Just back from a week in Shanghai. Mainly to study on a Jazz seminar but also to look into Martial arts there and also equipment design and manufacture. The first thing that struck us was of course the traffic which has to be seen to be believed. Bikes, cars and buses seem to have equal weight in traffic and whomever gets to the gap first seems to have right of way. Intention seems all powerful: if you decide you’re going to cut across this stream of traffic on your pushbike because you want to turn right then go ahead.

Suprisingly it all seems to work. The guy flying his kite out of the back of his car whilst stopped in the middle lane of the motorway was one of the more extreme things we saw. However, things do get done there despite the JKD traffic. Motorways being built everywhere and things just getting done with much less fuss than in the UK. Everyone seemed very relaxed. We didn’t hear a single police alarm or see any CCTV cameras except on banks the whole time we were there. Every third person may be a secret policeman but that wasn’t the impression you got. All in all a much easier place, a more relaxed place than Britain nowadays.

As to martial arts; friends who live there said the best stuff is Thai boxing and BJJ with a few smatterings of chinese stuff. Though as always good teachers are rare. I’m sure there must be good groups there but on a flying visit none in evidence.

I went with an empty suitcase hoping to buy lots of cheap goods there and suprisingly found the prices there as high as London or even higher. Great to be back but the jet lag is a killer.