Day 6 : Star gazing, and planetary bodies

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Fielding

There was a farmers market in Fielding. It was pretty small and I went through it like a 'dose of salts'

Wanganui

Drove to Wanganui today and felt instantly at home' when I arrived and saw the chocolate coloured river flowing past the town. Most rivers in Oz are brown with silt.



View Wanganui in a larger map

This is a really pretty town. Lots of old structures and an expansive public buildings and monuments precinct
I had dinner on riverbank I feel like one of those wanky TV chef who like to cook alfresco in a public place.

I can hear a blues cover band at pub across the river while I prepare an omelet.
The sun sets and I go for a walk-a-bout. This town doesn’t seem to have any night life apart form a crawling infestation of teenagers lurking in cars and on the side walks.
Can't work out if this town is full of burbling Subaru's, or if it's a single car doing many circuits?

Aramoho outback camp

Found a camper park behind a pub. It’s smaller then the other major sites in Wanganui, but closer to town. A lot more 'down to earth'. $10 a night didn't seem unreasonable.
That's me parked away in the back ground
 There is a wild garden out the back with giant chairs surrounded by towering corn stems and roaming pumpkins. The lot is mostly populated with 'long term' residents, and they all seem to have amazing 'home built' campers.


View Wanganui in a larger map

Ward observatory

While I was 'following my nose' I stumbled across this ancient old building while I was checking out the
The more then hundred year old astronomical observatory in the middle of town is open to public on a Friday, and I got to see Jupiter and four of its moons.

The building is full of Beautiful brass fittings and dusty electrical equipment. The wood dome curving overhead is driven by a heavy steel toothed gear wheel, inlaid silver labels.


Link to Ward Observatory info...









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