Finding your boots – once you arrive at an albergue, you will be asked to remove your boots and leave your hiking poles inside the door, not bringing them into the dormitory. I have seen the horrified look of someone who had another pilgrim mistakenly pick up her boots. It’s not something you ever want to happen to you. People don’t steal boots here, but so many people wear similar styles and colors, it’s easy enough to pick up the wrong boots –or to leave your poles in the albergue and set out without them.
I use 8” yellow, coated wires to identify my boots and poles. I have two of them –one that slips through the tabs on my boots, and one that goes through the hand grips on my poles. That way, I can see right away which are mine and it reminds me that since I have two wires, I grab up my poles as well. The wires were purchased at the Container Store. They are meant to keep computer cables together. You can use pink or turquoise shoelaces, strips of plaid ribbon –anything that will identify your boots as yours. It will be so easy getting out in the morning if you don’t have to search for your boots from among a dozen pairs that look a lot like yours.
If you’d like more tips? Try “Buen Camino! Tips from an American Pilgrim.”
Available on Amazon and Kindle and by special order
at your favorite independent bookseller. $6.99/ea.
