxious to get back on the road with you. She is such a blessed Mama! I love you both, Aunt Deb xoxoxo
Thanks so much! We can’t wait for her to join us again. We love you too!
Don’t forget, if you walk in August, like I do, 3 liters of water in a backpack bladder is a wonderful idea. Love your videos. Buen camino!
Very good point, that water needs would be increased at that time of year, potentially significantly. I'd never try and talk someone into taking less water than they want!! But with a little planning there is still a lot of water available along the way (on most days) if you look around. Buen Camino!
Last year I left SJPDP on August 27. It was 42°C (108°F). I took 1 liter with me to Orisson. I refilled there with 3 liters and then refilled another 1 liter at the Spanish border. When I arrived at Roncesvalles I was out of water. Granted, I’m an old geezer, but you can always offload water, but you can’t upload it on the Meseta when you took too little. I’m loving the vicarious journey with the both of you and I wish you both a beautiful and wonderful Buen Camino!
@@wayne4453 It was that hot in SJPDP?? Wow! We are already talking about walking the Frances again one day, but I think we'll stick to a June start. haha. With that kind of heat I would totally agree you would need more water. Time of year is really going to make a difference for water needs, but this has been our experience so far in June and heading into July.
Meeting people would be the best!
It is a huge part of the Camino experience for sure! 😀
Replentishable?? Did you create a new word??
We've been known to create new words before. lol
You read my mind. Not having enough water would be my biggest concern.
It was for us too. We've been very pleased that it has been far easier than we expected.
Great information on the water. We’re so used to carrying 2-3 liters of water on wilderness hikes that we may out of habit just gone with our norm and carried two Nalgene bottles. Good to know that one is plenty. What about bathrooms? Trees are no problem most of the time but sometimes nature requires more. 😂
If you can handle the weight, it is better to have too much water than too little, but we didn't anticipate how many fountains we would encounter along the way to refill. As far as bathrooms go, they are always available in the cafes (best to buy something if you want to use the facilities). So far we haven't needed anything but trees in between towns, but we also carry a pile of doggy poop bags and some TP in case we have an emergency situation - leave no trace!
Campinas is great fun - gayest city in Brazil , well worth 24 hour stopover 🙂
Thank you for the recommendation, we’ll have to check it out!
Was so great. See the Alto de Perdon again! Love reliving those days walking through your videos! We loved meeting all the great people on the way as well, people are all so friendly and open 😊
That’s definitely been our experience. With exceptions, a lot of people love sharing this experience, even if just for a few moments at a water fountain or cafe. It’s very enjoyable
Wonderful insights, and I like the split-duty filming style.
Thanks, we thought it would be fun to try and help us keep up with daily videos! 😀
I love the technique as well and continue to love the videos from the trails. As I mentioned before, I appreciate how you let us know how much you spend on lodging and meals along with photos. One question I have is your lodging. Are you tending to go for private rooms and meals or the more communal Alberges?
@@TomChase-yb7fg We'll talk about this more in an upcoming video, because it really is a personal preference everyone needs to kind of figure out for themselves comparing cost to comfort. We've enjoyed staying in a handful of dorms along the way, especially for the community, but also just for the general experience. But we definitely lean towards private rooms whenever we can find them.
The charging struggle is real!
Hopefully we've learned our lesson. It will get easier once we get all of our gear back! lol
Looks beautiful! Still have no desire to do it. Thanks for all the great pictures and stories about housing and the food!
Thanks for watching! Glad you can appreciate the journey even though it isn't for you! 😀