| The Meeting |
| Invitation |
| Athens |
| Schedule |
| Technical Programme |
| Courses |
| Field Trips |
| Special Events |
| Registration |
| Exhibition |
| Guest Activities |
| Hotels |
| General & Travel Information |
| Become a Sponsor |
| Committees |
AAPG Convention Dept.
P.O. Box 979
Tulsa, OK 74101-0979 USA
Phone: +1 918 560 2617
Fax:
+1 918 560 2684
Email : convene@aapg.org
• Most Challenging Presentation
• Welcome Desk and Message Centre
• Location
• Climate
• Getting to Athens and the Megaron
On Saturday, 17 November, the day before the conference begins, several major streets near the Megaron will be closed due to a march commemorating the deaths of student protesters on that date in 1973. The commemoration day ends with a demonstration that begins at the campus of the Polytechnic and ends at the United States Embassy (next door to the Megaron).
If you plan to arrive in Athens on 17 November, please make arrangements to transfer from the airport using the optional service provided by our destination management company, Premier Destinations International, or take a taxi from the airport or railway station. If you are in Athens on the 17th, please follow the advice provided by your hotel staff and make arrangements to enjoy the afternoon and evening at your hotel. Do not plan to rely on public transport, as Metro and bus service is likely to be disrupted at stops near the conference site. The Megaron and all AAPG conference services will close at 12:00 noon on Saturday the 17th and re-open at 08:00 on Sunday.
Whether considered based on myth or fact, someone’s technical presentation will win the distinction of the “Most Challenging!” Check the Programme Book for more information on this innovative competition that reflects the conference theme. The winner(s) will be publicly recognized at the Closing Ceremony.
While you are attending the conference, take advantage of the Welcome Desk and Message Centre, located in the registration area at the entrance to the MAICC. Be certain to check the monitor often for your name; staff will be present during registration hours to retrieve messages for you.
The telephone number of the Message Centre will be published in the Programme Book and on the conference Web site. Distribute the number to your family, colleagues and friends so they can leave messages for you at the MAICC.
Beginning Sunday, 18 November, the Megaron will staff an information desk, located on Level 0 in the exhibition area. Multi-lingual hostesses will help you with questions concerning the facilities, Athens, transportation, directions, etc.
A complimentary coat and luggage check will be available throughout the conference on Level 0, located near exhibits and registration.
Based on your citizenship and the length of stay in Greece, you may be required to obtain a visa. Participants should check with travel agencies, the Greek embassy, consulate offices or diplomatic missions in their own countries. In general, citizens of the European Union, the United States and Canada visiting Greece for less than three months do not need a visa.
The Web site http://www.ypex.gov.gr/www.mfa.gr/en-US/Services/Visas/Visas+for+Foreigners+travelling+to+Greece/ lists countries whose citizens are required to obtain a visa. Greece is a signatory to the Schengen Agreement, a reciprocal arrangement with several other European countries. The Web site contains a brief description of this specific agreement, as well as a downloadable application for the required special short-term visa.
It is your responsibility to apply for a passport, visa or any other required documents and to demonstrate to consular officials that you are properly classifiable as a visitor under Greek law. AAPG and its European Region cannot assist you with the interview process, nor can anyone representing the sponsoring organizations call an embassy or consulate on your behalf to provide support for granting a visa. Should your application be denied, AAPG and its European Region can neither intervene in the process nor change the decision of the governmental agency.
All expenses connected with obtaining proper documentation are your responsibility.
If you need a visa letter from AAPG, you must be registered and fully paid for the conference. You may request a letter by selecting the box either online or on the printed registration form.
AAPG supplies this letter for visa purposes only. All expenses involved with attending the conference are your responsibility. If your visa application is denied and AAPG receives a copy of the denial by fax (+1 918 560 2684) before 21 November, your registration fee only will be refunded, less a cancellation charge.
Travel advice to tourists suggests that you register with your country’s consulate or embassy when traveling abroad.
AAPG’s Committee on Group Insurance has arranged for insurance plans designed to cover the special situations international travelers might encounter that may not be covered by their domestic insurance.
