I visited China in January 2011 to scout great locations for a photography tour I'm running there during the first 2 weeks of January 2012. It will be my 5th visit to China since 1988. During that time China has certainly changed, both economically and socially. 

The opening up of the country has made travel much easier and safer than was the case during my earlier travels. Back then almost everyone was wearing the ubiquitous chairman Mao suits, and gender was no obstacle to this government encouraged fashion trend. All were expected to work and contribute to the dream of the communist state. Individualism and personal expression, at least on the surface, was very much repressed. Westerners were viewed with suspicion and travel was limited, in the most part, to organised group tours. But change had already begun and, over the years, the dogma of the old regime has been replaced with a vitality and engagement that is very refreshing. China seems, once again, to be a young coun...