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Thread: Tell Others Your Travel Traps here!

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[quote=MIRANDAZHAO,244914]"On the first day, after leaving the bus to go to Tiennamen (sic) Square, we walked several blocks before he asked if anyone wanted to go to a bathroom. Many people did, so he directed them back to a bathroom where they were charged three dollars US for the privilege. A few tour participants were smart enough to "negotiate" down to a dollar for the potty privilege. But wouldn't it have been gracious of the tour leader to walk them back and negotiate a group price?"

Ms. Miller claims Yin led the group to a bathroom at Tian'anmen Square that charged $3 U.S. per person for its use. In my life, I have never heard of a bathroom in China charging three U.S. dollars for its use. Rarely, some bathrooms require a payment ... it amounts to 50 cents or less. Some bathrooms have an attendant on hand who cleans the bathroom and accepts donations. Payment is not required, but it is customary to leave two yuan -- 25 cents.

Regent's guides will always lead the group to the best bathrooms in the area and will also remind throughout the tour where the best public bathrooms are located so people can use the better facilities if possible. There are no businesses of any kind in China that request U.S. dollars in payment. Officially, tourists are to exchange U.S. dollars for Chinese RMB to purchase Chinese goods. One will never under any circumstances find any shop, vendor, or facility requiring payment in U.S. dollars. Miller's description of this toilet facility sounded to me like a tourist trap.

In fact, a check with others on this tour as well as with Yin himself revealed that Yin daily advised the travelers how long it would be from one toilet to the next. (This is necessary in China. Toilet facilities in some areas are rare or unavailable.) To prevent travelers in this group from possible heat stroke because of a heat wave in Beijing, Yin announced he would move them quickly through Tian'anmen Square, which is a large open area with little shade. Some chose to walk back 100 feet to the only bathroom on the square while Yin located a shady location off the square for the others. Yin announced that this was a fee toilet charging 30 cents. The first person, however, returned to say he paid three U.S. dollars. Yin explained the mistake and volunteered to go back with him to receive a return of the money. This person said it was not important. Other members of the group correctly paid 30 cents and there never was an issue of negotiating a "group rate."[/quote]

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