Waking up in a warm double bed was amazing, but I wished for just another hour of sleep. I breakfasted on muesli and the last of the yoghurt that my friends had brought me, then went over to Charles' office of the Skene Creek Beachside Caravan Park where I was staying. After a nice latte I briefly helped him with some social media tips before getting on my way. It was a treat to stay there and spend some time with Charles; I'll be back!
I've been aware of my right shin and a dull pain when stepping on it for around four days now. When my left ankle became injured it was very different; it went from no pain to acute inside 10 km. Instead, I've felt a dull pain in my right shin when walking downhill and wearing my heavy backpack, so I thought that in time it would heal itself, especially if I would be dropping the weight off. My back at the end of the Great Ocean Walk. Unfortunately, not so. It seems the hard bitumen surface is even worse for my shin that the weight of the backpack and today the pain has been getting worse, but is still manageable. I'm hoping that as long as I treat it well, don't do too much distance too quickly, compress, raise and cool it every night I'll make it to Melbourne, where it will be able to rest for five days or so.
Regardless, today was stunning and my spirits were soaring. Around every bend were more views of forest meeting cliffs, meeting expansive ocean. And there I was, in the middle of it all!I really believe now that walking gives you a very different perspective to being in a place. Arriving in a place on your own two legs provides you with the context to truly experience that place, something that being in a car will never be able to match. There's something more to this here, but I think I'll have to explore it some more and write about it in another post.
The traffic was also very manageable, especially as there seemed to be roadworks every few kilometres that intermittently stopped traffic in each direction, but would let me go through like a VIP! I stopped for lunch after 12 km, targeting 20 km for the day.
I eventually made it to Wye River, my destination, but walked a little further to find a campsite. But I was in such a good mood, finishing the day listening to Midnight Oil, jogging and punching the air over the course of another 6 km to finish over 26 km for the day. Goodness, that's not what I call easing back into it!
