Today, from Dege, I made it as far as Manigange, cresting Tro La Pass at 5,050 meters (16,568 feet) en route - the scenery was stunning. In Manigange I sat at a highway intersection hoping to materialize a ride further on – anywhere, as it turned out. A steady stream of government vehicles hummed past at an urgent pace - in aggregate several hundred Land Cruisers, ambulances, and satellite telecom rigs. This route from Chengdu (the STH) is busy funneling police, medical, and rescue personnel, while supplies are being trucked in from Xīníng to the north. The spirited relief effort was uplifting and reminded me of home. At the same time, I cringed to consider how ill-prepared India would be in responding to such a crisis, God forbid. The Han, they get it done.
As the afternoon progressed, it was evident that my continuing upcountry to Yùshù was neither feasible nor appropriate. After four hours of lingering, I finally hitched a ride back to Gānsù in an empty supply truck, one of the relief vehicles sponsored by Bank of China. It was one of the few trucks heading back from Yùshù, to re-supply, and I got a roughly translated (and condensed) version of the driver's report: 'Yùshù is destroyed… no homes, no food, no water.'
