Revision as of 05:17, 12 May 2011

Stuff in italics below is editorial comment, with suggestions for what should go in each section. You should plan on ruthlessly eliminating if you copy this code to a country article.]

Entering Country template with a vehicle

Required Paperwork

List the paperwork required to enter, including number of copies

Process at border

Briefly describe the process at the border

Cost of entry

State the cost to enter, in the local currency

Permitted length of entrance for the vehicle

State the permitted length of entry

Extension of stay

Can the permitted length of entry be extended? Describe the process

Storing a vehcile in Country template for an extended time

Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long (last updated date)

Vehicle insurance in Country template

Insurance mandatory?

Yes or No if insurance is mandatory

Cost of insurance

State the price of insurance and a time period, in the local currency

Where to purchase insurance

Describe where insurance can be purchased

Driving a vehicle in Country template

=Side of road

Left or Right (also mention if a vehicle with a steering wheel on the opposite side can be legally driven

Mandatory items in vehicle

State any mandatory items that must be carried in the vehicle (i.e. safety triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc.)

General Road quality

A brief description of the general road quality

Quality of road signs

Breifly discuss the overall quality & existence of road signs

Toll roads

Discuss the frequency and rough price of toll roads, in the local currency

Bribery

Is bribery common? should it be expected?

Checkpoints

Does the country have checkpoints (police or military)? - describe what to expect

Gasoline / Petrol / Diesel in Country template

Price

List the price (in the local currency and unit of measure) of all the different types of gasoline (super, regular, diesel, etc.) List the octane rating if known

Availability / frequency

Are shortages common? Are gasoline stations abundant or difficult to find?

Quality

Is the gasoline considered "clean" or "dirty"? List the sulfur content of diesel if known

External information

Link to external websites with price & quality information (Last updated date)

Vehicle Specific Safety in Country template

Driving at night

Is driving at night considered safe or to be avoided?

Vehicle parking

Can vehicles be parked on the street? at night? what are the other options?

Things to watch out for

A List of special things to be careful of (i.e. Unsigned speed bumps, abnormal road rules, people or animals on the road

Maps & GPS in Country template

Description of the best paper maps and where to purchase them Review different GPS companies, quality and coverage (Tomtom, Garmin, OSM, Tracks4Africa) (with links to each)

Camping in Country template

How common is camping? Are campsites organized or "wild"?

Camping guide books

List and link to books specifically for camping

Propane filling

Links to sites showing propane filling stations

Links for camping sites

Link to sites with a list of GPS co-ordinates for camping

Traveling with pets in Country template

List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet

Guide Books

List the best guide books for traveling through Country template

=Special overland interest for Country template List any special items / places that are popular with overlanders

Vehicle Maintenance

- garages &/or dealerships for major vehicle manufacturers (inc. motorbikes) (maybe there are sites / lists already. find 'em) also just general "recommended " mechanics

Buying and selling vehicles in country - selling foreign-plated vehicle in country - buying a vehicle (and driving it around) in country as a foreigner

Current security advisories section - pull RSS feeds from .gov websites on this country

Exiting country - Paperwork requirements & process

The first section of the small city article does not have a heading. This is a where you give a quick descriptive overview of the small city. Be sure to include some context so readers know where and what they are reading about. Links to the region and country that the city is in can be useful here, too.

Also include any background information particular to the city (i.e. Geneva is a French-speaking city, New Delhi can be more dangerous than other parts of India, etc), but try not to duplicate too much information that already exists in the country or region page. You don't need to mention that they speak English in Sioux Falls, for example, or that the US dollar is the currency of choice.

Understand

Give a deeper understanding of the city, such as its history, its culture, its mores, its politics, its relationship to other cities and the country it's in. Jokes and stereotypes about locals, etc.

Get in

Arrival details. For small cities, be concise. There's no reason to list every single way to get to the small city. Just give the location of the main transportation center -- airport, bus terminal, or train station, schedules for planes, buses, or trains from the nearest one or two large cities, and suggestions for getting from the transportation center to the city center, or wherever all the hotels, restaurants, and attractions are.

