Dan's China diary - day 1

In May 2006, silicon.com senior reporter Dan Ilett travelled to China, seeking to get behind some of today's most interesting tech and business stories. This is his warts-and-all diary, which appears daily this month. For in-depth coverage of this fact-finding trip inside China, including analysis and exclusive stories, click here.

Saturday 6 May, Beijing

There's chaos in the hotel lobby. I'm tired after the plane journey, which doesn't help, but 'Here comes the bride' is blasting out on giant speakers, at the same time as pan-piped music is drifting into the room from another direction. A Chinese guest is yelling something at the top of his voice in the café while his friend is making some foul noises in preparation to spit.

It's good to be back in Asia. From my experience of Japan and Korea, I've learned there are frequently moments when you can either laugh or cry when you hit an obstacle - but you'd better not lose face.

So when the hotel doesn't appear to have my reservation, I sit down and let Susan, my guide and guardian angel for the week, sort out the mess. It would take much longer without her. The receptionist's English is not that hot and my Chinese is worse.

Off the plane earlier I was surprised to see two young women selling SIM cards before I'd even reached the immigration gate. Odd, I thought. But mobile phones are such a big part of society (with more than 400 million of them in circulation), I shouldn't have raised an eyebrow.

No problems getting into the country either. I expected all kinds of hassle for being a journalist (even after fastidiously completing all the paperwork, by the book.) Susan met me and we made our way to the hotel, weaving in and out of crazy traffic on the way.

Beijing is a big city. Fifteen million people live here - 300,000 of them foreigners. It is the hive of culture and tradition in China, I've been told, but the tall buildings are new and the roads are crammed with cars. It makes me think of London.

After eventually checking in, Susan takes me for a bite to eat. She's great - a 21-year-old journalism student at one of Beijing's best universities - Beiwai. She's working for CNET (a global publisher, and owner of silicon.com) as an intern. She's from Guandong province, so she speaks Cantonese and Mandarin. She's pretty smart as well.

I kick things off with the stupidest, most naïve question.

"What's it like living in a communist country?"

She doesn't look offended: "Like having a very strict parent but one who wants a very bright future for you."

We talk about life, families, then move onto politics and human rights. Susan says everyone wants a better quality of life in China but it's easy to see that this is not top of the agenda for the day, so we move on.

We take a quick walk to see the CNET Networks office. It's impossible to ignore all the bicycles along the way. Huge loads of cardboard and other bits and pieces are carted around on the back of bikes.

Then it's back to the hotel to get some sleep. Within 10 minutes there's a knock on the door. A pretty girl. With a bottle of baby oil. "Oil massage?" she asks.

"No thanks." I shut the door and lie down again. Ten minutes later, another knock at the door.

Continues on page 2