Beijing - What to pack - medicinal & toiletries?

[artichoke]

I'm wanting to pack as little as possible for my 3mths in Beijing in Sept. Reading lots of travel tips online and my Lonely Planet guide it's suggested I bring a horde of items:

e.g.

ant-acid, cold & flu tablets, anti-histamine, antibiotics, bandaids, anti-septic, water purification tablets, thermometer, dental floss, tweezers, syringes etc etc

What is it like trying to buy these things in Beijing? Are they cheap, easy to come by or should I just bring from home because I'm familiar with the brands and know what works with my body?

On a side note - are optical prescriptions easy & cheap to fill? Are frames (trendy ones) cheap and easy to find?

Thanks!

[kailin]

I definitely second Lonely Planet's dental floss reccomendation--when I was in Beijing three years ago it was hard to come by and not cheap. I would also bring some familiar stomach stuff (a la Pepto Bismal) and maybe some cold stuff. Pharmacies are cheap and easy to find and will definitely stock bandaids and really anything else you need. I can't think why you would need syringes or water purification tablets, but I am sure you could find them there if you decided you had to have them.

I got an awesome pair of prescription sunglasses (I gave them my normal glasses and they used them to get my prescription) for about 30 US dollars when I was last in Beijing, and I have been putting off getting the new glasses that I need until I arrive in there again this September!

Kailin

[beirne]

Immodium. I'll stretch this message so it is the minimum 10 characters but will spare you more details.

[phbriggs]

ant-acid, cold & flu tablets, anti-histamine, antibiotics, bandaids, anti-septic

Wouldn't worry. These are available over the counter.

should I just bring from home because I'm familiar with the brands and know what works with my body?

Not unless you are alergic to some medicine ingrediants (inactive components). Otherwise would not bother.

Agree with taking Immodium or similar.

Other things:

Deodorant can be difficult to find.

Elastic clothes line (type no pegs are needed).

If you are Chinese in size (around the waist), limit the number of clothes you take. These are cheap in China.

[Zhende ma?]

Don't worry about water purification tablets. Unless you plan on going to the countryside. Bottled water is pretty cheap (1 yuan a bottle or less, especially in bulk). Just don't drink out of the faucets or fountains. If you are in a dorm or even your own apartment, you can get one of those spring water jugs. It's pretty cheap to refill and they deliver a new jug to your door.

[kailin]

Oh yes, deodorant! Very hard to find.

Kailin

[phbriggs]

Water is okay to drink if boiled. I prefer the purified bottled water as I find that cold boiled water has a metalic taste (probably my own taste buds).

[梅克立]

Not to jack the thread or anything but where did you grab those glasses and how long did they take to make? I might just hit up a pair before I leave. I've heard they have quite a selection at the perl market?

[kailin]

Oh man, I can't remember exactly where I got the glasses. It was a glasses store on the same road as the main entrance to BLCU (BCLU?) on the way to Wudaokou (on the right hand side of the road if you are coming from the school). It only took them like one or two days, as I recall. I brought my dad and his girlfriend there to get their own and they turned them around real quick. Good luck!

Kailin

[roddy]

There are glasses stores everywhere - I can think of about half a dozen within walking distance of where I live. Take a look at any Chinese school class to know why . . .