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I enjoyed reading of your adventures in India. I had a similar out-of-comfort-zone experience. In 2004-2005 while my father was still alive, I traveled with him on his work in Ho Chi Minh City Viet Nam. Over 15 months we made four trips there, each 3-4 weeks in duration. We'd take weekend trips to China (Shanghai and Beijing), Cambodia (Angkor Wat) and Thailand (Bangkok) as well as exploring south and north Viet Nam. It was a terrific adventure and priceless time with my father towards the end of his life. I'm sure you father appreciated your company.

Unfortunately all I had to shoot was the then-new Canon Digital Rebel. But that camera was way better than no camera at all.

I recently bought a CL and sold my Q. In retrospect I should have kept the Q. The pair would be a great travel set. For now I am pairing my CL (with the 23 Summicron and 18-56 zoom) with my M10 and 50 APO Summicron. A little heavy for travel but it covers most of my visual bases.

I'll look forward to more adventure reports from you.

What a fun posting. And it motivated me to order some new stuff.

Thanks.

I notice that all of your recommendations are for athletic people. I'm not built that way. I'm short and overweight. I live in the Pacific Northwest where it rains a lot but doesn't get bitterly cold. It's be hard to find a good rain shell with a hood that fits my belly. Given that overweight is a serious epidemic in the United States, why don't these manufacturers make clothes “for the rest of us?”

David,

Excellent advice.
I suspect everyone understands the value of a rain shell or rain parka.
I would emphasize the need for rain-pants that can really handle rain.
On the trip I took with you, I sort of wondered if rain paints weren't overkill.
But then I recall one day and one location where the rain was just pouring down for hours. My camera was weatherproof fortunately, and that was the day I added rain paints to my rain jacket. The combo was truly waterproof and I learned to easily shoot in the rain. If I hadn't had the rain paints I would have literally been washed out after the first hour.
https://www.macdonough.net/For-your-review/Rain/n-375bPF/

Nigel,

There are certainly other options besides Arc'Teryx. In many cases, I make specific recommendations for these too. For example, while I love the Arc'Teryx Atom LT, the Patagonia Nano Puff is a super solid piece as well.

I'm not personally familiar with Rohan or Carinthia, but as long as they meet the same criteria, I'm sure they are fine. I do like Fjallraven and mention a few items in my article from them.

The most important take away is how a layering system works and what to look for in each layer. I've tried so many different items over the years and have found my way to what works best – for myself and many others. No, not everyone will prefer an athletic fit. But on the flip side, I tried in vain to find anything that would fit me in my local Bass Pro Shop. Every single thing fit like an oversized trash bag. So, yes, there are options for every size and shape. It's all about finding what works for each person.

As far as the camera, I shoot with the Leica S and SL for all my landscape outings. I don't worry about keeping the camera warm or dry. Not even a little bit. These cameras and lenses are built like tanks and are extremely weather resistant.

I went with the Cerium LT jacket instead of the hoody because 1) I don't like too many hoods at the same time and 2) I often wear the Cerium LT as a travel jacket around town – the non-hooded version looks a lot more urban and less technical. The Cerium SV hood is super warm, so if the weather is cold enough to warrant wearing the SV, odds are I will want the extra warmth of the full hood. But, ultimately, yes, I like having more options.