Hi All
Great to hear that you have taken the most important step and booked your first trips. Do not worry - you will be well looked after and have an amazing time. (Especially if your local guides are Alan, Mervyn and Suzy)
I did this tour in October last year and a number of other Community regulars have posted reviews and tips about it on Forum. Just search under 'China' - I particularly recommend the review and on line diary of Gooner41 (Alan).
If you've got any questions, I'd be happy to help. For starters, my tips would be to take: throat sweets, toilet paper, antibacterial hand wipes, plenty of memory cards and a spare battery for your camera. If you have asthma or other respiratory problems, make sure you pack plenty of inhalers because the air pollution can be really bad. Also, for the experience of a lifetime, set aside £200 worth of Yuan and sign up for the 'Panda Keeper experience' in Chengdu. It's pricey but worth every penny.
Start counting down - the months to your trip will fly by (BTW the visa application form isn't quite as complicated as it looks at first glance, but I suggest making a copy before you start writing in case you make a mistake)
All the best
Mandy