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2007 Annual Meeting - Visit Spectacular South Africa!

South Africa is spectacular, and SCB members have an excellent opportunity to experience this part of the world. I visited Graham Kerley in May, and drove most of the routes I would recommend for participants in the 2007 annual meeting. A travel agency in New York is primed to facilitate escorted travel programs with private, local guides exclusively for SCB members and their traveling companions. Although this is certainly not the only agency available to meeting attendees, this agency is aware of our interests.

The travely agency will offer pre- and post-meeting itineraries that include many of the magnificent destinations in the western Cape Province (geographically between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth) and Kruger National Park near Johannesburg. The agency already has contacted a number of South African travel entities to enrich my ideas. We have talked through a number of scenarios for people traveling from North America to Africa beyond simply attending the meeting.

There also will be officially arranged field trips around the meeting. The Local Organizing Committee has negotiated a substantial discount on South African Airways that can be accessed by individuals through South African Airways offices. See www.conbio.org/2007 for current and emerging details. There also is substantial information on the meeting Web site to guide individuals in developing their own travel packages.

Many itineraries for side trips will cost under US$2000, arguably quite reasonable compared with the US$3000 it is likely to cost North American attendees to reach Port Elizabeth from departure points other than New York or Atlanta. Travel packages will highlight marine and coastal ecology, Tsitsikamma Forest (with the new attraction of forest canopy exploration), Outdshoorn, Klein Karoo desert, Cape fynbos, eastern Cape beaches (July is whale season; watch whales from beach-launched adventure boats out of Plett, where the Dolphin Research Centre is based), and of course, Kruger National Park with a drive through eastern Transvaal. Travel agents can assist you in finding the best airfare from your departure point to South Africa, and also can book sightseeing tours of South Africa through major companies such as American Express.

Premier Travel also is able to arrange several private, escorted trips for SCB members-with their own local guides-that will take place both before and after the meeting. These trips vary in length and cost, and are available exclusively to SCB members and their traveling companions. The itineraries developed are available to all SCB members; however, space on trips will be limited. Each of these programs will be arranged through one of the top Africa travel specialists in the United States.

June and July is a busy tourism season in South Africa. Please make air and land travel plans as soon as possible. Email Ron Abrams (ronwoolf@ix.netcom.com) or visit the meeting Web site if you have questions about the ecology of the attractions.

If you would like to join one of these private, escorted trips, or to coordinate your flights at the lowest available airfares to and from South Africa, call Premier Travel. Detailed information on the pre- and post meeting tours, including day-by-day itineraries and costs, is available from Ron Abrams or Premier Travel (+1 800 645-3350, +1 516 625-6868, or premiertrv@aol.com).

Note: neither SCB nor any of its officials benefit financially from travel guidance.

Ron Abrams

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