Airport enquiries tel 061/365-1941, 365-1024, 365-1224 or 365-1947.

Banks and exchange Given that Brasilia is the banking centre of Brazil, it's annoying to find that the exchange rates offered in the city are uniformly bad. You can change cash and travellers' cheques at Banco do Brasil, SBS, Edificio Sede 1, Terreo (Mon-Fri 10am-5pm); they also have ATMs which accept Visa cards. Reasonable rates with no commission apply at the cambio in the Hotel Nacional (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm), which is the best bet for travellers' cheques (avoid the other cambio -travel agencies around the hotel, whose rates are terrible, as are those touted by most other big hotels). There is a branch of Citibank at SCS, Q 6, Bloco A, Lote 186 (tel 061/215-8000), and a branch of Lloyd's Bank International at CRS 506, Bloco B, Loja 21 (tel 061/242-9988).

Books English-language novels can be found on the ground level of the Conjunto de Diversoes Norte; enter from opposite the Teatro Nacional.

Car rental Avis at the airport (tel 061/365-2782); Hertz at the Bonaparte Hotel (tel 061/323-3630); Locadora Brasil at the airport (tel 061/365-1611); Unidas at the airport (tel 061/248-6227), and at SHS 1, Galeria Hotel Nacional 60 (tel 061/233-8575).

Consulates For the Setor de Embaixadas Sul (SES), take a bus to Avenida das Nacoes, or just walk. Argentina, SHIS QI 01, Cj. 01, Cs 19 (tel 061/365-3000); Australia, SHIS QI 9, Cj. 16, Cs 1 (tel 061/248-5569); Bolivia, SHIS QL 10, Cj. 1, Cs. 6 (tel 061/364-3362); Canada, SES Av. das Nacoes 803, Lote 16, sala 130 (tel 061/321-2171); Colombia, SES Av. das Nacoes 803, Lote 10 (tel 061/226-8997); Ecuador, SHIS Q1 11, Cj. 09, Cs. 24 (tel 061/248-5560); Paraguay, SES Av. das Nacoes 811, Lote 42 (tel 061/242-3732); Peru, SES Av. das Nacoes 811, Lote 43 (tel 061/242-9435); UK, SES Av. das Nacoes 801 (tel 061/225-2710); USA, SES Av. das Nacoes 801, Lote 3 (tel 061/321-7272); Venezuela, SES Av. das Nacoes 803, Lote 13 (tel 061/223-9325).

Emergencies Medical tel 192; police tel 197; fire brigade tel 193.

FUNAI SEPS 702/902, Bloco A (tel 061/226-4887 or 226-8211). This is the main headquarters for FUNAI, the federal agency for Indian affairs, which is the only organization authorized to grant permits for visitors to Indian reserves. Though their permits are usually impossible to obtain, they should be able to fill you in on recent politicking, on what might be possible and on what certainly isn't.

Health matters Dr C. Menecucci, Centro Medico, Av. W-3 Sul 716, Bloco D, sala 16, speaks good English. For quick blood tests, the Clinica SOS Check-Up de Brasilia, SHIS 9, Bloco E, Loja 312 (tel 061/248-4093), at the Centro Clinico do Lago, is efficient. Hospitals are: Da Base do Distrito Federal, SMHS 101 (tel 061/325-5050); and Santa Lucia, SHLS 716, Bloco C (tel 061/245-3344).

Lost property tel 061/217-2323.

Newspapers and magazines English, American and European newspapers are often available from the Pause bookstore at the Galeria Hotel Nacional 59, just a few doors away from the hotel.

Post office Brasilia's main post office (Mon-Sat 9am-6pm) is the small, white building in the open grassy space behind the Hotel Nacional. Collect your poste restante from here, too.

Shopping You can buy almost anything in the Conjuntos de Diversoes or Brasilia Shopping. For artesanato and other craft goods, there's a good market underneath the TV Tower on Saturdays, Sundays and most public holidays. A smaller market next to the cathedral sells an incredible range of dried and dyed flowers. For regional craft specialities try the Galeria dos Estados, in the subway connecting the Setor Bancario Sul with Setor Comercial Sul. Great value gems and jewels are available from Pedras Nativas, Conjunto Venancio 2000, Terreo. For incense, tiger balm, tie-dye wraps and the like, try the Mercado Alternativo in the Centro Cultural Le Corbusier, at Centro Comercial Gilberto Salomao. For Kodak films go to Fujioka, for Fuji films go to Fujifilm, both at the front of the southern conjunto.

Taxis Cidade (tel 061/321-8181), Coobras (tel 061/224-1000), Radiotaxi (tel 061/325-3030).

Travel and tour companies For local tours and air tickets try Buriti, CLS 402, Bloco A, Loja 27 (tel 061/225-2686, fax 226-1814); Presmic, SHS 1, Galeria Hotel Nacional 33/34 (tel 061/225-5515, fax 321-1191); and Power Turismo, SHS 1, Galeria Hotel Nacional 48 (tel 061/332-6699, fax 322-5658).