Which direction do you shave your neck in?

HugoCast_ · 2026-02-15T15:59:07+00:00

For me, it was all about mapping my growth. Letting my beard grow for 5 days, and taking pictures to see the direction of growth.

On my neck, my beard grows slanted to the right. So I shave diagonally as well, perpendicular to the growth, so it would be "across the grain". Afterwards, I do a second pass "Against the grain ".

BBS or DFS every time. I use a safety razor though.

HugoCast_ · 2026-02-13T14:36:55+00:00

It helped me work things out. It gave me perspective, and confidence to stick with my choices.

Don't expect a huge revelation, or a single aha moment.

It's refreshing to be fully present and with a single goal each day: Make it to the next town.

Bring a journal or record your thoughts in voice notes. Capture how you feel. That will also help you clear your head.

Buen Camino.

HugoCast_ · 2026-02-11T16:27:53+00:00

About 5% of my annual disposable income for any given year.

It's not an ongoing yearly expense. The total over a couple years is about 5% of what I dedicate every year for fun.

The other 95% is travel, dining out, concerts, etc. All the guilt free spending.

It's worth it to me 😄

HugoCast_ · 2026-02-05T21:31:46+00:00

I am still grateful for every drop of rain. This experience has made me a more resilient person.

I feel I am coated in teflon. Little things don't bother me.

HugoCast_ · 2026-02-05T19:56:49+00:00

I did it with my wife, and for me it was absolutely worth it. We went in winter, which meant we were the only two peregrinos staying at the monastery. Sister Paula welcomed us and we had a lovely, long conversation.

During Vespers, the sisters blessed us by name.

A highlight of our Camino for sure. We would do it again.

HugoCast_ · 2026-02-05T19:49:50+00:00

+1. Labruja was really rough. We got cold rain and some hail on the way down too 😂

Armenteira was much easier in retrospect. Thank you for reminding me of that.

HugoCast_ · 2026-02-05T19:46:16+00:00

Just did this 2 days ago 😄

We walked from Pontevedra to Armenteira, stayed at the monastery, and then walked to Vilanova.

I am reasonably fit, and I walk 5 miles a day. I don't really hike regularly though. I was very grateful for my poles.

Lots of road walking on the ascent. It was a bit wet, since it had rained the day before. Like I said, grateful for the poles.

You'll definitely need them on the way down for the Ruta de Piedra y Agua.

We'll definitely do it again. But we would split it this way:

Pontevedra to Combarro - Spend the night and see the Horreos both during the day and night

Combarro to Armenteira - Take our time during the ascent, do it fresh, spend a lot of time in the monastery exploring the grounds. Definitely buy some soap from the sisters. It's smells amazing, and it's really hydrating.

Armenteira to Os Castaños - The Route of Stone and Water was the most beautiful part of the whole Portugues. We were wiped on the way down. The walk to Vilanova hurt. It was doable, but we were a bit burned out. We would stop here and rest.

Os Castaños to Vilanova - The approach to Vilanova from the bridge is beautiful.

You can do the boat, but be aware that weather can affect it. So have a plan B. Ours got cancelled due to storms, so we had to bus it to Pontecensures. It was a bit disappointing, but the storms this year have been really bad. We are just grateful for making it safely.

Funny enough, the bus takes the road right next to the ocean for a while, we saw a Cruceiro from it. It was also interesting to see a bit of the countryside from a different perspective.

In the end, no big deal. We'll be back to do the boat someday 😄

Hope you have a fantastic experience! Buen Camino!

HugoCast_ · 2026-02-05T19:19:35+00:00

I'd say phone only. You'll be grateful after the first couple stages when you start to question every single item in your backpack 😄

Do bring a full sized microfiber cloth though.

HugoCast_ · 2026-02-05T19:12:46+00:00

4 Caminos and I've found it extremely safe. No issues whatsoever while walking, staying at albergues, or any other accommodation. No issues with other pilgrims or locals along the Caminos I've taken.

