A junked-up Nissan utility van leads the way over Boyes Drive

Sometimes the strangest of triggers can occupy one's mind. Just the other day, I was driving behind a Nissan bakkie heavily laden with I think, a car carcass and a massive white plastic bag in its trunk. This strange contraption became my chief focus. I didn't see any 'abnormal load' sign nor any protective strapping to ensure the bakkie doesn't lose its load. Rather cheeky, I mused.

The Nissan bakkie just before it turned off into Lavender Hill


Obviously the driver of my obsession was oblivious of the intrigue he caused. We wound along the coastal road and the uneven road surface was somehow amplified during this journey. At every turn in the road, I kept my eye on my fellow road user, almost seeing the white bulging bag to fly off to continue its journey as flotsam in the Kalk Bay harbour.
Coasting along Boyes Drive

Oh well, I thought, I suppose the driver would continue his winding trip down the coastal road all the way to Muizenberg, and I would be released from all agony of anticipating some disaster. The coastal road was a far better option than Boyes Drive with its winding, hilly road punctuated with the occasional sharp bend for such a shaky vehicle as his. Horrors of horrors - my bakkie takes the left lane and proceeds like a drunk sailor up the first incline.

Coughing and spluttering the van goes around the first bend and then after the first sharp bend, it plonks itself on to the start of Boyes Drive. Of course, I kept a relatively safe distance because the picture of my car becoming a possible obstacle in any free falling load, did not sit far from my frontal lobe. It was a fait accomplice: we were going to play 'follow the leader' for the next seven kilometers until we descend on to the Main road.

For the rest of the trip, I just sat watching our brave driver and his bakkie hop-skipping along. He was nonplussed about the build-up of traffic behind him and seemed quite content to brave all the bumps in the road and the near-misses of trees and pavements. I had no inclination to check the colour of the ocean or see whether the waterfall alongside the road was still stroking the rock face - the usual visual treats. All my attention was focused on the moving spectacle in front of me. Occasionally I would smile, trying to imagine the murderous thoughts of the now long queue of cars following us in slow motion.

And the trip continues

As life would have it, my bakkie and I had the same route in mind for the rest of my homeward journey. We travelled together in this forced arrangement until we reached Lavender Hill. Momentarily, I snapped out of my stupor, struggled for a while to activate my camera and then took a picture of my fellow traveller while driving (tut,tut!) as a memoir!

Aah well, I suppose somebody is going to use the car carcass for something and the mystery white bloated bag perched above it? Now, that's another trigger to let the imagination run wild...

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