Regardless of how many travel guides you read, you can never really have an idea what to expect when visiting a foreign country for the first time.
Most of our first day was spent either on a plane or waiting at airports, but I'm pleased to report that we arrived safely and can now focus on soaking up as much of the experience as possible.
I was fortunate on the plane trip over to have a few spare seats around me which meant I could stretch out over three seats and get plenty of sleep - unlike some of the other guys.
My first impression of Shanghai was its size - it's just a massive city.
Myself, Bart McCulloch, Aaron Cornelius and my room-mate Josh Dyson all took advantage of some spare time in the afternoon and decided to take a stroll around the surrounding area near our hotel which seems to be located right in the heart of the action.
There are plenty of markets nearby and no shortage of people trying to sell you cheap DVDs and rollerskate wheels for your shoes.
The guide that the AFL gave us in the weeks leading into the trip explained a few basic bargaining tips which could be used with the locals to make sure we weren't getting ripped off.
I thought everyone picked it up pretty well, with the exception of Bart McCulloch who took his strict bargaining a little bit too far. He was one of the toughest negotiators I've ever seen in action and I feared for his safety at times after seeing some of the looks he was receiving from the locals.
One other thing you have to get used to quickly is the fact that the Shanghai road traffic does not give way to pedestrians. Even if you get a green man to walk across the street, you have to keep your eye out for for cars and mopeds that disregard the signs.
It has so far been a huge eye-opener for me and it's only just the beginning.
It's been a big day but tomorrow (Thursday) the boys are headed to Jiangwan Stadium to train ahead of Sunday's big game. I can't wait
