41ml of rain at home finally, just enough to get the light country sown. Less than 2 weeks to go. Amazing how you can keep consuming information.

Had 3 weeks in Canada, Rosie was with me for 2 of them which was great for her to get an understanding of what is involved in getting around, the network of Nuffield and the communication difficulties of being on the other side of the world.

I am in Oakland near San Francisco to visit a first cousin that I haven't seen since 1970. He is a scientist, his current project which they hope to trail with in a week on a rabbit is the worlds first artificial muscle, the aim is for spinal cord injuries where the victim has to use a respirator to breath, it is to replace the diaphragm muscle. If it goes ok there can trial on bigger animals and possibly humans with in 3 years.

Had a big drive across the Mid West from Denver through Kansas, Iowa, Illinois & Missouri, met some very motivational people that have made me realise I can still aim higher. Saw a 7000 cow dairy milked twice a day in 12 hrs, he also feeds a few cattle 160 000 head, went to Kansas State Uni saw numerous things there including a national wide bio terrorist communication network where everyone can be online while you look down the micro scope.

Then on up to Des Moines Iowa for a day & a half at Pioneer Seeds Research, turned east dropped in on John Deere, Caterpillar, CNH factories, saw a liquid fertilizer production plant a lot of corn and Soy beans & a cattle sale.

Down to St Louis where I stayed with another cousin from the smart side of the family, he was with Monsanto or 12 years so he organised a look see there. One meeting had a fair amount of discussion on GM, as to Australia's position. He was excited to know that one of his team projects was coming to commercialisation sexing sperm for breeding, another project which won him an award from the President was bio degradable rubber.

He got caught up in take overs and downsizing and so lost his job. He and another set up their own company and were successful in getting grants to research cervical cancer, they are excited with the progress to date but as we saw in NZ and most other research places visited so must time is lost chasing funding.

I have been sending newsletters home every couple of weeks which everyone is appreciating.

I am working on getting my report together at the moment. I want to do as much as I can before getting home as it will be busy I hope. The longer I leave it I realise it would not be as good as it could have been.

Flying back to the UK on Wednesday to do some follow up. Stopping at Toyko for 2 days on the way home. I think I am ready to experience a language barrier again.

I haven't been in contact with Maureen Cribb or Karen Butters of GRDC I was wanting to forward my news letters to them so if you could get me their contact details it would be great.