Inland Tours and Notes

Most hotels in Taiwan need a door card (room key) to activate electricity in the room.  You will need to slide the door card into a “card holder” by the door when you walk in the room.  Since you cannot leave your key in the room when you leave, you cannot charge any batteries when you are not in the room.  The only time you can charge all technology is while you sleep. Also, any wet clothing will not dry quickly until your heat is turned on in the evening. If you try to keep a key in the card holder, the hotel maids will take your key back and disconnect the electricity.

Japan’s tour service has an interesting way of transporting luggage on your last evening in the hotel.  They ask hotel guests to leave their luggage outside the door the night before you leave and they transport your luggage to the airport in a small truck early morning.  Our luggages will make it to the airport before us. Therefore you need to have a carry-on luggage large enough to hold all of your overnight clothing, toiletries, and technology, but small enough to fit in the overhead bin on the airplane.  Your school book bag could be an ideal overnight bag.

Bring a small note pad. Write simple English for people if you can’t communicate.

Bow to people if they bow to you.

Use both hands when receiving things and holding tea cup during tea ceremony

Don’t stare at people.

Say Thank You before and after being served

Don’t talk loudly in public, i.e. on train

Line up in train station or wait to get on escalator

Don’t stick chopsticks in rice bowl

Wear good socks if you are asked to take shoes off

You might need to use squatting style toilet; always bring tissue pack

In Temples, hold the coins in your palms and rinse mouth with spring water and spit out to the side/ground

Pointing to your own nose means “me”.

Hand on chest means get out of the way

Waving in front of one’s nose meaning “too much”

Watch for signs before taking pictures

The tour guide will give us his/her cell phone number.  You must keep it with you.  Do not wonder around if you get lost.  Just stay when you are, contact the tour guide, and we will come back to find you.

Pay attention to the tour guide’s instructions.  Whenever he/she speaks, you may only use your camera and you must put away your earbuds and any other technology.  This rule will be enforced.

We will announce the hotel room numbers after we get to the hotel.  Please mark the numbers on your room assignment sheet.  Be sure to know the room number and location of your team teachers. 

The hotels need our passports to check in. Your team teacher will keep the student passports in the hotel safe until our next flight.

Always check the voltage and use adaptor and/or converter. You can get a Universal Travel Adapter like this.  

The hotel rooms should have hair dryers 吹风机  chuīfēngjī. If one is not in your room, you may call the front desk to request one.

Check for the emergency exit route from your hotel room.

The tour guide will arrange morning call to wake you up.  Please also set your alarm clock and adjust your watch to the local time.  Taiwan and Japan have only one time zone.  Wake up your roommate if s/he oversleeps.  You are each other’s keeper.

The continental breakfast is served in hotel. Please pay attention to the service hours. No skipping breakfast.

Keep hydrated. 

You will experience jetlag, but try your best to get plenty of rest each night. Be mindful that other customers are also staying in the hotel, and so our sound level and appearance should be respectful of others.  For example, you may not wear pajamas in the hotel lobby.

Your trip leaders will establish a curfew each evening.  Your trip leaders will check each room at that time to ensure you are in your own room.

Be careful with the items in your hotel room.  If towels are excessively dirty, you could be charged a fee to replace any damaged items.

The hotel charges a fee for each phone call you make.  Be sure to pay for any personal charges the night before we leave.

Please always lock the door with the chain when you are in the hotel room.  If someone knocks on the door, ask who it is and then peek out the door.  Do not just open the door.  Sometimes, you can hear other guests come in late.  If it becomes a problem, call Dr. Yan and Dr. Yang’s room.