Feng Shui Study TourKyoto, China, and Tibet October 2000Here is the latest information for all aspects of what promises to be a memorable study tour. Click on the following links to relevant informtion
General informationWelcome to the updated information on the feng shui study tour organised by Roger Green. This October, an international group of Feng Shui enthusiasts from all parts of the world, will meet in Kyoto to begin the fourth international Feng Shui Study Tour. We are very excited about the next tour. After travelling to Tibet in 1999 and making many new friends and contacts, we can how study with two of Tibet's top teachers in their fields. In Shanghai, we celebrate the beginning of the Shanghai International School of Feng Shui- honouring the generations of Feng Shui practitioners from mainland China, and having the opportunity to study with Professors Cheng, Wang and Setsu, who are China's top scholars in Feng Shui. Kyoto is going to be amazing- the most perfect season to be there- we can feel it now! October in terms of weather, is the best time to be travelling in Asia. The temperature are moderate, and there is a good chance of clear sky's and beautiful sunny days. The tour has 3 stages to it, giving you the flexibility to choose your time preference and locations. You can do individual stages, or all three, or a combination. Welcome to the next trip. In the following pages you will find all the information that you require, and feel free to contact us: Roger Green and Victoria Phillips Phone : + 61 2 9365 7877 VisasYou may need the following visas depending on which stages of the tour you are doing. Japan: check with your local embassy for your visa requirements China: most people require a Chinese visa Tibet: a Chinese visa is required. We organise your Tibet Travel Permit When you apply for your Chinese visa, do not mention your travel to Tibet- only fill out Shanghai as your place to visit on the visa application form. Another question may be: the company or persons to visit in China, the answer is the name of the local travel agent that arranges the travel for clients and the CITS in China, which is: Tibet: This is no such thing as a Tibet visa. If people are joining us to travel to Tibet, you need to get a Chinese visa. For all participants coming to Tibet, we will have for you what is known as a TIBET TRAVEL PERMIT. ( it costs US$100 but is inclusive of your Tibet stage 3 fee). However, if you are only coming to Tibet you should not mention that you are going to Tibet when you are applying for the Chinese visa, as this may complicate the procedure. Our agent in Sydney and Lhasa (who have organised many tours such as this one) will issue a permit to us as a group. You only need mention that you are travelling to China (and going to either Shanghai or Chengdu). To come to Tibet- you need to be with the group (or join the group in either Shanghai or Chengdu - we depart Chengdu for Lhasa on October 24th and Shanghai we depart 23rd). The responsibility of documentation rests with passengers.You are responsible for verifying your needs for visas in each of the countries you will be visiting, based on your nationality. PassportsPassport with at least 6 months validity from the date of entering China is required when applying for a Chinese visa. NB Make sure you have blank pages in your passport for visas to be placed. TransfersKyoto: On arriving in Osaka airport (called Kansai International airport), participants must make their own way to the Hotel in Kyoto. As people are arriving from different countries at different times it is impossible to arrange a package transfer. All transfers from after this point are inclusive in the costs and are part of your fee. If you wish to experience the bullet train- it also leaves from the airport- but you will need to make a change of train to get to Kyoto main station, the other train will take you directly there. We will also use the bullet train later to go to Takayama- so it might pay to use the direct train this time. From Narita International airport (tokyo) you need to catch the Narita Express train to Tokyo main station, and from there catch the bullet train to Kyoto. The entire trip would be approx US$140 Shanghai: For participants joining the group and arriving in Shanghai you must also make your own way to the hotel. The easiest way is to catch a taxi from Airport to hotel- approx cost $US 10-20. The taxi drivers are very good in Shanghai. The charge is based on the meter rate. Weather informationIn China the month of October is autumn, it is one of the best seasons for travelling in Asia. The weather is very comfortable, temperature averages 24ƒC. Tibet AltitudeLhasa 3,600 meters (note approx. X3 to convert to feet). Sanye Monastery is similar altitude to Lhasa. People need to seek advice regarding the medications and health products that they will need to bring with them as a safe guard. In general, people should prepare for the trip to Tibet by not smoking, avoiding