I realize my updates have been sketchy at best. And they're not going to get any better. Tomorrow I'm leaving for northern Sichuan -- about eight hours from Chengdu -- where I'll go on a horse trek for four days. Our destination is Ice Mountain, which looks beautiful in the pictures that I've seen. I'm sure it will involve one last terrifying bus ride around mountains and gorges. If I've survived the rest of them, I'm sure I'll survive this one.

I'll give you all a nice detailed description of this trip when I get back to America in NINE DAYS!!!