[Shanghai, Shanghai, China] The Street

Life in Shanghai hits you in the face as soon as you arrive. It's not just because of the 18-19 million people that live here; it's more to do with the fact that life spills out of the buildings in a cloud of smoke, smell, dust, music, chattering, hooters and the call of traders. Right out on to the street from 6am to 3am every single day.

I have been here for over two weeks now and in that time I have seriously improved my dodging skills! The first things to dodge are the people. There are lots and lots of people in the streets here. Some of them are walking, some are just crouching on the ground watching people. Others are selling food out of bicycle-cum-kitchen contraptions, whilst more just wander around trying to find someone to sell fake watches, fake shoes, fake cameras, fake anything to! Shoulder barging can be a neccessary action, although in Shanghai people seem to be more polite compared to what I've heard of the China outside of this gargantuan metropolis.

And then there's the traffic... Once you've left the hostel you simply can't let up on the concentration required for the safe negotiation of the roads, which as well as 6 lanes for cars, also have a lane dedicated to mopeds, bicycles and motorbikes. Not only are they driving on the right hand side of the road, it is also perfetly acceptable to jump a red light if you are turning off the priority road. Pedestrians are the lowest in the pecking order and the advice I was given was to keep your eyes on the floor and then people will drive around you. If drivers see that you are aware of them they assume that you will get of the way (which could quite easily put you in the direct path of a bus barreling along at 40 mph!)

So I'm sure you can imagine that the streets are far from quiet. Added to the traffic noise and hooters it seems to be that every shop selling trainers or sportswear (and there are hundreds of them) is compelled to play hard dance music out onto the street out of muffly poppy speakers.

I'm sure that the streets here tell you more about the city than the clubs, restaurants and tourist hot spots. Having said that, I haven't told you the half of it yet...