More than 30 years ago, David Lauren, son of American fashion legend Ralph Lauren, made his first visit to China.

It was a solo backpacking journey, the type favored at the time by many young men in their 20s.

Sporting a baseball cap and clad in a winter jacket, his journey started from the capital, Beijing, heading south all the way to Hong Kong.

"I remember how nice that was, to travel and shed all those layers," he says.

Along the way, not only did he feel the temperature getting warmer but he also experienced warmth from the people he met along the way.

"I felt like I was in a very warm and welcoming country. I stayed many weeks exploring and just going with the flow," he says as he recalls the journey during a recent visit to Shanghai.