General Information
Registration and information desk
Second LevelOpening hours:
| Sunday July 31: | 12:00pm - 9:00pm |
| Monday August 1: | 8:00am - 6:00pm |
| Tuesday August 2: | 8:00am - 1:30pm |
| Wednesday August 3: | 8:00am - 7:00pm |
| Thursday August 4: | 8:30am - 6:00pm |
Official language
The language of the congress is English.
Alcohol Consumption
Indiana has some strange laws regarding alcohol. The legal drinking age for alcoholic beverages is 21 years old. Alcohol is served in bars and restaurants 7 days a week, but you can't buy alcohol from liquor stores
or supermarkets on Sundays. In order to buy or consume alcohol anywhere (including our social functions), you must show ID that shows you to be older than 21, even if you're 100! Please bear in mind that your passport is probably the most acceptable form of ID unless you hold
a driving licence from a US state. National IDs not in English will most likely not be acceptable proof!
Banking
Banks in the US are open from 7:30 am - 6:00 pm Monday to Friday and from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm on Saturdays. Most banks are closed sundays and public holidays. Automatic Teller Machines are open 24 hours and are located throughout the city and surrounds. Facilities for exchange of currency are available at the airport, larger hotels and banks.
Climate
The climate and weather in Indiana can be quite varied! This from the Indiana State Climate Office website: "Indiana has an invigorating climate with strongly marked seasons. Winters are often cold, sometimes bitterly so. The transition from cold to hot weather can produce an active spring with thunderstorms and tornadoes. Oppressive humidity and high temperatures arrive in summer. Autumn is favored by many residents as a pleasant time of the year with lower humidity than the other seasons, and mostly sunny skies."
July and August are generally the hottest and most humid months of the year. Combine the temperature with the humidity, and the heat index can be extremely high. However, air conditioning is everywhere, so meeting rooms and accommodation should all be comfortable. For excursions and other outdoor activities, dress appropriately and keep hydrated!
- Weather information and forecasts: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ind/
| Month | Jul | Aug | Month | Jul | Aug | |
| Max °F | 84.0 | 82.3 | Max °C | 28.9 | 27.9 | |
| Mean °F | 74.7 | 72.7 | Mean °C | 23.7 | 22.6 | |
| Min °F | 65.3 | 63.0 | Min °C | 18.5 | 17.2 |
| Month | Jul | Aug | Month | Jul | Aug | |
| Inch | 4.78 | 3.86 | cm | 12.1 | 9.8 |
Credit Cards
Major credit and debit cards, such as Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere, but American Express and Diners Club are less universal.
Currency and Currency Exchange
The US monetary unit is the US dollar ($), divided into 100 cents (¢).
Dollar notes are: $100, $50, $20, $10, $5, $2 (rare) and $1.
Coins are: $1 (rare), 25¢ (quarter), 10¢ (dime), 5¢ (nickel) and 1¢ (penny).
In December 2010, The currency exchange rates were:
| 1 Euro (EUR€) is worth | $1.434 US Dollars |
| 1 Pound Sterling (GBP£) is worth | $1.633 US Dollars |
| 1 Canadian Dollar (CAD$) is worth | $1.025 US Dollars |
| 1 Australian Dollar (AUD$) is worth | $1.061 US Dollars |
| 1 New Zealand Dollar (NZD$) is worth | $0.816 US Dollars |
| 1 Swiss Franc (CHF) is worth | $1.186 US Dollars |
| 100 Japanese Yen (JP¥) is worth | $1.236 US Dollars |
| 10 Swedish Krona (SEK) is worth | $1.600 US Dollars |
| 10 Danish Krone (DKK) is worth | $1.922 US Dollars |
| 10 Norwegian Krone (NOK) is worth | $1.839 US Dollars |
To see current exchange rates, please visit www.xe.com
There are exchange offices at Indianapolis International Airport and ATMs or cash dispensers throughout Indianapolis.
Disabled Facilities
If you require disability-specific facilities, please notify us of your needs at your earliest convenience so that we can help make your meeting as easy and successful as possible.
Electricity
The electricity supply in the USA is 120V and 60 Hz, with outlets being either 2-pin or 3-pin. Please check any electrical items you bring will function at this voltage. Travel adapters are available for purchase at most airports.
Insurance and vaccinations
The registration fee does not cover insurance for the delegates and there is no national health service! The organizers recommend that delegates take out insurance in their home country to cover pre-journey cancellation for personal reasons, loss or damage to personal property and necessary insurance to cover accidents and medical expenses during the visit. No vaccinations are needed when visiting the USA
Liability Disclaimers
The organizers cannot accept any liability for damages and/or losses of any kind which may be incurred by the conference participants or by any persons accompanying them, both during the official activities as well as going to/from the congress. All participation is at one's own responsibility.
In the event of the entire conference having to be cancelled due to force majeure, the organizers cannot accept liability for any claims for damages and/or losses.
Passport and visas
Most Canadian citizens and many citizens from Visa Waiver Program countries can come to the United States (U.S.) without a visa if they meet certain requirements. All Visa Waiver Program travelers must present a machine-readable passport at the U.S. port of entry to enter the U.S. without a visa; otherwise a U.S. visa is required. See important information about additional digital photograph and e-passport requirements for VWP travelers. Other foreign citizens will need a nonimmigrant visa.
Please visit: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/temp_1305.html for information. If in doubt, take time to contact your local US Embassy or Consulate for information. Entry to the US is tightly controlled and without proper documentation, you could be denied entry.
For information about travel without a visa, visit:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1261.html
Currently, 36 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, as shown below:
| Andorra | Hungary | New Zealand |
| Australia | Iceland | Norway |
| Austria | Ireland | Portugal |
| Belgium | Italy | San Marino |
| Brunei | Japan | Singapore |
| Czech Republic | Latvia | Slovakia |
| Denmark | Liechtenstein | Slovenia |
| Estonia | Lithuania | South Korea |
| Finland | Luxembourg | Spain |
| France | Malta | Sweden |
| Germany | Monaco | Switzerland |
| Greece | The Netherlands | United Kingdom |
Tax
The state of Indiana applies a tax to the purchase of both goods and services called the Sales & Use Tax. The rate of tax that applies to taxable goods and services is 7%. Restaurants within Marion County (encompassing Indianapolis) have a 9% tax rate.
Tipping
Tipping is your prerogative, a reward for service. It is customary to tip taxi drivers and hotel porters, and a gratuity of about 15-20% is usual in restaurants and bars, if good service is received. Many restaurants will automatically add a service charge if the number in the party exceeds a certain threshold – usually around 8 people.
Transport from and to Indianapolis International Airport
Shuttle
Carey Transportation (317) 241-7100 or www.careyindiana.com
From Airport to Downtown Indy (Hyatt): Rate of "Share A Ride" (pickup at anytime) is $16/person plus gratuity. They fill their shuttles up on first come first serve basis. They can have a private 6 passenger vehicle for $62.99 plus gratuity or an 8 passenger vehicle for $68.84 plus gratuity with reservations beforehand.
See www.careyindiana.com/shared_ride.asp for details
City Bus
Service to airport
IndyGo's Green Line Downtown / Airport Express route provides non-stop service from the airport to convenient locations near major downtown hotels and the Indiana Convention Center. Green Line service runs daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Cost is $7 per trip.
See www.indygo.net/pages/green-line-downtownairport-express
