Be that as it may, Lee, you have to admit that the tip about the gymnastics jamboree was just the sort of one-off, off-beat, of-the-moment, on-the-ground tip that makes perusing these sort of sites worthwhile. I'm no gymnastics groupie to be sure, but it might be fun (in an ironic or non-ironic kind of way... take your pick) to swing by and check out all the attendant pageantry and magnificent nonsense that surround such events. Or not.
In other words, sure the logistical stuff is important, nay vital, but sometimes it's the slightly unexpected, off-kilter things that make an impression or at least break up the predictable march from cathedral to museum to restaurant and so on. However, having said all that, it is also true that much of the cache of encountering off-beat offerings often lies in their very unexpectedness.
Okay, okay. Sorry, I don't mean to lecture you of all people. You are an incredible repository of important travel information and have already helped me considerably in my quest to put together a logistically sane trip. I'm new to this forum, but I am already very impressed by its breadth and outreach and common desire to help each other out.
And so, yes, yes, yes, any decent trip requires at lease a little research and preparation, and it is so nice to get help from so many well-meaning and well-informed folks toward that end. But the real reason to leave home is to, in effect, leave home. Explore, wander, see and do new things, even get lost -- within reason. In essence a successful trip strikes a balance between order and chaos and, in the end, should be fun, perhaps promote learning a thing or two and, dare I say it, serve to help one "find oneself." Egad!
Then again, it can be hard to find oneself when one is habitually losing one's way, late, locked out, and poorly housed and fed. Enough. Time for me and my soapbox to call it a night. Craig
