Part 43 - Route to Mera via Mera Chu; gale damages camp huts near Mera

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SUMMARY:
Travel from a pass down to an open plain and up the Mera Chu to the village of Mera is described, noting Sukun La nearby and forested scenery in Bhutan. At a camp 4 miles below Mera, an overnight gale blew off several hut roofs built by locals, and few flowers were seen apart from a blue primula.

CONTENT:
P. White 1166 saw 1156 in flower and very much of it. We are too high here for flowers, am afraid I was rather cross at coming right on here. From the pass one drops for a mile to an open grassy plain, thence the path follows up the Mera Chu to Mera. At about m 10 a little nala comes in from the South and at the head of it, a mile away, is the Sukun La. Mera is a village like Sakden, of 60 houses or so. This is the prettiest part of Bhutan I have ever seen. The hills are thickly covered with Abies (webbiana?) with a good deal of larch, juniper & birch. The valley is open, & there is excellent grazing.

Mera 10th March. 4 m. below Mera. Camp. Yesterday evening a gale got up and held all night. The locals had built a village for me - 5 living huts, & three outhouses. Each of 4 huts had a covered passage behind, to its own private W.C. The roof was the usual wooden slab, held down by stones. But the wind was too much for it, & by 12.30 today half the roofs had gone. As there are no flowers but the blue primula 1156 to be seen

Prim White