We hope you enjoyed our previous blog about our tramp along the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, it comes highly recommended.After a few more days of relaxing and enjoying the bach in Taupo we made plans to leave, and at the same time the news about the Pike River mine explosion came to a tragic conclusion. As with the rest of the country we had been watching in hope over the previous few days.Leaving Kuratau we headed west once more towards the Taranaki District, but this time we took the Forgotten World highway (SH43), New Zealand’s oldest touring route. A Rugged 155km 3hr journey between Taumarunui and Stratford, which twists through hills and steep bushy draped cliffs of the Tangarakau Gorge. There are several sights to see through this rural part of NZ, the highlight being the Gorge itself as well as driving through a tunnel called ‘Hobbits Hole’ Along the way we stopped off at Damper Falls, at 85m it is the second highest waterfall on the North Island. Surrounded by native bush, the falls spill over a papa bluff but unfortunately due to the dry weather it was a mere trickle, but we still got a sense of its size.Toward the end of the highway we passed through the unusual town on Whangamomona once a bustling frontier town, with up to 300 residents providing service to hardy farmers trying to wrestle a living from the nearby bush. But in 1924 the town suffered from a great flood, since then the population has diminished and now only 30 residents live in the town. Whangamomona declared itself a republic in 1989 due to past political headache, and you can now get your passport stamped or even buy a Whangamomonian version.After the days drive we arrive in familiar territory, New Plymouth. We had arranged to meet up with Vicky and Shaun, friends of Emma’s auntie and uncle Vicky and John. We arrived at a pub called Fredericks, not knowing who we were looking for we rang Vicky’s number and gazed around at the table seeing who was picking up a phone, there they were, “Hello,” joining them for a refreshing beer we caught up and swapped stories.The past few nights we have stayed at their house and enjoyed numerous BBQ’s, beers, sunshine and showers as well as meeting a number of their friends along the way. During our time here the weather has been outstanding, the best November for years as Shaun stated. So we made the most of it and hit the beaches.Back Beach close to town gave us opportunities to go surfing, snorkelling, swimming and sunbathing, and really just to get a taste of what life by the sea can have to offer. I am even more tempted to purchase a surfboard, but the body boards are fun and helping us learn in the mean time.As well as the beaches we have enjoyed a number of other places such as Lake Mangamahoe, a beautiful spot which sets itself in the foreground of Mt Taranaki, which still has a fair amount of snow on it. I was also lucky enough to head out to sea with Shaun on his boat to try our luck at fishing. We headed a good Km or two from Port and got our rods out, but unfortunately the wind and swell got up so we eventually had to call it a day, and with no catch we headed back to port with some speed and air.The past couple of nights we decided to head out in the camper, it has been a while since we last slept in it. We spent the nights at a ‘secret’ location where we are lucky enough to have the entire beach to ourselves, cooking delicious foods upon the open fire, its hard to believe we are now only weeks away from christmas.Lee & Em