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AACBNC
GALAPAGOS CONFERENCE
JANUARY 13-20, 2009
Here is the proposed
schedule for the 2009 meeting of the Association of Anatomy, Cell Biology
and Neurobiology Chairpersons (AACBNC) in Quito, Ecuador and the Galapagos
Islands on board the 100-passenger M/V Galapagos Legend.
Day 1 USA
TO QUITO, ECUADOR (Tues Jan 13)
Fly USA to Quito
on American Airlines or Continental.
Arrive Quito in the evening and transfer to Hotel Hilton Colon. Quito
is a charming city with excellent hotels and services, situated at 9,000
feet in a high Andean valley surrounded by snow-capped volcanoes.
Day 2 QUITO, ECUADOR (Wed Jan 14)
Full breakfast buffet at Cafe Colon.
Morning sessions featuring Drs. Darrell Kirch and Miguel Nicolelis in
the Isabel La Catolica Room at the Hilton Colon Hotel.
Lunch on your own.
Afternoon free.
5:00 - 6:00 AACBNC Business meeting.
6:30 Welcoming reception and socializer with open bar and hot and cold
hors d'oeuvres.
Day 3 QUITO TO GALAPAGOS - BARTOLOME ISLAND
(Thurs Jan 15)
Morning transfer to Quito airport for flight to Galapagos.
Board M/V Legend for 5 days/4 nights.
Introduction to the ship and safety drill.
Lunch on board ship.
Excursion to Bartolome Island to discover the undersea life while snorkeling,
and take a walk to the summit of Bartolome for a spectacular view.
Enjoy sunset at Bartolome over the Galapagos Islands.
7:00 pm Introductory lecture on the Galapagos Islands.
Welcome dinner on board ship. (B,L,D)
Day 4 GALAPAGOS
- URBINA BAY & PUNTA ESPINOSA
(Fri Jan 16)
Breakfast on board ship.
Morning visit to Isabela Island’s Urbina Bay, an area of uplifted
coral from the 1954 earthquake which is now populated by large land iguanas.
There may be possible sightings of young Galapagos tortoises and Darwin’s
finches.
Lunch on board ship.
1:30-3:30 p.m. Afternoon AACBNC session.
4 - 6:30 pm Afternoon excursion to Punta Espinosa, an extraordinary location
for marine iguanas, green sea turtles, and sea lions, with vistas of the
famous volcanoes of Isabela Island -- Wolf, Darwin, Alcedo, Sierra Negra,
and Cerro Azul.
7:00 Lecture on the Galapagos Islands.
Dinner on board ship. (B,L,D)
Day 5 GALAPAGOS
- SANTIAGO ISLAND (JAMES BAY) & RABIDA (Sat Jan 17)
Breakfast on board ship.
Morning excursion to Porto Egas (James Bay) on Santiago Island.
Here we will look for blue-footed boobies, sally lightfoot crabs, marine
iguanas, and fur seals, and have an opportunity to explore the undersea
life while snorkeling and swimming.
Lunch on board ship.
1:30 - 3:30 Afternoon AACBNC session.
4:00 Afternoon excursion to the beautiful shore of Rabida Island, with
dramatic red cliffs, mangroves, sea lions, and slopes covered by silver-trunked
palo santo trees. Zodiac cruise along the shore and look for blue-footed
boobies, frigate-birds, and brown noddy terns.
7:00 Lecture on the Galapagos Tortoises.
Dinner on board ship. (B,L,D)
Day 6 GALAPAGOS
-- SANTA CRUZ ISLAND (Porto Ayora) & N. SEYMOUR (Sun Jan
18)
Breakfast on board ship
Special morning visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn
about the Galapagos tortoise breeding program, and see the famous Galapagos
tortoises, hosted by Dr. Tom Fritts, a tortoise expert.
See the community of Porto Ayora, and zodiac back to the ship anchored
in Academy Bay (named after the California Academy of Sciences expedition).
Lunch on board ship.
