Dear Subscribers to the SPT2002 mailing list,

this second circular wants to update information about SPT and varous connected matters; all of the information is also being posted on the SPT2002 website http://web.tiscalinet.it/spt_spt/spt2002.html

(1) PREREGISTRATION

This is now open; a web form is available through the website, and you also find a list of preregistered participants so far. This is updated irregularly but roughly speaking each week; if you send in a form but your name does not appear in the list, please contact us.

There is no deadline for preregistration, but there is a deadline for reserving accommodation (see below), and if you would like to propose a talk we would appreciate you preregister by end of april at the latest, the earlier the better.

(2) FORMAT AND TALKS

There is no final decision about the format, i.e. the nukmber and duration of talks; this will be announced shortly before the conference. Please note that if we have more proposed talks than can be accommodated by the chosen format, we will have to make a selection.

It is intended to leave ample time for informal discussion/contacts between participants; this of course will affect the number of talks.

(3) FINANCIAL HELP

We hope that, similarly to previous edition, we will be able to support a limited number of participants; funds for this will be taken by the registration fees, and hopefully also by grants from funding bodies. It is understood that in general (unless we receive grants for specific uses) priority will be given to participants from developing countries and young students.

Please note that we expect it will be in any case much easier for us to cover local expenses rather than travel ones.

If you would like to be considered for financial help, there is a form to this aim available through our website; this should be filled (please answer all questions) and sent to us BY 15 MARCH. In this case we also require you send us the preregistration form when applying for financial help. If appropriate, please mention reasons why you need help; if you require also assistance with travel (as said before, it is unlikely we will be able to help with this) please provide an estimate of your needs.

(4) ACCOMMODATION

It is understood that participants will be accommodated by default in the Hotel Palmassera, where the conference will also take place. Please note however that you are free to attend the conference and stay elsewhere; in this case we will not be able to assist you with finding an alternative accommodation, but the web page of Cala Gonone (accessible through the conference website) contains some information and addresses of hotels and estate agencies. There is also a camping in Cala Gonone, about one km from Hotel Palmassera.

We expect, however, that you will find it quite convenient to stay in Palmassera, at the special rates we obtained for the conference. These are 41 euro/day in single room and 33 euro/day in double room, for full board and assuming you stay the whole week. Adults and kids staying in third/fourth bed have additional discounts. You can extend your stay before or after the conference at the same rates. These rates also apply, of course, to accompanying persons.

We stress that this year we will NOT take care of reservations, except possibly for participants from countries with problems concerning bank transfers etc.

You should contact directly Hotel Palmassera or the company owning it (TIVIGEST) at the addresses available though our website. Please note they require a down payment of 20

The Palmassera has a range of animation and sport activities, some of them specifically directed to children; in any case if you have young children or babies it is advisable to make this clear when you make your reservation. The same applies for any special need you could have.

Important: there IS a deadline for reservation ! This is set at 7 APRIL ; we have blocked a certain number of rooms, but after this date the non-reserved ones will not be retained for the conference. Please note that this deadline is not at all under our control, so it would be better to meet it. It is possible that rooms will be obtained also with a later reservation, but there is no guarantee. It would be nice if after reserving you could send a mail to the conference address so we can double check the reservation list.

(5) FEES

The conference fee has been set at 100 Euro; there is a reduced rate of 50 Euro for students and unemployed participants (postdocs and the like qualify for full fees). No conference fee is required for accompanying persons.

The fee is payable at the conference; however you can as well pay it in advance by tranferring funds to the conference account (see detail on our website) if this is for any reason more convenient.

Please note we will give you a receipt, but we are NOT able to issue an invoice.

(6) TALKS AND SLIDES

As said above, the length of talks hasd not been decided yet. However, it is known that they will take place in a rather large room (this is also used as a cinema theatre) and that you will have to use an overhead projector; please bear in mind that there is no chance people can read your slides if you write too small: if preparing slides with TeX, it would be a good idea to use 3 (this is also a guideline if you write by hand).

(7) SIDE ACTIVITIES

As those of you who have already been in SPT2001 know, Cala Gonone is a pleasant place in beautiful surroundings, and offers a variety of side activities. Apart from the beach and sport activities available within the Palmassera, a number of excursions, by boat, road and hiking, are possible; it is also possible to dive and climb, and practice speleology. If you are interested in these and would like to have a guide, it could be useful to give us some advance notice.

Links to tourist information for the Cala Gonone area, and for Sardinia in general, are available through our website.

(8) TRAVEL TO SARDINIA

Information about travelling to Sardinia is posted through our website, including links to relevant tourist sites. If you come by car, or however want to use the ferry, it is suggested to arrive in Olbia. If you come by plane, again the Olbia airport is the nearest one; you can however also use airports in Alghero or Cagliari.

Note that some european countries (not Italy) have holydays in the conference week, so it is advisable to reserve flights in advance. There should be no problem with reserving the ferry in May.

If the only available connection from your place to Olbia takes you there late in the night, you can consider staying overnight in Olbia (a list of hotels is available through our website) or just fly to Rome or Genova and then take an overnight ferry (again see information thorugh the conference website).

(9) TRANSFER WITHIN SARDINIA

Once you are in Sardinia you have two options: (a) get to Cala Gonone by your means, including public transportation (bus schedules available on our website); or (b) ask us to arrange a transfer for you by taxi or minibus. In this second case it is essential that you tell us - with full details of your flight - by 30 APRIL. For the cost, see again our website with 2001 fares; there you also find phone numbers of local taxi companies in case you want to arrange things by yourself or at the last moment.

If you arrive by overnight ferry in Olbia, there is a connecting bus to Dorgali and there to Cala Gonone.

(10) UPDATED INFORMATION AND HOW TO CONTACT US

Updated information is posted on the conference website (nearly) as soon as it is available; so please look at it to know how the organization progresses.

If you have/want to contact us, it is advisable to use the conference mail address (messages sent there can be read by all the organizers) rather than the organizers' e-addresses; this is spt.spt@tiscalinet.it

Thanks for your attention and interest in SPT2002, also on behalf of Simonetta Abenda and Sebastian Walcher.

Giuseppe Gaeta 13/2/2002