• If you need to see a physician, it is best to make an appointment first.
• Remember to bring your Health & Safety pocket guide that has your insurance ID Card.
• You will also be required to pay a co-pay for your visit so be prepared to pay for this at the time of your visit.
• Unless you need emergency treatment, it is best NOT to go to a hospital "Emergency Room" to see a doctor. You should use these facilities for emergencies only as they tend to be quite costly.
• If a doctor treats you for a non-emergency, you may have to pay the bill first and then file a claim with the insurance company for reimbursement. It is therefore important to keep careful records and receipts of all medical services. Please see your insurance booklet for a claim form.
• In certain areas of the country, especially large cities, medical care will be significantly more expensive. It is a good idea to find a private doctor."Walk-in clinics" have sprung up all around the country in recent years. They offer an alternative to seeing a private physician or going to a hospital emergency room. They tend to be less costly.

If you require medicines containing controlled drugs or narcotics (e.g., cough medicine, heart drugs, sleeping pills or stimulants), you should have all these products properly packaged and labeled before leaving your home country. You will not be able to have foreign prescriptions for controlled drugs filed in the U.S without seeing a U.S. registered doctor. You should also have a statement or prescription from your doctor translated into English indicating that the medicine is being used under a doctor's direction and is necessary for your physical well-being.
Once the doctor has examined you, you will be given a "prescription" to get the appropriate medication, and an invoice and the forms you'll need to send to your insurance. To obtain your medicine you will have to go to a pharmacy such as: Walgreens, Eckerd, Publix, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Winn Dixie, CVS etc. You can also find pharmacies in your grocery store.

Oral Medication

• Anti-fever pills - eg Panadol
• Mild painkillers - eg Panadol
• Anti-motion sickness pills - eg Novomin*
• Anti-diarrhoea pills - eg Lomotil*
• Anti-histamines (for runny nose and mild allergies) - eg Zyrtec*
• Lozenges (for sore throat) - eg Trachisan*, Strepsils
• If you have a long-term medical condition (like high blood pressure, diabetes or asthma), ask your doctor to prescribe enough medicine to last the whole trip. He will also advise you of any special precautions to take.

*These are Pharmacy only items and require an evaluation by a Pharmacist before purchasing. Available at any pharmacy (Guardian, Watsons, Unity)

Items for External Use

• Antiseptic solution or cream - for cuts and grazes
• Calamine lotion - for skin rashes and insect bites
• Cotton wool/cotton buds - for applying medicine
• Gauze - for cleaning wounds
• Plasters, adhesive dressings - for dressing smallwounds
• Adhesive tape - for holding dressings
• Forceps - for removing splinters or stings
• Scissors - for cutting gauze
• Thermometer - for measuring body temperature
Do not forget to include an insect repellent and moisturizer since the weather will be dry during the winter season.

• Bring layers of clothes, and don't forget windbreakers and/or pullovers. Especially if you're visiting in the Summer. This is not Southern California, and San Francisco can be downright chilly in the Summertime.
• Take good comfortable shoes for walking and pack a fold up umbrella in case it rains, or if not and the sun is too hot, you can use it as a parasol.
• Bring stuff that can be layered. If it's cold and foggy in the city, as soon as you cross the bridge to Marin County, it can be immediately hot and sunny.
• Bring a sweater. Even when it's sunny outside some places in San Francisco can be quite windy, so it's better to be prepared.
• Based on weather.com's yearly averages for San Francisco, the temperature reaches the 70's F (20's C) in June through mid-October, with September being the warmest month (because of the amount of wind and fog during the summer). Lows are in the 50's F (10-13 C) during those months. From November to May, average high's are in the 50's and 60's F with lows in the 40's F. So, you can see that you need to bring sweaters and a light jacket in the summer & a warm coat in the winter when you come to San Francisco. The winds off the ocean can make it feel a lot colder. California gets almost all of it's rain in the winter months, with January being the coolest time with the most rain. You can always check the 10 day forecast on weather.com before you pack for your trip.

• Visa
• Passport

Medical Emergency
Dial 911

Sequoia Hospital
170 Alameda de las Pulgas Redwood City, CA 94062
Tel: 650-369-5811

McCarthy Medical Center
246 Ranch Drive Milpitas, CA
Tel: 408-263-9936

Mills Peninsula Hospital
100 S. San Mateo Drive San Mateo, CA
Tel: 650-696-5400

Alliance Occupational Medicine
315 S. Abbott Avenue
Milpitas, CA

Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore (passport, visa and immigration matters)
595 Market Street Suite 2450 San Francisco CA 94105
Ph: 415.543.4775
Fax: 415.543.4788
Warren Woo, Esq
Warren_woo@lawyer.com (Works with NUS on Visa/legal issues)

1. Meals
The cost of dining in the bay area can range from a few dollars to a small fortune, depending on what you eat and where you are. Prices start from as low as $1 for a cheeseburger from Mcdonalds and can go up to $50 - $100 in a swanky restaurant. An average meal will cost you about $15-$20 for lunch and $20-$25 for dinner. Do remember that service charge is not included in the bill and it is customary to leave a 15%-20% tip for the waiter.