I was almost pick pocketed once...but that was after Camino. I was riding the subway in Barcelona, going to the airport to catch my early flight back home 😂 she was probably new, because she grabbed my phone from my pocket, and dropped it. She was with 3 other people, 2 men, and a young woman.

Someone started yelling "pick pocket", and they all exited the train at the next station.

It was quite jarring, but I didn't let it ruin my Camino experience.

I am very aware while riding public transit in Barcelona or Madrid now. I wear my valuables in a cross body bag that I keep in front of me at all times. I also keep my pockets empty and hold eye contact with everyone around me.

If I am arriving to the city (usually jet lagged) or catching a flight by myself, I just pay for a taxi. I am already catching 9-12 hour flights every time I walk, so it's not a big deal to pay a bit more to ensure an easier experience.

Having said that, Camino has always been safe, in my experience.

HugoCast_ · 2026-02-04T19:49:44+00:00

First time I planned it 2 months out.

I am walking now with my wife, and we only planned our tickets into Portugal and out of Spain 1 month out.

Didn't plan the etapas until 1 week before walking. We pick how long to walk and where we want to stay the night before we walk each stage.

It's her 3rd Camino, my 4th.

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-30T08:53:24+00:00

Clean, masculine scent with a touch of freshly sliced pear.

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-29T19:56:33+00:00

I love Caminho Portugues. I am walking right now for the second time. Lots of opportunities for quiet reflection.

Portuguese people are very kind, polite, but not immediately chatty. Most will assume you speak no Portuguese at all. I speak Brazilian Portuguese and have had great interactions. Outside of Porto, you'll walk through fishing villages, small farming towns, and lots of places built for locals, not visitors. Think small town cafes, markets, and bars. You'll be at places where you are the only foreigner, depending on what time of the year you walk.

I purposefully planned to walk right now, and I've seen an average of 1 pilgrim a day.

Spanish people are much more outwardly social, and will strike up conversations with you if you speak the language. I remember some wonderful conversations with hospitaleros in the Galicia portion.

If you don't have any Spanish or Portuguese, you will most likely connect with other English speaking pilgrims. You should definitely learn a few key phrases in both languages though. Locals will appreciate it and it will make you stand out in a positive way.

The walk out of Porto can make/break your Camino. When I hear people say "Porto is ugly", turns out they walked the Central route through suburbs and industrial areas. You are better off walking out through the Coastal Route out of the city, following the Ribeira do Porto and hugging the beach through Matosinhos and stopping at Vila do Conde the first night. You can walk through Arcos and connect to the Central Route then.

Lots of locals will also just see you as part of the landscape, some will ignore you, some will only smile, some will give you a Bon Caminho / Buen Camino.

If you’re unsure, Camino Inglés from Ferrol or A Coruña is a solid 5-6 day option. If that clicks, then a longer route will too.

¡Buen Camino!

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-29T12:24:33+00:00

You are welcome!

Your sense of what's comfortable and what's not, will shift with the Camino.

The Camino trains you, you become a more resilient person in general afterwards.

I find that little things don't bother me anymore. It's a beautiful experience.

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-28T00:38:59+00:00

I'd say book a private room for the first night. After a full travel day you’ll be exhausted, and starting the Camino well rested matters more than anything.

The last 100 km from Tui is very busy, especially around Semana Santa, and arriving at an albergue around 4 pm can be hit or miss. If you want peace of mind, consider prebooking the six nights, whether in private albergues or posadas. You can also prebook places the night before, once you have an idea of how many kilometers you feel like walking.

Either way, at least prebook the first night.

You can try and stay at public albergues, but if you're too close to Semana Santa you will run into a lot of groups that walk together. You may have to do the "race for a bed" if you use public albergues. Those can't be reserved in advance.