1:30 - 3:30 Afternoon AACBNC session.
4:00 Afternoon excursion at North Seymour Island to look for nesting frigate-birds,
blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and sleeping sea lions.
Farewell dinner on board ship.
(B,L,D)
Day 7 GALAPAGOS
(BACHAS BEACH) TO QUITO (Mon Jan 19)
Breakfast on
board ship.
Morning excursion to spectacular Bachas Beach, where white sands edge
flamingo lagoons.
Look for boobies flying overhead, see green sea turtles, and snorkel.
Return to ship and prepare to disembark.
Transfer to Galapagos Airport.
Return flight to Quito.
In transfer to Hotel Hilton Colon (B & B).
Passengers have dinner on their own. (B,L)
Day 8 QUITO
TO USA (Tues Jan 20)
Breakfast at hotel.
Transfer to Quito airport for flights back to USA.
The Quito/Galapagos
package for all conferences attendees will include:
- Group in transfers
January 13 and out transfers January 20, 2009.
- Hotel Hilton Colon
January 13, 14 and 19, 2009, based on twin share of a Deluxe Room. All
participants without a roommate must pay the single supplement of $200
(total for the 3 nights).
- Breakfast buffet
at the Hilton Colon January 14, 15, and 20.
- Transfers to the
Quito Airport for Galapagos flights January 15, return January 19.
- Round trip tickets
from Quito to Galapagos per person.
- Galapagos National
Park Tax
- Accommodations,
meals, and activities on board M/V Legend in the cabin category of your
choice based on twin share (two to a cabin).
Participants can
register twin share and we will assign a roommate.
Very limited single
accommodations are available; please inquire.
TOTAL PACKAGE
COST PER QUITO/ GALAPAGOS CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT:
Superior Twin Cabin $3,150 per person + air USA/Quito*
Junior Suite $3,560 per person + air USA/Quito*
Legend Suite $3,760 per person + air USA/Quito*
Balcony Suites $4,295 + air USA/Quito*
Superior Outside Singles $4,985 + air USA/Quito*
Conference
Package Excludes: Independent transfers; tips to staff and naturalists
on board ship; any personal costs of any sort (room service, use of internet,
phone, fax, laundry, alcoholic beverages, sodas, bottled water, Ecuador
Airport Departure Tax ($37.90 per person as of 5/28/07); anything not
explicitly listed as included in the conference package. Costs are subject
to unavoidable increases in fuel costs for the ship.
Deposit &
Cancellation Policy: An immediate deposit of $500 per person
is recommended to confirm your preferred cabin category, phone Marisa
at Betchart Expeditions Inc. (800 252-4910. Per Galapagos National Park
regulations, the ship is limited to 100 passengers. Deposit is refundable
until 6 months before departure, less a $100 per person cancellation fee.
Within 6 months of departure, it is non refundable. The final payment
is due 150 days before departure (August 13, 2008) and is non refundable.
Trip cancellation insurance will be offered which will protect passengers
in the event of unexpected medical problems. Passengers with pre-existing
medical conditions can be protected by purchasing the insurance within
14 days of the date on their confirmation letter. This would allow you
to get reimbursed for your trip payments by the insurance company.
*Air Fares for the
conference will be confirmed through an air consolidator nine months before
departure. As of 6/1/07, air fare on American Airlines from Miami is approximately
$450 base fare + tax of approximately $175 per person + $35 per person
ticketing fee. Attractive add-on fares will be available (approximately
$100 from New York, $170 from Boston or Chicago, $230 from Los Angeles,
or $250 from San Francisco). Air fares are subject to change.
**The Moon Deck cabins
(on the top deck of the ship) are being upgraded in September 2007 to
create 9 Balcony Suites.
Questions:
Please call Marisa
Eide at Betchart Expeditions Inc.
17050 Montebello Road
Cupertino, CA 95014-5435
Tel:
(800) 252-4910
(408) 252-4910
Fax: (408) 252-1444
Email:
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