Unknown Ahoy

I just walked out of home with a backpack on my, er, back; and a day backpack on my,um, front. I'm off for about 10days. It's the kind of trip some have assumed I have done before, just not for some time. Others are surprised-at times happily, at times befuddled- that I am doing it at all.
And all it is, is a trip alone.

I have a flight out to Delhi late at night. After some more woozy and erratic sleep (the world cup is over but normal sleep remains elusive) I shall be on a bus tomorrow evening. Overnight and in about 16 hours, it shall get me to Manali.
I have never been to Manali, nor to Spiti that I plan to go on to from there.

Old country, new places; familiar approach, unfamiliar companion.

See you on the other side.