Pune, Maharashtra, India, 15 January 2017, 1614 hours:

Am on my way to Mumbai. 
Have one 45-litre trekking back-pack and a slim, light-weight sling bag with a few essentials. I haven’t had time to think about the Winter Trip that has now commenced. In July 2016, I was in Losar, Spiti, and looking around those famiiar, remote Himalayan mountains, I had decided I would be back in the region to spend some time in winter, to rediscover life and culture. The Mountain Walker team stood up unanimously and decided we should prepare for a documentary. 
With government permissions in place, gear packed, logistics arranged, we are now on our way. 

Am not given to training for any event or trip, mainly because I believe that good health and endurance has to be an everyday habit. But I do prepare when I go to extreme conditions. And so, I have been eating four square meals a day since 1st December, putting on weight and fat. The last time I had been snow-bound in similar conditions was 23 years ago, but the memory is still fresh.

Am not sure if and how well I will cope now. But am not worried, it’s something to deal with and I am as prepared as I can be. Last time I was alone. This time I have a great team.

It should be difficult, require a lot of endurance, there’s a lot of work to be done, but it’ll be fun.

The goal is to get to Spiti and spend some time there. Let’s see how far we get. 😀