My travel plans have hit a bit of a pothole -- seems my good-fer-nothing immune system had scheduled a nasty flu for this week without giving me prior notice. So I'll be hopping on a plane this weekend instead, still excited but also kinda snotty. Bet the poor sod in the seat next to mine is going to be thrilled. My trip might yet be cut short by a weird thyroid condition I've just had diagnosed. It's not at all serious, but if I'm unlucky I could wind up getting skinnier, crazier, bug-eyed and bald (until I get the right drugs, anyhow), in which event I imagine I'll look something like a myopic Gollum. 'Course, I'm not saying this mightn't be an improvement on my current appearance...

Thanks for all the travel suggestions! Sorry I didn't reply to them earlier... I'll go do that now. Just as soon as I crack open a nice, cold box of kleenex...