Hello from China,

Well it seems as if we have gone from an oasis of calm and dignity to a whirlwind of noise, smell and being constantly the centre of attention. Shanghai is cheap, with poverty alongside massive skyscrapers. People constantly spit and hock onto the streets, pee anywhere and oh but they stare.

We have had people on bicycles nearly fall off they are staring so much, even when you stare back their gazes do not falter. They muscle on to trains without waiting for others to get off, they treat you like an annoyance when you are in restaurants and they yell and slam around so much you constantly think they are annoyed. I went to a park on my own one day and it 5 minutes had aseveral groups or individual men around me, one had set up his tripod to take a photo, others were pretending to examine their phones but were taking pictures. There was no point moving, so you just sit reading feeling self concious. Then there are the 'students' who pretned to be your friends and want to practice their English, but actually just want to take you to a 40 pound tea house, or a very expensive museum.

The food is bizaare and we have narrowly avoided eating turtle and sinew and hoof.

However... the duck we have had was beautiful, the parks are lovely and the black market thriving and fun. It is incredible how many people youi see carrying around hard drives or computers tied up with string. We went to the Shanghai Circus yesterday and that was amazing, really fun with the performers jumping and contorting and catching each other from rope with one hand.

We move to Beijing tomorrow and the day after start our 21 day tour of China after which I am home for my dear brothers wedding!

Love to all,

Beth

PS just as I am writing this am surrounded by young men all with the phone cameras out, heaven knows what they do with the photos.