These vehicles "braved" the rain...

He heard somewhere that officials are a national asset. Any misstep could ruin the business of the transport company where he works. Looking back since the province's merger, it's been the rainy season, so clear nights and cool breezes are rare. Most of the time, the vehicles travel through rain and fog…

A line of vehicles waits to deal with a fallen tree on Gia Bac Pass, National Highway 28. Photo: Trang Hieu

The journey... held our breath.

Around 3 PM on October 1st, as our car was preparing to descend the Gia Bac pass on National Highway 28 into Ham Thuan Bac commune, we encountered a problem. Ahead, a line of cars was stopped in a curved formation along the winding mountain pass before descending to the plains, with no clear reason. The location of the incident was obscured from view. Heavy rain poured down, making everyone reluctant to get out of their cars, despite their curiosity. Perhaps the heavy rain had loosened the ground, causing rocks to roll down onto the road? Or maybe trees had fallen? We wondered if anyone was injured… After about 10-15 minutes of waiting, the line behind my car grew longer. The rain subsided. Several drivers went to investigate. A woman from the back of the car knocked on the window and asked, “Is there a road leading to a residential area here?” She was probably a tourist unfamiliar with the terrain. “No, sister. This is the only road. If you turn back, you’ll be straight to Da Lat. Just wait and see, it’ll probably be cleared soon!” I replied reassuringly. But a feeling of dread welled up inside me as I looked around; the dense forest, the swirling mist, evoked images of over 100 years of history, of the French building this road and the sacrifices of the K’ho Nop and Kinh people. The small, dilapidated shrines hidden along the road bore witness to that…

It was an hour later before the cars ahead started moving. When we reached the scene of the incident, we saw the fallen tree being cut into sections and piled up by the soldiers. The tree was estimated to be about 30-40 meters tall, and its weight had severed the power lines along the road, causing a widespread power outage. Every car happily drove past the pile of fallen leaves that hadn't been cleared yet. But as my car passed by… bang! The 12-seater limousine tilted precariously. "Oh my God!" the driver exclaimed, his face a mixture of tension and frustration. He honked the horn, even though the road ahead was empty. And I noticed a small shrine by the roadside…

Dai Ninh Pass, National Highway 28B, is under construction and still in a state of disarray. Photo: Ngoc Lan

The car continued to tilt like that, rattling and clattering like a normal car crossing speed bumps on the road. The tourists in the back asked each other questions that I knew were from Chinese people, about what was wrong with the car. The rain was getting heavier and heavier. The road was slippery as if greased. Other cars traveling in the same direction honked their horns one after another as they passed. A feeling of anxiety arose, similar to September 30th, when the car was traveling on the Dai Ninh mountain pass - National Highway 28B from Phan Thiet to Da Lat, where in many sections, the wheels were pushed around by the muddy ground, making everyone in the car hold their breath. Because of the mission we had to complete, my companions and I decided to take this route, which just two days earlier, on September 28th, the press had reported at Km 40 that rocks and soil had fallen onto the road, blocking the way and causing a long line of cars to wait with a cliff on one side and a ravine with a construction-under-construction slope on the other.

Now, at Gia Bac Pass – on National Highway 28 back to Phan Thiet – the bus had a flat tire and was driving in the rain… The driver reassured the passengers, as if reassuring himself: “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine in a little while!” And it really was fine. When the bus reached Ham Thuan Bac commune, the rain stopped, making the ride smoother. The dry road indicated that it hadn’t rained at least all day. Typhoon Bualoi No. 10 only caused widespread rain in the highlands. The coastal plains in the southeastern part of the province were also affected, but only with a few light showers.

Familiar roads, "unfamiliar" roads

Before Typhoon No. 10 had even subsided, the East Sea was hit by Typhoon No. 11. On October 3rd, we traveled from Phan Thiet to Da Lat for a meeting. The bus was full of officials and employees, those whose work required them to stay at the grassroots level. There wasn't a single tourist. "Who would choose these days of sudden rain and wind to travel , especially on a road under construction that's becoming increasingly strange?" – That was the thought of Mr. T., the driver who has been driving the Phan Thiet-Da Lat route for over 20 years. Before the Dai Ninh route existed, because the Dai Ninh hydroelectric power plant hadn't been built, he had to go through the Ngoan Muc pass in Phan Rang to Da Lat. After some time, the Dai Ninh route was expanded and repaired, and the Ministry of Transport renamed it National Highway 28B, and he switched to driving this route ever since. Therefore, the road, though narrow and full of potholes here and there, has become familiar because he travels it daily.

The Dai Ninh mountain pass is under construction, with thick clouds of dust; if it rains, the muddy ground becomes extremely dangerous. Photo: Ngoc Lan

Familiar with the route, driving wasn't as stressful as it is now, with the construction of National Highway 28B underway. The road suddenly feels strange and unfamiliar to him every day. Furthermore, in recent days, storms have been brewing in the East Sea, approaching the mainland far away, yet rain still spreads to Da Lat. To widen the road, the basalt soil on the pass has been dug up, splashing and mixing with rainwater, coupled with the constant flow of vehicles, creating a soft, muddy surface that challenges the grip of the tires. During the day, it's manageable. But at 2 or 3 in the morning on Mondays, the journeys carrying officials and civil servants from Phan Thiet to the provincial administrative center, already arduous, become even more stressful under these conditions.

Another driver, who has been in the profession for 15 years, feels as nervous as a student entering an exam room every time the company assigns him a trip transporting officials and civil servants late at night on the first day of the week. It's not just because he's driving late at night, on winding mountain roads, facing rain and wind, and muddy roads under the wheels. It's also because the passengers are all officials and civil servants—people he considers capable—who can manage their families and travel far from home. He heard somewhere that officials are a national asset. Any mishap could ruin the business of his transportation company. Looking back since the province's merger, it's been the rainy season, so clear nights and early mornings with cool breezes are rare. Most of the time, the vehicles travel through rain and fog. Recently, several fierce storms have threatened to intensify the heavy, powerful rain of the highlands, further intimidating the small vehicles navigating through the vast mountains.

Because of this fear, the drivers transporting officials were even more cautious. Thanks to this, no incidents have occurred yet. I happened to overhear a very amusing conversation between the driver and a civil servant. “Wow, you look thinner and older than last month, don’t you?” “Don’t you look in the mirror? Driving a car doesn’t give you so many wrinkles!” “Yes, sir, my income is higher than before, but I don’t know why, my face is always wrinkled, haha.” “Well, wrinkles are nothing. We’ve overcome difficulties and challenges so well over the past time. Let’s continue to work together!”

According to forecasts, in October this year, there is a possibility of 2-3 typhoons or tropical depressions forming in the South China Sea. Although unrelated, during these periods, Da Lat always experiences relentless rain, spreading across mountain passes and down to the coast as usual. The vehicles brave the rain and the difficulties ahead, continuing their journey…

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/nhung-chuyen-xe-thang-mua-395357.html