Travel to Courmayeur: the MASIR meeting is providing for FREE shuttle transport from Milan's Malpensa airport throughout the day on Wednesday January 26, and returning on Sunday, January 30. If you wish to take advantage of this, please send an email to travel@masir.org before January 1, 2005. Indicate the airline, flight number, and expected arrival time into Malpensa airport; for the return to Malpensa on the 30th, indicate the desired time of arrival at the airport.

Breakfast will be provided by your hotel, dinners will be provided by the MASIR meeting, and lunch will be "on your own." On Saturday, we will have a sit-down Gala dinner; other evenings there will be a buffet that allows for informal discussion with vendors at their booths and poster presenters at their boards.

Courmayeur is a fabulous destination in the Italian Alps, about 2 hours northwest of Milan. We have selected the Hotel Pavillon, located in central Courmayeur, as the conference site. All conference activities will take place in the lower level of this hotel. Speakers and organizers will be housed at the Pavillon; meeting attendees will be accommodated at neighboring hotels.

The town, on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc, is a resort that has grown in popularity with skiers from all over the globe. It is indeed a truly international entity with more languages spoken than at the UN! There is plenty about in the form of discos, bars, restaurants, and the like, but it is not overly rambunctious. It is, as the rest of Courmayeur, rather pleasant. Dining out is a real treat, and runs the whole price range.

There is much to do in Courmayeur, and we have reserved some time during the meeting to take advantage of the local scene. Please visit the web sites www.regione.vda.it/turismo (in english) and www.courmayeur.com for more information.

If you plan to ski, you should see www.courmayeur-montblanc.com for information regarding the slopes, ski passes, weather, etc. You can see a live picture of the mountain.... There are a variety of ski equipment rental places locally; you can also book online at www.snowell.com. You might want to consider ski lessons -- and, if you are bringing children, see the ski-Kindergarden.