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Capital: Sofia

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 359
Outgoing Code: 00, some calls go through the international operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: Ambulance – 150, Fire – 160, Police – 166

Passport information: A valid passport with at least 6 months remaining validity at time of departure is required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the relevant authority before finalising travel arrangements.

Visa information: Visa required by all.

Health information: No information available at present.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink.

Currency: Lev (Lv) = 100 stotinki. Exchange: A bordereau receipt will be given and must be kept until departure. NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited. Amounts of currency over US$ 1000 have to be declared. Diners Club American Express and Visa have limited acceptance. Traveller’s cheques can be exchanged in major banks. US dollars and Pound sterling are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Over 100 locations (MasterCard/Cirrus only).

Cost of living: Inexpensive when compared with Western Europe.

Languages: Bulgarian. English is spoken in resorts. Turkish, Russian, French and German may also be spoken.

Weather: Summers are the warmest with some rainfall. Winters are cold with snow. Rain falls frequently in the Spring and Autumn.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are 2 pin.

Post: 4 days to 2 weeks to Western Europe

Transport: FLIGHTS: Air travel is only slightly more expensive than rail and more convenient. RAIL: Reservations are essential, 1st Class is advisable. ROAD: Speed limits are strictly enforced as are drinking and driving penalties. CAR HIRE: Can be arranged through hotels. DOCUMENTATION: AN IDP should be obtained although foreign driving licences are acceptable for short journeys. A ‘Green’ card is compulsory.

Special information: A nod of the head means “No” and shaking the head means “Yes”. Dress should be conservative but casual. It is advisable to register with the police, a hotel or guest house within 48 hours of arrival. Do not accept food or drink from strangers. Exercise caution in Sofia particularly at night.

Capital: Ouagadougou

Time zone: GMT

Telephone services: Country Code: 226
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Unavailable

Tourist information: Direction de l’Administration Touristique et Hôtelière, BP 624, Ouagadougou 01, Burkina Faso Tel: 306 396

Passport information: A valid passport is required by all. Return Ticket Required.

Visa information: Visa required by all.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Take precautions as Falciparum variety present.
Yellow Fever: R. with vaccination certificate if arriving from an infected area. OTHER: Bilharzia, Rabies, Cholera, River Blindness and Sleeping Sickness.
Other Health Risks: A meningitis epidemic has affected West Africa – seek medical advice before travelling.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: CFA Franc (CFA Fr).
Visa and MasterCard have limited acceptance. Travellers cheques are accepted on a limited basis. French francs are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Burkina Faso is the sixth poorest country in the world

Languages: French with several indigenous languages.

Weather: Tropical climate. Dec – Mar are the best months. rainy season = Jun – Oct. Winds blow Nov- Feb which brings cool and dry weather.

Electricity: 220/380 volts AC 50 Hz. Plugs = 2 pin.

Post: Up to 2 weeks by airmail. There are few post offices. Poste Restante is available with a mail- charge for collection of letters.

Transport: ROAD: Most are impassable during the raining season. Police check points often cause delay. FLIGHTS: there are few domestic flights. DOCUMENTATION: Temporary driving licences are available from local authorities if you present a valid national driving license.

Special information: Most visits to Burkina Faso are trouble free, but criminal incidents do occur and care should be taken, particularly after dark. Customs should be respected especially in traditional rural areas. Clothing can be casual and should be appropriate for the hot weather.

Capital: Brussels

Time zone: GMT + 1

Telephone services: Country Code: 32
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services. Additional local numbers:- Police – 101, Fire, Ambulance – 100, or from a mobile phone – 112.

Tourist information: Belgian Tourist Office, 5th Floor, 29 Princes Street, London W1R 7RG Tel: (0891) 600 255 or (0891) 887 799 (recorded message 50p/min.) Fax: (020) 7458 0045.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all: except nationals of EU countries and nationals of Andorra, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, San Marino and Switzerland providing they carry a national ID card. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, EU, Japan, Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey (if resident in an EU country and have a residence permit valid for a further 4 months), Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela

Health information: Other Health Risks: None at present.

Food & drink: Water is considered drinkable, normal precautions should be observed with food. In January 1999 Dioxins entered the food chain in Belgium – visitors are advised to take advice on eating pork, chicken or dairy products

Currency: Belgian Franc (Bfr) = 100 centimes
Credit cards and Travellers cheques are widely accepted. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Over 2000 locations.

Cost of living: Relatively expensive, similarly to other Western European countries.

Languages: Dutch and French.

Weather: Warm May – Sept, and snow likely during the winter months.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC 50 Hz. Plugs are 2 pin.

Post: 2- 3 days to other European destinations. Poste Restante is available in the main cities.

Transport: RAIL: A dense, regular service operates. A reduced rate card can be purchased for unlimited discounts for 1 month period.

Special information: “Flemings” often prefer to speak English; rather than French, to Foreign visitors.

Capital: Abu Dhabi

Time zone: GMT + 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 971
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 344 663 (only Abu Dhabi).

Tourist information: Federal Ministry of Tourism and Culture, PO Box 5053, Dubai, UAE Tel: (4) 615 500 Fax: (4) 615 648

Passport information: Passport valid for at least 6 months from date of arrival required by all. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all except: Nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Nationals of the UK with the endorsement ‘British Subject Citizen of the UK and Colonies’ or ‘British Citizen’ for a maximum of 30 days. Transit passengers who do not leave the airport on arrival.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Risk exists in the valleys and the lower slopes of mountainous areas of the Northern States.
Other Health Risks: Cholera, Rabies.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink.

