Shiney

China,
At last a country where someone smiles. I got another janet on the Moscow Beijing train. He went to bed on the first night, got up at Shenyang, 500 miles from Beijing, 6 nights later, and left. He must have had pants like cardboard.

He did cough at me once, well it may have been me, he had a wonky eye. It was hard to tell.

Beijing is brand new, just out of the box. I have never seen anywhere so clean in my life. If a leaf falls off a tree a street cleaner will catch it before it hits the ground.

Its well known that there are 1 billion Chinese in China, 25% of which were in Tiann'amen square with me this morning. Its like swimming in a sea of people. There get everywhere, up your nose, behind the crease of your knee, I even found a family in my turn ups. Taking photos is impossible. As soon as you see a worthy shot someone stands in your view. I have 200 pictures of the back of Chinese heads.

I had to stop getting my map out as half a dozen people rush up to ask you if you need help with directions. 2 Million people made sure I got back to my hotel OK.

There are 16 million people in Beijing and 13 million bikes. I know this becuase a man trying to sell me Mao's Red Book told me so (of course I bought it). Which makes you wonder why three times the population of Manchester don't have one.

Also seen my favourite sign so far just outside the Summer Palace;

'Please be a good tourist and behave in a well-mannered imagination...'

Sunday I take a train to Hanoi, from where the next instalement will be provided. Thank you to those who left messages, keep 'em coming.

Have to go now, there's 6 million people waiting to use this computer.