Dicing with Death

Armenia is seen as an inaccessible fortress. Situated at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, 90% of the territory of this tiny Caucasian republic lies above 1,000 meters. Before the 1988 earthquake this village had a population of more than 1,000. Today, they are a mere dozen. Independent since 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia is slowly rebuilding its economy.

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, so difficult to reach that the cost of living is higher there than in any European city.

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. Here, drivers undertake a most dangerous journey on board ancient trucks, brushing precipices and crossing suspension bridges whose planks threaten to break at any moment.

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. Here, drivers undertake a most dangerous journey on board ancient trucks, brushing precipices and crossing suspension bridges whose planks threaten to break at any moment.

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. So, Cubans have become the kings of 'make-do'. They keep vehicles, mostly dating from the 1950s, running. They are a wonderful mechanical cross-breed, enough to give a European car tester a cold sweat.