Passing the 200km barrier

Walking the Camino is certainly a challenge. However, it does provide some wonderful surprises and opportunities for laughter along the way. I have been very grateful for new friends and acquantainces that I have made so far as they often provide the boost needed to keep going. I´ve met some crazy Irishmen who have provided wonderful opportunities for laughter which should be mandatory for doing long walks. I only ever met them whilst stopping for breaks, but the laughs and fun broke the fatigue and weariness and provide a welcome mental boost for the next section of the walk. The last two nights, I have spent with a couple of new acquantainces, Maurice from South Africa and Christopher, an elderly Irishman. I´ve lost contact with my two other Australian mates for the time being, as strangely, I am ahead of them at the moment. We are staying in touch via email to update each other on our whereabouts. I´m sure they will catch me up sometime soon. Well, tonight I am in a lovely little town called Belorado. It has links to the Camino back many centuaries and has an ancient castle on top of the hill. The Church also seems to have part of it´s complex built directly into the cliffs behind. Either that or it is a fabulous house! I could easily come back here to explore this area but I think I´d rather stay in a hotel next time. The communal sleeping arrangements are an integral and necessary part of the Camino but not conducive to regular and restful sleep. Yesterday, I made to to the 200 km stage of the walk. Yeah!! I feel like I´m achieving something now. I hope to be in Burgos by Saturday, but that will require a couple of fairly solid days with some significant climging tomorrow. Hopefully, the feet will hold out. I´ve definitely had some feet trouble, with major pain in my right big toe joint causing the majority of the problems. I managed to speak to a pharmacist in Santo Domingo de la Calzada yesterday and now have some anti-inflammatory tablets to take which seem to be helping. I have now spent two days walking normally(borrowed some tablets from a fellow pilgrim the night before). It´s amazing how much difference this makes to my comfort and energy levels. I started off yesterday morning barely able to walk and feeling that I would be lucky to make it 8 kms to the next town. I ended the day having walked 33 kms (which wasn´t the original plan) and feeling pretty good, albeit with tired feet. Today, I walked 23 kms but as it was alongside the highway, my feet are quite sore from the hardness of the ground. At least my big toe joint behaved itself today! So, all´s well at the end of day 12 and I get to walk in oak and pine forest for half the day tomorrow (whilst climbing a mountain). Catch you all again soon.