How amazing are some of the characters in Dunedin? They won't always tell you their stories, but it always feels nice when a story emerges. Take our mate Jason Low for example (he's the fit looking guy on the bike below).
By day he runs a design company called Pitch Design. By night he paints a palette of acrylics onto canvas, recreating stunning scenes of St Clair and its surrounding beaches and suburbs. Each January he competes in Challenge Wanaka – a goal that begins in the depths of winter with early morning swims, runs and bike rides. Jason is the most laidback bloke you could meet, but he doesn't just compete in the Challenge to tick it off a bucket list. He's in it to win it.
On January 19, 2013, he completed the 226km course in a time of 10:31:48 to win the 40-49-year-old male division. What a legend. But we won't be seeing him in the surf as much as usual this summer ... he won an entry into Challenge Roth in Germany on July 14, 2013!
We had guests over from Australia these past few weeks and we managed to explore a few cool parts of the city that have been on our flat-day lists for a while. First stop: Toitu Otago Settlers Museum – if you haven't been yet then you have to check this one out. This little gem is loaded with surprises and the displays are executed with style. Our favourite is the early settlers' cottage ...
We also managed to get some time with the Northern Royal Albatross at the Royal Albatross Centre. This is the time when the eggs are hatching (it can take up to a week). We were privileged enough to see a pair change shifts on the egg ... these truly are remarkable creatures of the Southern Ocean.
Waitangi Day tomorrow and the return to another round of that hot, balmy, summer weather ... plan something remarkable.
See you at the beach!
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