China Travel Tips

Written by John Mckenna


Continued from page 1

• In Shanghai, it is common practice for taxi fare increases after 11pm. However, one can usually bargain for a 20% discount, which will getrepparttar fare back torepparttar 141136 pre-11pm rate. Be strong withrepparttar 141137 taxi drivers, never-the-less, keep your cool, smile and negotiate.

China Travel Tips – Shopping

• China Travel Tips - Shopping - China is a shopper’s paradise, Markets, Bargains; Top labels… anything and everything if you haverepparttar 141138 time. With clothes,repparttar 141139 larger (Western) sizes can be quite hard to find, however inrepparttar 141140 major cities where you get a lot of tourist traffic, you can find them.

• Electrical gear, DVD’s, Cameras, stuff like this is not worth buying in China, Hong Kong is stillrepparttar 141141 best place for this.

• Store hours inrepparttar 141142 major cities are from 10am to 10pm, 7 days a week.

• Visa card is stillrepparttar 141143 best card to carry, with ATM’s in good supply all with PLUS access etc. There is usually a surcharge for use of VISA, MasterCard or other forms of credit card.

• Wait on purchasing if you can, look around to get a feel forrepparttar 141144 prices. The Chinese are VERY experienced at selling and know that we halverepparttar 141145 opening price when bargaining. Inrepparttar 141146 markets go for 25% of what they first ask; go so low that they let you walk away. This will give you an idea ofrepparttar 141147 bottom price. The resulting end-price will probably be around 40% to 50% of where they started.

Whateverrepparttar 141148 market people say, they are used to pushing and haggling for best prices. Do not worry about being too hard, they are used to it and will not sell you an item unless they make a profit. Don’t be concerned withrepparttar 141149 apparently hurt body language when you go low – it is all part ofrepparttar 141150 game. As soon as they have wrapped up your first purchase, they will try to sell you something more. Remember to keep smiling and having fun while bargaining.

China Travel Tips – Medical Treatment and Records • Most hotels will have a doctor that you can see. Inrepparttar 141151 major hotels English will be spoken.

• Always take a small first aid kit, cold remedy, headache tablets atrepparttar 141152 very least. WATSONS is a very large chain chemist. Most ofrepparttar 141153 remedies, tablets etc, that you may require should be in these shops. These shops are all over China.

• There is a great network of pharmacy type shops; these are indicated by a Green Cross. There will always be a 24 hr Green Cross pharmacy inrepparttar 141154 city you are in. It is handy to carry a Phase book, as no one will speak English, however you will end up with something that will help.

• INPORTANT POINT – for most ofrepparttar 141155 mass produced packet type medicines,repparttar 141156 packaging will be written in Chinese on one side, English onrepparttar 141157 other. However inrepparttar 141158 shops you only seerepparttar 141159 Chinese side. Have a good look, turnrepparttar 141160 packs over, it gives you a lot more confidence knowing you can readrepparttar 141161 package.

• If you have a specific medical issue, take records, most ofrepparttar 141162 Doctors will have OK written / reading English, even though their oral English will be poor.

China Travel Tips – Telephone

• Usingrepparttar 141163 phone is as easy as at home. Howeverrepparttar 141164 person picking it up will not speak English or have very broken English…repparttar 141165 Major 4- or 5-Star Hotels will all be OK.

• What is worth doing is buying a Chinese Telecom SIM card, they are about RMB100 and with this you get RMB50 in calls,repparttar 141166 other 50 is forrepparttar 141167 price ofrepparttar 141168 SIM card; this SIM card will go into all major brand phones and work OK.

By doing this, people can reach you within and out of China if there is an emergency. If you have a couple of phones, you can short (txt) message each other (SMS). Also you are able to call your tourist guide, hotel etc if you have any major problems. It is a cheap way to keep in touch.

NB.Before you buy a Chinese SIM card, check that it will work in your Cell / Mobile phone. There are plenty of China Telecom shops that can help. China Travel Tips on when NOT to move around China. • Spring Festival, this would berepparttar 141169 Chinese New Year time, aroundrepparttar 141170 end of January / Early February

• Early May; Labour day Holidays

• Early October; National Day Holidays

Of allrepparttar 141171 China Travel Tips National Day isrepparttar 141172 biggest one. Millions of Chinese travel at these holiday times ofrepparttar 141173 year. Most are travelling back to home towns or visiting family. Hotels, trains, planes, cars, buses, and roads are all crowded torepparttar 141174 maximum. Major congestion, everywhere.