2. Getting Around
Renting a Car
Most car rental companies require that you be at least 21 years of age and possess at least one major credit card. In many cases, you must be 25 years old or pay an additional fee (especially for insurance) if you are not yet. When renting a car make sure you understand the terms of the agreement very clearly before you sign anything. It is always important to purchase automobile insurance. It can be less expensive to rent a car with an international car rental organization in your home country.

Taxi
Yellow Cab Co. Ph: 650.363.1111
Yellow Cab.com Ph: 1.888.704.1234

Public Transport
Muni,  BART,  and Caltrain

Warning: When traveling by bus, keep an eye on your luggage and possessions. You should also be aware that the bus terminals and bus stops are not always located in the most populated areas of town. Be careful if the bus stops in an isolated area late at night.

3. Accomodation
The cost of accomodation in the bay area may varies over a wide range and is dependent upon location and it's rating. Hostels and generally cheaper than hotels and prices get lower as you move away from the city (San Francisco). However, public transport is less available once you leave San Francisco. Cities further away from San Francisco such as sunnyvale may offer accomodations at lower costs.
Examples of online hotel booking sites are:
www.orbitz.com
www.expedia.com
Examples of online hostel booking sites are:
www.hostelworld.com
www.hostelbooking.com

4. Safety First!

• Beware of potential scams: people seemingly coming from nowhere and bumping into you, as this could be to distract you while your wallet is being removed.
• If you see an interesting card game going on in the street, keep walking past it, as you don't stand a chance of winning!
• All large U.S. cities have their share of homeless people. You may be approached by people begging for money, it is up to you whether or not to give them any money. You are entitled to refuse - but please be polite.
• Avoid deserted streets, subway stops and bus stops. Always try to travel where there are other people close by.
• Make sure you know something about areas and neighborhoods you visit at night. Shops in dangerous areas of the city normally have grilles covering the display windows
• Walk in a confident and purposeful manner.
• Do not expose large amounts of cash in public.
• Keep your possessions in firm grasp.
• Be especially careful in railway and bus stations. These places attract pickpockets.
• Car thieves are common - do not leave any luggage or valuables that might be attractive to thieves.
• Trust your instincts, and always remain cautious.
The presence of "Neighborhood watch" is almost as effective as the local police. But caution and common sense is still advised: see National Crime Prevention Council for more information.

Take precautions. Here are some things you could do:

1. Always have a map with you.
2. Know the name and exact address of where you are staying.
3. List down the phone number of where you are staying.
4. If you take a bus, know the bus route number.
5. Take note of landmarks.

Ask around for directions!

1. Alcatraz Island - Alcatraz Island offers a close-up look at the site of the first lighthouse and US fort on the West Coast, the infamous federal penitentiary long off-limits to the public, and the 18 month occupation by Indians of All Tribes which saved the tribes. Rich in history, there is also a natural side to the Rock - gardens, tide pools, bird colonies, and bay views beyond compare.
2. Nob Hill-Russian Hill - an area in the northeastern part of San Francisco, made up of the two neighborhoods Nob Hill and Russian Hill. It is bounded roughly by Van Ness Avenue to the west, Bay Street to the north, Sutter Street to the south, and Powell Street and Columbus Avenue to the east.
3. Nude Beaches - Baker, Fort Funston, Lands End
4. Union Square - located in the heart of downtown San Francisco, bordered by four main streets, Post, Geary, Powell and Stockton.s Union Square is the third largest shopping area in the United States, and is home to some of the finest shopping malls, department stores, specialty shops and restaurants in the country.
5. Pacific Heights - These areas are a fun walk and a way to see a highly desired residential S.F. area. Pacific Heights is where all the yuppies in San Francisco live.
6. Mission District Bars - The Mission District is a gentrifying (run-down) part of San Francisco. All of the artists have now congregated in what once was a true Hispanic district. Now, trendy restaurants are springing up everywhere in this area between the Gay Castro district and the trendy South of Market warehouse district (SOMA). The bars here are fun and grungy. They're great for a pair of jeans and some old sneakers. Note that this area is not recommended unless you are ready to visit a true urban area.