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This advice has been gleaned from many different people and places. We can't credit them all, but special mention goes to: - rec.arts.anime.misc, where a lively discussion about this took place in winter 2001
- Yaoi-Con staff, who provided much insight, comments, and reviews
- Anime on DVD, for their felicitous recommendations
Things to Bring Most of this advice is common sense. Going to a convention is traveling, socializing, and shopping all rolled into one weekend. Anything you need for those activities on a normal basis, you'll need at the con. Basics: - Identification is necessary when you register at the con. You'll also need 2 forms of identification for cashing checks and similar activities. If you're from a different country, have your passport with you, and keep a photocopy of the important information in the passport someplace where it won't get lost. That way, if the passport gets lost, you'll have the information needed get an emergency replacement.
- Change of clothes for each day, including pyjamas, and clean undergarments. No one wants to be around you in days old clothes, and you don't want to be in clothes that have had something spilled on them. Use pajamas, your roommates will appreciate it. Besides, slept in clothes look horrible. If you plan on being in costume, you should bring something comfortable to wear when you're out of costume. A sewing kit is handy for putting buttons and the like back on.
- Toiletries. Look around your bathroom. Anything you use on a regular basis, you should bring. Don't forget your contact lens supplies, spare glasses, allergy meds, antacids, and analgesics (aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, etc.). Don't depend on the hotel to provide supplies . . . if you're sharing a room, the hotel supplies won't last, and they're expensive in the gift shop. Anything liquid is best packed in sealable plastic bags (baggies, zip-lock, etc.). The hotel does have a hair dryer in each room.
- If you're fastidious, a plastic bag for dirty laundry and wet swim suits is always nice.
- Do NOT bring things you can't afford to lose, extremely valuable things — unless needed at the convention — or weapons.
Entertainment: - Money to spend in the Dealers' Room. Figure you'll want to spend twice as much as you plan to bring.
- Books to read, labeled.
- CD players and headphones, labeled with your name and address.
- Games, labeled with your name and address.
- Laptop , labeled with your name and address. Bring a security cable and use it everywhere. It's cheap insurance compared to losing the laptop.
- Extension cords, power adapters, and/or extra batteries for anything that uses them, labeled with your name and address.
- TV and tape/DVD player, lableled with your name and address. For any hotel, in general do not assume that you can patch into the hotel TV system. With the increasingly sophisticated systems hotels are using, it may not be possible to hook your equipment to their TV, and you do not want to risk paying damage fees if you cut their TV wires.
Other personal items: - Workout clothes, labeled with your name and address.
- Swim suit, labeled with your name and address.
- Writing implements — you know you'll lose at least one pen during the con!
- Ear plugs (if you're a light sleeper, for instance).
- Comfortable shoes for standing in lines and walking around the city.
- Party wear for going out clubbing, karaoke-ing, etc.
- Timepiece — asking other people what time it is all day is a drag.
- Bottled water. Drink lots of water, it keeps you hydrated, healthy, and makes you feel less tired.
Con-Specific Items:
- Registration paperwork. You did pre-register, didn't you? Having the paperwork will make things go faster if there are any questions or problems. Make sure you have your ID with proof of age as well. Registration will be checking IDs and the name on the registration must match the name on your ID.
- Shopping list. If you're looking for specific items, write them down and cross them off the list as you find them. If you only have a few in a series and want the rest, it may be faster to write down what you do have, so you don't buy duplicates. If you're a savvy shopper, you'll also have made note of how much you're willing to pay for things, be checking prices at multiple tables and crossing things off your list as you buy them.
- Sending things home. Assume you will buy more than you can stuff in your luggage or car. Many people bring an extra suitcase or pack a soft duffel bag in their luggage. If you plan on buying posters, bring a poster mail tube, otherwise, the poster is likely to get crushed.
- Camera. How else are you going to show your friends what a great time you had when you get home? Don't forget to bring extra film. If you're flying, keep your camera in your carry-on baggage and all your baggage within sight. Cameras are prime targets for thieves.
Costumers, artists, and dealers: - If you have valuables, consider using the hotel safe, bring a lock box, or some other method of securing your valuables. Hotel safes are usually small, the size of a safety deposit box (approximately 3" high x 5" wide x 18" long).
- If you are handling goods or money, bring appropriate equipment, perhaps labels/masking tape, markers, receipts, and calculators.
- If you're wearing a costume, a sewing kit (or duct tape) is a necessity.
- Make sure your name and contact information is on your hat, accessories, sketchbook, lock box, etc.
- Business cards — lots of them — hand them out generously!
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Safety Tips There are some basic safety precautions any traveler should take. Before you leave home: - Make sure someone knows where you will be, including travel routes, airplane flight numbers, hotel name, address, and phone, etc., and who you will be traveling with. If someone might need to contact you in an emergency, make sure they have your number.
- Arrange to have your mail and newspaper delivery stopped or someone to pick them up while you're away. If you fill in a form asking them to do so, the post office will hold your mail for you.
- Arrange to have your pets and houseplants taken care of. There's nothing worse than coming home to a cranky cat that's eaten your spider plant, or worse, your anole, and then puked all over the carpet. Make sure that person has a house key, so they get in to take care of things, and a phone number, in case the cat does eat the anole.
