A Tough Week

Hi everyone
It's been a tough week since I last wrote to you all
As I set off from Leon last Monday, after my rest day I felt really good. I'd managed to catch 730 am mass as I set off, and thought everything was easy - wrong !
As I walked along the hard footpaths and concrete roads out of Leon I felt my shins really hurting, by the end of the day I had developed 'shin splints' or something similar, resulting in painful legs, and by now, every day walking ends up with my left ankle swelling up... So I sit here with it in a cold compress , elevated... Ready for another days walk tomorrow !!
I've climbed up and over the high points of the pilgrimage, Cruz de Ferro last Thursday, on a wet miserable day, where I managed to leave a traditional stone from home, along with other things... And anything else that needed leaving behind !
Today I've climbed up and over the last ( I think) big mountain O Cebreiro, so it's all downhill to Santiago , just less than 150 kms left - although I've had to cut my daily distance down, so maybe still 7 or 8 days walking !!
I've had some interesting companions... A Belgian couple with their donkey, who crossed the Cruz de Ferro with me , a Jewish pilgrim from Israel, and assorted others from around the world !
Again I've stayed at some great, and not so great places, although in the main food and accommodation have been good
The weather has again returned to sunshine, which I hope accompanies me to Santiago, although the region I'm now in Galicia is renowned for wet weather, we shall see
Hopefully by my next message I'll be in Santiago
Ultreia
Joe