Mensa Sveriges årsträff 2016
Welcome to Mensa Sweden's
Annual Gathering in Gothenburg!
May 5 - 8, 2016
About the gathering
The Annual Gathering will take place at Scandic Opalen in the middle of Gothenburg featuring:
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Many rooms for seminars and lounges
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Large place for the annual general meeting, large restaurant for the gala dinner
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Affordable packages for accommodation and food
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Free spa for all participants of the annual gathering
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Free Wi-Fi
Within walking distance you can find:
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Liseberg amusement park
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Universeum and the world culture museum
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Avenyn, Götaplatsen, art museum, concert hall etc.
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Costs
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Annual General Meeting, Saturday May 7 at 10:00 - no cost
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Annual Gathering, including t-shirt and a lot of activities - 300 SEK
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Costs for lodging and food, see further down this page.
Registration for the annual gathering and reservation of lodging and activities will open at this page January 4 at 06:00. The registration page is in Swedish - if you do not speak Swedish and would like to come - please contact us via email arstraff2016@gmail.com
Activities & tours
The Annual Gathering is filled with tours, fun activities and exciting seminars.
This is a small selection:
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Traditional poker tournament, cribbage and other games!
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Escape Games where you solve clues together to escape the room!
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Pentathlon at Liseberg amusement park! * Tour to a fireworks factory or old fortifications!
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Visit at Gothenburg Fishmarket if you are an early raiser or in the Botanical Garden and Liseberg Garden!
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Mingle at the hotel and pub-crawls in the city centre!
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Seminars on deception, language, speed reading, school problems, horses and much, much more!
Most activities during the annual gathering are open for kids. If not, it will be clearly notified in the information about the activity or seminar. Some of the tours or activities will be associated with an extra cost. This will be clear from the information.
Since 2016 is also International Mensa's 70th anniversary we will have activities related to this!
Lodging & Food
Accommodation in every price range!
We have arranged affordable accommodation for everyone at the same hotel as the Annual Gathering takes place, Scandic Opalen. You can reserve food and lodging when registration open at January 4. you can also find links to other lodgings which you book yourself through the link of your choice.
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Scandic Opalen - food and accommodation (including gala dinner) 3 nights - from 2426 SEK
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Göteborgs Vandrarhem - ca 900 SEK/ 3 nights in double room
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Camping Liseberg - 1334 SEK for a caravan site for 3 nights
Only food package at Scandic Opalen (including gala dinner) - for participants who are not staying at the hotel - 1301 SEK
Only gala dinner: 500 SEK
Hotel Scandic Opalen Engelbrektsgatan 73, between Liseberg, Heden, Ullevi and Scandinavium. If you want to know more about the hotel, see their site: http://www.scandichotels.se/Hotels/Sverige/Goteborg/Scandic-Opalen/
Reservations at Scandic Opalen open at this page from January 4, 06:00.
Bed & Breakfast and Hostels - book yourself!
Göteborgs Vandrarhem, Mölndalsvägen 23, in walking distance from the hotel.
http://www.goteborgsvandrarhem.se
Eklanda Bed & Breakfast, Eklandagatan 3, in walking distance from the hotel
STF Hotell & vandrarhem Göteborg City (close to train and bus terminal)
STF Vandrarhem Stigbergsliden, Masthugget
Slottsskogens Vandrarhem, Vegagatan 21, Linnéplatsen
Low price: from 195 SEK/per pers. 20 minutes by tram 2 & 6
Lisebergs campingar, Liseberg
http://liseberg.se/sv/hem/Boende/Camping/
More hostels and private rooms at this page
I Love Göteborg http://www.ilovegoteborg.se/
http://www.ilovegoteborg.se/goteborg_vandrarhem_b&b.asp )
AirBnB https://www.airbnb.se
Booking.com www.booking.com
Travelling
Where is it?
Hotel Scandic Opalen is situated in central Gothenburg between Liseberg Amusement Park, Heden, and Ullevi Sports Stadium.
The address is Engelbrektsgatan 73 - at the crossing of Engelbrektsgatan and Skånegatan, opposite Bergakungen Cinema, halfway between Ullevi and Scandinavium Sports Stadium.