- Leave lights on so it looks like you're home to discourage thieves. Setting lights on a timer saves energy and looks more realistic.
- Bring small bills and change. Not all dealers will be able to break a twenty, especially if everyone attending the con brings twenties. Many dealers do not take credit cards. Besides, it's handy to have change when you're on the road. Also consider using traveler's checks, as well as carrying cash and plastic.
- If you're driving a long distance, have the car checked at least a week before you go. That gives you time to fix things if necessary. Have the oil and tire pressure checked. Toss a couple quarts of oil in the trunk, just in case.
- Turn down the heat in the winter (not lower than 55F). Turn up the A/C in the summer. No sense in paying for it if you aren't home. In the winter, if you own a house, it's also a good idea to turn off the water at the house main.
- If you have a cell phone, check if it has a nationwide (or international) plan. If one is available, turn it on for the time you will be traveling.
While you're traveling: - Carry identification and emergency information (especially medical information) in your wallet or purse. If anything happens to you, that's where emergency personnel will look first. If you carry a backpack, a twist tie holds it closed against theft while you are wondering about the city.
- Hang on tightly to your purse. Carry your wallet in your front pocket. Make sure your fanny pack is in front of you. These things discourage thieves. You want to spend time at the con having fun, not calling the credit card companies to cancel your cards.
- Make sure your luggage is clearly marked. Even if your luggage is a unique safety yellow, someone getting of the same flight will have identical luggage. If you can get away with a carry-on, do it. Be prepared to have to check your carry-on. Flight attendants will let you know if your luggage is too large, or the flight is very full.
- Hang on to your purse and baggage. Don't assume that because you're only five feet away, it can't get stolen.
- Don't ask strangers at the airport to watch your stuff, even if they are friendly and harmless, and you have to go to the bathroom. You don't want to miss your flight while waiting for security to search all your bags. While you're in the bathroom, hang on to your bags or wrap their straps around your wrist or ankle. Thieves have been known to reach over and under the partitions, and down from the ceiling tiles, to grab bags.
Once you arrive: - Make sure the hotel has your name associated with your room. If you don't, callers won't be able to reach you or leave you a message. In an emergency, the hotel will go by their roster when trying to locate people.
- Call the folks at home and the pet/plant sitters and let them know what room you'll be in. Some hotels have a surcharge for calls placed from the room so check the price. There are always pay phones in the lobby.
- Put your airplane tickets away in a safe and easy to remember place. You don't want to lose them, and you do want to be able to find them.
- Make sure you eat and sleep at the con. Being tired or hungry ruins your fun and being tired can be dangerous if you're driving home.
- Shower. If you tend to get up late and dash off to events, shower the night before. Really. Before you put on those clean clothes. You, alone, may be fine, but by the time 200 people are crammed into a room, the experience is one big stink.
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Rooming with Friends Whether you're sharing a room with friends or newly met acquaintances, it helps to plan things out in advance. Things to discuss in advance: - Everyone's preferences before the con, preferably all together, if there are more than two of you. Including:
- Sleep needs: Who needs 10 hours of sleep, no ifs, ands, or buts? Who does just fine on two hours? Who is easily disturbed? Who sleeps like the dead? How will you manage the differences?
- Anything that absolutely must be or not be present. For example, some people are so allergic to nuts they can't stay in the same room with them.
- Smoking or non-smoking room? If you're caught smoking in a non-smoking room (including out on the balcony at some hotels) you'll find yourself paying for dry cleaning all the curtains and steam cleaning all the chairs, walls, mattresses, and carpeting. It can easily add up to hundreds of dollars.
- Music on or off? TV on or off?
- Parties in the room? Visitors in the room?
- Make sure you pick up a hotel room key. If there are four people in a room, the hotel should provide four keys. If they don't, ask for them. This saves you from having to find people in order to get to your stuff.
Finances: - How are you paying for the room? Don't forget taxes and surcharges (becoming common in California due to their current energy crisis). It may make sense to collect money from eveyone and pay for the room in advance.
- What will you do if someone defaults?
- What will you do if someone trashes the room?
Schedules: - When, where, and how often to meet?
- When and where to meet for dinner?
- Who is going with whom, and when?
- Where will everyone be during the day?
- Easy going vs. planned. Who is the person (there is always one) who goes nuts if they don't know the schedule? Who is the person who needs to keep plans loose?
- Are you going to take advantage of the pool/hot tub as a group?
Food and other stuff: - Should you bring food?
- Does anyone hate having food trash sitting in the wastebasket all night? Do you have so many people that you will need trash bags to hold the trash?
- If you bring food, what do people like, hate, or are allergic to? Will you need paper plates, plastic utensils, extra cups?
- Make sure someone is signed up to bring whatever you need, don't assume that because you have a list, it'll all get brought.
- The hotel will provide enough door keys, glasses, towels, pillows and bed space for the appropriate occupancy in the room. After that, you'll have to bring your own, share, or do without. Don't be surprised if the hotel takes a dim view on extra occupants. Some hotels have been known to eject violators.
- Label everything you bring and don't want to lose. In this respect, you can think of the con as a summer camp full of small children . . . everyone's socks look the same, and no one can remember where they put things.
- If you have FRS talkies, they can help you keep your group organized and in touch.
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