Kyoto!

So, here's the thing -- remember the story I sold to the big time editor? Well, we finally touched base about the story in detail last week. He was brusque and efficient, telling me what needed to be done, that he'd send me a contract, here was how best to put together my lede, and oh, yeah, was there a way I could go visit the researchers I'm interviewing?
"Sure," I said laughing. "But it's in Japan."

"Ok. Well if you can get there and back for $1000 that's fine."

Um, what??? My jaw literally bumped into the floor. Thank goodness we were on the phone instead of in person and I had the chance to recover before he realized what a complete and total amateur of a writer he'd hired who didn't even know such trip offers might ever happen to her.

So. . . I'm going to Japan at the end of the month. How cool is that?