» Joburg Fashion Week gallery

» Black gold under the Arctic

» Beijing basics

» Sect leader charged

» Cast your vote!

» Prison for porn video

» Desert dreams

» New look for Old Bridge

» Why people drink more

» Last of the big spenders?

Today, 20 November 2008

» More than just Cope-ing

» Pitbull attack perspective

» DA chief whip thrown out

» US slams Obama insult

» SABC favours Cope - ANC

Yesterday, 19 November 2008

» Luke not worth the trouble

» More than just Cope-ing

» Stop your whining!

» 'Blue light gang' slammed

» Bok jumps to the right

The time has come the walrus said… 'One World, One Dream' is spinning towards reality as Beijing prepares for its coming out party. "Are you ready?" is the question everyone is asking. Living in this frenetic count down towards August 8, I have to say it looks like China’s capital is good to go.

People who have never been to China before need to understand that the big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are modern chrome-and-glass urban roller-coasters. Get rid of the 'Chairman Mao' stereotype you have of China; it’s caught up fast to the Western world. Sure there are many undeveloped areas in China, and even parts of the cities that are in a time warp, but the Olympic Games presents the new face of a country eager to show it has arrived on the international scene.

Visiting Beijing is tricky at the best of times, but during the Olympics it's bound to be a tad more chaotic when an additional 500 000 people pitch up ready to party. If you’re one of those booked to see the greatest show on earth you’ll need all the help you can get. To make your visit a little less stressful, these helpful hints might come in handy.

Currency

China’s currency is called Renminbi (RMB) The units of money are called Yuan (¥) and come in come in 100 yuan, 50 yuan, 20 yuan, 10 yuan, 5 yuan, 2 yuan, and 1 yuan notes. Locals refer to the yuan as kuai. Exchanging money can be done at any bank or hotel. At the time of writing, R1000=¥897.

Credit cards can be used at large shopping malls and major restaurants in Beijing. However, cash is required at most other places. ATMs are widely available and many can take foreign cards. Check the machines first.

Getting around

Beijing has very good cheap and efficient public transport. I've excluded buses here though, as they are generally a bit tricky for first time visitors. Using a taxi or the subway is your best bet if you’re new in town.

• Taxi: The most common taxis in Beijing are Hyundai Elantra, Volkswagen Jetta and Citroen Elysee. They are usually green, red, blue or purple on a yellow ochre background. A red sign in the front window shows if the taxi is free. All taxis have rates on both rear side windows.

  Fares go from 10 yuan for the first three kilometers, and ¥2 for each kilometer after that. You pay for toll fees and parking fees. Make sure the driver uses the meter, has his name and ID number on the dash board and ask for the receipt before you get out, as it contains details of the car and taxi company should you need to call after leaving something in the taxi. Yes it happens often!

  Streams of taxis wait at the airport. Make sure you know where you are staying. Print out the name of your hotel and show the driver. Da di means "to take a taxi".

• Subway: Subway and City Rail high-speed trains run every three to five minutes and are the quickest way to get around the city. Beijing subway fares vary on different lines, but generally a single trip costs ¥2. There will be eight lines in service before the 2008 Olympics, which can get you to each compass point of the city and all Olympic venues. Pick up a map at your hotel and you will see each line marked out with corresponding stops. Subway entrances have blue signs above them. Di tie means subway.

• Airport Express: This line is due to open in July. A one-way ticket will cost ¥25. The line will have only four stops, two stops in central Beijing — Dongzhimen and Sanyuanqiao — with the two remaining stops at Beijing Capital International Airport. The Airport Express reaches Terminal 3 before reaching Terminal 2; passengers for Terminal 1 need to use the transfer passageway at Terminal 2. Service intervals are expected to be five minutes at the start, with the entire trip into the city taking around 18 minutes (Terminal 3) or 25 minutes (Terminal 2).

Phones

If your cell phone has no international roaming service you can buy a local pay-as-you-go sim card from China Mobile and use your phone while in China. (China Mobile hotline +8610 10086)

Temperature

The average daily temperature in Beijing is around 27°C during August and September. Daytime is hot and humid; mornings and evenings are cooler. Wear layers when attending events in case the temperature changes throughout the day. Bring your sunglasses and keep a hat handy.

Hotel service

Hotels in Beijing usually provide slippers, towels, and disposable toiletries. All bathing, health, and cosmetic items are widely available at grocery stores and supermarkets throughout Beijing.

Internet

Internet cafes are widely available at about ¥3 per hour, but you need a passport to use these facilities. Laptop users can access wireless networks at many coffee shops (Starbucks and UBC) and some restaurants. Internet access is also available in most hotels ranked three-stars or above.

Scams to avoid

There are several scams to be aware of in Beijing.

The first is the 'art students' scam on Tian’anmen Square and in the Forbidden City. It usually starts with "Hello what country are you from — I would like to practice my English?" Teens masquerade as wide-eyed art students, get friendly with you then invite you to come and see their art. When you do, you find you’ll be bullied into buying some fake art from unscrupulous dealers.

The teashop scam involves being innocently lured by attractive and charming ladies (and they can be very charming) into a teashop, enjoying your cup and then being told you have just drunk some famous tea brand and you owe hundreds of dollars for a pot of ¥2 tea. Things can get ugly if you don’t pay up. Unless you look like Brad Pitt, attractive women approaching you for anything generally means either prostitution (a 'massage' as it's called here) or some kind of scam. Hug up that testosterone and keep walking.

False ¥100 and ¥50 notes are common, so do not take a ¥50 note as change anywhere dark or in a taxi. Try to keep some ¥10 and ¥20 notes in your wallet at all times. You can tell the ¥50 is fake by looking at the shiny golden number '50' in the bottom-left corner. Only on the real note does the gold '50' turn green when you move it.

Banks

ATMs are plentiful in Beijing, and when you insert your foreign bankcard it should give you the option to display instructions in English.

Industrial Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, HSBC and Citybank ATMs all take foreign cards and dispense yuan from your account. You can withdraw about ¥2500 (R2700) in one transaction.

If you are told by a Bank of China machine that your transaction has been declined and to contact your bank, do not panic. This often just means that the international network is unavailable. You should try one of the other banks or return the next day

Safety

Beijing is pretty safe, and I have had no problems in the years I have been here. Admittedly crime is seldom reported so while there may be a false sense of security, but just use common sense as in most big cities. Pickpockets are quite prolific, especially in crowded markets. Don’t follow anyone anywhere, no matter how enticing the offer, and crossing a street can be a hazardous affair as traffic rules are seldom adhered to. Compared to South Africa, Beijing is very safe.

Thousands of extra police are being deployed for the games and Chinese police are usually approachable. Carry your passport with you at all times as the police will be doing spot checks to check on visas

Emergency Numbers

Medical first aid: 120
Police: 110
Fire: 119