Getting up this morning was a serious struggle. I was so nice and cozy in my cacoon but once I actually mustered the courage to open the door I realized how much warmer it was outside than in the camper. Pretty pitiful.
The morning was nice and relaxed as I checked email and made some last minute preparations for DairyNZ's interviews (so to speak). It's a really good thing that I left so early this morning... traffic into Hamilton was surprisingly involved.
DairyNZ's headquarters is a really quirky place, adorned with plastic grass on the walls, cow-print chairs, and the ottomans are plush milk-pails. I kid you not.
I was set up all day on one of the conference rooms with interviews with Pierre Buekes (a kiwi South African), Mike Scarsbrook (a water specialist), Garry Waghorn (he specializes in methanogenesis), Theresa Wilson (effluents) and Chris Glassey (farm systems). So, essentially DairyNZ is a bridge between the governmental Regional Council and the farmers. It provides them with guidance on how to adhere to the environmental restrictions and alter their production methods in order to stay within the guidelines. So, in essence, the council is NZ's EPA.
During the lunch break, Garry treated me to some kumera soup. Oh.my.goodness.so.good. It probably helps that I was literally freezing all day. Frost warning tonight, lovely. And below freezing tomorrow. More lovely. Carnarvon all over again...
The interviews took essentially all
day, from 9 until 4, so by the end of it the sun was threatening to
set on me. I drove a bit closer into town to the Hamilton Gardens
which I must admit are not all that impressive. Granted, I did go
just before sunset and it is winter... The gardens housed a giant
eucalyptus tree... out of place? Yes.
Tonight there are pretty much no other
campers here at the Country Lodge but it's rather nice having the
entire grounds' parking to myself. I can move where ever my little
heart desires. Basically it's me and Malcom, watching home videos of
his work (hedge cutting) and his mom, Sybill (she's 91.. and still kicking!).
He was actually adopted here in NZ, after his mom came from London.
He was reunited with her and visits her frequently in the her home in
Hamilton. From what I can tell she's quite the character.
I'm trying to figure out if there's somewhere close in Kumeu (actually pronounced Coo-me-you.. thanks for the correction, Malcom) but to no avail. It's so close to Auckland that all the places are city-esque and really pricey. Looks like I'll be leaving Cambridge at the crack of dawn on Friday to make the winery tour! :)
Ask and you shall receive... tomorrow
I'm heading back to DairyNZ
to interview the research farm manager, Alan Napper.
No comments:
Post a Comment