Coordinates: Latitude - 57,701704, Longitude - 11,984483
Map link (plus driving directions)
You can go by train, airplane or car to the AG.
Parking
There's a limited number of parking spots in the hotel's parking garage and outside the hotel. These cost 245 SEK / 24 hrs, and can't be reserved in advance.
There are other parking options nearby, see parking map:
For example, there's plenty of parking spots at Heden, Valhalla Bathhouse, the parking garage by Burgårdens Gymnasium opposite the hotel, and inside Focushuset near Liseberg Amusement Park.
Flight and train
If you fly, there are airport buses from Landvetter Airport to Gothenburg Central Station, where you also arrive by train. If you only have light luggage, it doesn't take more than 20 minutes to walk from Gothenburg Central Station to the AG at Hotel Scandic Opalen. Public transportation (see below), and taxi are also great alternatives to get to the hotel.
Public transportation
The public transportation inside Gothenburg is handled by Västtrafik, and is a great alternative to get from the Central Station to the AG. You need to be prepared, since you can't pay with cash on the buses and trams. Tram numbers 2, 6, 8 and 13 halt at the nearest stop to the hotel, "Scandinavium". Tram numbers 2 and 6 only take six minutes from the Central Station. You can read more about the different ticket types below.
Västtrafik travel planner in English
There are cards for 1-3 days unlimited travel, there are cards that you can load with a certain amount and it is also possible to buy single tickets via your cell phone.
Gothenburg - at the front side of Sweden
If you make your stay a few days longer there is plenty to do in Gothenburg. You can make excursions in the archipelago, walk along The Avenue or in Haga/Linné, become nauseous in the roller-coaster at Liseberg, visit Universeum or museums on world culture, art or maritime museum and aquarium or choose from a variety of theatres or concerts. Follow the following links to see the current activities in the city.
Gothenburg is Sweden's second largest city, with 550,000 people in the city proper and almost one million in the greater metropolitan area.
Gothenburg became a city in 1621, after being founded by King Gustavus Adolphus. It's sometimes called "Little London", due to the influx of Brits in the 19th century.
The west coast city of Gothenburg is the seat of Västra Götaland County. The city has a magnificent archipelago with excellent opportunities for bathing and boating during summer. Many tourists take the chance to visit Liseberg Amusement Park when they visit Gothenburg, and walk around the main street Avenyn.
Volvo, SKF and ESAB are large and well-known technology firms that started in Gothenburg and employ a large number of people there. The largest harbour of the Nordic countries is located in Gothenburg, and a large part of the Swedish exports are shipped from there.
The citizens of Gothenburg are known to have a positive attitude and being hospitable, with a large dose of humour.
Mensa Väst
Mensa Väst is happy to arrange this AG and greets everyone welcome to
Gothenburg! Participants from other countries are naturally also very
welcome. We're a team of about 25 members working together to make this
a really exciting and entertaining AG for 2016!
Mensa Väst is a large local chapter with about 1000 members. Every week
something is happening, such as dinner, pub, lunch and cafe meetings,
after work, book club or games night. We also have a Christmas buffet
and summer activities and sometimes trips. Every month we send an e-mail
with information and news to our members.
Our active Facebook group is open also for Mensans living outside of our
area. Welcome!
FAQ
Q: Is the Swedish Annual Gathering open for everyone?
A: The Swedish Annual Gathering welcomes all members in Mensa Sweden and Mensa members from all over the world. Family members and children can also participate. The Annual General Meeting taking place after lunch on Saturday, is only open for members of Mensa Sweden.
Q: How can I learn more about activities and other information regarding the Annual Gathering?
A: Keep following this page - activities and other information will be updated continuously.
Contact
Registration to the Annual Gathering with opportunity to reserve accommodation and food will open January 4 at 06:00. The registration page is in Swedish - if you do not speak Swedish and would like to come - please contact us via email arstraff2016@gmail.com
Until then we refer to our Facebook group "Mensa Sveriges Årsträff 2016" - email your membership number and name to arstraff2016@gmail.com if you would like to join the group to start discussing carpools, find someone to share a room with or find a babysitter for that special activity you really want to attend.