Japan

Two weeks in Japan was cool. You cannot get a bad meal there no matter where you go or how much you spend. And the service standards... a two dollar sushi will get cut up for you, packed with some ice, a napkin, chopsticks, put in a bag and served with a smile. People are so extremely nice and helpful - politeness seems to be ingrained in their culture.

In terms of development they are so far ahead of us it's just sad. The country's infrastructure was built by people who were thinking ahead, not constantly playing catch-up. We rode the bullet trains everywhere, 220km an hour - so fast and comfortable.

Japan doesn't have the most exciting sights in the world, certainly not compared to China, but it's easy and pleasant to travel around in. Would be cool to come back for some skiing maybe.