Do you ever encounter an Uber driver that doesn’t necessarily have the most patience behind the wheel? What about your last taxi ride? Did you hit a few bumps on the way to your destination?
When we think of a nightmare drive, we probably imagine miles upon miles of dead-stop traffic in the middle of a hot summer. If you’re from the northern United States, you might even be visualizing an avalanche dropped right in the middle of the busiest intersection.
For a few brave souls in Nepal, this “waterfall road” creates a commute to work that most of us could not even fathom- or stomach.
Potholes Are An Understatement
In America, we’re extremely used to the occasional pothole in the middle of our favorite highway. Individuals who live in the south are never surprised when a family of deer prance across the road. All of these hazards can make for a relatively rough drive if encountered. But high up in the Himalayan Mountains is a very different story.
It’s almost impossible to see the imprint of a road on the mountainside from Manang to Besisahar in the Annapurna region of Nepal. But it’s there, running parallel with an older mule track. Jagged rocks stand upright and gleam in the hot sun, daring drivers to cross their treacherous path.
Winding Through Waterfalls
The rocks are just the beginning. The roar of approaching water hits the driver’s ears before their eyes. This water isn’t happily flowing next to the road. No, it’s crashing down onto the road, around the road, and over the side of the mountain, down into the valleys thousands of feet below.
So you’re sitting in your 4X4 (because that is the only vehicle that can even come close to taking on this treck), and what seems like millions of gallons of water are rushing at your windshield. To your right is the jagged mountainside. To the left is the very steep edge of the cliff. This scenario seems like something out of an absolute nightmare.
But to some Nepal natives, it’s just another Monday commute.
What’s Your Commute Like?
Experienced drivers that have traveled this road continuously struggle with it. Tourists should not even begin to think about attempting this trek. Adrenaline junkies beware! This is not a risk worth taking!
Safety barriers had previously lined the treacherous road, but residents say that they have washed away long ago. Even something as simple as a rail bar wouldn’t bring the terror factor down for most reasonable drivers.
The entire video of the drive can illicit pretty high-anxiety responses in most viewers. It’s clear that the drivers in the video are fearless and have completed this trip hundreds of times before. Regardless, it’s still one of the bumpiest and craziest things we’ve ever seen!
Let’s all take a moment to be thankful that the most frustrating part of our daily commute is most likely the elderly neighbor trying to change lanes without a turn signal.
