GETTING READY TO LEAVE Galápagos Field Seminar September 6 to 20, 2009

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1 Galápagos Field Seminar September 6 to 20, 2009 This document provides information concerning air tickets, meeting the group at the start of the trip, tour staff information and other important details to help you prepare for the program. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO BEFORE YOU LEAVE Here s a checklist to remind you of the things to take care of before you leave (if you have not done so already): Review your air itinerary and tickets, and confirm that your full name on your air tickets matches your passport name exactly Check your passport to make sure it is valid for 6 months after your return date to the U.S. and that you have 3 blank pages for entry/exit stamps (refer to Next Steps sent with your confirmation) Get necessary immunizations and prophylaxes (refer to Health and Medical Considerations sent with your confirmation) Make photocopies of important documents (credit cards, passport, Communications List, Insurance Information, etc.) to put in a safe place in your luggage and to give to your emergency contact Notify your credit card company that you will soon be traveling, so that any significant charges you make will not be questioned or put on hold Pack (refer to Packing List sent in a previous mailing) PROGRAM UPDATE Since our brochure was published, our ship, La Pinta, has changed its itinerary. Due to the change, we will be staying on San Cristobal Island for the night of September 10, instead of Santa Cruz Island. Our new hotel on San Cristobal is Hotel Miconia. We embark our ship on San Cristobal on Friday, September 11. The new itinerary has also opened up the possibility of visiting Playa Ochoa, the first beach that Darwin set foot upon in We also hope to visit the small island of Rábida, where we may spot the Galápagos Hammerhead shark! COURSE WEB SITE Thanks to Sophomore Assistants Tom McFadden and Elizabeth Doyle, the Galápagos Field Seminar website is officially live at: You can find a course description, biographies and photos of fellow participants at this site. We would like to thank those of you who submitted biographies and photos, as this facilitates getting to know everyone in the group before arrival. If you have not done so, please your biography sketch (just a few sentences are sufficient) and digital photo to Tom at tomcfad@gmail.com.

2 Page 2 AIR TICKETS We recommend that you check with your airline at least 3 days before departure to reconfirm your itinerary. Review your air itinerary and ALL your tickets carefully to be sure your name, flights and dates are correct. Remember that the first and last names on your ticket must match the name in your passport, or whatever photo identification you use to present to the ticket agent. Some airlines allow you to reserve your seat in advance. However, it is best to check in early at the airport on the day you fly to assure your seating preference. SEMINAR AND PARKING AT STANFORD Our kick-off event is a welcome reception and dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 6 in the Anthropology building near the Main Quad of the Stanford campus, Building 50, Room 51A (see enclosed campus map). Classes will be held all day on Monday and Tuesday in the same location. Approximate timing for these classes is provided in the enclosed daily schedule. Exact times will be announced at the welcome dinner on Sunday evening. Meals on campus are provided for all participants during this weekend. You will receive meal tickets to the campus dining halls. A map of the campus is enclosed, with pertinent locations for our Seminar marked. The most convenient parking is in the Oval at the top of Palm Drive, just north of the Main Quad. Parking is not regulated on weekends, holidays or weekdays after 4:00 p.m., so you do not need a permit to attend the welcome dinner or the class session on Monday (Labor Day). You may park in any of the A or C designated spots. You will, however, need to pay for parking on Tuesday, September 8. There are several locations near the Oval designated by P, and have a nearby kiosk to pay by the hour. There are also pay parking lots near the Arrillaga Alumni Center (on Campus Drive and Galvez Street), and near Wilbur Dining Hall. These locations have been marked on your campus map. TRANSFERS TO THE AIRPORT For those on the recommended group flights between San Francisco and Ecuador (including all undergraduate participants), shuttles will be provided for transportation to the airport from Stanford campus. If you would like to take advantage of this free transportation, please meet at the designated shuttle pick-up point in front of Stern Hall, located on Escondido Road and Arguello Mall (see campus map) on Wednesday morning, September 9, at 7:15 a.m. All participants are welcome to use the shuttles. However, please note that you cannot leave parked cars on campus in regulated parking zones unless you have a valid commuter s permit. Shuttles will also meet the group on the recommended return flight to San Francisco on September 20 for transportation back to campus. DEPARTING THE U.S. Airports and aircraft are generally crowded. It helps to be prepared mentally and physically for delays, changes and even occasional re-routings. Be sure to have your passport handy when in transit and on arrival at your destination.

