Well, this is it!
This is the final email from us regarding World Wide Conference. This email focuses on last-minute details – on WHAT you need to know – and is a reminder of some important pieces of information that will make the conference and your travels go more smoothly.
Please note that our conference team (Ginny Salas, Lori Larson, Rhonda Gervais, Cynthe Burbidge, Aly Taillon and Kevin Brown) will be in final prep mode and traveling in advance of conference. For this reason, they will not be available or answering emails after 5pm on Friday, July 9th.
WHAT About Check-In
The check-in process will take approximately 20 minutes per party, plus time waiting in line for your turn. Those of you arriving on July 18, please remember that planes will be landing filled with up to 100 of you at a time. We appreciate your patience, knowing that you will be arriving very tired and jet lagged.
There will be priority check-in for those who have completed the following six items. We are working with the hotel and believe that the completion of these six things will allow you to check-in in less than five minutes!!
- Complete the Hotel Documentation Form
- Sign up for your Wednesday Fun Time Activity
- Sign up for your Learning Track sessions
- Sign up for Conversations (workshops)
- If traveling with children, complete the Information and Permission Forms
- Make your pledge to the Children’s Ministry Pledge Drive
WHAT to Bring (this is not an exhaustive list)
- Sunscreen
- Cash
- Credit card (or other form of payment)
You will need this at check-out to cover all of your incidentals including internet, mini-bar, drinks, etc. - Passport
- Insect repellent
- Shoes or sandals to wear on the beach and in the water
When a small team went in January, Kevin Brown stepped on a 4-inch long needle-like shell that drove right into the bottom of his bare foot. OUCH!!!!! - UK/British Plug Adapters
- SUNSCREEN… did we say that already?
- Hat
- Medications
While Malaysia does have very strict drug trafficking laws, this does not prohibit you from bringing your prescription medications. See the statement below from the CDC.
Medicines You May Need
- The prescription medicines you take every day. Make sure you have enough to last during your trip. Keep them in their original prescription bottles and always in your carry-on luggage. Be sure to follow security/TSA guidelines if the medicines are liquids.
- Antimalarial drugs IF traveling to a malaria-risk area in Malaysia and prescribed by your doctor.
- Medicine for diarrhea (usually over-the-counter)
WHAT NOT to Bring
- Towels
Your room towels are included, and pool and beach towels are available for free at the pools for daily check-out. - Hair dryer
They are available in each room. - Christian literature for distribution
It is illegal to distribute religious information to Malaysian Muslims, doing so may result in a harsh jail sentence.
WHAT to Remember
- Please look for a person with a World Wide Conference Sign at the airport upon arrival. They will direct you to your shuttle/car.
- Your shuttle from the airport to the hotel is included and paid for IF:
- You are flying into the airport and
- You are going directly to the Pelangi Beach Hotel - Your shuttle is not arranged or paid for IF:
- You are arriving at the Ferry Terminal or
- You are going to a different hotel prior to the start of conference - Some airlines have VERY STRICT weight and size requirements (particularly Air Asia). Please be aware of these restrictions and pack accordingly to avoid very expensive fees at check-in.
- There are no laundry facilities at the hotel. You can use the hotel’s laundry service, but it is quite expensive. There is a drying rack in the bathrooms, so we suggest bringing some laundry soap to wash a few things by hand and then hang them to dry. Note: Do NOT hang clothing to dry from your balcony or deck.
- Dinner on Wednesday night is the only meal not included. Come prepared with money to go out, find a place to eat and enjoy the culture.
WHAT About Emergencies
- Malaysia’s emergency number is “999” (equivalent to dialing 911 in the United States). It connects you to the Red Crescent (a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies). You are connected for help, but you should know that the standards for this system are not equal to that found in the United States.
- We are very excited to announce that we have two outstanding physicians attending conference. Dr. Glynn Wells and Dr. Brent Fryling will be serving our medical needs and emergencies. They will in fact go beyond just dealing with crisis situations and plan to have a clinic set up and open daily from 10AM – 7PM to meet any of your medical needs. Appointments with the doctors can be made at the Welcome Table in the hotel lobby. Many thanks to the doctors for their willingness to come and serve us!
- If you have a travel emergency or simply need to notify us of flight cancellations or changes, please try one of the following methods:
- Contact the hotel at (60-4) 952 8888 and ask for Kevin Brown or Lori Larson with CRM. If they cannot locate us, the hotel staff should have access to our Malaysian mobile phone numbers, which we will get and will be active by July 16.
- Send an email to kevin.brown@crmleaders.org. He will be checking email on the 17th and 18th.
- Call Kevin Brown’s US based home phone number at (360) 260-0062. Messages left at this phone number will be converted to an email and sent to him immediately.
Blessings on your final preparations and travel!
We’ll see you in Malaysia!
The World Wide Conference Team
worldwideconference@crmleaders.org