Also travel fares are at their full price. No discounts are offered! Stay in one place and enjoy where you are. It’s best and causes fewer hassles.

China Travel Tips – TV

• If you want to watch TV, most ofrepparttar 141175 major hotels will have cable and if you are inrepparttar 141176 smaller places,repparttar 141177 national channel, CCTV9 is in English. Overrepparttar 141178 last couple of years it has got a lot better, with some great China Travel Tips programs, news and views on people and places around China.

China Travel Tips – Airport Tax • There is a “construction fee” at almost all airports.

Domestic flights RMB 50 International flights RMB 90 – which is to be paid in local currency. Just recently, tickets are being tissued withrepparttar 141179 Construction Tax included; however make sure you haverepparttar 141180 Tax money with you just to make sure.

I hope some of these China Travel Tips will come in handy and will make your trip to China that little bit easier.

If you have been to China and wish to share your China Travel Tips, please feel free to contact me anytime.

John Mckenna http://www.Travel-the-Real-China.com

Hi I'm John Mckenna, I am from New Zealand and have lived in Shanghia China now for 3 years.

I own and operate http://www.Travel-the-Real-China .com my site provides experienced based Travel and Tour information on the wonders of Travel in China, the Real China, Ancient China, China at its very best


10 Tips for Choosing a Rental Cottage for a Great Waterfront Vacation

Written by Joyce Shannahan


Continued from page 1

4.Identify your first, second and third choice of dates for rentingrepparttar cottage. With several dates, you’ll save time when making arrangements.

If you find a cottage that you really want and you have some flexibility in scheduling, having alternate dates ready allows you to book right then, saving yourselfrepparttar 141135 time and hassle of having to re-check everyone’s schedule and call back – and risking losing those dates inrepparttar 141136 interim.

5.Callrepparttar 141137 telephone numbers forrepparttar 141138 vacation cottages that seem to meet your needs and speak directly with eitherrepparttar 141139 owners orrepparttar 141140 person who is handlingrepparttar 141141 property.

Be prepared with a list of questions. This allows you to compare apples to apples, and keeps you from forgetting something important duringrepparttar 141142 conversation.

It also gives you a feel forrepparttar 141143 person who will be your contact should you rentrepparttar 141144 cottage and then encounter a problem. If you don’t get a warm, friendly welcome to your inquiries, don’t expect anything different when you call with a problem.

6.Ask what amenities are included. You may learn of something that’s not on your list but is perfect for your plans.

Other things to consider: Is there a welcome basket? Willrepparttar 141145 owner stockrepparttar 141146 refrigerator for you, before your arrival? Is a newspaper delivered? Can you make arrangements to receive mail? Are there plates, utensils, pots, pans and other essentials for eating and meal preparation – or will you have to bring your own?

7.Inquire about restaurants, events and activities and other forms of local entertainment that are close by, perhaps within walking distance. Here’s where your list of preferred activities comes in handy. You should be able to find links to local attractions, calendars and restaurants onrepparttar 141147 website of your vacation cottage rental.

8.Arerepparttar 141148 owners Local? Do they live nearby? Local owners are a wealth of information aboutrepparttar 141149 area and can give you tips on great out-of-the-way places that aren’t inrepparttar 141150 guidebooks. They also care about your enjoyment and comfort while at their cottage.

This can make a huge difference; especially should something need immediate attention inrepparttar 141151 cottage. There’s nothing worse than callingrepparttar 141152 rental company about a stopped-up toilet and getting somebody’s bored teenager who’s manningrepparttar 141153 phones forrepparttar 141154 summer.

9.How long hasrepparttar 141155 owner been renting vacation cottages? Ifrepparttar 141156 owner has worked with rental properties, they know what tenants expect and how to get things done.

If this is a new venture, beware. The owner may be in it for “fun” and have no idea how to preparerepparttar 141157 cottage so that you can have a great vacation.

10.And last, when you look atrepparttar 141158 pictures, can you see yourself having a great time there?

Ifrepparttar 141159 pictures make you want to go right now, andrepparttar 141160 answers torepparttar 141161 questions above meet your satisfaction, you’ve found yourself a cottage for a great waterfront vacation rental!

Joyce Shannahan and husband Duke have been in real estate for many years. They are gourmet cooks, great hosts and know how to make guests feel welcome. Heartsworth Cottage, their waterfront vacation cottage rental in the waterfront town of Onancock, Virginia, is on the water with dock, tri-level deck, gas grill, and is filled with the comforts of home, including a bountiful welcome basket with wine. Visit them at http://www.onancockcottage.com


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