If the small city is also accessible by car, give driving details and directions for getting to it from the nearest one or two large cities. Try to include the names of major highways and rough travel times.

Get around

How to get around once you are there: bus, train, rickshaw, ferry, gondola, etc. How much does local transport cost, where/how to buy tickets, and good discounts (week or weekend passes, 1/2 price seniors or students, etc).

See

List attractions that people come to this city for, such as museums, palaces, churches, temples, historical buildings, squares, parks, monuments, statues, streets, zoos, etc. You can also note here general information about attractions, such as discount tourist admission passes, need for a guide, weather warnings, good walking routes, general areas to hang out in, etc.

• Name of Attraction, Address (extra directions if necessary), phone number (email, fax, other contact if possible), [1]. Days and times open. One to five sentences about why this attraction is worth seeing, things to pay special attention to, warnings, notes, historical or other background information. $entryprice (extra price info).

Do

This is for things that travellers will do themselves. More active participation is needed for Do things than for See things. For example, going to see a river goes under See; kayak trips down the river go under Do.

• Name of Activity, Address (extra directions if necessary), phone number (email, fax, other contact if possible), [2]. Days and times open. One to five sentences about why this activity is worth doing, things to pay special attention to, warnings, notes, historical or other background information. $entryprice (extra price info).

Buy

What would be good to buy in this city? Local crafts or other specialties? Souvenirs of the region? Is this a centre of fashion or electronics shopping? Good place to buy travel equipment, general goods or anything else?

Eat

For restaurant listings and other food-related stuff. Mention any local specialties or oddities. Specific restaurant listings should be in the format below. Also, give a general idea of good areas of the destination to try for finding a restaurant on one's own. Some travellers like (or have) to make their own food -- include local food-shopping options if possible.

• Name of Restaurant, Address (extra directions if necessary), phone number (email, fax, other contact if possible), [3]. Days and times open. One to three sentences about the food, service, atmosphere, view, specialties, music, what have you. $lowprice-$highprice (extra price info).

Drink

For bars, clubs, and other nightlife. Yes, many people go out to clubs and don't drink; the name of the section is still Drink. Mention any local specialties or oddities, and give a general idea of good areas of the destination to try. Good things to mention: dress code, entrance fees, safety concerns, solo-woman friendly or pick-up bar, good/bad nights).

• Name of Bar, Address (extra directions if necessary), phone number (email, fax, other contact if possible), [4]. Days and times open. One to three sentences about the drinks, service, atmosphere, view, specialties, music, what have you. $beerprice draft/bottle beers, $wellprice well drinks (extra price or special info).

Sleep

This is for helping the traveller find a place to lay his/her weary head: hotels, motels, hostels, campgrounds, pensions, etc. Give a general idea of good areas of the destination to try to find lodging. Other good info to include is high/low season, the importance of reservation, things to request (quiet room, view, airport pick up, etc).'

• Name of Place, Address (extra directions if necessary), phone number (email, fax, other contact if possible) [5]. Days and times open. One to three sentences about the service, atmosphere, view, rooms, what have you. $lowprice-$highprice (extra price info).

Contact

Information on communications -- phone, Internet, other. This is where you'd list Internet cafes or computer rental centers for staying in touch by email or on the Web. If there are free or paid wireless Internet hotspots in the district, name them here. Long-distance telephone centers, where travelers can pay to make long-distance telephone calls, would be useful here, too.

• Name of Internet Cafe, Address (extra directions if necessary), phone number (email, fax, other contact if possible), [6]. Days and times open. One to three sentences about the computers, connectivity, food or beverages available. $rate per hour (extra price info).

Get out

Information about nearby destinations that would serve as a good "next stop." Provide a brief description of other nearby destination suggestions, neighboring cities or day-trip ideas. Don't duplicate information that's up in "Get in."