Below are answers to common questions about the bash. If your question isn't answered on this page, please contact one of the appropriate bash planners or activity coordinators.
Mexico |  A Tijuana street. |
MexicoI've never been to Tijuana but I've heard stories about how it used to be. What should I expect?
Do I need to convert my money to Mexican currency?No. American money is accepted all over Tijuana. There are also banks and familiar ATM machines available. Bring a stack of dollar bills to use for tipping at the hotel. If you need receipts for purchases in U.S. currency, ask for them; the hotel and storekeepers will usually accommodate you. Do not expect receipts from taxi drivers. What are some tips on shopping in the stores?Expect to bargain. If possible, shop with a seasoned TJ visitor. We're planning a group shopping trip on Saturday. There's bound to be a couple of seasoned bargainers in the crowd. Back to top Logistics and AffordabilityWhen should I arrive to the Bash?Come early! Stay Late! Check-in for the Grand Hotel Tijuana is as early as 3 PM and we've gotten special permission to keep our rooms and check out as late as 5 PM. Since many folks take extra time off around a holiday weekend, we've added several unhosted, but scheduled activities for Friday and Monday morning. If possible, use Thursday evening and Monday daytime as your travel days to allow maximum time for fun at this year’s 2003 Tijuana Bandster Bash. While officially hosted events begin at 3 PM on Friday, August 29th with our eagerly awaited Meet and Greet Happy Hour in the Hospitality Suite, there are a number of fun activities planned during the day on Friday. Any one at the hotel on Friday morning is urged to energize their day with the Morning Walkers from 8-8:30. Water Aerobics will be offered from 9-10 AM in the hotel pool. There's also a group of folks going to Tijuana’s famous La Revolucion for shopping and local ambiance from 11 AM-3 PM. Additionally, any complex band-related medical procedures (e.g., disconnects or port exchanges) should be arranged either with Dr. Kuri or your band doctor on Friday. Those appointments are not coordinated and must be arranged directly between you and your doctor on a space available basis. Please do not expect to be treated on Saturday as Dr. Kuri will have a FULL schedule providing complimentary fills and your more complex procedure would be best treated the day before. When should I expect The Tijuana Bandster Bash 2003 to conclude?Access to the Hospitality Suite will conclude on Sunday at 5 PM, after the Discussion Sessions. We've scheduled a no-host adventure to the People’s Fair that evening. While we encourage you to utilize Monday as your travel day, if you need to be home Sunday you could still attend all of our scheduled events, check out of the Hotel at 5 PM, and travel home that evening on a later flight. Do I need to come for the WHOLE ENCHILADA?The Bash events are great, the camaraderie amazing! You’ll be sorry it’s over when the weekend ends. That said, attend what works for your busy schedule. If all you can find time to attend is the Bandster Bash Saturday Party, then DO IT! You are under no obligation to attend any of the group events, or to stay for the entire weekend. Whatever works best for you will be best for us, too! If I only come for the party, can I pay a lower registration fee?Except for the price break for early bird registrants, we've decided to keep the cost of registration uniform, regardless of how much time is spent at the Bash weekend. In order to secure this wonderful amenity-filled weekend at the best price, we've had to provide guarantees and pre-paid costs to the hotel. How can I cut my expenses in order to be able to better afford this trip?Plan ahead! Plan on finding a roommate or two—or three—or FOUR! There are always people willing to forgo privacy for higher density accommodations in order to save money. Splitting the room cost four ways can reduce your expenses considerably. Book your airline tickets well in advance. Southwest airlines offers very reasonable travel throughout the continental United States for $100 or less one way, if you book 21 days in advance. Avoid drinking alcohol. Liquor is expensive in and out of the United States. Hitch a ride to and from the airport. Use the online boards to request assistance from someone already going your way. Or get together and travel as a group by car to the Bash if you are geographically closer. The Yahoo Bandster Bash 2003 Group will be a useful networking tool for folks who wish to minimize travel expenses. ClothingWhat kind of clothing should I bring to the Bash?Our annual Tijuana Bash is totally a 'come as you are' weekend. You're on vacation so relax; it's not a fashion show. We've planned some fitness activities, so bring some comfortable clothes for walking or yoga. For water activities, bring a bathing suit and water shoes if you have them. Tijuana in August is hot. A light sweater or jacket for the evenings would be a good idea. Many of our attendees DO dress up on Saturday night, but many don't. Some of us are between sizes and don't want to spend big money for the fancy wardrobe just yet (although thrift shops and Good Will are a wonderful source of inexpensive 'tweensize' clothing). The bash dinner IS an opportunity to celebrate our new bodies, minds, and spirits... so if you want to wear the sequins and fancy clothes, go right ahead and 'strut your stuff, honey'!! We'll even take pictures! Visit our Photo Booth on Saturday night and immortalize your bash presence for the folks at home. Don't forget to bring comfortable shoes for dancing. If you're traveling to the bash by plane, you may want to pack light. It's okay to wear the same thing more than once during the weekend; we won't care. It's YOU who's important, not your clothes. Will there be a clothing exchange at the Bash?Clothing Exchanges are a terrific way for 'downsized' folks to recycle larger clothing to those who need 'tweensize' wardrobes. Because people travel to the bash, it's not often convenient to pack additional clothing to give away. BUT...if you WANT to schlep some extra clothes with you to the bash for exchange, we'll set up a corner of the Hospitality Suite for them. We are not making any arrangements to dispose of leftover clothing, so be prepared to take back with you anything that wasn't recycled. Back to top NewcomersWhat is the bash and is it only for people from Southern California?The annual Tijuana Bandster Bash is celebration of our new lives and of our mutual support for one another in the bandster community. The 'TJ' Bash is attended by bandsters from all over North America. We have folks coming from Maine, the Carolinas, Chicago, Texas, and Canada. (Ya gotta watch out for those wild Texans, though!) While many of us have 'met' through some of the online groups, the bash gives us the opportunity to connect the faces with the names and to play, share, learn, make new friends, and renew our relationships with old friends. Oh, and did we mention 'laugh'? Expect to laugh and have fun. Will there be any special orientation activity for newcomers?If you've never been to a bash, we'll assign you a Bash Buddy, if you like. Your buddy will introduce you to others when you arrive and answer questions throughout the weekend. While your buddy has agreed to be your primary contact, please don't expect round-the-clock handholding because your buddy is also here to enjoy his/her bash weekend and may be networking with others as well. You're here to make many new friends. We're all looking forward to meeting you and enjoying your company!! I'm in the research phase. Will I have the opportunity to learn more about the band and meet various doctors?We'll have an information table in the Hospitality Suite. You'll also have the opportunity to meet the manufacturers of the band and some of the doctors who perform band surgery. You can also learn about stage 'two' cosmetic options such as tummy tucks and liposuction. On Sunday afternoon, you can meet some of the folks who have attained their weight goals and learn about their experiences. We're also going to set up a special 'secretly asked guestions' box for submitting anonymous questions you may be too shy to ask verbally. We'll either post or discuss answers to those questions on Sunday during the discussion groups. Back to top Bringing GuestsMay I bring a guest to the bash?Absolutely. Many bandsters bring relatives or close support friends. This is a celebration and sharing is part of the fun. Back to top Bulletin Boards for Rides and Room SharingDo you have any bulletin boards for sharing rooms and rides to the Bash?
RegistrationI notice that when I choose my online payment option, the webpage is not secure. Is my online registration payment secure?The online payment option page is hosted by MollyGuard which simply creates a tracking system for our online registrations. It is not a secure site. After you answer the question asking for your reservation name, you are taken to the PayPal payment page where all transaction information IS secure. If several of us are registering at the same time, can we pay with a single payment?Absolutely. Decide on a 'reservation name' that describes your party. Your name can be creative, but keep it clean!! Each of you should then register separately using the online registration form. Make sure you enter the reservation name you've chosen as the registration ID on each of your registration forms. If one of you pays for everyone, we'll be able to credit payment to everyone in your party by the reservation name. If I need to cancel my registration before the Bash, will I get my money back?We'd hate for you to miss such a great weekend, but sometimes things happen that require a change in plans. We will refund all of the registration fees for cancellations until August 15th. Because of the processing required, you will be charged a $10 cancellation fee. There are processing fees if we pay online. Are there any processing fees if we pay by check?No, but there will be a processing fee of $10 for any checks we receive that are returned or have to be redeposited. If you're in the process of registering, click here to return to the registration form. Back to top | ||||||||||
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A view of the Plaza Fiesta
