Just back from the Catlins, where we spent four days in glorious (for there anyhow) weather. The ocean was still a little cold for my taste, but there were quite a few surfers in the water.
I did a little writing while I was there, but really the weather was so nice I just wanted to be outside. Given the fact that the sun doesn’t set until about 10:15 PM at this time of year that makes for some pretty long days!
In the evenings I amused myself by making a cardboard model of a Viking ship. It took a lot of cutting and gluing. I have never tried anything like this before and I found it quite enjoyable, although I don’t think my results looked exactly like the picture in the book. Next I have an Elizabethan warship to put together, and it will be even more difficult.
Curio Bay tree stumps
One day we drove further along the coast to a place called Curio Bay. It is a natural rock shelf that the tide washes over, full of interesting tidal pools. You can see the occasional yellow-eyed penguin. But the most amazing thing is the petrified wood forest of stumps and fallen trees. These were laid down during the Jurassic period, back when NZ was practically at the South Pole and part of Gondwanaland. It is an amazing place.
I just finished week five of C25K. The last run was twenty minutes in a row. I did it!
January 2, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Looks like a phenomenal place. Wow! Long day! The sun sets here at about 4:45 — a bit of a difference.
January 3, 2009 at 10:34 am
We have the same deal in the winter, of course. Very long nights and short days. Nowhere near as bad as my friend Micke who lives in Umea, Sweden. He sent me a picture taken at 12 noon on the winter solstice and the sun was barely above the horizon!
I don’t think I could cope with that.
January 11, 2009 at 8:33 am
I didn’t know you were doing C25K… that’s awesome!
Do you have a 5K race in mind?
January 11, 2009 at 8:44 am
Not yet. I don’t know if I’ll get into the whole racing thing. I’m not a very competitive person really. I used to run, when I was in my twenties, and I did a couple of 10k races then, so I guess you never know.
Mostly I just want to get fitter at the moment. I just finished week 7, and the last run was 25 minutes. I did it, but my speed isn’t quite 10k an hour. Not yet, but that is something to work towards. I wonder if they take hills into account anyway. It’s tough to run around here without a few steep bits slowing you down.