Section 1: EDITOR'S NOTES

Altraverse Accommodations Directory Launched

Late Availability/Special Offer Accommodation Notices

Traveler Articles This Month

Innkeepers - Great Picture Listing Sale This Month

Innkeepers - Two Print Ad Co-ops This Month

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Section 2: NEW EXPANDED LISTINGS

Section 3: TRAVELERS' COLUMNS

Zhuhai China Living Expenses
The Inside Scoop on What Nobody Ever Tells You
(All expenses approximated by the month in Yuan Renminbi.)

When signing a contract and moving to China your monthly expenses can be drastically different depending on where you live. The contributing factors may include, but not be limited to such questions as... How far from the nearest large city do I live? Do I live on the school premises or do I live off campus and commute? How far from the border am I?

All of these questions and more drastically impact your living expenses. The below expenses are estimated for a teacher living in Zhuhai, which is located 1 mile inside the PRC border from Macau.

Teachers Apartment: This is commonly provided by the school or a living supplement given. Y800 US $100 (this is a shared apartment, 2 bedroom).

At Gateway Language Village, for example, the apartment can be a two or three bedroom and teachers are provided their own bedroom and bathroom. Teachers share the living space of the apartment with students who attend GLV from approximately 9 AM to 10 PM. This "total immersion atmosphere in a western teachers home is considered a privilege for a student.

At other schools you may share an apartment and even a bedroom with another teacher. Students are housed in dorms at the schools. No students reside with teachers.

Some universities provide "teachers quarters" which can range from a suite of a few rooms to an entire furnished apartment to themselves with many convenient amenities like bottled water, paid utilities, air conditioning, and what ever specifics you might personally negotiate.

Maid service once a week can run near Y150, or around US $20. This would encompass basic service like floor washing, bathrooms cleaned, and rooms straightened.

Telephone with local service only is usually provided by the school. For long distance, you must buy a phone card Y 50 US $7

Food and personal care items Y800 US100

Hair cut includes wash, cut, dry Y 20 US $2.5 Hair wash Y 10 US $1.25

Transportation taxi Y150 US $20 Y200 US $25 bus Y 60 US $9

Entertainment: dining out, movies, museums, theatre, disco Y400 US $50

Approximate Monthly Total: 2530.00 yuan renminbi

* It is completely possible to live much cheaper if you eat at the school, and forego movies and other extras. Many teachers use the evening hours to gather together for group dinner and socialize or prepare lessons at home. Some teachers enjoy window shopping together in Gongbei, the shopping section of Zhuhai, and others relax in a bar with a friend and quiet conversation. Many teachers live modestly to save their money for travel.

An essential checklist of 15 easy tips for anyone who travels to China
By Eva Lynne

1. DO have a ready list of your passport, travel insurance policy and credit card numbers, emergency and other essential phone numbers. Make two photocopies of your travel documents, air tickets and travel insurance policy. Carry one copy with you at all times for identification purposes, whenever necessary. Make sure you have another photo ID besides your passport and keep it separately from your travel documents. Keep at least four recent color passport-sized photographs handy to facilitate quick processing in case of lost travel documents in foreign countries.

2. DO register with the embassy of your home country or consulate upon arrival, especially if you travel to an area where there has been civil war, communal violence, kidnapping or terrorist attacks. You may even send them a list of your itinerary complete with photo. Both a full body photo and a head-shot is advisable for each person in your party. Be sure the head-shot is very clear, close, and front on.

3. DON'T take photographs of police stations, military installations, government buildings, airports, ports, train stations, policemen, government officials, or military personnel without first determining whether photography is allowed by obtaining clear permission. If in doubt, ask uniformed personnel or security guards for permission before taking any photographs.

4. DON'T discuss personal matters with strangers, including your itinerary, place of lodging or mode of transportation. Instruct your children likewise.

5. DON'T take short cuts or go off well-traveled roads without a reliable guide. Avoid walking alone at night.

6. DO select your own taxicabs at random or take those that are booked through the hotel. DON'T take a vehicle that is not clearly identified as a taxi. Compare the face of the driver with the photo on his or her displayed license. DO always keep small denominations of the local currency handy for various tips, bus tickets or taxi fares and phone calls.

7. DON'T accept food or drink from strangers. Would-be criminals often try to drug their victims through food and drink. DO carry your own bottled water and be sure you have your money in a pouch that is located inside your shirt against your body. Keep a few bills in your pocket.

8. DO ensure that your check-in luggage has your name and permanent home address on them as well as inside them. Double-check that the airline counter personnel tags your bags correctly before you leave the check-in counter.

9. Do ask your professional travel consultant for information about the region, or country you plan to visit. This information should include, but not be limited to, the current political and safety situation and the health concerns. Study - and respect - the laws, customs and cultures of each and every destination. Pack the appropriate clothes for the climate and culture. Bring a phrase book or learn some useful phrases in their local language/dialect.

10. Do check with your professional travel consultant for advice about health or food issues and required vaccinations for your intended destination(s). DO get the required vaccinations, and note that some vaccinations or medications may need a few weeks to take effect. DO bring your own prescription medicines and pack them in your carry on bag, not in your checked luggage.

11. Do check your valuables in the hotel safe upon arrival. Never leave anything of great value in your room. This is important because foreign hotels do not have the security that western hotels have. Repairmen may be in your room in your absence as well as maids and others. If you are staying long-term in a country you can purchase a safe deposit box at a bank or ask your employer to put your valuables in a company safe. Be sure to have a photograph of valuables like jewelry and photocopy of valuables such as official paperwork. Official paperwork valuables include travel documents like airline tickets, visas, work permits, and passports.

12. When you arrive in a country purchase a telephone card for emergency use. Tuck it into your wallet with the telephone number of the embassy. Also tuck into the same place- an emergency card with family telephone numbers and instructions on what to do in case of emergency (for example- if you were unconscious). Be sure to have a friend or hotel concierge translate it into your target language.

13. Pickpockets are most likely to covertly rob you in tourist sites, hotel areas, busses, trains, and western restaurant lines, where you are distracted. Keep a small amount of money in your pocket and leave the rest inside your clothing next to you body. Traveler’s checks are only accepted in large cities and a few western hotels so cash is necessary for travel within China and thieves know this. If you are confronted by a thief, it is advisable to just give them what they are asking for and seek help from the authorities later.

14. Taxi drivers round their fares up and down to their advantage. This is common and acceptable practice as long as it is within one yuan renminbi. No tipping is expected or necessary, however if you have bags in the trunk they may levy a charge per bag.

15. Drinking alcohol excessively in China makes you a target for unsavory people. Some desperate people plan their scams around the nightclubs and bar scene. In a developing country such as China it is wise to remain in control of your faculties.

Section 4: INNS FOR SALE