Starting off from Taumaranui after a “quick” fuel stop. I entered the magical land of highway 43. It started with breathtaking views and it basically kept on going the whole way through.
The quality of the surface itself wasn’t the great with a lot of bumps, fixes and at times sand/rocks/gravel stuff that fell off the walls. Regardless of that it’s in my top 3 north island roads now.
The first saddle you go on coming from Taumaranui gives you an epic view of the valley with Ruapehu as a backdrop. The last saddle does the same but with mt. Taranaki.
Stopped for brunch at ………. café. Just after a group of motorcyclists arrived. A bunch of “old cocks”. Ended up hanging around with them for a good 2 hours before I went on my merry way to Stratford to finish the highway. 
Still being accompanied by good scenery and a welcome from mt Taranaki at the end.
From the Stratford it was on to Wellington to meet up with a friend I hadn’t seen in quite some time. Poor bugger bought himself a caravan and only owns a car without a towbar.