All right, so I played “chicken” with the airlines, and the airlines won — I was hoping that between falling petroleum prices and mounting airline bankruptcies something would happen to cut ticket prices, but it hasn’t worked out that way, and I can’t see how I can swing a trip to Europe just four weeks from now. So, with considerable regret, I’m punting on my plans to go wave the Union Jack at the World Kendo Championships in Glasgow.

That said, I’m feeling guilty enough about all the promises I made that I’d be out there this summer that I have to do something. And as it turns out, a ticket to London in the second week of October costs just about half as much as a ticket to London-and-Glasgow in the first week of July. I have now bought one, so I can’t weasel out of it this time. And that will be my birthday, so I’ll have an excuse.

I’m sorry to be missing the WKC, but I think this will actually be a better trip — less time in airports, more time to see people.

So look for me in Seven Dials in October, if you're there. And hopefully I can still get a couple of practices in — I have yet to miss a Monday night OUKC practice any time I’ve actually been in England.