Part 131 - Descent to Chukar via Cha La with flora and weather notes

1 page

SUMMARY:
The party descends from the Cha La on the south side to the village of Chukar, observing weather shifts and cloud over the pass. Notes include Dongkar as part of the Tibetan dry zone, a transition near the Trak Chu with dwarf and small rhododendrons, and many pink Meconopsis horridula; Kuntip is ill while Ramzana is recovering.

CONTENT:
On the south side path does not follow the valley bed but keeps up to the right, descending gradually to a shoulder at m. 5. Over this the large Rong Chu can be seen below. Descent steep over rocky path and under high precipices to the small village of CHUKAR at m. 7.11.

A good day again. Fine till the Cha La then misty, but little rain. Very dull later on. Kuntip is pretty ill again and don't know what the matter is. He has awful pains in the neck and body and his tummy isn't right. I doubt if we will all be well till we get home again. Ramzana is recovering and looks happier today. Dongkar is quite definitely the Tib. dry zone. But two miles downstream one meets the Trak Chu, and that valley shows the beginning of the "Transition Zone". There are dwarf rhododendrons and also some ordinary, if small, rhododendrons too. Then at the Cha La we were still in sun on the N side, while from the south a sea of cloud mist was being blown up. It topped the pass and then seemed to fade away. Immediately we crossed the pass we knew we were in a good place for flowers. It is curious how many pink mec. horridula there are about here - from Tsona to Mago to a certain extent, but more so.