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PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography in
China is growing increasingly popular as
camera prices fall and people make  the
most of their leisure time.
Taking people
shots is not a problem - though it is always
polite to ask older people for permission
first. But be careful where you take photos:
a host of sites are officially illegal,
including airports, military bases, docks,
museums, archeological sites and temples. Of
these, the cultural sites and military bases
are the only ones where the law is likely to
be enforced. In some temples, expect to pay
a hefty surcharge for using your camera or
digicam.
 Camera
film can be bought anywhere in China.
Imported brands such as Kodak, Fuji and
Konika cost around 20 RMB. Imported
black-and-white film is virtually impossible
to find, but local brand leader Lucky
produces a decent black-and-white 35mm film
for 9 RMB (36 exposures).
TIME
China is a
single time zone based on Beijing time, so
be prepared for some late starts  in
Tibet and Xinjiang. Beijing time is two
hours behind Melbourne (Australian Eastern
Standard Time), eight hours ahead of London
(Greenwich Mean Time), 13 hours ahead of New
York (Eastern Standard Pacific Time) and 16
hours ahead of San Francisco (Western
Standard Pacific Time).
ELECTRICITY
 Electricity
is 220V, 50 Hz on the mainland and 200V, 50
Hz in Hong Kong. Plugs tend to be flat
two-prong but it is best to pack a travel
plug to deal with odd variations. Adaptors
can also be bought cheaply in local shops.
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China in Brief
