WELCOME TO GUYANA! The Smithsonian House at 62 Zinnia is maintained for the use of Smithsonian scientists doing research in Guyana. It is also available to other scientists but prior approval must be given by the BDG office in Washington, DC. The sole purpose of the Smithsonian House is to foster systematic and biodiversity studies in Guyana. It is not a Hotel neither is it a restaurant nor bar. Staying in the house is a privilege and not a right: we expect you to treat the house and its occupants with respect. It is not permissible to have children stay at the Smithsonian at any time for any reason because of the inherent dangers of chemicals, traps, and other research equipment that may be left in the house. Below you will find some House Rules and some miscellaneous information, please take time to examine this document. Any comments can be sent to the Biological Diversity of the Guiana Shield (BDG) Program, Smithsonian Institution (tel:202-633-0952; fax:786-2563; email:funkvsi.edu).

COST - The cost of staying at the Smithsonian House is US $10 per night. This fee is used to help BDG offset the cost of rent, guard service, housekeeping, and utilities (approx. $1,500 US per month). Everyone must pay this amount, including all Smithsonian employees. Please pay Margaret Chan-a-Sue (226-5298) and make sure you are given a receipt; you will need it when you file your travel papers. If this is not possible please make a check out to the Smithsonian Institution and mail it to: Carol Kelloff, Department of Botany-MRC166, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA. In addition, you must pay Shirley to have your sheets and towels washed after you leave (see below). If you have visitors, Amerindian field assistants, and/or students staying at the house, you are responsible for the cost of having their sheets and towels washed.

On occasion visitors may find sodas and beers in the refrigerator. These are provided for your convenience. The cost per bottle is G$100 and you can pay this fee when you pay your rent. We believe in the honor system and will continue to provide this service as long as people pay for what they drink.

For the convenience of all visitors and users of the Smithsonian House we try to maintain a basic level of supplies in the house. These include toilet paper, cooking gas, drinking water, etc. We ask that if you use it, replace it and before you leave the house to go into the field or to go home please make sure that there are enough basic supplies in the house for the next group of visitors. Generally, arrivals into Georgetown are very late at night and having these supplies at hand make for a much more pleasant experience.

If at departure you have to purchase cooking gas, drinking water, or any other supplies please include the receipts as part of your rental fee.

BEHAVIOR - Because the house is rented and maintained by the Smithsonian we expect you to behave in an appropriate manner at all times. If you are out late you are expected to come in quietly and not wake up the other occupants. Do not bring "visitors" to stay overnight unless they are related to the Smithsonian program in some way and you have made arrangements beforehand. It is perfectly all right to have a few friends over for dinner, etc. but do not disturb other occupants of the house or the neighbors. Remember the houses are close together and sound carries. If there are any problems during your stay at the Smithsonian House please report these to the BDG office.

PHONE - When calling from out of the country, the phone number at the house is 592-226-0145. The phone at the Smithsonian House can be used only for local calls, you cannot call long distance direct, however, it does receive long distance calls. Please do not have people call you at the house after 10 PM unless it is an emergency. Phone credit cards are not accepted in Guyana. You can reach an operator in the USA and call collect by dialing 165.

To call the Centre dial 222-4921. Be careful, the phones are tricky to hang up and are often left off the hook.

THE HOUSEKEEPER - Shirley Cheong is our housekeeper; she cleans the house on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 am to 3 pm. She also washes the sheets and bath towels, and you are responsible for paying her to wash the sheets and towels that you use. Keeping the house clean and the linens fresh are Shirley's primary responsibility. After she has cleaned the house and washed the sheets and towels, she can do your laundry. The fees are charged as follows (in $G): sheets 100; towels (bath) 80; towels (kitchen) 40; pants 100; t-shirt 80; underwear 60; socks 40. If your clothes are especially dirty please give her a little extra money.

You should pay Shirley directly for the sheets, towels and your laundry. If your schedule does not coincide with hers you can leave the money in an envelope on the desk with her name on the outside and a receipt for her to sign. She will sign the receipt and leave it on the desk.

SHOES - Do not wear your street shoes in the house. The best policy is to have a pair of sandals that you keep by the door that you can change into when you come in the house.

