Day 66 - Waipahi to Brydone.

Walked 49km today.
Left Balclutha and drove 45 minutes to where I finished walking yesterday. Paul and Ange slept in, so just Dad and I for the first hour.
Shins have been sore all day, but there is only 80km til I finish, so I will have the opportunity to rest them for a few weeks then. As I am walking I often think about how painful these shin splints are, then I remind myself of the medical procedures I have seen my friend go through... it puts things into perspective and I realise that shin splints are nothing in comparrison...
Arrived in Gore at 12, and stopped for lunch. Caught up with my Nana & Grandad in Gore also, and will catch up with them again as I finish walking on Fri.
Paul walked the final 16km with me again today, which was good.
My friends Jessie & Haley (from Wellington) arrived in Invercargill today. They are here until the finish, and I am really looking forward to spending time with them over the next few days.
HUGE thanks to Jim and Jan, my hosts for the next few nights (Invercargill), for an amazing dinner at the Ascourt Motel - We all really enjoyed ourselves, it's a shame you wern't there to join us!!!
I am also really looking forward to travelling to Stewart Island (on Saturday). I got a phone call from Kirsten at Real Adventures (Ferry operator), who said that Real Adventures would like to sponsor myself and my entourage of 8 across to Stewart Island - absolutley free!!!!! A huge thank you to Kirsten and the team for this opportunity!!
My last 'big' day of walking tomorrow (45km) - I finish in Invercargill. So far $28,000 has been raised - I am really pushing for $30,000 - a nice round figure.