At the end of my HexaTrek thru-hike in July, I hinted at further adventures to come, though at the time I didn’t have any concrete plans.

India had long been on my list, but I assumed summer wasn’t the best season. A bit of research (with ChatGPT’s help) revealed Ladakh: a high-altitude desert in the far north of the Indian Himalaya, wedged between Pakistan and China. Its cool, dry climate in July–August makes it perfect for trekking. I spent time exploring the area around Leh before setting off on an epic eight-day trek through the Markha Valley. I’m really looking forward to sharing the photos from this trip, it was breathtaking.

Since I still had a valid Chinese visa, I took the opportunity to cross to the other side of the Tibetan Plateau and travel through Sichuan’s Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Over two weeks I hiked across spectacular high-altitude landscapes, visited monasteries, and also spent time in Chengdu and Chongqing. One surreal highlight: wandering through an enormous decommissioned nuclear weapons facility hollowed out of a mountain!

Now, after a summer spent mostly on the road, I’m back in Munich, slowly digesting it all and preparing to write about these journeys over the coming months. It’s also time to “re-enter society” and search for a new job — not the most fun prospect, but I’m looking forward to channelling my energy into something productive again.