The future belongs to Asia

Leaving Belfast Airport I noticed in the taste of Ulster shop they were selling key rings of Northern Ireland - made in China. When you actually get here you wonder why we even bother to try and thing about manufacturing anything any more . Oh actually we don't. China in the city's is as developed as western countries, in fact more so as they have leaped frogged a lot of technology . So we travelled on the magnetic train for instance into the city centre. The first hotel we stayed at was top class and only 25 per night - try and get a B and B for that in Portrush?

The overwhelming feeling is there are so many people, China is the same size as the US but has three times as many people and there is a feeling that they are all working incredibly hard day and night. People are pleasant and after the initially shock of knowing none of the language we are all getting around. They are very excited about hosting the Olympics and there is lots of TV about all of the people coming out in different countries to support the Olympic flames journey to Bejing.Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Many things are fascinating, we are currently in HangZhou lots of lakes and islands around the city and we were woken up this morning at 8.30 by the children in school out in the playground doing exercises to Queen, we will rock you. I wonder if it would catch on in Belfast?

The way the administration works you cannot move from province to province to work without the necessary papers. So if you do you cannot register for health care or school etc. This leaves you vulnerable particularly if you have to move to be able to eat.

So do I have that foriegner feeling? yes,, it feels even stronger as I am alot taller than a lot of the women. There are many tall men but not women. This has caused some interest and we have been the subject of alot of photos by school girls but it's all in good spirits.

Coming to China reminds me of the importance of travel, how important it is to get out of your usual surroundings and question your culture from a different point of view. Every now and again I have to pinch myself to remind myself that I have not walked out into a film set and it is in fact real life.

So why do I think that the future belongs to Asia? Well labour is so cheap, they are pretty developed in lots of things and they just want to get on and do things. Compared to the West they still have a lot of latent potential and so I think their influence will increase in our lifetime.

25 degrees today and we are off to explore HangZhou. The place we are staying in is very nice and 3 pounds fifty a night. Bargain.