For all of you following this with rapt attention.

Canon s50 is sold out in my neighborhood.

Now leaning toward the Canon A80. I like the swivel-out LCD screen and the fact that it runs on AA batteries in a pinch -- might come in handy in Asia. I like the fact that it has room to grow, with lots of manual settings.

The s400 is the other one in the running, thanks Liz. Great for its small size but maybe not enough room for creativity.

I'm torn. Any last thoughts? I'm buying on Sunday and that's it. OK. Watch in early April for pictures.

Note to Ronnoco -- The g500 has a docking station for charging, based on a review I saw on dpreviews. That means you have to stash the whole camera until the battery is recharged.