Last few km into Bendigo

I finished my last mouthful of water, and got up. Starting out is hard. Thighs were aching,  calves sore, the bit above my ankles was red and swollen slighly,    maybe shin splints?... and my feet stinging and tender, even through my new shoes. Glad I had them, I didn't feel every little pebble through them like I did through my boat shoes.

Started on the little dirt walking track beside me, into and through the Greater Bendigo National Park, which came back to the road, but meant more time that I was off the highway. Then just outside the perimeter fence of the highway, until the edge of town, where a bitumen footpath started.

Looking out for a coffee shop or store to buy a drink.

Got a Boost juice from a big plaza, Lansell Shoping Mall. Got going again, looking for somewhere to put my feet up higher than my body to minimize the swelling in them. Hard to find in cities.

Then I realized I'd probably need to go to the loo soon. No digging stick behind a tree in Bendigo. 5km to go,  I'll have to keep going now, get to that welcoming house, use the loo, have a shower and put my feet up for an hour before dinner.

And that's what I did. Got into my Son&Daughter-in-law's place about 5pm, then we had pizza about 6:30pm, drove back to Harcourt about 7:40pm, collected my stuff in the fridge. Which was surprisingly heavy. Glad that I had left it.

Played some games of Splendor (with a new Mission variation). And the next morning...  I'm hoping to scum a lift with some friends back to Orange for a committment I have there. Hope to be back after that for the next exciting episode....

Much, much, that couldn't be said here, but some got "onto paper".

Thanks for coming with me through this blog.