Part 205 - Taktsang: Meeting with Tibetan Army Officer and Route Change

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SUMMARY:
The diarist notes abundant P. rotundifolia near Taktsang and decides to cut across rather than go to Potrang. An officer in the Tibetan army from Lhasa, met at Tama La, initially questioned the diarist’s presence on the route but ultimately supported the party and reprimanded some coolies; he questioned Tenduk about the diarist and departed early for Potrang.

CONTENT:
...been pretty hard at it since leaving Chienchar. The P. rotundifolia are in masses near here, and there are lots of bellidifolia too, but none of the red ones. I have decided not to go to Potrang but to cut across from here.

22nd June. TAKTSANG. 4 miles. Approx 13,500'. Late in the evening an officer in the Tibetan army from Lhasa, who is on the pilgrimage, arrived at Tama La. I sent him tea and cake, and he came and called. At first he was a bit worried about my being on the 'kinglam' and thought I had no passport, and he asked my name. But eventually he was quite happy about everything. Some of the coolies - not the Chienchar ones, had been at him, so I heard. However he told them off pretty good and proper and said there was to be no nonsense, and that they were fairly to run over the pass with my stuff. He stayed till nearly dark, then I went and saw him, and came back to dinner at 7:30. He asked Tenduk all sorts of questions about me. One was, what were all those flowers for? Tenduk told him I took them home and put them up as decoration on the wall. He went on at 5:30 this morning to Potrang and we arranged to