Headed to China

The past four days in Hanoi have been rainy due to a big typhoon that flooded parts of China and Vietnam. I had planned on going to Halong Bay, but trips were cancelled due to the storm. So I am headed to China tomorrow; I picked up my passport with the visa today. October 1st is their National Day which starts off a week-long national holiday. I am expecting prices to be higher and buses and trains to be crowded. I'm headed to Yangshuo, which may take two days to get to.
Vietnam has been surprisingly modern and fun. The food has been great, and there are far more tourists here than I had expected. The war is over! Despite being a Communist country, I've hardly noted anything that resembles it. Oh, besides the hammer & sickle flags adorn on government buildings. There is private ownership, there are beggars in the streets, there are products in stores.
I've had to deal with a few scams here and there, but the perspective is that even if I did get scammed, it was cheaper than the sales tax back home. If the prices were set across the board, it wouldn't be as challenging or fun. When I get a good deal, it does feel great, like I've earned it. It is frustrating sometimes, but it beats working any day.
I am looking forward to China. I have a pretty set mind on how things might be, and I am looking forward to destroying those preconceptions. The only time I have been in China was in 2001. I am sure a lot has changed.