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AMS International Meeting Registration/Housing/Etc. Information



Program |  Deadlines |  Inquiries: meet@ams.org

Second Joint International Mathematics Meeting of the AMS and the South African Mathematical Society
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, Republic of South Africa
November 29 - December 3, 2011 (Tuesday - Saturday)
Meeting #1076

Associate secretaries:

Matthew Miller, AMS miller@math.sc.edu


Accommodations

For free assistance with making reservations and inquiries about tourist information, please contact Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism’s call center at 011 27 41 582 2575 (from the U.S.), send email to info@nmbt.co.za or visit www.nmbt.co.za. All prices are quoted in Rands; at the time this announcement was published, 1R = US\$0.15. Cancellation and early checkout policies vary; be sure to check when you make your reservation.

The local host organizers plan to contract for shuttle services between the conference, the hotels listed below, and the Langerry Group apartments; there will be an option to purchase this service when you register online or at the conference.

Summerstrand Hotel, Marine Drive, Summerstrand; telephone 011 27 41 583 3131 (from the U.S.); email: info@hotsummer.co.za; website: http://www.hotsummer.co.za. Nestled on the shore of Nelson Mandela Bay and the warm Indian Ocean, in very close proximity to NMMU, we welcome you to experience our hospitality from the heart. We are here to make your stay for the conference a pleasurable one. Individuals should identify themselves as delegates of the AMS/SAMS conference and quote the following reference: SAMS Conference. All rates include breakfast. If reservations are made by June 30, the following rates apply: R789/single or R893/double. From July 1 through October 31: R815/per single or R945/double. From November 1 until the beginning of the conference: R861/single or R984/double. Check-in is at 2:00 p.m.; check-out is 11:00 a.m. It is about 1.5 km (one mile) to the meeting venues.

Pine Lodge, 1 Marine Drive, Port Elizabeth; telephone 011 27 41 583-4004 (from the U.S.); email: enquiries@pinelodge.co.za (Keri Saunders); website: http://www.pinelodge.co.za. Nestled among the picturesque dunes of the Cape Recife Nature Reserve are the three-star timber chalets of our resort. Please reference MATHS when making your reservation to take advantage of the special rates. Rates including breakfast are R755/single or R942/double. Chalets with kitchens (no breakfast included) are R660 per person. A full buffet breakfast is available for R95. It is about 1.3 km (.8 mile) to the meeting venues.

The Beach Hotel, Marine Drive, Port Elizabeth; email: info@thebeachhotel.co.za; website: http://www. thebeachhotel.co.za. Rates for rooms with courtyard views are R975/single or R1280/double. Rates for rooms with sea views are R1175/single or R1540/double. These rates are net per day and include a VAT at 14% and a full English breakfast, but do not include a 1% tourism tax charged per day. The hotel offers three restaurants for your dining pleasure. It is about 1.5 km (one mile) to the meeting venues.

For a full array of apartment-style accommodations, many by the seaside, contact the Langerry Group of Holiday Apartments through http://www.langerry.co.za/default.aspx.These may be a more economical option than the hotels listed above, although they may be a bit further away from the conference venues. They will be included on the conference shuttle route for which our hosts are making arrangements.

For links to other types of accommodations in the Summerstrand, see http://www.wheretostay.co.za/ec/cs/accommodation/summerstrand.php. For links to bed and breakfast accommodations in Humewood, see http://www.wheretostay.co.za/towns/humewood/bed-breakfast.

Local Information/Tourism

Local and area maps are posted on the website cited at the beginning of this announcement. The local organizers are planning two excursions for participants and guests so that you may experience so much more of what South Africa has to offer (extra cost). Watch the website for details.

South Africans drive on the left hand side of the road, so all rental cars will have steering wheels on the right-hand side of the cars. Most cars have manual transmissions. Maps of the area are found at www.nmmu.ac.za/ sams-ams2011/maps.htm. If you plan to rent a car, you must have an international driving permit. Your nearest AAA office (http://www.aaa.com) can help you obtain this document.

It is advisable to rent a cell phone at the airport (there are three national cell phone companies). This is a more affordable option for local calls than using your cell phone from home.

It is easiest to exchange currency at the Port Elizabeth airport; however, there are some banks in the Summerstrand near campus that have foreign exchange facilities.

Electrical plugs in South Africa are type M. You may also use type C; however, you will need an adapter to type M to be able to plug appliances into the wall. The current is 220/230V, 50Hz.

Registration, Opening Reception, and Conference Dinner

The conference will take place at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Summerstrand South Campus, in Building 123, Building 35, and the South Campus Auditorium. Watch the local organizers' website for registration fees, online registration procedures, and specific onsite locations. The registration fee will include an Opening Reception held on Tuesday, November 29, and the Conference Dinner, Friday, December 2.

Travel

Participants should plan to fly into Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ); however, you must fly into either the Johannesburg or Cape Town International airports first. Make sure that you have at least two blank pages available in your passport. If you are a U.S. national traveling from the U.S. and plan to stay for fewer than 90 days, no visa is required. Other travelers should check the information at http://www.southafrica.info/travel/documents/visas.htm. Portions of northern part of the country report malaria; however, the Eastern Cape and Nelson Mandela Bay do not. If you have concerns, please visit the Centers for Disease Control website at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/south-africa.htm, or consult a health-care provider who specializes in travel medicine.

Driving to the campus from the airport: Upon exiting the airport area, turn right onto Allister Miller Drive and proceed for approximately 1.5 km (one mile); turn right at the first traffic light into La Roche Road and proceed for approximately 1.5 km (one mile); turn right at the second traffic light into Strandfontein Rd. and proceed for approximately three km (two miles); turn left at the SPAR supermarket into Admiralty Rd. and proceed for approximately two km (1.3 miles); turn right at the first traffic light onto University Way and proceed straight along past the North Campus on the left into the South Campus. Once past the security gate, clear signage will be visible to direct you to the registration area and the lecture halls.

The recommended car rental agency for the conference is Budget; see http://www.budget.com.

Weather

Early December weather is generally warm to hot, 75 degrees F (24 degrees C), during the day, and falling to 55 degrees F (14 degrees C) at night. Please prepare accordingly.


Inquiries: meet@ams.org