Beijing to Shanghai was NOT an easy backpacker trail to follow...

Shanghai's Pudong sky line

Ah, Shanghai....

This city has more sky scrapers than New york.. complete with trippy space rocket tower that's red like the windows on the Mirage hotel in Las vegas during the day (and it's been hot humid and misty every day, so it looks really space-aged) but lights up with these cheesy rainbow lights at night - kind of an eyesore.

But here you can find the youth of China at play. It's like a little slice of capitalism in the middle of the communist PRC, much like someone cutting a loud fart at a funeral. There is so much money being burned away here.. very unlike the other places I've passed through in China. And it's worth reiterating. It's here you'll find China's youth burning both ends of their candles.

So no rusty nails this time and no big city regrets-- probably cuz i'm traveling with Tracy, a good friend of mine from Japan and she keeps me from getting myself into too much trouble.

But let's begin at the beginning. Our plane landed in Beijing.