7 Sep 2008
Day Twenty-one - Waikanae to Mana
Huge thanks to Alfresco’s at Harrisons Garden centre in Waikanae for the best brekkie on tour to date!! Yummy!! Patrick presented Simon with the “Good deed loveheart” for the unselfish act of washing his undies and helping with some online jobs and then we were on our way.
I am always truly thankful to the people who walk beside me throughout the day, to encourage me along and help pass the hours while we are pounding the roads of New Zealand. Except today. My good friend an ex Black Cap, Andrew Penn joined me for today’s leg from Waikanae to Mana. Andrew currently tops the scales at 112kg and unfortunately the big fella was late arriving and had to run to catch us up. Arriving next to me with a hint of sweat on his brow, he kept pace for the first 3km’s as we regaled tales of yesteryear and then started to realize that the pace was a little uncomfortable. To his credit he stuck out 12km’s and when he finished I was somewhat happy as he was making me tired just looking at him!! But seriously thanks Andrew for coming out and helping a mate through this, much appreciated.
Two of my cousins from Wellington, Joe Goddard and Donna Cairns-Stewart walked the whole way and they came through the distance well and was good to catch up with them.
The walk around the Kapiti coast today was just awesome. A calm sea and brilliant sunshine made for a pleasant walk all the way to Mana. During the last eight km's I was met and accompanied by Kathy Turner. Kathy lost her son Michael at a pedestrian rail crossing in 2003 near St. Patrick's College in Silverstream. She has since been a tireless campaigner for rail safety and it’s thanks to people like Kathy that we are working to make the rail environment a safer place for all New Zealanders.
From our finishing point at Shell Mana we journeyed into Wellington for an evening with one of major sponsors Shell, which means we’ll be well fed and ready to go for our last day in the North Island. A congratulations goes to Simon for pollishing off 1kg of Premium Steak which generated some funds for the foundation. Hard to think we are already heading over to the South Island in two days, it has just gone so fast!!
CC
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