That's finished. One more country ticked, and New Zealand leaves us with a lot of good memories — and some mixed ones too. But one thing is certain: we will need to come back. Just maybe not during peak tourism season next time. Twenty-one days is simply too short for such a rich country, even if we feel we got a genuine taste of it.
Back on the North Island
After the ferry crossing, the North Island welcomed us back with an immediate surprise on the road — a house. A full-sized house, being moved down the highway on a low-loader. New Zealand roads are full of surprises.
Some friends also decided to visit our campsite early one morning, and we had our daily shower in the most natural way possible.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing: A Walk in the Clouds
We finished our New Zealand journey with the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing — one of New Zealand's most celebrated day hikes, and yes, another highway of tourists. The universe, consistent as ever, decided to surround us with thick fog for the ascent. We didn't see much of the volcanic landscape everyone comes to admire.
The fog lifted slightly on the way down, offering brief glimpses of what lies beneath all those clouds. Enough to confirm it would be magnificent on a clear day — but that day was not ours.
That, as the sign in our last photo suggests, is what they call tramping in New Zealand. You will do tramping. That is the deal.
4950 km and a Perfect Farewell
After more than 4950 kilometres on the road across New Zealand, we made a deliberate choice: slow down completely. We found a really lovely camping spot and met a charming couple who invited us for drinks and then offered us the best breakfast we had during our entire stay in New Zealand. The perfect farewell.
Now it's time for the next big journey. Almost 20 hours and 4 flights to reach Papua — not PNG, but Papua, Indonesia. One of the most remote places on earth. We are beyond excited.