Air Travel is a necessity
in the USA
Air Travel is frequently the most practical method of
covering the large distances between sights in the USA.
It is the fastest, the most convenient and frequently
the most economical means of transportation. You can usually
purchase an airline ticket from New York to Los Angeles
(a distance of 3000 miles or 5000km) for under $400 and
sometimes under $300 by taking advantage of special promotions.
The trip via airplane takes only 5 hours. Train fare between
the same cities costs about $300 to $500 (with limited
sleeping accommodations) and requires a minimum of 3 to
4 days. The transcontinental bus costs about $225 and
requires at least 3 days of incessant travel. You could
drive it in about 5 days, but the gasoline and lodging
alone will likely cost considerably more than the airfare.
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Trains are not a good choice in
the US
Trains are not as popular in the USA as they are in many
other countries. They are an
acceptable choice only for short or medium distance travel
in certain areas. In many major cities, commuter trains
provide good passenger service from suburban communities
to the downtown metropolitan centers. The East Coast corridor
from Boston to Washington DC through New York City and
Philadelphia is well serviced by the high speed Metroliner.
In other parts of the US, train service may be infrequent
or even non-existent. |
Busses are an economical option
Bus transportation is a great option for urban or suburban
transit, but bus service can be very limited in rural
areas. The Greyhound Bus line offers inter-city and transcontinental
bus
service. It can be an inexpensive alternative to other
forms of travel if you are willing to put up with the
discomfort of long rides with minimum comforts. |
Cars are almost a necessity
In many parts of the USA where public transportation is
inadequate or non-existent, a car is a practical necessity.
In most large cities, the major shopping centers and sports
or entertainment facilities are usually located in the
suburban communities far from the metropolitan center.
Without a vehicle, sightseeing, sh |
Hitchhiking is not permitted in
most states
Hitchhiking is illegal in many states. You may occasionally
see a person trying to "hitch a ride" along
an interstate or at the entry to a toll road, but they
are often risking a fine if apprehended by a police patrol.
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Bicycles are a good way to see the
USA
If you have enough time, you can bicycle across parts
of the USA and enjoy the scenery. Just
remember that bicycles are not as common in the US as
they are in many other countries, so
car and truck drivers are not as accustomed to bicyclist
on the roads. Be cautious! Bicycles are banned from the
freeways and interstate highways, but are permitted on
all other roads. Many cities and towns have off-road bicycle
paths and trails. |
Money Matters
The basic unit of U.S. currency is the dollar, which is
subdivided into 100 cents. Coins are the copper penny
(1 cent) and four silver coins: the nickel (5 cents),
the dime (10 cents), the quarter (25 cents), and the half-dollar
(50 cents). Silver $1 coins are rarely seen in circulation.
Paper money comes in denominations of $1, $5, $10, $20,
$50, and $100. All bills are the same size and green in
color; they are distinguishable only by the dollar amount
indicated on them and by pictures of various famous American
people and monuments.
Hotels do not, as a rule, exchange currency
and only a few major banks will exchange foreign currency,
so it is advisable to arrive with dollars. Although fees
charged for ATM transactions may be higher abroad than
at home, Cirrus and Plus exchange rates are excellent,
because they are based on wholesale rates offered only
by major banks.
There are no limits on the import or
export of either foreign or local currency. However, amounts
in excess of US$10,000 or the equivalent (including'bearer
bonds') must be registered with US Customs on Form 4790.
All gold coins and any quantity of gold must be declared
before export.
If you intend to carry your stash in
the form of traveler's checks, you'll save yourself a
lot of hassle and expense if you buy them in US dollars.
Restaurants, hotels and most stores accept US dollar traveler's
checks as if they were cash. It should be noted that many
banks do not have the facility to encash travellers cheques
and those that do are likely to charge a high commission.
One (or in some cases) two items of identification (passport,
credit card, driving licence) may also be required when
encashing cheques.
Major credit cards are widely accepted;
and you'll find it hard to perform certain transactions
(such as renting a car or reserving tickets over the phone)
without one of these handy pieces of plastic.
Depending on the sophistication of your home banking network,
you should also be able to access your bank account using
US ATMs.
Tipping is the norm and is expected in
restaurants and hotels. The customary tipping rate is
15%-20% for taxi drivers, bartenders, hairdressers and
waiters (never tip in a fast-food or self service environment);
bellhops are usually given $2 in luxury hotels, $1 elsewhere.
Hotel maids should be tipped around $1 per day of your
stay.
Sales taxes vary from state to state
but are typically 5-8%, though some states have no sales
taxes at all. Top-end accommodation also often attracts
a bed tax, which can be as high as 15%. It's worth checking
whether quoted prices for lodging include all relevant
taxes.
Banking hours are variable, but generally 0900-1500 Monday
to Friday. |
Health Care
Medical insurance providing cover up to at least US$500,000
is strongly advised. Only emergency cases are treated
without prior payment and treatment will often be refused
without evidence of insurance or a deposit. Medical facilities
are generally of an extremely high standard.
Those visiting the USA for long periods with school-age
children should be aware that school entry requirements
include proof of immunisation against diphtheria, measles,
poliomyelitis and rubella throughout the USA, and schools
in many States also require immunisation against tetanus,
pertussis and mumps. HIV-positive visitors must apply
at the Embassy for a waiver of ineligibility before entry.
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Climate
The climate is mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii
and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains
west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin
of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest
are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by
warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky
Mountains. |
People
At the end of the 20th century, the United States was
a nation of 270,311,758 people (1998 estimate) living
and working within an area of 9.6 million sq km (3.7 million
sq mi). This population count makes the United States
the third most populous country in the world, after China
and India. Nearly 5 percent of the earth's inhabitants
live in the United States. Historically, this nation has
attracted vast numbers of immigrants from around the globe.
Yet the United States remains less densely populated than
other large countries or other
industrialized nations-in 1998 there were 28 persons per
sq km (73 per sq mi). |
Religion
The variety of religious beliefs in the United States
surpasses the nation's multitude of ethnicities, nationalities,
and races, making religion another source of diversity
rather than a unifying force. This is true even though
the vast majority of Americans 84 percent identify themselves
as Christian. One-third of these self-identified Christians
are unaffiliated with any church. Moreover, practicing
Christians belong to a wide variety of churches that differ
on theology, organization, programs, and policies. The
largest number of Christians in the United States belong
to one of the many Protestant denominations groups that
vary widely in their beliefs and practices. Roman Catholics
constitute the next largest group of American Christians,
followed by the Eastern Orthodox.
Most Christians in America are Protestant,
but hundreds of Protestant denominations and independent
congregations exist. Many of the major denominations,
such as Baptists, Lutherans, and Methodists, are splintered
into separate groups that have different ideas about theology
or church organization. Some Protestant religious movements,
including Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism, cut across
many different Protestant organizations. Roman Catholics,
the next largest religious group in the United States.
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