Skimming

[icspots]

Rand didn't see Asmo weave his skimming gateway.  IIRC Jasin Natael was left outside of Alcair Dal with the peddlers so Rand couldn't have seen him weave anyway.  Rand made his weave from the platform after Lanfear wove the dome around them.  That Rand saw Asmo either points towards a snafu from RJ when he had Egwene state that you couldn't see anyone else, or a difference between genders when it comes to skimming.

 

That's absolutely correct, Rhuidean was warded against entry from TAR and also from a second visit.

 

Rand and Asmo arrive just outside the permanent fog bank that surrounded the city. 

 

Asmodean ran right on through because he had never before been inside but Rand almost skipped the through the "no second entry trap" just at the inside edge of the fog.

 

 

Correct you couldn't enter Rhuidean from TAR while the fog was up.... it copied some of the properties of a stedding in that respect.  Rhuidean wasn't warded from a second visit..... how else would aspiring Aiel Wise Ones make it in for their second trip?  The restriction on only going once was simply a custom requiring clan chiefs to go through the columns.  Wise Ones went through twice, first the ring and second the columns.  Asmo knew Rand was chasing him and was trying to kill him.  He wove the ribbons of Saidin inside the fog in such a way that they couldn't be seen edge-on.  Rand tripped in a Ta'veren twist of fate and that kept him from getting killed.  I'll get quotes from the book once I get home tonight.

[Luckers]

It is possible that the protections were gender specific thereby forbidding a second male entrance and a third female entrance.

[icspots]

^^ Well the same customs that speak to women only going twice and men only going once also say that none save those with Aiel blood can go, and Mat, Moiraine, Asmo, and Lanfear didn't get killed while going in.

[Luckers]

Well, thats a seperate custom speaking not only to the city, but all of Chaendaer. I'm not saying i think its the case--theres not enough information to suggest one way or the other--just putting it out there.