Dear attendee,

Thank you so much for registering for the OTEC Africa conference 2013! We will do our best to ensure that this will be as inspiring and fruitful an event as ever possible. We are actually very happy with the number and quality of the speakers, and also about the mix of scientists, Scandinavian authorities and venture capitalists, and representatives of developing countries. Your attending the conference is important to us, and together we should really be able to make a difference for many, many people around the Globe.

Going on a conference in Sweden is rather easy, as the infrastructure is very good, credit cards can be used almost everywhere (including on buses, taxis, and coffee shops) and all inhabitants speak English. In other words, you can usually trust time tables and maps, and if you don't find your way you could ask just about any person for directions. That said, here is a checklist with all the information you need:

1. If needed in your case, then get a visa for visiting Sweden. Hopefully you have got your visa by the time you are reading this text. If there is any problem or if there is anything we can do to ensure you get your visa, then please let me (Petter) know! Note that in order to send out letter of invitation, we need you to pay the registration fee (see this page for payment instructions).
2. Book your flight ticket to Sweden. Go to Landvetter airport or the city airport in Gothenburg. DO NOT go to Stockholm, or you will have to take a connecting plane to Landvetter. Note that the conference starts at 1 PM on Tuesday 15 October, so if you travel from Europe, you could probably take a morning plane the same day if you prefer. The conference ends on 16 October but there might be some additional activities on October 17, for those who stay an extra day. If you happen to arrive early, we recommend a trip to Gothenburg, which is a lovely and very friendly town. Note that Sweden might be cold in the middle of October, so dress appropriately. Here is a link to the Swedish weather report (scroll down to Borås).
3. If you travel via Gothenburg city you can take the train to Borås, or take the bus marked "100" from the Gothenburg Central station.
4. If you, on the other hand, travel via Landvetter airport, the easiest way to get to Borås is going by taxi. We have made arrangements with the leading taxi company, Taxi Kurir. When you know your arrival time and flight number, email Taxi Kurir at info@bos.taxikurir.se, telling them that you are going to the OTEC Africa conference 2013. They will then have someone picking you up and driving you to the hotel. The service fee is about €60 (475 Swedish kronor), but the good news is that Taxi Kurir will try to book you with other attendees going to the conference, meaning that with a bit of luck, you can split the taxi bill. Note that you need to order the taxi in advance as stated above. Catching a cab at the airport is much more expensive.
5. We have also made arrangements with the Scandic Plaza hotel in Borås. Not only is this nice hotel situated in one of the university buildings, it also offers a discounted price for people going to the conference, so don't forget to mention that! You find more information about the hotel at the Accommodation web page.
6. We will feed you during the conference. :) The registration fee includes two lunches at Hotel Scandic Plaza and a friendly buffet dinner on Tuesday. In addition you will get served fika (coffee) during the conference. We will await you at the entrance of Hotel Scandic Plaza at noon on Tuesday the fifteenth, that is, before the conference actually begins. We believe this is a nice way to welcome some or most of you before we start our official program.
7. Borås might be cold when you arrive, about freezing point during nights, and perhaps 10-15 centigrades during daytime, so dress appropriately! Here is a link to the Swedish weather forecast: .
8. The conference is to a large degree about making connections, so don't forget your business cards! (If you do, we'll solve it somehow of course.)