We’re all back and completely jet lagged (or possible just tired), dehydrated (airline food) and in agreement that this was the most amazing expedition yet!

I apologise that I couldn’t update while out there but there wasn’t even the faintest sign of internet access at most places we went.  I will however upload lots of pictures and information about what we did to the Sikkim page.  I also took some video clips, so when they have been made into a video presentation-like thing I’ll upload that to the media library.

And I thought I had a quiet week-end ahead!

Ok, First of all I’m not the normal person to post here, on the homepage of the Writhlington Orchid Project website, so I do apologise if this is a little shabby.

Going back on topic now, I received an update from our team in Sikkim this morning.  The update tells us that in the first few days out their the team has been working with a local school, met the Governor and now spending some time trekking at 2100m.

So far this is all that we know as the message was a little vague as it came in the form of a text message.

Hello all, we are at heathrow terminal 5 and have found internet acess.  Everything is looking good for the trip and Mohan has aranged a meeting with His Excellency the Govener of Sikkim.

We go through security at 12:20 and board the aircraft at 15:00.  We’re all fairly excited and will posibly upload pictures once we’re airside and I’ve located my card reader!

We are really excited to be hosting this summer’s OCI meeting at Writhlington School.  The event will include a special lecture about the Writhlington Orchid Project, Have-A-Go-at-Microprop. sessions and tours of the greenhouses and labs.

The event is free to OCI members, £10 to non-members (refundable from OCI membership).

A soon as we get back from London we have the daunting prospect of going to Sikkim at the end of the week. For myself and Luke Shackleton (one of three Lukes) this is the first expedition with proper jungle and we are both very excited. Both Luke Lucas and Ben Stokes have been on jungle expeditions before but never to this part of the world.

Simon Pugh-Jones is the only one to have been to Sikkim before and informs us that it’s a brilliant experience. The final member of our expedition team is Lauren Walton from the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, who is tagging along partly as the first-aider, partly as the second adult and partly for fun!

We fly out Friday afternoon meaning we get an a bus from Bath Spa at the extremely sane hour of 8:30.