Part 101 - 7–8 May: Laba to Lhaguari via Potrang La; camera failure and monastery stay

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SUMMARY:
At Laba on the north side of Potrang La, the diarist reports a broken cine camera and scarce flowering, lamenting missed photographic plans between Tsona and Dirang Dzong. The next day they cross Potrang La to Lhaguari amid a blizzard and, at the request of the Jetsun Kusho, move from a planned campsite at the Lingka to quarters at the Gompa, also noting bird observations along the route.

CONTENT:
7th May. Laba on North side of Potrang La. 15,000'. Some rain last night. Bright with clouds most of today, with storms round about, but none here so far.

A minor tragedy happened yesterday, when the cine camera went bust - the mainspring I think. I was sorry enough to have to come back without all the flower photos hoped for, having at last got as many films as I could possibly want. But I had planned to get many interesting photos between Tsona and Dirang Dzong. Now I will take back 60 unused films. There is again very little in flower here. The hillside is covered with Rhododendron vellereum, but they have all been caught in a hail storm. Primula atrodentata, calderiana and pumilio are all in flower.

8th May. Lhaguari. Left at 7:00, got in at 1:00 pm. It was a very still night and I should think there were only 3-4 degrees of frost at night and it was fairly clear this morning. We took about an hour to reach the pass, and as we got to the top a real blizzard started, blowing hard up the south side. This lasted for about an hour and a half when it cleared up, but there were heavy storms all round for the rest of the day. We got in at 1:00 pm and were just about to choose a campsite at the Lingka, when the local clerk came down and said we were asked by the Jetsun Kusho to go to the Gompa. I foolishly agreed, so here we are, stuck in clean, but cold and extremely uncomfortable quarters, with little privacy. One should never leave the comfort and privacy of one's tent. Although they say here that we will get off tomorrow, I have no doubt at all that we will at least not get off till midday. On the North side of the Potrang La there were a great many blackbirds. We have had albocinctus all the way up from Kongbo, but he left us at Lenda, though there were a few at Lhapso. His place is taken by maximus at high altitudes now. He was very common from 15,500' - 16,500'. There were also at least 6 pairs of snow cock, very tame. Crossoptilon were up to 15,500' and mixed up with all of them were