While I'm living in 2024, China is already in 3024. Not everything about this future impressed me, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was on a different planet.

The GPS shows you exactly when each traffic light will change. Every single one. Shenzhen is considered China's Silicon Valley and might be more digitalized than the rest of the country. But still.

The usual apps are useless here. About 90% of businesses are missing from Google Maps. The ones that are there usually have just a couple of reviews at best. And buildings aren't always marked correctly either. Local apps are exclusively in Chinese. The interface is completely counterintuitive. I literally had to figure it out through trial and error.

I tried paying with cash at a couple of places. Once, a cashier pulled out a dusty box of bills from somewhere under the counter and counted out my change. Another cashier went to ask their manager where they even keep paper money. People here pay with QR codes using AliPay or WeChat. I used the first one—it's easier to register and has English. You link your card and you're good to go. Perfect for a short trip. WeChat has more features but registration is a hassle. Sometimes you walk into a restaurant and everything's through WeChat. Staff even shared their phones so I could place an order.

On EVERY subway train there are a couple of uniformed officers keeping the peace. They just walk around the train while it's moving and keep an eye on things. There are watchers at stations too. I don't understand how people in other countries survive without this kind of supervision.

Both in the metro and on the street, riot shields and batons for restraining aggressive people are just sitting there in plain sight. They don't look chained up or anything. Anyone can grab one. And you see this stuff everywhere. I once saw a guy react way too emotionally to his metro ticket not working—he started yelling at an employee. Several officers immediately rushed over with these batons ready. But surprisingly, they didn't tackle him. They just calmed him down with words and let him go. Maybe there'll be consequences later.

It felt like most cars are electric vehicles. Motorcycles are all electric too. The noise from traffic is noticeably lower than anywhere else. Mobile vending machines selling trinkets drive around shopping malls. Though there are stationary ones too. I saw drone deliveries a couple of times.