Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Two steps closer to SVP...

Last night I bought the plane ticket to SVP. I'm getting there around 2 on the 15th, so I might miss some morning panels. Also, I leave on the evening of the 18th, so I hope I don't miss too much! My wife, who has gone to many a conference, assured me that conferences usually cram the good stuff into the "middle days" so that most people can see it. I also booked a room in the hotel. Scott, if you decide you want to stay with me, you can...for a reasonable fee. If Scott cannot attend for whatever reason or decides to stay somewhere else, I certainly would mind a roommate to offset the nightly cost of the room! :-)

I used miles to get the ticket, which resulted in the crappy flight schedule. Airlines have a way of screwing you out of your airline miles. That is, use your miles and get a horrible selection of flights. Otherwise, the ticket costs like $780. I was going to stop over in Chicago, rent a car, and drive to Milwaukee to visit my grandparents, but there's just no way that can happen now. :-(

BUT, it's good to have the ticket bought and the hotel room reserved. Now I just have to register for the conference and I should be golden! And I'm not going to worry about renting a car. I'm only there for a few days, and the conference IS downtown. I'm sure I can walk anywhere I need to. Almost more than the conference itself, I'm excited to meet my fellow paleobloggers!

8 comments:

ReBecca Hunt-Foster said...

Dude! Your going to miss the party (after the banquet)!

Zach said...

Ack! You're kidding me!

ReBecca Hunt-Foster said...

Nope. Every night is a party, but the last night is the BIG party. We can make sure you get broken in and can experience as much as you can in the short time you are there.

Zach said...

Thanks, Rebecca!

ReBecca Hunt-Foster said...

Anytime ;)

lantaro said...

Dude!!!...what is SVP? you're going to a conference? Will there be BOOZE?! how dare you not invite me?!? haha...just kidding. lord knows i would HAVE to be drunk to understand anything they'd be talking about.

Amanda said...

Yay! I'm so glad you're going!

Monado said...

Look into ways of saving money. You can often get a hotel near the conference hotel for a lot less. If there's time, cast around for a colleague who's willing to share a room. That cuts the price in half. I usually just go to the conference hotel but one year I shared with a friend who had found a hotel attached to a hospital, for families of people being treated. That was another reduction of almost 50%. At least cast around for the modest-but-decent hotel a few blocks away. Half a mile is only a ten-minute walk, ya know...

If you stick with the big hotel, most have a free or inexpensive shuttle service. Or you can look for a jitney (multi-passenger taxi, e.g. van, that will pick up several people from the airport and drop them at their respective hotels. SOME cities even have public transit to/from the airport. See what you can find out before you go.