One other thing about China:

Foot Massages

Should you ever have the opportunity to get a foot massage, for god’s sake take it. It is, without a doubt, the best (legitimate) massage experience I have ever had. Here are the reasons why:

.: it’s oh so much more than the foot
.: there are hot rocks in bags
.: there are foot baths with ancient Chinese ingredients
.: they are 3 hours long!

To call this thing a “foot” massage is really a misnomer, and I can only wonder what the full-body massage must have been like if this wasn’t already it. I’ve had massages in the States that were purportedly full-body that weren’t anywhere near as relaxing as this mere foot job was… and only a third as long, too.

Also, it’s extremely impressive that a lithe, 40kg Chinese girl has the hand strength to absolutely destroy you after 3 hours of intense massaging. That’s just not something you get from squeezing tennis balls (not that I do that, either).

Optional activity: follow up the massage with buying “real” DVD’s and then getting sushi with prodigious sake on the side.