Only in 2005 I came to New Zealand for the first time. I didn't dare to go to Australia and New Zealand before, I was afraid that I would stay there. I had a bilateral project with agResearch in Palmerton North that I wanted to visit.
I flew in via Auckland, went on to Palmerton North and then lived with Alec McCay. He showed me the area and its work. In New Zealand agriculture still has a meaning and you don't have to be ashamed or apologize if you are a sheep researcher. This was a completely new experience. I took part in some farmers' events. They are in the environmental discussion where we were in the 80s. Slowly they also get this green island broken. The sayings are always the same: Ownership, food production etc. Too bad about the beautiful country. The pasture farming is really enormously developed. I probably didn't want to live here, too lonely (except for Auckland, where a quarter of the 4 million Kiwis live). After living with Alec for a week, I took a car and flew via Lake Taupo, Rotorua and Hamilton back to Auckland and on to Australia.
- 2006 in December I was once again in New Zealand with Klaudia. We spent a week from Auckland via Rotorua, Taupo, Palmerton North, Napier, Gisborne and Hamiltion. At Keith Betteridge one night in a holiday home in Turangi (Taupo) and slept at their home in PNth. Was very pleasant. Then spent on an organic farm at Turaga Bay north of Gisborne with Mike and Bridget Parker. That was very pleasant. We really liked the friendliness. A full week, but very pleasant and varied.
- 2009 my third trip to New Zealand, again to Palmerston North, this time to Massey University, with whom I had a partnership on climate change and milk production. I spent a total of 9 days in NZ, but it was mostly very wet and cold. The HW 1 was dense with snow on both the outward and return journeys. This time I drove the HW 3 to New Portsmouth along the Md Edmont NP. I spent one night at the Gloowworm caves 100 km south of Hamilton and visited the caves. Very impressive to admire the glowworms on the ceiling with a boat on cave waters. Palmerston North boring as on the previous tours, but the attempts of the university and also of agResearch are very exciting.