“You don't have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals”

– Sir Edmund Hillary

New Zealand has always fascinated Geert, and it is relatively close to Australia. Its nature and the amazing national parks foremost. Volcanoes and large rivers and stunning beaches on the North Island, and the rugged peaks of the New Zealand Alps in the South Island make for excellent tour cycling and bikepacking – as well as hiking – which in Kiwi language is called ‘tramping’. Geert travelled a number of times to Kiwiland. First as a hitch hiking student in 1985, where he kayaked in Abel Tasman NP and hiked the Routeburn Track, and this was followed by a tour biking ride on Stumpjumper, pulling his Bob trailer in the holiday season of 2009 and 2010, on the South Island. In 2017 and 2018 Geert rode around the North Island.