JohnInKansas, thanks for the link, they have a 70 pound weight limit, the shop offered postage at $423 (£291)and at that rate I could save money by flying to USA and picking it up myself (cheapest return flight I've found is £220), but this does seem a tad extreme.I have yet to research "standby" air tickets but 24 hours in an aeroplane, 24 hours in a strange city, is a little unlikely. I'll keep on trying to think of alternatives. cheers for now. bill