New Plymouth to Lake Taupo via the Forgotten Highway 43

Early morning walk along the lovely waterfront path that runs for 10kms round the coast. We did about an hour and stopped for coffee in one of the popular pop up cafes made simply from an old shipping container. We sat on bean bags and watched the surf and a couple of pretty good borders!
On our way and taking the road to Stratford and then the amazing Highway 43. It's a scene from a movie with miles and miles of green hump hillocks, views across valleys, a great pub and bush drive through a gorge where they 'forgot 'to surface the road for 10kms! Hetti was shaking and rattling especially when a double trailer logging truck came right up our backsides. We let it pass with dust filling the gorge from its tyres. Coming out of the bush and back on tarmac we had to pass a procession of about 20 old tractors on their way to some event. Stopped at  a lookout just before Taupo to see wide views across towards Tongario. Arrived at 5.30 and checked into the Phoenix motel for 3 nights. It's quite large with everything we need including thermal heated water with a pungentish aroma and a large spa tub again filled with their own steaming hot water......should be good!
We also have an obscure view of the lake through our pretty rose garden chilling area