Pamplona - the running... is it too late? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**Canadian Bacon** · 03-06-2007, 12:42 PM

So I have decided to backpack again this year... so it will be my second trip after my 2005 trip. And this time I have decided to include Pamplona in my travels and see the running!

Now i heard people book for this event like a year in advance... so to people who have been to the Running, how was ur experience with accomodations like, and did you run?

Also, when is that Tomato throwing festival??

CB

trevor_schofield · 03-06-2007, 02:52 PM

I'm also looking at heading to Pamplona for the Runnning of the Bulls, but haven't made any real plans yet.

As for La Tomatina - it is held at the end of Aug.
Most of the details can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Tomatina

Cheers.

**raoulduke** · 03-06-2007, 10:15 PM

Hey I've booked a tour through http://www.backpacker.co.uk/pamplona.htm however they also do accomodation only packages. The accomodation is either tents or cabins at a camp site 20 minutes from Pamps and they shuttle you back and forth for free. I only booked a couple weeks ago so it shouldn't be sold out yet.

Alternatively you can just camp out in one of the parks in Pamplona itself. I've read here that tons of people do that but it can get a little filthy after the first couple of days.

**Canadian Bacon** · 03-07-2007, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raoulduke

Hey I've booked a tour through http://www.backpacker.co.uk/pamplona.htm however they also do accomodation only packages. The accomodation is either tents or cabins at a camp site 20 minutes from Pamps and they shuttle you back and forth for free. I only booked a couple weeks ago so it shouldn't be sold out yet.

SWEEEEEEEET. Thank you my friend! I'll take a look... I think I also managed to convince a buddy to come along... and I was thinking that camping was probably gthe most probable accomodation to this event, seeing how i've heard hostels/hotels are booked a year in advance for this week....

AWESOME

**Canadian Bacon** · 03-08-2007, 10:08 PM

So here's a question... what happens if you run and you get gored by a bull? i am assuming there are paramedics on site...

**raoulduke** · 03-08-2007, 10:24 PM

There sure is. But don't expect your insurance to cover you in any way.

dudeman · 03-09-2007, 09:25 AM

Me and two buds will be there probably around the 9th, we plan on sleeping where ever we fall down. Hopefully on some grass at least.

**Canadian Bacon** · 03-09-2007, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dudeman

Me and two buds will be there probably around the 9th, we plan on sleeping where ever we fall down. Hopefully on some grass at least.

Yeah... I suppose I will do the same. But I'm wondering how many campsite will be around the area where the running is...or if they are far, far away, in which case transporation will have to be arranged...

**Brookers13** · 03-09-2007, 06:51 PM

i think the camping is like 20 or so minutes away.

sleep outside...its great

Flying_high · 03-14-2007, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Also, when is that Tomato throwing festival??

It is on the last wednesday of every august at a town called bunol it is just outside of valencia......i am going to be there next yr wooooooooooooooot cant wait....

**Tadpole** · 03-15-2007, 07:26 AM

you dont need to book anything but your train ticket, unless you def. want a hotel. There are only so many trains that have a route to pampolons

i would say sleep outisde and check your bags in at the city hall. The whole event is extremely organzied, at least the Running of the Bulls is. The whole party, well thats antoher story. Checking your bags in with the city is very safe and thats what almost everyone does.

the actual running is guarded by tons of police, dozens and doznes of paramedics and they even have the royal guard or some shit like that to make sure everything runs smoothly. YOu can only enter the run at a certain spot so make sure you do your research, becuase they dont just line the streets and let the bulls run and see what happens. They clear the street route out with alot of police and batons. Then they baraced the street off with two layers of massive fences that spacetaors line up on, and inbtween the two fence rows are aot of cops and paramedics. Dont think you can just slip thru, those guys wont hesitate for a second to take there baton out and knokc you out. I saw it more than once.

There is only one spot that you can enter the race, its the town square or something. You have to get there 30 minutes to an hour ealery just to squeeze in.

All that being said, San Fermin is fucking crazy and soooooooo much fun!

**lilchappy** · 03-15-2007, 09:47 AM

I ran and it was pandamonium. But if you do it sober, which is a must!!!, you will be ok. Make sure to not bull on the bull or touch it or locals will beat you with sticks. I slept in the park and it was miserable. Go for 2 days max with one night in the park or no sleep at all. Good times though

cya...lilchappy

**Brookers13** · 03-15-2007, 07:09 PM

o scott stop it...you loved every second of it and you know it.

**lilchappy** · 03-18-2007, 08:23 PM

Just cause you tried to put the moves on me Brookers doesn't mean I didn't still have an awsome time. I just wasn't fond of the people pissing 15 feet from my head and the god awful carnival that set up shop where ever we slept and ran until we woke up!!! or gave up on sleeping!

**Brookers13** · 03-18-2007, 08:26 PM

there we go with that hidden agenda thing again....

**Canadian Bacon** · 03-18-2007, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilchappy

I ran and it was pandamonium. But if you do it sober, which is a must!!!, you will be ok. Make sure to not bull on the bull or touch it or locals will beat you with sticks. I slept in the park and it was miserable. Go for 2 days max with one night in the park or no sleep at all. Good times though

cya...lilchappy

Sober.... definitly, for the running at least. Hmmm.... so park is not good eh. Is the park the same as the campground???

**lilchappy** · 03-18-2007, 08:51 PM

I think the campground is different. I know there was a hostel campground that was about 30 min out of the city and the buses had limited times they ran. From what i heard the campsite was good but finding the buses and getting the schedule sucked. Rough it like a true t-punk in the park!

Here is a good lil piece of info. Rae, drank a little too much and the next day decided a yogurt smoothie was the drink of choice to sober up. Needless to say, 20 minutes later, we were walking down the street and she starting puking all over the walkway with people waling by. Sad, funny, classic, memorable, and true

cya...lilchappy

**Canadian Bacon** · 04-09-2007, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tadpole

you dont need to book anything but your train ticket, unless you def. want a hotel. There are only so many trains that have a route to pampolons

i would say sleep outisde and check your bags in at the city hall. The whole event is extremely organzied, at least the Running of the Bulls is. The whole party, well thats antoher story. Checking your bags in with the city is very safe and thats what almost everyone does.

So... checking bags at city hall and then wandering around? So... of the people who head to the Running, how many do you think just pass out somewhere, and do not have set accomodations?

Is it safe to sleep in the park?

CB

**Brookers13** · 04-09-2007, 12:15 PM

99% sleep wherever...i dont think its super unsafe...watch out for thieves but hey you have to do that everywhere...nothing happened to me in the 5 nites i slept outside...

if you really want the BEST advice i can give you....

DO NOT sleep at night...party all night long and sleep in the park during the day...much warmer and comfortable!

**Canadian Bacon** · 04-09-2007, 12:22 PM

hahaha... thanks for the tips brookers. I was actually gonna but out Pamplona from my trip cuz I didn't want to lug around a tent all trip... but partying all night also makes good sense.

When you went did you meet people who did the same (no accomodatins)... and did you manage to band together to watch each other's stuff?