HealthCare Abroad, for residents of the U.S. under age 85 traveling outside the U.S., provides medical, accidental death and dismemberment, and worldwide assistance coverage.
HealthCare Global, for foreign nationals traveling to destinations outside of the U.S., provides accident and sickness coverage plus worldwide assistance coverage. Complete details, including information on cost and applications for coverage, may be found at www.wallach.com, or you may call Wallach and Co. by phone at +1 800 237 6615 or +1 540 687 3166, or email info@wallach.com.
The AAPG Insurance Program’s Broker’s office may be reached at +1 800 254 4788 or +1 703 367 8970.
Greece lies at the most southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. It is placed at the juncture of Europe, Asia and Africa, being at the same time European, Balkan and Mediterranean. The Greek peninsula has an area of 131,957 square km (50,949 square miles), of which one-fifth constitutes the Greek islands. More than 2,000 islands belong to Greece--170 are inhabited--giving the country a strong nautical tradition.
The country is bordered to the west by the Ionian Sea, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea and to the east by the Aegean Sea. To the north and northeast, its border runs from west to east with Albania, Bulgaria and Turkey. Greece consists of the following regions: Sterea Ellada, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia and Thrace on the mainland, the islands of the Aegean Sea to the east, the Ionian islands to the west and Crete to the south--the largest of the Greek islands.
Athens, the capital of Greece, has expanded from 700,000 to almost 4 million inhabitants in recent decades. The area around the capital, Attica, is home to nearly one-third of the country’s population. Athens is a cultural channel, the city of artists and a scientific centre. Its prime geographical location has made it a gateway between the east and the west, the crossroads for each major event. The Athens of today is a modern metropolis, having strong links with the past and many prospects for the future. It is a vibrant city with great appeal and charm, among the most beautiful, hospitable and exciting cities. It is also one of the safest and most affordable cities in Europe according to EUROSTAT, the official EU statistical publication.
It is a city filled with contrasts and surprises: modern as well as having a rich history, alive with busy streets and commercial centres but at the same time with quiet alleys and peaceful neighbourhoods. Ancient and Byzantine, neoclassical and modern, every second Athens becomes a different city, a city more beautiful and varied.
The climate is typical Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers — pleasant and healthy due to its distinctive dryness with ample sunshine reaching 3,000 hours yearly. Athens in November has an average temperature range of 10°C to 15.5°C.
The national currency of Greece is the Euro. Foreign currency can be changed at banks, exchange offices, airports, travel agencies and many hotels. Major credit cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and retail shops.
Greece utilizes the metric system of weights and measures. Temperature is in Celsius, distance and speed limits in kilometers, length and size in centimeters and weight in grams and kilograms.
The voltage in Greece is 220 volts, 50 cycles. Round European-style two-pin plugs are used. Appliances designed to operate on 110/120V need a voltage converter and a plug adapter for two-prong, round-prong plugs with side grounding contacts.
There is direct access between the airport, the city centre and the venue from the Metro station ‘Megaron Moussikis’ on Metro Line 3 (blue). More information on the Athens Metro is at http://www.ametro.gr/.
The following buses, express buses and trolley buses pass and stop near the Megaron:
The Athens public transport Web site is www.oasa.gr.
The express bus line X95 (direction ‘Syntagma’) connects to Athens city centre and runs every 25 to 35 minutes, depending on time of day. A ticket costs +/- euro 3, and allows unlimited travel on all public transport (including bus and Metro) for 24 hours from validation.
Metro Line 3 runs every 10 minutes from approximately 05:00 to 02:00, and the trip between the airport and the city centre takes approximately 30 minutes.
There are two railway stations, Larissa and Peloponessos, both accessible from the ‘Larissa’ station on the Metrol’s red line (Line 2). Larissa Station serves international connections and routes to northern Greece.
Athens’ brand-new international airport, Eleftherios Venizelos (abbreviated ATH), is located in Spata, 33km southeast of the city and is connected to the city centre by a modern motorway. An average journey by taxi from the airport should take between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on traffic, and cost euro 25-30.
The conference’s official destination management company–Premier Destinations International–is offering optional airport transfers to attendees. Please contact Premier Destinations International for information and rates.