Summing up China

21st century China seems to be very much a land of contrasts: a largely capitalist society ruled by a communist government, where an ever-widening gap between rich and poor results in a population of haves and have-nots, mostly living in cities where the new is favoured above the old. Are you still following me?? So far for my 'in-depth' analysis (what do I know anyway, we were only there for 17 days)! All of this makes for a very fascinating destination, although it can be an assault on your sanity as well... In all honesty: of all the places I've ever visited, China was the most frustrating, mind-boggling and confusing. Enjoying travel there isn't always easy, because you can (and often do!) spend half your days trying to figure out how to arrange transport, food and accommodation. Untangling the complex web of language barriers, illogical rules and communist bureaucracy is nerve-wrecking, especially if you were in the mood for a chill holiday like I was. Oops, wrong destination! Maybe next time we should head to Hawaii ;-). Despite the hassles and my wish to go home half-way, I am glad that we caught a glimpse of the immense transformation that's happening there. No matter how many times you hear about China's rapid economic development on the news or in papers, witnessing it first-hand is still thrilling. Watch out USA, you definitely have a very eager, ambitious rival in the East!

The two tallest towers in China loom over one of Shanghai's few remaining historical neighbourhoods. The one on the right is still under construction but, when completed, will be the largest building in the world.