Part 31 - Kuji to Gyetsa via Wangdicholing; farewell to H.H. in rain

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SUMMARY:
The diarist finalizes loads, sends spare items to H.H., notes further gifts from the Ashis, and expresses deep gratitude for H.H.’s hospitality in Bhutan, agreeing with Betty to take Tasho home for five months. On 13th October they travel from Kuji to Wangdicholing to say goodbye to H.H., then on to Gyetsa in heavy rain, finding a poor reception and remarking on the late, unsettled monsoon.

CONTENT:
actually seen it done. I carefully worked out all loads and found three boxes spare, besides all our extra stores, four tents and various odds and ends. So I sent all these to H.H. Now this afternoon we have been given more presents by the Ashis, and it is a problem how to fit them in. One more box would have been most useful. I suppose we'll get everything in somehow. And so ends our stay with H.H. I have certainly a lot to be grateful to him for. I have stayed with him in all 2 days, 6 days, 3 days and 5 days and he has made me and my friends his guests all the time we have been in Bhutan. He has fed us all, and our servants, all the time: he has provided saddles for us, sent our mail each way and generally looked after us all. Could hospitality ever be greater? In return Betty and I now have to take Tasho home, and we will have a job looking after him no doubt. He will be with us about 5 months.

13th October. Gyetsa. Rain at night and a dull day, with heavy rain several times during the day. We left Kuji at 7:30 and went to Wangdicholing at 8:30 to say goodbye to HH and Co. Choden was there, but not Pema Dechen, and Tasho was with us from Kuji. We had tea cakes and so on and after taking a few group photos, we left at 9:30 and got in here in a bad rain storm at 2.0 pm. The weather is very unsettled indeed, and looks like continuing like this. Reception here poor - nothing got ready in the way we have come to expect. This continued heavy rain too is rather unexpected, and we all feel now that it is high time that we got into settled steady weather. All through the year the monsoon has been late.