Daily Photo – Sunset in Palmerston North

I found my way to Palmerston North. My initial plan had been to head to Taranaki and New Plymouth however, cyclone warnings had popped up all over the North Island, meaning a change in direction was required. So, I ended up in Palmerston North. 

Surprisingly, I arrived under bright sunshine, something I hadn’t seen in some days on my trip through the North Island. After leaving a place called Waiōuru I drove through places called Taihape, Mangaweka, Cheltenham and Fielding, arriving in Palmerston North in the mid to late afternoon where I called in at a spot called ‘The Square’ and went for a walk around. Located in the very centre of the city, The Square is 17 hectares of land that features monuments, fountains, art work and picnic areas. At one end was a large Plaza while the other end featured the usual arrangements of shops that you might expect to find in a city centre. It was large with small pockets of people scattered around enjoying the warm, sunny day. For a long time, I couldn’t work out what it was, however something didn’t seem right. Then it struck me, that was exactly what was wrong. It was large and open but there simply wasn’t anyone there! In a larger city, it would be filled with people but here in Palmerston North it almost seemed too big. Almost as no one was really sure what to use it for. 

For a short time I walked the streets looking at the sites that the locals see everyday. Then, once that was done, I went to find some accommodation, a bite to eat and a drink. However, not necessarily in that order!