The striking thing about the journey between Rangpo and Gangtok apart from: taking chai breaks from a packed Mahindra; the scenery – tropical forests clinging to the Himalayan foothills; and packs of monkeys lining the route – are the multitude of signs extolling drivers of the dangers of the road. Arrive in peace, not in pieces, don’t gossip let him drive, and my personal favourite because of its proximity to a particularly cliff-like cliff drive, don’t fly.

The past days in the Himalayas have been physically and mentally tough (in ways you might not expect) and recent travel experiences have put a lot of things into sharp focus. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger right?Tomorrow starts the final leg of my winter journey – heading to Hokkaido for fresh powder and onsen. The future (perfect) can wait a few more days.