For International Visitors - Hawaii with Kids - page 414

alphabetical order. The inside front cover lists emergency numbers for
police, fire, ambulance, Coast Guard, poison-control center, crime victims
hot line, and so on. The first few pages will tell you how to make long-
distance and international calls, complete with country codes and area
codes. Government numbers are usually printed on blue paper within the
White Pages. Printed on yellow paper, the so-called Yellow Pages list all
local services, businesses, industries, and houses of worship according to
activity with an index at the front or back. (Drugstores/pharmacies and
restaurants are also listed by geographic location.) The Yellow Pages also
include city plans or detailed area maps, postal ZIP codes, and public
transportation routes.
Time The United States is divided into six time zones: eastern standard
time (EST), central standard time (CST), mountain standard time (MST),
Pacific standard time (PST), Alaskan standard time (AST), and Hawaiian
standard time (HST). For example, noon in New York City (EST) is 11am in
Chicago (CST), 10am in Denver (MST), 9am in Los Angeles (PST), 8am in
Anchorage (AST), and 7am in Honolulu (HST).
Daylight saving time is in effect from 1am on the first Sunday in April
to 1am on the last Sunday in October, except in Arizona, Hawaii, most of
Indiana, and Puerto Rico. Daylight saving time moves the clock 1 hour
ahead of standard time.
Tipping Tips are a very important part of certain workers' incomes, and
gratuities are the standard way of showing appreciation for services pro-
vided. (Tipping is certainly not compulsory if the service is poor!) In
hotels, tip bellhops at least $1 per bag ($2-$3 if you have a lot of lug-
gage) and tip the chamber staff $1 to $2 per day (more if you've left a
disaster area for him or her to clean up). Tip the doorman or concierge
only if he or she has provided you with some specific service (for exam-
ple, calling a cab for you or obtaining difficult-to-get theater tickets). Tip
the valet-parking attendant $1 every time you get your car.
In restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, tip service staff 15% to 20% of the
check, tip bartenders 10% to 15%, and tip valet-parking attendants $1
per vehicle.
As for other service personnel, tip cab drivers 15% of the fare; tip sky-
caps at airports at least $1 per bag ($2-$3 if you have a lot of luggage);
and tip hairdressers and barbers 15% to 20%.
Toilets You won't find public toilets or “restrooms” on the streets in most
U.S. cities, but they can be found in hotel lobbies, bars, restaurants, muse-
ums, department stores, railway and bus stations, and service stations.
Large hotels and fast-food restaurants are probably the best bet for
good, clean facilities. If possible, avoid the toilets at parks and beaches,
which tend to be dirty; some may be unsafe. Restaurants and bars in
resorts or heavily visited areas may reserve their restrooms for patrons.
Some establishments display a notice indicating this. You can ignore this
sign or, better yet, avoid arguments by paying for a cup of coffee or a soft
drink, which will qualify you as a patron.