DAR ES SALAAM, June 28 -- BEFORE I travelled to Beijing, China existed in my mind as a distant giant, a country of ancient history, rapid technological advancement and breathtaking economic transformation.

But no article, documentary or photograph could have prepared me for the experience of seeing it with my own 30-year-old naked eyes.

From the moment the plane touched down after about a 15-hour journey, I found myself stepping into a world where scale seemed limitless, where modern infrastructure stretched as far as the eye could see, and where every day brought a new surprise.

After about a 15-hour journey from Dar es Salaam via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, I stepped out of the aircraft expecting the usual routine of immigration counters ...