The views from Chapmans peak

One of the reasons why I love road trips so much is because of the chance to look around a bit and let the mind drift off. The roads and the scenery have to be also suited for this. As in…when you are driving on the German highway and cars are passing you at 200 km/h, that doesn’t mean it is a chill drive. On the contrary, that is being on high alert the whole time.


This is different with scenic roads. Roads with views and roads where the maximum speed is set at like 30 km/h because otherwise it will mean you will end up driving off of some cliff somewhere. And although you truly need every span of attention to make sure that doesn’t happen, these roads are the most relaxing ones around.


On the South West side of the Capetown peninsula you have ‘Chapmans Peak drive’, a newly built toll road which makes the connection to the south end of the peninsula a lot faster. But more relevant when you are a tourist like me, the views on this road are truly exceptional. Driving over this steep and curvy road around every corner it seems there is some kind of new view.


Looking in the direction of ‘Hout Bay’ (direct translation of Wood Bay) I let my mind more than once drift off to the idea that this has to be something like Hawaii. Not that I have ever been there, but more this is what I would expect it to look like. Rough and steep mountains ending up straight in the ocean. A clear blue sky in the background with some small little clouds hanging there. A bit like a Bob Ross painting but then in real life.


If you would have you imagination taking a different turn, you would think these mountains would have some dragons living there ‘back in the days’. Or even more when you look at the past that actually happened. Say it was the middle ages and you were sailing up there with your sailing boat exploring the world (us Dutchies did some weird shit back in the days as we all know), and you end up in these kinds of landscapes, what would your idea be? ‘Hey a nice little bay to chill for a bit before we head on’. Or ‘hey more of these brutal mountains, let’s just pass them.’ A lot of ships sank in this region over the years, and I get it. Brutal Atlantic storm winds with really cold oceans ain't that easy for surviving here.


These are the things that pop up into mind. And later on I thought about what crazy beauty the country of South Africa has in terms of nature and landscape. They call it ‘the whole world in 1 country’ for a reason, and that seems valid. All of these places are just stunning, and I would go back there in heart beat!