This is it… my last regular New Zealand post! Tomorrow is a budget breakdown so that doesn’t really count. But today I’ll detail the final leg of my trip from Wellington back up to Auckland, with a two-day stop in National Park as I attempt to hike the Tongariro Crossing, weather permitting.

First, here’s a round-up of miscellaneous images from my time in Wellington.

I find these retro luggage tags in the Te Papa museum store. It occurs to me that they would make great ornaments on a travel-themed Christmas tree like the one I decorated last year. I’m filing away the idea for future crafts projects…

Havana Coffee Works is one of the highest rated coffee shops in Wellington, so naturally I pay them a visit. It’s decent.

This flyer for $25 tickets to the Circa Theatre catches my eye… I decide to give it a shot the next night.

I snag a last-minute ticket to Midnight in Moscow . It’s by renowned New Zealand playwright Dean Parker and it’s set at the New Zealand embassy in Moscow in 1947 amidst rumors that someone has leaked classified information to the Soviets. It’s a small embassy and suspicion creeps into relationships and threatens friendships; all the while there are secret affairs and suppressed sexual orientation. It’s quite a charged canvas of characters.

There’s also a musical element with moments of song and dance as the characters rehearse a number for the show-within-the-show, The Mikado. I ask about this at the Q&A following the performance, commenting on how the lighter musical moments balance out the heavier drama of the play and asking them to elaborate on how the numbers were developed. One of the actresses (who was also the choreographer) makes the insightful comment that within the play they reference both The Three Sisters and Gilbert & Sullivan… and the musical number is directly from a Gilbert & Sullivan show. She says this is a very “New Zealand” thing: to sweep conflict under the rug and instead focus on the lighter moments.

At times the play drags — there’s a subplot about Boris Pasternak, author of Doctor Zhivago, which distracts from the main saga. But I’m impressed with a lot of the dialogue: witty banter, poignant moments, and cultural references that I don’t always understand but get big laughs. I’m so glad I’m able to see this play and attend the post-show talkback.

Also, performances are at 6:30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays (the other days of the week they start at 8pm). Since I’m there during dinner hour I just skip the meal and spend my money on a ticket instead… I’m calling it the theater diet and I hope it catches on.

I spy this poster for The Phantom of the Opera and think of my friend Allison!

The next day I take a four-hour bus ride to National Park, home of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It’s considered one of the world’s best 1-day walks, featuring views like this:

[image via]

I first passed through this area weeks prior, but the weather was bad and our crossing was called off. I’ve scheduled this two-day return in hopes that the weather will be better.

Spoiler alert… it’s not.

The weather is actually decent on the day I arrive, but it’s already 1pm and the crossing takes about seven hours. There’s no way I’d make it back before dark, plus since the hike is 1-way, I’d need transportation to pick me up on the other side and they’ll only do that during daylight hours.

NOTE: the Tongariro Crossing had been altered since a nearby volcano eruption last November 2012… but now I’m reading that the regular path has re-opened as of May 2013.

If you are looking for a good company to travel with, I hear that Adrift is top-notch. They’ll pick you up in the morning, drop you off at the start, and pick you up at the other end of the hike seven hours later — all for around $35.

As the rain pours, I enjoy my time in the comfy lodge. I edit photos while sitting near the fireplace and enjoy the Stray bus discount at the bar.

Bye again, National Park! I will just have to add the Tongariro Crossing to my future New Zealand itinerary.

Suddenly it’s time to drive back to Auckland and depart the next morning for Sydney. This leg of my trip is nearly over.

Our bus passes through the town of Bull. All of the local businesses have nicknamed their establishments something containing the word “bull” — the police station is “const-a-bull,” the moving company is “transport-a-bull,” the realtor is “list-a-bull.” I think my favorite is Subway… “submerge-a-bull.” Ha!

And the official website for this town is www.unforgetabull.co.nz. HYSTERICAL. I love it.

We also stop for a quick break in Otorohanga. There’s a wall in this town that features examples of Kiwiana, or icons of New Zealand’s heritage. These include the kiwi bird, gumboots, the silver fern, abalone, jandals, and pavlova, among others.

The Kiwiana love continues with the Ed Hillary Walkway.

And the toilets in this town list all the slang used to refer to the women’s and men’s restrooms.

A quick food recap —

Veggies with pesto and herbs in Wellington. My healthiest meal of the trip.

And now for my unhealthiest meal(s) — a BLT with fries and an ice cream Sundae (consumed on different days, I promise!).

Chicken linguine with pesto sauce at National Park.

And food from Burger Wisconsin in Auckland. It’s not quite as good as Fergburger in Queenstown, but it comes close.

One last look at the Auckland skyline:

And I pass this window featuring paper dresses made out of maps. They’re pieces of art.

The next morning I sip my final mocha and head to the airport en route to Melbourne.

New Zealand, I will miss you. You’ve treated me very well for the past seven weeks of travel. I will return someday to complete the Tongariro Crossing!

See you tomorrow with a total budget breakdown for my trip so far.