Charger Etiquette

[OldDad]

Any tips on phone charger etiquette on the Camino Frances. Best spots to charge. when not to charge, asking to plug in, etc.? Of course a general apology to those who don't bring their phone and generally want to remain unplugged.

[HuskyNerd]

The etiquette I've followed is: where there's a plug, use it. I've never been scolded by anyone for charging my phone (or camera). The only thing I'd say is it would be horribly impolite to unplug someone else's equipment to plug yours in. I'd also say I found few extra plugs around in albergues -- and often they were over someone else's bed. I always asked permission if I was going to plug something into a socket right at someone else's bed. I remember also being delighted to stay in the occasional hotel because I had all those nice plugs all to myself!

[grayland]

Just an added thought to help prevent leaving a charger/cord/phone, etc behind in an albergue or hotel.......I aways set in a shoe so that I can't walk away and leave it. A little tough to do if the plug is in someone else's bed, however.
It really is a good idea to insure that you cannot leave it behind.

[Covey]

The availability of power sockets varies greatly. In the Jesus and Mary Albergue in Pamplona, each bunk has a socket but that is a recently refurbished building whereas some of the older official albergues have almost no sockets at all or just one per room with up to 30 beds.

A couple of years ago I stayed in the Nuns Albergue in Santo Domingo and the state of the electrics there was dangerous with bare wires all over the place. Mind you the kitchen only had a single ring cooker and if someone was cooking all the lights dimmed. Having owned a house in Spain, I have to say that Spanish electrical installations can prove somewhat flakey.

As far as carrying mobiles is concerned, I switch mine on every evening at 7pm for 20 minutes to receive text messages from my kids and then switch it back off, so it only needs recharging once every 10/12 days.

[BHinSanDiego]

When I saw this thread my first thought was etiquette for my local football team, San Diego Chargers, though some type of etiquette could come in handy some times, LOL but I digress