Here We Go Again - Chapter 82 - Broome Day 4

It’s time to play, “kid with a new toy”.  I have a laptop. I have a new screen. I have lots of things to check out. It will also be an opportunity to clean up much of the paraphernalia that has accompanied all the work on both our laptops to date.

We tend to work at either end of the table in the van and the long edge seat seems to accumulate, not only the cushions etc but all the “bits and pieces”, brochures, printouts etc that you just seem to amass. There is certainly no room for a 2 screen version of the computer installation.

From the spot where I seem to normally sit, the second screen is on the wrong side. For now I need to work everything opposite. To change it would seem to want to make the auxiliary screen the main one and if I were to close a program from it and reopen the laptop without the screen, accessing that program would be impossible.

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With the impetus of the new “stuff: I settle in, to some work, just to make sure everything works in the manner I would like it to. I am praising Chris from Harvey Norman as everything I do simply works – as it should.

The morning passes quickly. A heap of work gets done and sent to clients, but now its time for exploration and lunch. Last time we were here the Matso’s Brewery copped a fair deal of our attention. Given the amount of work that has been done I think a minor celebration is in order. Not too much of course, there are plans for this evening – an astro tour.

The GPS seems to find the brewery quite easily. It is full, but a spot for 2 people is quickly found and we order drinks. Last time I was here I became quite responsive to “Hard Lemon”. Its a “from the tap” libation that loses much of its punch if it is bought in a bottle I have found.

It has a pleasant kick being 4.6% alcohol. Robyn settles for a glass of wine. Looks like we might end up having a liquid lunch 🙂

We also order lunch. Fior me a chicken burger and Robyn orders fish and chips (but with barramundi). They are busy and before the lunches are delivered I have finished my drink and order another one. This might be a mistake

Lunch arrives and is consumed. Robyn’s is obviously delightful as she exclaims in words of enjoyment muffled by the fullness of her mouth. Neither dish lasts long or returns with any remnants, not because it was inadequate in size, it was simply delicious.

Was that second lemon really warranted. I feel a little the worse for wear. Robyn drives back to the park and I look to have a short nanna-nap. Not sure if it was the effects of a full belly, the alcohol or the brain function of all the work completed in the morning, but the napping just wont come. I do a bit more work, not very taxing work, but work just the same. The new computer and screen (even in reverse) are allowing for much better completion. I have purchased a laptop with a keypad making the input of numbers far easier.

Its time to head out to our evening entertainment. We are heading back the way we came into Broome, almost to the Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Farm, 30 minutes away. The directions to the site are a little vague, vague enough to be intriguing.

30 minutes becomes quite a deal longer. The rodeo is in town and we need to pass by the grounds. The authorities have set up a go slow area as parking for the event far surpasses what is available in the grounds and cars are strewn along both sides of the highway. It appears that in this area, parking is an art and certainly not a science. Whilst the stewards are doing what they can, the crowd are apparently missing out and seek to find the first “available” spot, whether or not they may have parked someone else in.

I wonder what it is going to be like on our return.

The vagueness of the directions to our event cause us to miss the trunoff, as does the vehicle behind us. We finally find the road and head in. The gates have signs ordering they be shut, but other than us, drivers seem oblivious.

The site is, in the bush, a little off the road, about 800 metres. Far enough so as not to be too consumed with the noise of the traffic or the light pollution they may cause. We park with our lights away from the amphitheatre type set up as is suggested by the signs. Several don’t. They are returned to their vehicles to learn to read signs and correct their errors.

There is a stage in the middle of the surrounding seats. On it and circling the stage are in excess of 30 telescopes of all sizes, all pointed in differing directions. Before the presentation proper we are asked to view various planets already in view. Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and Venus are all already visible along with the moon which is approaching being full and the focus for the stairway celebrations which occur one a month in this area.

The rings of Saturn are quite easily seen as are some of the moons of Jupiter and the craters of the moon seem like you could reach out and touch them. Although the venue is well patronised, the access to the telescopes is easy. The crowd moves around checking out the differing views offered by the myriad of them.

Greg Quick is our speaker for the evening. Once we are ushered to sit he starts. He talks about the heavens and his long attraction and association with it. He talks of the relationship between man and the stars, the stories handed down by the Indigenous as well as the navigational ability afforded explorers.

He talks about describing a sunrise and a sunset in terms specifically logical to what is actually happening. The earth is turning away from the sun. The sun doesn’t move, its actually a fixed point in the sky, its the rolling of the earth on its axis that creates the phenomenon. Whilst it does not sound as “romantic” as the words sunrise and sunset invoke, he is right but he is also wrong. Its all about the point on which we are standing relative to the movement around the axis and the sun itself. 

He discusses light pollution and the reason all the lights in the compound are not white. Of course there is the obligatory product placement. He has written a number of books, some technical others lighter as well as other bits and pieces.

Unfortunately the lunch extravaganza gets to me and I struggle to get through his presentation without nodding off. Once he finishes we are then returned to the telescopes for much better viewing of the heavens given the darkness has now fully taken over. We can stay as long as we like meandering between them, checking out not only the planets that were visible previously, but as much as the glaring light of the moon will allow, nebulae and star clusters the telescopes are now honed upon.

I text Kirsten. She says to send her regards to Greg. The genre that is astrophysics as far as it comes to relating the science to the masses is not huge and the community seems to be interwoken around the purpose of enlightenment.

Greg has made himself available for book signings and photo opportunities. He is more than happy to pose for one for Kirsten, and signs a book for her in a very personal message of encouragement.

Seeing Gregs books makes me think about titles that may very well be the commencement of forays into the literary pursuits. Certainly Greg has used the writing a book to gain credibility, and although Kirsten is gaining more and more credibility as she speaks and uses social media to get her a message to the masses,  some something like a technical book centred around her PhD studies may be required. 

As the cars start to head off, the eyes are stabbed by the brightness of their headlights. It takes some time for them to return to being able to see properly. We are one of the last to leave. Greg has taken an interest in us and Kirsten and is happy to simply talk.

We ensure we have the book and some other bits and pieces (including an appropriate shirt) to send to Kirsten as momentos of the night.  It has been a big night and even longer trip back to the caravan remains.

Heading back out to the highway, changing to high beam shows the depth of the darkness we have been experiencing whilst in the confines of the amphitheatre.

On the way back there is still the rodeo grounds to negotiate. Will the madness we encountered on our outward journey have manifest itself into a complete road block or will some resemblance of formality have been instilled on the artful parkers  we had previously encountered.

“The parking area” is significantly larger than when we first met it.  Although many have come and gone the sheer size of the area now encompassed by the parking vehicles means we have a long period of slow movement. 

Eventually we make it past and I ourravel is not impeded at all, on the way back to the caravan park. This is the first day of many here in Broome and if we are going to stack as much as we have in today, into every day is going to be perhaps a less than relaxing time. It’s a hard life but someone has to do it.