G349 Lhasa to Bianba|||Originally planned to go to Nyingchi, but at the Gandan Temple service area, the crowded and noisy tour buses and crowds scared me into quickly diverting to G3

|||Originally planned to go to Nyingchi, but at the Gandan Temple service area, the crowded and noisy tour buses and crowds scared me into quickly diverting to G349 towards Qamdo. The scenery along the way was breathtaking—grasslands, villages, canyons, rapids, snow-capped mountains, and lakes came one after another, a feast for the eyes. There were very few large trucks on the road, and the cars were all speeding along. The so-called many curves were mostly natural turns following the river's path. Hairpin turns were concentrated in the climb out of the canyon before reaching Jinling Township. There were rockfalls, but in such canyon terrain, this is normal, and the road maintenance crews were prompt with repairs and clearing, keeping risks manageable. Overall, the drive was very comfortable. For accommodation, I strongly advise avoiding Bianba County. The main road in the county town has no parking spaces at all, and even the sidewalks are intermittent. Walking around, there was a pervasive smell of sewage. I booked a hotel that same day with limited options. Just my personal opinion—try to avoid it if possible. Even staying at a village homestay would be more spacious and pleasant.