So, your paper and/or panel got accepted for the 2010 conference in Singapore. Now, how do you make the finances work? How do you plan to get there and where to stay? How can you stretch your money once you are there?

ICA is very aware of how university and personal travel budgets have been affected in today's economy and we have taken several steps that will enable you to enjoy a wonderful intellectual and cultural experience.

REGISTRATION

The ICA Executive Committee and Board have been working on these issues for over a year. First, the Board of Directors voted to lower the registration fee for this conference and incur an overall loss in the budget. Conference registration fees will be $125USD for members and $75USD for student members. This fee will include all breaks and lunches on the main conference days. A special cultural closing dinner will be available for $25USD.

AIRFARE

ICA has contracted with a travel agent who has arranged special ICA ONLY airfares on Singapore Airlines. These fares are not published fares and can be obtained ONLY by working directly with the ICA agent. These are special airfares for the ICA Conference in Singapore; as such, they do not allow frequent flier mileage accrual. They also do not permit using frequent flier mileage for any upgrades. The special airfares include:

Round Trip Singapore only Economy Class

• Los Angeles/San Francisco............$1240USD
• Houston..............................................$1290USD
• New York............................................$1340USD
• Amsterdam..........................................895 Euro
• Frankfurt...............................................855 Euro

HOTELS

ICA has contracted with several hotels. All reservations can be made beginning 15 January 2010. We are working with a complete range, from five-star hotels to hostels. All include free Internet and breakfast in the daily room charge. The complete list, and a map showing the distance from the Suntec Conference Centre, will be on the ICA website. The Conrad Hilton will be the official headquarters hotel.

Book your hotel early. The hotel reservation deadline is 21 May 2010. ICA2010 offers highly competitive rates at the official hotels. The advantages of booking through the ICA2010 conference website include:

• All hotels offer complimentary high-speed Internet
• All hotels are within 2 km - 20-minute maximum walking distance to Suntec
• Most hotels offer complimentary buffet breakfasts
• Some hotels offer complimentary morning coach transfer to Suntec
• ICA2010 hotel reservation acknowledgement is immediate
• Easy ways to book your room (booking opens 15 Jan 2010; Closes 21 May 2010)
• Book online (credit card only)
• Fax or mail (credit card information) & downloadable booking form

Public Transport
All hotels are approximately within 2km walking distance to Suntec. A list of the public buses which will reach Suntec within 10-20 minutes will be on the hotel reservation site. Travel by taxi will take approximately 10 minutes to SUNTEC and costs no more than SGD10.00.

Official Hotels

• Conrad Centennial Hilton - opposite Suntec. SGD250, Free in-room internet and free breakfast. This is the conference host hotel.
• Pan Pacific - linked to Suntec. SGD240, Free in-room internet and free breakfast.
• Ritz Carlton - 10-minute walk. SGD250, Free in-room internet and free breakfast.
• Mandarin Oriental - 10-minute walk. SGD240, Free in-room internet and free breakfast.
• Carlton Hotel - Singapore. 10-minute walk. SGD220, Free in-room internet.

There will be a complete list of hotels and hostels in all price ranges available on the local host committee website beginning 15 January 2010 at www.ica2010.sg.

EATING LOCALLY

As our local host committee will tell you, Singaporeans are passionate about food and eating.

Look around - you will find an endless variety of food, served hot or cold, at any hour of the day (or night) in this cosmopolitan and multicultural island-city! On almost every corner, you can expect nothing less than a melange of flavors from around the globe. It's not just East-meets-West when it comes to feasting in Singapore; it's a tasty tale about a country's unique cultural tapestry, woven with its distinct influences to capture the essence of Singapore's multicultural heritage.

Breakfast: Most hotels include breakfast, but each neighborhood has its own open-air restaurants or hawker centers.

A plate of roti prata (fried flat bread in curry sauce) or nasi lemak (rice cooked in coconut milk served with chicken, fish, eggs and cucumber with chili sauce) is barely $3USD. Add a cup of teh tarik (sweet tea poured from a great height to make it cooler and frothy) and you have not just a meal, but something to tell the people back home, too. Alternatively, more Western breakfasts are at McDonald's, Delifrance, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Spinelli's, and Starbucks - but at Western prices.

Lunch and dinner: The budget option is always to eat Asian rather than Western; local food is an excellent value, and it prides itself on being clean, safe, and good. Stallholders at hawker centers and food courts speak enough English to help you choose; or, just point to a picture above the stall and see what comes.

There are not many hawker centers in the middle of town, but there are plenty of other inexpensive places. Shopping malls often have food courts, where you can choose dishes from around the region (Korean barbecue sits alongside Turkish kebabs and Japanese noodles) for $5USD. They can be busy, so travel in pairs: One of you sits at a table to reserve it, while the other chooses the stall from which they want food, queues, orders, pays, and brings the food to the table. Afterwards, it's polite to clear your tray away to the tray-drop point.

A list of restaurant recommendations can be found on the local conference website at www.ica2010.sg.

POSTCONFERENCE TOURS

After the intellectual stimulation of the conference, it is time to relax and enjoy other parts of Southeast Asia. ICA has arranged special postconference tours to Bangkok and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

In Bangkok, enjoy the Venice of the East on a relaxing boat ride to discover the charms of riverside lifestyle - along the bustling Chao Phraya River and into the quiet klongs - passing picturesque scenes - including the Temple of Dawn. Then visit the Grand Palace, Thailand's most historically famous palace. Built in 1782, it has since been the seat of the country's power. It is an exuberant piece of architecture - breathtaking with its mix of golden domes, fluted spires, and glittering temples. Most importantly, the grounds of the Grand Palace house the Temple of The Emerald Buddha - the Kingdom's most precious and revered image of Lord Buddha - which is not to be missed. You will also enjoy a full-day visit to Ayuthaya World Heritage and former capital of Thailand. Visit the temple ruins, the Summer Palace of the former Chakri King, and then drive on to the last major port on the Chao Phraya. You will end the day with a fun and casual dinner at the Seafood Market.

For those who wish to continue the adventure, there is an extension to Angkor Wat, the crowning jewel of Khmer architecture. Angkor Wat is the national symbol of Cambodia and the highlight of any visit. The largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, Angkor impresses visitors both with its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings.

BANGKOK EXTENSION - 5 days/4 nights
Round Trip Singapore with Bangkok Extension Economy Class
Los Angeles/San Francisco....$1290USD
Houston.................................$1340USD
New York.............................$1390USD

Tour cost: $584USD Twin/Share per person

BANGKOK AND CAMBODIA (SIEM REAP) EXTENSION - 8 days/7 Nights Round Trip Singapore with Bangkok/Siem Reap Extension Economy Class
Los Angeles/San Francisco....$1390USD
Houston................................$1440USD
New York.............................$1490USD

Tour Cost: $1820USD Twin/Share per person

MAKING YOUR PLANS

ICA will open the conference registration site on 15 January 2010; at that time, hotel and airfare reservations will also open. ICA and the Singaporean local host committee look forward to welcoming you to this great conference and cultural experience. In addition to the ICA home webpage, more information can be found at www.ica2010.sg.

The staff at ICA are also available to assist you in your planning. Please contact us with any questions you might have.