3 Page 3 Regardless of what flight you are on, we recommend that you check in at the airport for your flight at least two hours prior to your departure time. Even if your first flight is domestic, most airlines still require that you check in at least two hours in advance if your final destination is international. If you are traveling on the recommended flight, Continental Airlines flight #1536 to Houston, and are not taking the group shuttle from Stanford, please plan to arrive at San Francisco International Airport no later than 8:40 a.m. on Wednesday, September 9. The Continental Airlines counter is located in the domestic terminal. Wherever you begin your trip, we recommend that you check your luggage through to your final destination. Claim checks for your luggage should bear the three-letter airline code for Quito s Airport, UIO. Note: There have been several changes in flight numbers and times on the recommended itinerary since the original air mailing was sent. Please refer to the enclosed Daily Schedule for the most up-to-date recommended air itinerary. HOW TO MEET UP WITH THE GROUP AT THE AIRPORT Airport transfers will be provided only for those participants arriving on the recommended flight itinerary. If you are not traveling to Quito with the group but wish to join them at the airport, please plan to be just outside the customs exit by 11:00 p.m on Wednesday, September 9, when the recommended flight (Continental Airlines #1536 from Houston) is scheduled to arrive. We recommend that you phone the airline to verify the actual arrival time or check computer monitors at the airport. After you claim your bags, look for our local staff member, who will be holding a sign with the Stanford S written on it. As soon as the group emerges from customs, they will immediately board a coach for the transfer to our hotel. Please wear your nametag to identify yourself as a member of the group. Our tour manager and travelers on the group flight will also be wearing nametags so you can recognize them. Please note that the group cannot wait for you if your flight is delayed. If you are not able to connect with the group at the airport, you will need to get to the hotel on your own (see instructions below), and any expenses incurred will be your responsibility. AT THE HOTEL For those travelers who are not on the recommended flight and do not plan to meet up with the group at the airport, a taxi ride from Quito s Airport to the Hotel Hilton Colon takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes and costs approximately US $ Check-in time at the Hotel Hilton Colon is 2:00 p.m. Luggage can be left with the bell captain if you arrive before your room is ready. If your flights are cancelled or delayed once you are in transit, please call Stanford tour manager

4 Page 4 Karen Alderete to let her know how your plans have changed. You can reach her at (650) LUGGAGE & PACKING ADVICE As stated in the Travel Information sent previously, we request that you limit your luggage for this program to one suitcase not to exceed 44 pounds and one carry-on piece (in addition to a purse or handbag), which must fit under your seat or in the overhead luggage compartment. As a reminder, limiting your baggage to one large (or main) suitcase also makes it easier for you to handle it in the event that you may need to do so on your own. Please have your red S luggage tags on your bags when you arrive at the airport. To assist the hotel staff in delivering luggage to the correct room, fill out your name and address on the card insert. HEALTH ADVICE Please refer to the Health and Medical Considerations sent previously for details on medication and immunizations required/recommended for this program. Common colds can spread quickly in a group. Remember to pack a supply of vitamins and medicines you take for common ailments such as colds, allergies or stomach upsets. To minimize the risk of getting sick, start the trip rested and healthy. Dehydration and fatigue contribute greatly to jet lag, and there are some things that you can do to ameliorate the effects of long flights: Wear comfortable clothes Drink a lot of juice and water (avoid caffeine and alcoholic beverages) Sleep as much as you can Walk about the cabin of the plane from time to time FINANCIAL INSOLVENCY & MEDICAL PROTECTION PLAN Stanford Travel/Study provides all travelers who are U.S. and Canadian citizens with financial insolvency, medical, accident and evacuation coverage under our group-travel insurance policy. Our group policy is intended to provide minimal levels of protection while you are traveling on this program for the specific risks detailed in the enclosed form. Please review the enclosed policy carefully and carry it with you on the trip. Be sure to also leave a copy of this, and any other insurance policy you may have purchased in connection with this trip, with your emergency contact(s) at home, to facilitate communication in the event of an emergency.

5 Page 5 TOUR STAFF Tour Manager Stanford Travel/Study sends a representative along with each tour to assist with the details, leaving you free to enjoy your trip. I am delighted to announce that I will serve as your Stanford tour manager. Since joining Travel/Study in 2000 I have led Stanford travelers on over 20 trips around the world, from the Americas, Asia and Europe to the Arctic, Polynesia and Melanesia. This will be my second trip to Ecuador and the Galápagos. I will work closely with our faculty leader, tour operator and local guides to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible. Please let me know if at any time during the trip I can be of assistance to you. I will be on the recommended flight.