A story 12 years in the making, or is it 32 years...
As you know, I travel between Cape Town and George (400km+) four times a week. On this road, more or less half way just West of Swellendam, there is a sign called "Vaandrigsdrif".
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AsU2L4whKXI23OsLdDpoxII0UjnEd-YOyjid_G3zNM42I2_OUfEBsf20FVWL7TG3d2YOARbPSKPMre4zHs1XgYUw9a1187jK1dKOowNXH_580dut0yHn6bhKzcMmeVF6z8-_vu9I137YRaBP7mxH3EviYvxNebQqlcXQBJOCGeOuOYMXLsFWXv3JtEz9/w640-h360/P3010632.jpg)
I used to wonder about this sign when I was in the Air Force based nearby in the early 90's already. The term "Vaandrig" was used as a rank in the SA Navy back then and I always wondered how a Navy rank ended up on a road sign hundreds of kilometeres from the ocean.![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tADVOSFavEMeHTan_YWaODziDlSasRzkdIho6xGHPlkiYtZQkvoWRJbcD_x8ns7Pux6b4PFoJ31x0N_BTTyuH9o--HX4DxuiyVlHma1eagF9MpurgLPwXKI8UzHFlNlO4q=s0-d)
I never researched it, but driving past this sign several times a week it piqued my interest again. And not so much the sign, but where it leads...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwDiQTWpgqSCe2PKyMxD_3NJdB9iTo5esiWNklWLASQ77kCkisW9VGsXXMxW-h_i8uF92jJNxW5Rmj-JlaO4v5V_VOlwSz6pL9HfsPew6a7Q4wr0gsgrAMloRstRpmcRGyvmmcY1sC-JY348HEUnwbynuflbd-YXbh1Arddv8YEI9fnZ5lK4ZWvaFDU5B/w640-h360/P3010639.jpg)
In any adventure traveler's heart lies the same age-old question: "I wonder what lies beyond that hill?"![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_t-8rJa7LVd5fipMcMTu-0-vJjdqF3uXR19WEcWsYyRXRR3PxM3jbxJbXNNf0EXJlUon8Z-5zp9XWsLsJJmd9-Yp_U28o1p8r7dG94Ch9cYLO7ViO_eFRlfW6c=s0-d)
I decided that one day, when I have enough time, I will go and have a look!
More weeks passed; a chance to explore this road never presenting itself. I did stop one beautiful day to take the above two pictures. That was the 1st of March 2012.
Fast forward one month...
Today things just fell into place. I got away early, had little traffic and changed cars in Cape Town earlier than usual. The car I was supposed to get was unavailable and I got this Ford Ranger Wildtrak instead. The perfect vehicle!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInVII2scf8-54cdculyS5KC8mWoAjOyGg1NP3dGozdeyv3yIpNRi0izMVZ1s-u9ec_SDJT6pxxqeq7cBL78rnQ2RbcBmJea4QfZUTrg4FUyApcFSRHrBy5KOkLcU4T3D6ZjrenKAUTXpTKTVfM9tHkbsgyTMQnFHS1wPccRdxY1thJ5L2BazEG05qzuj3/w640-h480/VD12.jpg)
At last. I had time and the right wheels to do it with. Today would be the day.![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vbgDFVF3gZ5Lk803TKovZRVv-Nwvr57n0TdCRBYqVOpaCrrVZPMTJEsQNfg2GauUg3bPdxiL3S_wJakAs2Vowlw0bTwpZ66iJvCPsCpv6pIyYXKEDKiX8WtQ=s0-d)
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tJZKT7VN_SHqkM4-ArjheMeJ9JZ-R_sfSYvoNgTv5mdm9pGaRI3IsXzqAa1CUxsxD-UitvV0fi9pBE1whzRSzIc7UuMimEV6dNQnWX_EwcpOpl3FwPIO9yS04YsQ1rzMDMnpbR3ESHLGYRcfDF6ivqib-16sgq-uJFLoYs5cgTuio=s0-d)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AsU2L4whKXI23OsLdDpoxII0UjnEd-YOyjid_G3zNM42I2_OUfEBsf20FVWL7TG3d2YOARbPSKPMre4zHs1XgYUw9a1187jK1dKOowNXH_580dut0yHn6bhKzcMmeVF6z8-_vu9I137YRaBP7mxH3EviYvxNebQqlcXQBJOCGeOuOYMXLsFWXv3JtEz9/w640-h360/P3010632.jpg)
I used to wonder about this sign when I was in the Air Force based nearby in the early 90's already. The term "Vaandrig" was used as a rank in the SA Navy back then and I always wondered how a Navy rank ended up on a road sign hundreds of kilometeres from the ocean.
I never researched it, but driving past this sign several times a week it piqued my interest again. And not so much the sign, but where it leads...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwDiQTWpgqSCe2PKyMxD_3NJdB9iTo5esiWNklWLASQ77kCkisW9VGsXXMxW-h_i8uF92jJNxW5Rmj-JlaO4v5V_VOlwSz6pL9HfsPew6a7Q4wr0gsgrAMloRstRpmcRGyvmmcY1sC-JY348HEUnwbynuflbd-YXbh1Arddv8YEI9fnZ5lK4ZWvaFDU5B/w640-h360/P3010639.jpg)
In any adventure traveler's heart lies the same age-old question: "I wonder what lies beyond that hill?"
I decided that one day, when I have enough time, I will go and have a look!
More weeks passed; a chance to explore this road never presenting itself. I did stop one beautiful day to take the above two pictures. That was the 1st of March 2012.
Fast forward one month...
Today things just fell into place. I got away early, had little traffic and changed cars in Cape Town earlier than usual. The car I was supposed to get was unavailable and I got this Ford Ranger Wildtrak instead. The perfect vehicle!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInVII2scf8-54cdculyS5KC8mWoAjOyGg1NP3dGozdeyv3yIpNRi0izMVZ1s-u9ec_SDJT6pxxqeq7cBL78rnQ2RbcBmJea4QfZUTrg4FUyApcFSRHrBy5KOkLcU4T3D6ZjrenKAUTXpTKTVfM9tHkbsgyTMQnFHS1wPccRdxY1thJ5L2BazEG05qzuj3/w640-h480/VD12.jpg)
At last. I had time and the right wheels to do it with. Today would be the day.
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