Part 9 - Gautsa to Dochen via Phari and Tuna; caravan logistics and Chomolhari views

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SUMMARY:
Diary notes cover travel from Gautsa to Phari, Tuna, and Dochen, dealing with delayed transport, missing supply boxes, and assembling a large mule caravan. The party notes an evening earthquake, listens to the Scotland–Ireland match result from Murrayfield, and reports strong winds, clear views of Chomolhari, and a telephone call to Gyantse.

CONTENT:
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instead of Tibetan, it was overdone. There must have been eight courses or even more. The poor fiancée had great trouble with her food, probably the first time she had had any that way. There was a small earthquake in the evening. We were just in time to hear the last five minutes of the Scotland-Ireland match at Murrayfield and get the result.

NB 27th Feb. To Gautsa. 12 miles. Transport very late in starting and was not off till 9.30 am. Fine day. On the way up we passed some yaks, on them I saw boxes labelled Harrods. Later on I noticed my own name, and these boxes turned out to be Harrods stores, which were sent on a month ago, and should have been in Gyantse long ago. Nothing we said upset the yak men, and they fully intended to go to Phari only on the 1st March. But they now promise to get there tomorrow. Very little life on the way up. Lingmathang is a beautiful meadow, but dried up and brown now. Saw signs of a gentian above Lingmathang.

28th Feb. To Phari. 17 miles. After a bad night of wind and some snow, today was perfect, with bright sun and very little wind. Chomolhari was clear of cloud till the evening, then cleared after an hour or two. We got our Harrods boxes on here, found Pintso waiting for us, but no Tenduk. We also found my very important Ha box had not been sent on here. These are both serious, but we hope can be put right before long. From now on we have a terrific caravan of mules.
6 riding ponies & 35 pack mules

1st March. To Tuna. 21 miles. Fine morning, slowly clouding over. Wind rose at 10.0 am and was very strong and cold all day, but in our backs, thank goodness. We got off in good time. 17 loads were sent through to Gyantse, while the rest came with us. The rate for everything is Rs 8/4 to Gyantse. Jibi walked all the way and is feeling very tired this evening, and a bit footsore. Chomolhari looked lovely the whole march, as we gradually came round it.

Extract from Tuna Bungalow book. — "On a specialist's recommendation, a Poona man came on vacation. He said 'I'd far sooner have Poona than Tuna, it seems a more lively hill station.'"

2nd March. To Dochen. 14 miles. Fine all day but very windy. Views of Chomolhari wonderful, especially in the evening. We telephoned to Gyantse this afternoon and got the P.T.O. to open.