THE KITCHEN - Feel free to use the kitchen. Wash all dishes and clean up all food and spills, including the table. Crumbs attract insects and a horde of ants. Keep your food in the visitor's refrigerator and let Shirley know if you are leaving food you do not want. Make sure the stove and gas bottle are turned off before you leave. Do not drink water out of the tap; distilled water is provided in the large bottles. If you need a lot of water please boil some water rather than use all of the distilled water. If you use the cold water in the refrigerator please refill the container. If you drink beer or sodas that are kept at the house you must replace them. Rinse all beer and sodas bottles out before putting them back in the case. There are several places to purchase groceries including open markets and supermarkets.

PLEASE TURN OFF THE GAS BOTTLE WHEN NOT IN USE. This will prevent the gas from leaking and prolong the use of the bottle.

THE BEDROOMS - Please do not rearrange the furniture, swap beds or mattresses, remove mosquito netting, etc. If there is a problem please notify the BDG office.

THE CAT - Pizza the cat is, sadly, no longer with us.

THE CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (The Centre) - The Centre is on the campus of the University of Guyana. Phillip da Silva is the Head of the Department of Biology, UG. Among his many duties he is the Acting Manager at the Centre. Please take a few moments to visit the Centre. The Centre's phone number is 222-4921.

TAXIS - If you are going out, especially at night, it is best to call a Taxi; they cost from G$ 200 to 240 for an in-town trip. You can have the restaurant call one for you when you are ready to leave. We often use City Taxi, TopLine, or Kitty Cabs. Check the small red phone book or the city phone book for the latest numbers. A taxi to the University will cost G$ 500-600 depending on the time of day. A trip to the airport in a taxi will cost around $20 US. Taxi drivers will know the location of Zinnia Ave if you mention the "roundabout" in Bel Air Park.

MONEY - It is best to change money at one of the banks. We usually go to Scotia Bank where there is only a small fee (1%) for cashing travelers checks, and the exchange rates are good. DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO TALK YOU INTO EXCHANGING MONEY ON THE STREET. This is very dangerous and you do not get a fair rate.

KEYS - When you leave town, please give your keys to Margaret Chan-A-Sue (226-5298). This is necessary even if you are leaving for just a day or two. Under special circumstances you can make arrangements to keep the keys but this must be cleared with Margaret Chan-A-Sue.

GUARD SERVICE - We employ a guard from 6 PM to 6 AM every day of the week. He does not have keys to the house. If you are locked out and no one is home you must call Margaret Chan-A-Sue.

FLIGHTS - For in-country travel we use the Torong Travel Service of Malcolm and Margaret Chan-A-Sue (226-5298, fax: 225-0749). They fly into many areas and can arrange travel into most of the country. They are very concerned with safety and cost. For international travel we use Nikki Nicholson at Worldwide Travel Service Ltd. (W1/2 - 85 Quamina Street, Georgetown; phone 226-4243; fax 226-4866). You can reconfirm your outgoing tickets at their office, you do not need to go to the airport.

FINAL WORD - It is difficult to think of all the things you might need to know while in Guyana. We hope that we have not forgotten anything important. Please let the BDG program know when you find things that need to be changed or added to this information sheet.

[  ]   Is the cooking gas off?

[  ]   Are all the doors locked and secured?

[  ]   Have you returned all keys to Margaret?

[  ]   Are there enough basic supplies left for the next group of visitors: toilet paper, cooking gas, drinking water?

[  ]   Is the house left in a clean and orderly fashion?

[  ]   Has the garbage been taken out (very important for weekend departures)?

[  ]   Is the kitchen clean, dishes done, and any left-over food disposed of (very important for weekend departures)?

[  ]   Have you paid for any beers and sodas that were provided?

[  ]   Have you paid Shirley for the sheets and towels left by you and your guests (and any other laundry she may have done for you)?

[  ]   Have you paid the rent or made arrangements to pay the rent upon your return home?

We thank you for your consideration for the next visitor. We hope that your stay at the smithsonian House was enjoyable.

Happy Collecting, BDG Program