After touring some of the earthquake damage in Kathmandu, which was sobering, we then headed north. Our goal was two remote major towns in the Gorkha region, very close to the epicenter of one of the quakes. The road there has been widely considered impassable since the quake. But would that stop us? It was quite the adventure. The further we got into Gorkha country, the more signs of the earthquake we saw. So, we left the world of paved roads, crossed a river, and began our ascent into the foothills of the Himalayas. Our destination was at around 6,000 feet, and every foot of that elevation would be done on the craziest roads we have ever experienced. Soon we couldn’t look around us without seeing signs of the massive earthquakes. Landslides everywhere. After 12 hours of driving, we found ourselves in the Barpak District. There wasn’t one house in the village standing. All that rock that you can see is what is left of their houses–and they are now living in temporary shelters made of metal sheeting. We didn’t make Barpak until nightfall. Which was good, because those roads were not quite safe in the daylight!
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