Advice for a newcomer?

[papyrus]

Hi all,

I'm moving from the US to HK for the summer. I've never been there before, so I'm pretty nervous.

If anyone's got some free time, I'd really appreciate some advice:

What's the best place to bank? How about transporting money - traveler's checks ok?

Do I need to buy a transformer to be able plug in my laptop in HK? If so, what do I need and where can I get it?

Is Causeway Bay an OK area to live? I'm living near Excelsior Plaza, which looks like it's within walking distance of the park and shopping areas, but I don't know about safety, convenience, etc.

Does anyone know of a place where you can exchange money without getting charged huge fees?

Thanks in advance! Any other advice would be much appreciated.

[mustlovecats]

if you speak cantonese/chinese, then bank of china cause they have heaps of ATM around the place, if not, standard chartered or if your american bank has a branch here, then that one.

you can buy transformers/adapters in any electronical shop, i was told once Hong Kong is "one huge shopping centre", so you will have no worries finding one.

Causeway bay is ok, but get's pretty packed with people during rush hours / weekends. apart from that it's cool.

My bank in oz provides me with a flexi-card with VPlus facilaities, which means I can withdraw from my saving account from ATMs with the VPlus sign, and these ATMs are pretty common. Talk to your bank about whether they have a similar service.

Hope this is helpful and enjoy hk.

[Sleuth]

Check your computer. Most/all Dells will take this voltage, you just need a plug adapter.
You will be charged huge fees to change money until you open a bank account.