The other day I was about to get onto the highway on my way from work, when luckily at the last minute I glanced over the bridge and saw that it was standing dead still… I decided “not a sokkie, I’m not getting stuck today! I’m going to take the scenic route home.”

And what a pleasant experience it was, probably took me longer, but I felt so much more relaxed by the time I got home.

Today I want to ponder something I’d like to call ‘routes for relaxation’. Growing up in Pretoria I know every possible way of getting from my house to all my usual stop-overs. And there’s always the fast way and the leisure way to take. I have become too accustomed to just whizz my car towards the highway, and jirts past all the cars and get wherever as fast as possible. (point taken that I am usually on my way to being late if I don’t push down on the accelerator!)

But when I do have the time, I like to take in the beauty of our city. What beauty you would ask? Have you ever noticed the rolling green hills between Pretoria East and Centurion? Or taken in the puffy white clouds disappearing over the Magaliesberg?

Curious what route I took home instead of the highway? From Centurion there’s a road that will lead you into town from the, so to speak, backside. From Irene continue on Botha avenue in a Northerly direction, back towards Pretoria. It will take you past the Groenkloof Nature Reserve, and it’s here that I started to appreciate the green of our city again. No, we don’t have the sea or any momentous mountains to speak of, but I’ve seen much uglier cities. (and I’ve seen my fair share!)

Or, for instance, instead of taking the highway to go from point A to B in Pretoria East, try cutting through the middle by following the extension of Lois avenue past Menlyn. You will meet up with Hans Strydom drive in Moreleta Park. And just for the fun of it, follow it over Hans Strydom and enjoy the deep dips of Rubenstein drive! (yes, I have sped down them way too fast on many of my time-chasing trips… But it’s too tempting not to enjoy the thrill!)

And if you have time to take the long route round, take the M31 (first road out of Delmas road after the Piering street robot) past the Rietvlei dam on your way to Centurion from Pretoria East. For a moment you will feel like you are leaving the rushing city behind and before you know it, you will arrive at the Irene Mall all refreshed while your friends raced on the R21.

Maybe try a different route to work tomorrow morning. It’s a 50/50 draw – you either get lost and get to work late, or you might find a quicker way to cut out some peak-time traffic. Life is too short to get stuck in a rut. To be all deep and philosophical, like Robert Frost said “two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.” Yes, I know, way too soppy, but ey, I got carried away!