Currency: UAE Dirham (UAE Dh) = 100 fils.
Exchange: Most hotels All credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques preferably in US dollars can be easily exchanged.
ATM availability: Over 280 locations.

Cost of living: Relatively expensive although the budget traveller will be able to find cheaper hotels and food away from the main tourist areas. Prices are constant throughout the year.

Languages: Arabic. English is widely spoken.

Weather: June – Sept is the hottest period with little rainfall. Oct – May is a more comfortable time to visit.

Electricity: 220/240 volts AC, 50 Hz. Square 3 pin plugs are widespread.

Post: Airmail takes about 5 days to reach Western Europe.

Transport: SEA: Passenger services serve all coastal ports. ROAD: There are good, roads running along the West Coast. BUS: A limited service links most towns. However most hotels run their own scheduled service to the airport, city centre and beach. TAXI: Most travellers find taxis to be the most convenient and quickest method of transport. Taxis are metered and there is a surcharge for air-conditioned taxis. CAR HIRE: Most international companies have agencies at the airport and hotels. DOCUMENTATION: Renters must produce 2 photographs, passports and either a valid international or national licence. IDP is recommended.

Special information: Because of the situation of global and regional insecurity at present, travellers should exercise extreme
caution and make only necessary journeys to this country. If you intend to travel depite this advice you should be aware that this is one of the most liberal countries in the Gulf, although it is still very conservative by Western standards. Respect Muslim traditions. It is illegal to smoke or drink in public places during Ramadan. Western entertainment is available in the form of cocktail bars, public houses and cinemas.

Capital: Bridgetown

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 1 246
Outgoing Code: 011

Emergency telephone numbers: Police – 112, Ambulance – 115, Fire – 113. All services – 119.

Tourist information: Barbados Tourism Authority, 263 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1P OLA Tel: (020) 7636 9448 Fax: (020) 7637 1496.

Passport information: Passport must be valid for 6 months after date of entry by all except: Nationals of the USA and Canada, who hold a valid return ticket, who have embarked from their home country for stays not exceeding 3 months and who have a naturalisation certificate or original birth certificate accompanied by a driving licence with photograph or employment identification with photograph. Nationals of Commonwealth countries for stays up to 6 months (except nationals of India, Pakistan and South Africa where special conditions apply) for stays of up to 6 months Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa not required by nationals of EU countries for stays up to 6 months.

Health information: Seek Advice from GP before travel.
Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate if required from passengers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas.

Food & drink: Water is considered drinkable, normal precautions should be observed with food.

Currency: Barbados Dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents.
All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques, preferably in US dollars and Pound sterling, are accepted.
ATM availability: 45 locations.

Cost of living: Generally expensive. Avoid the tourist centres if travelling on a budget, although prices throughout the island are quite expensive.

Languages: English. Local Bajan dialect is also spoken.

Weather: Subtropical climate cooled by sea breezes. Wet season – July till Nov when brief showers occur. Dry season – Dec till June.

Electricity: 110 volts AC 50 Hz American style 2-pin plug are used.

Post: Up to 1 week.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Several operators run flights between neighbouring islands. ROAD: A good network of roads run throughout the island. BUS: Frequent comprehensive coverage of the island. Although cheap buses are crowded during the rush hour. CAR HIRE: Various vehicles can be hired at the airport or large hotels. DOCUMENTATION: A Barbados driving licence is required, a valid national or IDP should be held.

Special information: Attacks and thefts are rare although persistent salesmen are likely to continually approach you. Visitors should exercise common sense precautions such as not exhibiting conspicuous signs of wealth and not to visit deserted beaches at night.

Capital: Sarajevo

Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 during the summer)

Telephone services: Country Code: 387
Outgoing Code: 99

Emergency telephone numbers: It is advisable to consult the foreign office in your country of residence before departure, regarding emergency assistance.

Tourist information: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nusala Omladinska 4, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Tel: (71) 663 813 Fax: (71)472 188.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. The partition of the republic make legal border crossing and airport (Sarajevo) entry for all foreign nationals difficult. Check before travelling to the country.

Visa information: Not required by British nationals but situation can change at border crossings. Check before travel.

Health information: Other Health Risks: Rabies

Food & drink: Care should be exercised with drinking water, dairy foods are not generally pasturised, fruit and vegetables should be washed prior to consumption.

Currency: Konvertibilna Marka .
Acceptance of credit cards has just started in Sarajevo. No credit cards nor travellers cheques are accepted anywhere else in Bosnia-Herzegovina yet.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Limited commodities and high inflation as a result of the war.

Languages: Serbo-Croat (Serbs) and Croato-Serb (Croats).

Weather: The climate is variable with moderate continental conditions. It is usually cold in the winter and hot in the summer.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Uncertain service due to the civil war.

Transport: Because of the lengthy time being taken to implement the peace and reconstruction programme, travel in some parts of the country may be difficult.

Special information: Care is necessary because violent incidents can occur. Avoid crowds and demonstrations. Large areas of the country are still mined – exercise care particularly off main roads. Check the situation before travelling