Impossible Roads

On the chaotic roads of the northwest of the country, and under a blazing sun, women of the Himba tribe go to a funeral crammed into the back of an old pick-up. Others transport water in outdated trucks, they travel through the bush to deliver it to isolated villages. But in Namibia, breaking down on the side of the road is a mortal danger.

In Yakutia, northeastern Siberia, drivers Marat and Grigori cross a frozen desert and take great risks to supply the village of Eiik, where 400 people live. With a temperature of -40 degrees, a breakdown or the slightest navigation error can be fatal. There is still no road and snow covers the slopes. It's a great adventure to get food and heating oil in Yakutsk by transporting them for 1200 kilometers through the taiga.

In Armenia, one of the most landlocked countries in the world, getting around is particularly difficult due to poor road conditions, rugged terrain and inclement weather. Armenians often have to rely on God to cross this Asian country without incident. But they refuse to be defeated and stick together in the face of adversity.

The Congolese have a saying that says “he who does not travel does not know the value of people…” Well, in South Kivu, the travelers are almost all heroes. It takes courage to travel the trails of this forsaken region. The town of Shabunda is one of the most remote in the Congo. Junior and Juvenal carry climb aboard an old German military truck. Despite their steel giant’s 8-wheel drive it takes them anywhere between 3 days and 3 weeks, depending on the season, to travel the 70km to the town.

Most roads in Cuba are in good condition. But in the countryside, it’s a different story, where very few cars are in running order. Cuba has been isolated from the world for almost 60 years due to the US-imposed economic embargo. New cars are virtually non-existent and replacement parts are almost impossible to find. So, Cubans have become the kings of ’make-do’.

From the peaks of the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean, the Brahmaputra river flows for 2,900km through China, India, and Bangladesh. One hundred million people live along its banks and depend directly upon it for their survival. In the mountains of North-East India, its rapids make it impractical for navigation and trucks are the only means of transportation able to supply these remote villages. And so, drivers undertake a most dangerous journey on board ancient trucks, brushing precipices and crossing suspension bridges whose planks threaten to break at any moment.