sugar and alcohol, and start developing a good level of fitness. Try three bowls of miso soup each week leading up to the trip. LuggageLimit one carry on (6 kg) and one suitcase per person (20kg) Some important things: Passport / airline tickets! Here is a suggested summary of what to bring: passport with visas and tickets! / light cotton wear clothes with warm jacket / Warm woollen socks / Comfortable walking shoes/ Thermal underwear for Tibet / Practical warm and loose clothing / One water proof jacket/wind breaker / (note that it is usually very dry at this time) / hat / gloves Money, credit cards etc.Credit cards are a good idea to have in the case of an emergency, and it is ideal when purchasing expensive items. Most large department stores in China accept American Express card, Master card and Visa card. However obtaining money through your visa card or cash advance can be difficult in China. Local currency and exchange rates: In China, the local currency is called Renminbi. Its basic unit is yuan, jiao and fen, in which 1.00 yuan= 10 jiao= 100 fen. It is similar to in USA $1.00= 100 cents. You can change overseas dollars into yuan when you arrive in China, and you can change the remaining yuans back to overseas dollars before you leave China, giving that you keep the original exchange receipt. Local products are much cheaper in China than they are in Australia /UK Europe/USA. For example, good quality fashionable clothes cost about A$20.00 per item, a pair of good quality leather shoes cost about A$30.00. Fruits are between A$1.00 to A$1.50 per kilogram, mineral water is about A$0.50 a small bottle. Hotel Information:Japan New Miyako Hotel in Kyoto Hida Hotel Plaza in Takayama China Shanghai The hotel in Suzhou (1 hr drive from Shanghai): Chengdu (for one night only- transfer to Lhasa) Tibet Lhasa Sanye Monastery, Tibet ChinaBeijing Qianmen Hotel Flight information:Air flight recommended for the Osaka-Shanghai sector is: NB Please book this flight as part of your round ticket if you are doing stage 1 and 2. If for some reason you wish us to book it for you: the cost is $US 480 for this one way ticket. It is cheaper for you to purchase as part of your round world ticketing. If the above flight is booked- we recommend this next flight from Osaka to Shanghai: Stage 3: Shanghai to Chengdu: Chengdu to Lhasa: Lhasa to Beijing: Optionsflight to Shanghai (extra $100) flight just to Chengdu: Some useful Chinese phrasesHow are you: Nee how
Fee structures summaryDepositA non-refundable deposit of US$500.00 is required to secure places on the Study Tour. Payment of the deposit can be made securely, on line, using a credit card by visiting the Feng Shui Seminars with Roger Green on line store. Stage 1: US $2250. Deposit now. Deadline for complete payment: 6th July Stage 2: US $1800. Deposit by 6th May. Deadline for complete payment: 6th August Stage 3: US $2000. Deposit by 6th May. Deadline for complete payment: 6th August All 3 stages discount package: US $5820 twin share / or add single room supplement: Single room supplement Beijing Beijing tour: US $450 (package: 3 nights, site seeing tours, one transfer, 3xB, 2xL) Beijing tour single room supplement: US $150 Extra nights in hotels if required: twin share / single room Kyoto: US $150 / 280 Flight to Shanghai instead of Beijing after stage 3 ends: extra US $100 Flight to Osaka to Shanghai if we need to book it for you: extra US $480 MealsSummary of meals that are included in your fees Legend: B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner DB=Dinner/banquet Stage 1 - Japan October, 6: Arrive Kyoto. Stage 1 ends - Oct 13th - begins stage 2 Stage 2 - ChinaStage 2 begins: Shanghai, China Oct 13th Stage 2 ends - Oct 23 - begins stage 3 Stage 3 - TibetStage 3 begins: Tibet
Banking detailsBank details for bank transfer of fees: Name of Account: Feng Shui Design International Name of Bank: The Commonwealth Bank of Australia Branch: Rose Bay, Sydney. Bank no. 062 Branch no. 236 Account no. 1004 1086 sort number (all of the above) 062 236 1004 1086
Japan on a BudgetTransportTaxis: Taxis can be very convenient for inner-city transportation. To flag down a taxi, look for a red light in the lower right corner of the windshield as you face it. Any other color means the taxi is reserved or occupied. Passengers enter the back door on the left side, which the driver opens and closes automatically. If you are visiting someone's home or company, be sure to have a map, as an address is not enough, given the complicated street layouts in the big cities. Tipping is not practiced. Pay only the metered fare. On all fares there is a U$7 surcharge. From 11.00PM till 5.00AM fares increase by 30%. Taxis may be difficult to flag down after midnight as the trains stop running. Trains: The subway is very convenient to use. All subway lines display station names in both Japanese and alphabet lettering on platform signboards. The name of the station is in large letters in the center of the sign, names of