Wow, what a difference from Japan! Gone is the orderly, organised country that we've grown to love.....hello to noise, dirt, chaos and endless street-sellers saying "you want watch? You want DVD? How about t-shirt?"!

It's also goodbye to women in short skirts/shorts and knee-length boots!! Still, the Chinese women aren't bad-looking, but they're certainly not as well-dressed as the Japanese (who all look as though they're about to step out on a catwalk).

Mixed feelings about Shanghai. I love all the skyscrapers (and they're building dozens more), but at what expense? 'Tradional China' is being swallowed up in the race to become a 21st century city.
Plus the people aren't as friendly as the Japanese (where they'll bend over backwards to help). They don't seem to understand the concept of queing (even at shop tills) and barge their way past you on the metro...the city might be modernising at a fast pace but as for the people....! Still, thats half the fun of travelling!