[DRWskies (Josu)]

Greetings everyone!! I am 26 year old backpacker, from Spain but currently based in the UK. I've been interested on astronomy and space exploration since I was 4, and have been observing the northern skies with modest telescopes for the last 14 years, and from the Shetland isles I've finally been able to admire the aurora!. However, the whole picture is still missing.

Recently, my circumstances have changed a lot, and allowed me the opportunity to book a trip to the southern hemisphere, with some constraints.

Santiago, Windhoek and Darwin were the options I considered as bases, with a radius of about 100 mi around them. As you know, Darwin is not optimal, since it is only 12 degrees south to the equator, and has the greatest amount of precipitation, but for other reasons it was the winner.

I would not feel familiar venturing on my own at night, on the other side of the world, especially since some sources claim it's a bit of a troubled city (for Australian standards).

So I thought that it would be not just easier but a lot more fun if I was lucky to find some star party happening around the time I'm there, or some guys who I could hang around with. All the guidance and help would help. Telescopes would be a plus, but not even that is a must, happy enough with being able to identify constellations and objects that are impossible to see from up here. I will return to the continent, but it will not be soon.

Thanks for your attention, I look forward your suggestions, and feel free to contact me.