SHANGHAI SURPRISE

The surprise is that China is actually growing on us. We have now met some nice people who are actually prepared to speak to us. We have also adopted a new tactic in the food stakes and now have a daily stop at Starbucks in hope of picking up some free cheesecake samples with our cuppa. We also found a Wal-Mart in Xian so we now have some instant soups which don't require a microwave.

The train journey here was a long one and when we arrived we spent twenty minutes stood in the pouring rain trying to get a taxi. The city is great, though. The Bund is amazing lit up at night and Nanjing Road is filled with neon signs and enormous TV screens straight out of Blade Runner. We've also visited Shanghai Museum. We spent the whole day there looking at beautiful paintings and statues. It was one of the best museums I've ever visited. The Old Town is also amazing; packed with tiny alleyways that lead to the Yu Garden which is a stunning 500 year old garden hidden behind a wall in the centre.

Next stop Hong Kong…