The city may be conveniently divided into two parts. The older section of the city is west of the dock area and north of Poonamallee High Rd. In these narrow, busy streets and bazaars are the offices of shipping and forwarding agents, the bulk of the cheaper hotels and cafes, other large office buildings and the GP0 and American Express. Its main focal point is Parry's Corner/Popham's Broadway which runs alongside the High Court Buildings. The official name of this road is Netaji Subhash Bose Rd but everyone knows it simply as Parry's Comer. Along this road are the municipal bus terminals and just off it, along Esplanade Rd, is the Tamil Nadu State Bus Stand and the Tiruvalluvar Bus Stand, the two long-distance bus terminals.

The other main part of the city is south of Poonamallee High Rd. Through it runs Chennai' main road, Anna Salai which is still generally known as Mount Rd. Along it are situated most of the airline offices, theatres, banks, bookshops, craft centres, consulates, the tourist offices and the bulk of the top-range hotels and restaurants. It's the Janpat of Chennai. Egmore and Central, Chennai' two main railway stations, are close to Poonamallee High Rd. If you're arriving from anywhere other than Tamil Nadu or Kerala you'll come into Central Station. Egmore is the arrival point for most Tamil Nadu and Kerala trains apart from the principal Kerala expresses and the Nilgiri Express from Ootacamund.

The Indian Government Tourist Office is at 35 Anna Salai and is open daily except Sundays from 9 am to 6 pm. As tourist offices in India go this one on Mount Rd is good and the staff friendly and helpful. Leaflets and city maps are apparently in short supply, two people in front of me were offered maps without even requesting them whereas I was refused a copy until a calling card was produced. Indian officials fall over themselves over business cards, get some printed before you go!

Liquor permits are available free from the Tourist Office but you must present your passport which is then stamped. A bus 11 or 18 from Parry's Corner or Central Station will take you to the Tourist Office. There is also an information counter at the airport, open daily from 9 am to 9 pm.

The Automobile Association is at 38A Anna Salai. Apart from route information the organisation has accommodation available for members of any foreign automobile association at Rs 15/25 for singles/doubles. They also have car parking facilities on the premises for between Rs 3 and 10.

American Express is at Binny Ltd,7 Armenian St (PO Box 66), Chennai 600001. This Amex office is unable to cash travellers' cheques, including their own. It's also suggested that if you low or have your Amex cheques stolen you should have alternative sources of finance available if you report the low here. Whilst I was there they told a Ger man that he would have to wait six weeks for cheque replacement, despite the fact that he had reported the loss to the local police within 24 hours. So much for same-day replacement!

Other international banks include Bank of America at 150B Anna Salai; First National City Bank at 153 Anna Salai and Grindlay's Bank at 36D Anna Salai. The State Bank of India has an airport office open from 6.30 am to 12 midnight on any day there is an international flight and to 8 pm on other days. Income tax clearance certificates are available from the Foreign Section, 121 Nungambakkam High Rd.