This past weekend we went to Stardate - a "star party" where astronomy nerds bring their telescopes and spend 4 days camping, talking astronomy, and observing the night sky. It was located in the heart of New Zealand's wine country, near Hastings and Napier, about 4.5 h drive northeast of Wellington. We spent one afternoon at a beach, but otherwise enjoyed the sunny days by the edge of a nearby river.
It was pretty hot each day and no shade for our tent. Steve kept his telescope cool using a white t-shirt. Almost all of the telescopes were homemade, and Steve got lots of compliments on his craftsmanship. 
Steve really enjoyed talking with Malcolm, one of the Stardate attendees, pictured here with his homemade telescope. 
We drove through lots of beautiful mountain ranges and grazing stock. The Wairarapa region is well-known for a dry climate, with dark skies since it is just to the east of a huge mountain range. Unfortunately, we didn't think to take any pictures with us in them... next time!
Steve, only you would find a version of Starfest half way around the world!! The country side looks amazing...
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