I'm 4 days ahead of my guide's itinerary. I'm in a gorgeous little town that's being historically restored. It's brutally hot in the early afternoon and into the evening. It's best to start walking around 6am and end by 2pm. By 2 it starts getting tortuous, both in temperature and body aches and pains. Today's hike was in the Meseta, which is a high plain that feels on top of the world. There were very few places to stop with services along the way.
As far as expenses go, I'm surprised at how economical everything has been. The hostels range in cost from 5 - 10 euro. I usually spend from 5 - 8 euro a day on food. My splurge tonight at a Casa Rural, which is lovely, is only 30 euro. I'm avoiding staying overnight in the cities, which are more costly, crowded, and dirty.
I'm noticing that there are many fewer pilgrims on this middle section of the Camino. I think people skip it, even though it is quite beautiful. It makes for more pleasant hiking. According to my guide only 285.8 miles to go.