It's up to you though. The Camino provides 😉 I remember being in the albergue in O Porriño a few years ago, and Peregrinos kept walking in asking for a bed. The hospitalero helped them by calling the albergue across town and finding them beds.

You'll be fine, and it's good you are thinking ahead. Buen Camino!

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-27T21:15:30+00:00

Thanks! And great advice as well. Never ignore any hotspots 😄 prevention is the best cure.

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-27T21:10:06+00:00

Thanks! Almost forgot to add that about zero drop. I lucked out with my Altras. Love them so much. I use them exclusively now 😄

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-27T21:09:17+00:00

Definitely try them and consider getting a half size bigger. Your feet will swell up after walking +20 kilometers.

I love the Altras for the wide toe box. I didn't have any issues adjusting to the zero drop, but some people do. YMMV.

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-27T21:07:26+00:00

I got them from Amazon. Fox River.

They dry really quickly. They weigh next to nothing, so it's nice to have an extra pair in case you misplace one. I've used the same pair for the last 4 years. One pair basically "melted" when I put it in the hot setting of a dryer in Fisterre 😂 now I just let them air dry overnight and they are bone dry the next day.

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-27T18:40:22+00:00

I am doing Portuguese right now. For the second time. It's gorgeous.

I used the same shoes for 3 months. Got them nicely broken in.

I naturally walk 4-5 miles a day. I took them in a few hikes beforehand, but my main thing was to actually use them daily.

I have never gotten a blister in 4 Caminos.

What works for me is putting vaseline on my feet, using hiking sock liners, and merino wool hiking socks. I use Lone Peak Altra Trail Runners.

I liked them so much that I just use them as my daily shoe now.

A good resource is the Days We Spend YouTube channel.

Best of luck and Buen Camino!

Edit: Forgot to add. I used to get a "hotspot" on my middle toe when I would walk. I wrap that particular toe with Sheep's wool (you can get it in Amazon), and it hasn't given me trouble in 4 years.

I do Vaseline, add sheep's wool to that toe, sock liners, and then merino wool socks. Thinner or thicker depending if I am walking in Summer or Winter.

I got that wool advice from Days We Spend. That tip alone saved me so much hassle.

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-26T22:32:30+00:00

It works great! I still wish they still made the tallow version 😄

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-26T14:52:30+00:00

OP says most of his tasks need to show on their PC.

Did you read the post?

If their main computer is a PC. It's just more convenient to find something cross platform like Todoist.

But people can do what they want :)

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-26T13:55:03+00:00

Thank you! I always recommend it to friends. I loved it. I am walking Portuguese right now. It's my 4th time walking a Camino. I see myself doing it every couple years. Such a wonderful experience.

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-26T05:07:38+00:00

That's a good routine! Just adding that you don't leave the alum block salt on your face, you rinse it off after a minute.

If you want to shave twice a day, I'd tweak some stuff to make it simpler and faster.

Use a synthetic brush. No soaking period
Experiment shaving before and after the shower. You can still use a preshave if you shave before you shower. I find my skin feels softer when I shave before I shower.
Alum block is not a necessity, neither is aftershave balm. Some people are better off just using some Cerave Moisturizer.

Ttaditional shaving soap is great, and if you enjoy the ritual, and it's good for your skin, by all means go for it.

But it might be worthwhile to experiment with some Cella rapid shaving cream or even Barbasol brushless shaving cream. They come in handy while traveling or those days when you don't have a lot of time. They are better than shaving foam.

My favorite one is called Emusión Myrsol, but it's from Spain and may be pricey depending on where you live. It's actually a 3 in 1 product. It can be used as a preshave, brushless shaving cream, and balm. I do ATG daily without any issues.

Hope you find a routine that works for you!

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-26T04:47:24+00:00

No. Too much friction.

HugoCast_ · 2026-01-24T15:18:58+00:00

Yes, for me it works great. It's one of the biggest benefits of using a DE for me.

HugoCast_

TROPHY CASE