adjacent stations appear below or to either side. The ticket system is very similar to that of Sydney, where you purchase a ticket at the ticket counter and then pass through the ticket machines. If there is no fare chart in English, buy the cheapest ticket indicated on the vending machine and pay the difference due at the fare adjustment office at your destination station before you go through the exit windows. Buses: It is not advisable to catch public buses. Due to the fact that very few if any signs are in English and if you are not a regular traveler to Japan you may not know where it is you have to go. DiningRestaurants and other dining spots offer tasty dishes in a very broad price range, from very expensive to very affordable. You can also be assured of impeccable services, the highest sanitation standards, and safe tap water to drink. More affordable restaurants abound in downtown office buildings basements, the dining floors of department stores, urban shopping centers, and the underground mall of the busiest railway stations. At lunchtime, office workers crowd these dining spots. For people in a hurry, noodle stands, coffee shops, fast-food outlets and vending machines provide a variety of food and drink at very low cost. At most restaurants, you receive a bill and pay as you leave. A few have you buy a meal coupon in advance and hand it to the waiter or waitress. Payment is made in cash except when credit cards are accepted. Inexpensive restaurants, coffee shops and fast-food outlets accept cash only. A meal at a good local restaurants can cost U$25 and upwards. Set menus at local restaurants can be as little as U$14 - U$15 (whether Japanese cuisine or western style meals eg. Small piece of steak). Although a steak meal at hotel may cost close to U$100. If you are looking for an inexpensive meal, packed lunch boxes are easily available at all convenience stores around Japan. You can also purchase a fresh meal for under $10.00 at one of the many bakery's. No tipping to any of the staff is required. Must Do!While in Japan don't miss out on the chance to have a photo taken with traditional Japanese Maiko's. All you have to do is to call the local tourist information centers and they will arrange for you and your friends to have photos taken with a Maiko. While in Kyoto you can call: The Kyoto Tourist Information Center - (075) 371 - 5649 Useful InformationTime Zones: All of Japan is in the same time zone, 9 hours ahead of G.M.T. No Daylight Saving Time is practiced in Japan. Facsimile and Computer Networking: Facsimile machines are available at most hotels. Ask the front desk or go to the hotel's business service center. Some hotel phones and the new grey telephones have modular sockets for computer network access. Public Telephones: Public Telephones can be found just about anywhere in Japan. You can make both domestic and international calls with most of these phones. Using prepaid telephone cards is the most convenient way. You can purchase these cards from vending machines located in most telephone booths, at convenient stores and kiosks. If you have to use coins 10 Yen and 100 Yen coins are the only ones accepted. The charge for a local call is 10Yen per minute and no change is returned if you use a 100Yen coin. ShoppingShops and other sales outlets in Japan are generally open on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays as well as weekdays from 10.00am to 8.00pm. Department stores, however, are closed during one weekday, differing by store, and certain specialty shops may not open on Sundays and national holidays. Please note that department stores close at least one hour earlier than most other stores (7.00pm).
Getting to JapanFlights to Osaka:Frankfurt to OsakaThursday, 5th October: Lufthansa Airlines, flight No: LH740, departing Frankfurt at 1320, arriving into Osaka at 0730 on Friday, 6th October. Los Angele to OsakaThursday, 5th October: Japan Airlines, flight No: JL069, departing Los Angeles at 1345, arriving into Osaka at 1745 on Friday, 6th October. London to OsakaThursday, 5th October: All Nippon Airways, flight No: NH922, departing London Heathrow Airport at 1830, arriving into Osaka at 1425 on Friday, 6th October. OR Thursday, 5th October: Japan Airlines, flight No: JL422, departing London Heathrow Airport at 2100, arriving into Osaka at 1700 on Friday, 6th October.
Japanese Survival PhrasesHAI - "yes" I EH - "no" KONICHIWA - "Hello" SAYONADA - "Goodbye" (use only for final departure from wherever you have ADEGATO GOZAIMAS - "Thank you very much" - never use anything less formal DOMO - "You're welcome" GOMENASAI - "I'm sorry/excuse me/pardon me" (only used if stepping past SIMASEN - "Excuse me" (to get attention of sales clerk, etc.) ONEGASHIMAS - "Please" or "Can you help me?" (requesting something) I EH, KEKODES - "I'm fine; no thank you" (if someone offers you something OHIO GOZAIMAS - "Good morning" COMBANWA - "Good evening" CHOTO MAHTEH KOODAHSAI - "One moment please" Contact
Roger Green |
