In pictures: Palestinian commuter's odyssey

It takes Palestinian office worker Olfat Hammad more than three hours to travel the 45 kilometres between Ramallah and Nablus.

It is a journey which should take less than three-quarters of an hour, were it not for official Israeli roadblocks along the usual route to protect a string of its settlements.

2:35 PM - Olfat and her travelling companions prepare to leave Ramallah via a muddy crossing

2:35 PM - The crossing (through a quarry) has a pile of rubble put there by Israeli army bulldozers to stop cars

3:05 PM - Taxis between Ramallah and Nablus are shared between seven passengers

3:15 PM - The first road takes us past new Israeli settlements on occupied land - considered illegal under international law

3:45 PM - Then we have to turn off the settlers' bypass road and head across country...

... an unusual route between the Palestinians' two largest West Bank cities

4:35 PM - Burin, where the road to Nablus comes to an abrupt end

4:40 PM - From here Olfat and her companions must climb over the hill to avoid a temporary roadblock

It is a stiff climb in full view of the roadblock. The party feels very exposed and fears warning shots from nervous soldiers

5:00 PM - The journey down is steeper and more slippery

"Can you imagine I do this twice a day," Olfat says in disbelief

5:15 PM - We rejoin the road after skirting around the temporary checkpoint

5:35 PM - Relief all round as the commuters complete the last leg of their marathon