By Jake Humphrey BBC Sport presenter

So the football has finally arrived. We've all enjoyed the press conferences, the training sessions and getting to know one another, but at the same time we're all delighted the action has begun.

And what a lot of action we've enjoyed. Eleven goals, a new World Cup record, and a breathtaking display of strength, ruthlessness, and sheer ability from Germany.

I had seen Birgit Prinz in action before, but she looked an even more complete player than usual against Argentina.

She led the line well and, along with the tidy Sandra Smisek, got herself a deserved hat-trick.

Some people may look at the score and see it as a bad reflection of the women's game, but that's wrong.

The mighty Germans made an impressive start

There certainly wouldn't have been such a one-sided scoreline had it been Sweden, the USA or England up against the Germans.

Quite simply, you saw a poor side, nervous and unfit against a side that I think could go on to regain their spot as the world's number one side in the very near future.

Over the next few days there will be some cracking close matches with impressive goals and great play from some really powerful athletes.

I just can't wait for the games to come thick and fast.....Let's hope England keep up with the best of them.

I can't wait for Hope Powell's girls to end their exhaustive and hopefully worthwhile preparations as they face Japan.

We spent some time over the weekend with the Japanese squad and they are good.

Extremely fast, technically excellent and well organised - they will certainly test England.

606: DEBATE England will probably be lucky, if they don't lose by more than 2 goals against Germany Sloane

The big thing in Powell's and her team's favour is their opponents' size. Their tallest player? Third-choice keeper Mizaki Amano. Same height as....Kieron Dyer! I think Faye White will cope OK.

I mentioned in my last piece the enjoyment my new Chinese friends glean from comparing me to Peter Crouch (I'm actually a few inches shorter, but my wife does bear a passing resemblance to Abi Clancy!)

Well, size is still on my mind...This time it's the sheer scale of Shanghai.

The taxis are cheap and convenient (an hour's journey costs about �2 and tipping is an alien concept to many) and hailing a cab also doubles up as the world's most affordable thrill-ride.

I made the mistake of asking the driver to turn up his Shania Twain tunes when a few of us went out for dinner...Whoops!

This inspired him to perform the most erratic and dangerous driving I have ever experienced, weaving along a three-lane highway, undertaking police cars and narrowly missing huge lorries.

The torture went on for about an hour on the elevated motorways that cut through this city like it's covered with an intricate concrete spider's web.

The vastness is just incomprehensible. I thought London was big, but this place is mind-blowing

Even travelling at that speed for that time, we'd hardly left the city centre. How on earth is this still the world's fastest growing city?

Its population already equals a third of the UK's entire inhabitants, 4,000 skyscrapers have been built in 20 years and I've yet to go anywhere that isn't bustling and busy.

The vastness is just incomprehensible. I thought London was big, but this place is mind-blowing.

And their ambition seems to match their growth as they continue to expand in all directions...including upwards. Everyone seems to live in a flat, just like New York but with more traffic.

We've just finished working after the match, it's a late night, I've had no food since breakfast and my lingering jet lag means one thing - my bed is calling!

Don't forget BBC TWO is showing England's first match against Japan live at 1245 BST on Tuesday. Tune in.