Quite large, actually.

Shanghai is big. Very big. In fact it's very very very big. So is China. Apparently there are 1.3 billion people here. It's these deep insights and understanding that will keep you coming back to this blog time after time, and make it one of the all-time best blogs of all time.

The journey here was long and uneventful. I had a row to myself from Manchester to Dubai which was nice but Dubai to Shanghai - when I actually wanted to go to sleep - was like a cattle truck.

A lengthy cab ride into the city (maybe 45 minutes) helped me to understand:

1) the size of the place (see above)
2) the rules of the road (none apparently but it's still nowhere near as frightening as the journey from Delhi/Mumbai airport)
3) where all the worlds scarce concrete resources have ended up
4) why it's so difficult to get your hands on a really big crane these days
5) did I mention that Shanghai seems to be quite big?
6) the little green man on the traffic lights doesn't get any respect round these parts.

I paid a quick visit to my hosts at Publicitas Shanghai who were very hospitable indeed and showed me round MY VERY OWN OFFICE(!!!). When I get back to the UK, I shall be having a few words...