Amazingly, almost immediately after the end of the Olympics -- and pretty much overnight -- Sichuan has finally reopened! Foreigners and Chinese groups alike are being welcomed back pretty much everywhere and the military presence has been scaled back considerably. Ignore what you read elsewhere -- with only a few exceptions (and we're not exactly sure where yet), most places are wide open and are desperate to see visitors again. Even hens teeth mountaineering permits can be issued again. There are about six weeks left of the season before it gets too cold and snowy so there's still time to squeeze a quick trekking or climbing trip in!

To celebrate ALL of us here are heading off with a couple of groups to Genie for the October national holidays. Our first customers since....so long I can't even remember!

The office will be completely unmanned for a week and we're expecting to get back to a flood of new e-mail. Sorry about running away but we're starting to forget what the mountains look like! We will of course get back to everyone as soon as we can.

One good thing to have come out of all this time off is a new improved website. Watch this space when we get back...