bullet trains

We travelled by bullet train from Shanghai to Beijing. That's 1300km in 4hrs 55 mins, max speed 300kph. Very easy and comfortable travelling and it gives you an insight into rural China. There is no let up to the air pollution, it is grey and dull all the way. It had been National Tomb Sweeping Day the day before and we noticed many graves with flowers, often in the middle of crops. There was one main crop grown which over time we deduced to be spring onions: right colour right size and the only vegetable present in every dish you buy. Huge power stations/factories came and went as did housing developments. They don't build one new high rise apartment block, they build a group of 10 or more and there's another similar project in every direction that you look.

 Tombs in the fields.

 Trees being planted en masse.

 Old style homes with crops to the doors.

 New style homes being constructed everywhere.

Huge coal powered power stations everywhere contribute to the air pollution.