Building the road to China
In 2015 the Kathmandu Earthquake severed the Friendship Highway that has, for generations, brought trade over the Himalayas between China and Nepal. The Chinese have responded with a huge investment programme forging new links between these countries. Today’s journey took us along the first 125 km of one of these links to our trailhead at Shyfru Bensi.
Roadworks and construction formed a significant part of the journey and our bus slithered along in the mud pushing it’s way past construction traffic and paused at the rutted sections to let the trucks through bringing steel from China.
As ever in Asia much of the hard work of construction was being done by hand. Rocks were being split with hammers and picks, concrete was being mixed by shovels and teams of porters were collecting pebbles and aggregate from the river bed. With sweat, muscle power and a few diggers the road widening was being hewn out of an unstable mountainside whilst traffic lurched past in both directions.
After the construction work the road climbed up high above the river and traversed through woodland but, where there were gullies, the tarmac had been washed out and replaced with mud, ruts and boulders. With great skill our driver kept us from plunging off the abyss into the river 1,000 metres below.
A surly search by armed police at a check post was followed by a descent back to the river and the welcome comforts of the Hotel Malla where international cuisine was served for supper. Most feasted on the deep fried ‘Mars Bar Momos’ and were only a little disappointed when they turned out to be Snickers!
