Good luck with the project (and the scarf when you get back to it).

Do you use one or two strands when working on the higher counts? I must admit I love working on 18 and 20 count, but I only use one strand of thread for them. My stitching is much neater that way.

It's looking great so far, but yes, having a lot of colours can get very fiddly. Relax and enjoy working on it. You can always set it aside again if it starts to feel tedious.