The last visit I had to Sichuan was as a China hand in the early nineties and following reposting and subsequent retirement, there had been no opportunity to revisit and reacquaint my senses with Sichuan's fiery cuisine nor its sights and sounds until recently when an old mate and fellow China hand casually remarked that he had settled in Chengdu and would we care to visit him and tour the environs which he would be proud to show off! Would we? of course we did...like a shot and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with a visit to Chengdu's old quarter, the Panda breeding station, Dujiangyan, the country's first water control and irrigation system dating back to 256 BC, and Sichuan's world heritage sites that are Huang Long Peak and Jiuzhaigou National Reserve!! We had a great time...with a lot of huffing and puffing and walking and trekking....but we had fun, a lot of laughs as happens when old comrades get together...and can only wonder why it took so long to make the visit happen!!!