the vacation of a lifetime?

One of the reasons I changed jobs was to be able to do a little bit more traveling, perhaps (especially?) even big-time stuff that's pricey but potentially life-changing in a lot of ways. Well, a trip advertised in the WORLD magazine I was reading a few nights ago might just be that kind of thing. The Calvin 500 Commemorative Tour, a celebration of the quincentenary (or 500th anniversary for us commoners) of John Calvin's birth, sure looks like all that and more. A week and a half in some of the most historic and beautiful parts of Europe...with fellow Reformed Christians to hang and chat with...and time to do cool stuff in cool places...and, last but not least, two Calvin conferences and an all-star lineup of speakers. I mean, this thing is a Who's Who of contemporary theologians. Think of it as the Ligonier annual conference but far grander in just about every way.

There is, of course, the expected drawback: it ain't cheap. No, it really, really ain't cheap. As in, $3,669 per person for starters, before flight tickets, upgrades (single room, other hotel, whatever), some meals, spending money, and other stuff that's expensive in those distant realms. In other words, we're talking several thousand dollars here, and that's before the mandatory pre- or post-conference Europe sightseeing that would most certainly have to be part of the package. OUCH? Yeah, I think that price tag would sting for a while.

But still, seriously, one would be hard-pressed to come up with a more awesome combination of history, scenery, fellow travelers, and interesting topics all rolled into one. Two full days in Paris, one in Strasbourg, travel through the Alps in between, and a week in Geneva to take in the local sights while getting fed at two--yes, two--international symposia throughout the week? Oh, and throw in Ferguson, Thomas, Beeke, Duncan, Ryken, and a whole bunch of other dudes I haven't heard of but I'm sure would be awesome to listen to. It might be another 500 years before that sort of opportunity presents itself. And chances are I wouldn't still be around then even if it did.

I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't on the same level as the Cubs in the World Series: an event that would leave no decision to be made, only action to be taken. Expensive or not, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is certainly at hand. I suppose the real question to grapple with might be whether or not I could get over not being there if I don't go...