Vital lifeline

Tough times are part of the territory for road crews on the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, Hu Yongqi and Da Qiong report.

The dim light emitted by a coal- and cow-dung-fueled oven helped to warm the small apartment where Tsering Degyi and her husband Gunga were cooking potatoes.

They were in for a long wait; at an altitude of more than 5,200 meters, cooking dinner is time-consuming, because water boils at a much lower temperature.