The more I look at this, the more I begin to consider it to be plausible. Strangely enough, I can get flights on Virgin Atlantic out on the 19th and back on the 26th for GBP330. I can try and persuade the university to provide my insurance - I think I can argue that GDC is academically worthwhile to me, and if they turn me down it's only an extra GBP40 or so. Further than that, Dave tells me that GDNet would be willing to help me out with accommodation and flight costs a bit.

So it may turn out that it does make sense for me to do this, flying out and back and then out again for Denver. I think I need to talk to my parents to see what they think.