BFS,
Get yourself some IMC training, no doubt one day you will be thankful you did when the weather closes in unexpectedly.
If you have 2-3 weeks on your hands the other option is to go to the US and take the FAA Instrument Rating, it works out £2500-3000 compared to doing an IR in the UK and the best bit if on your return you are eligible to add an IMC rating to your UK licence for the usual £64 fee of course. Of course if you hire an N reg plane in the UK you can fly on full IR privledges.
The course is 40 hours long and tough but you will gain a whole lot more experience than the 15 hours for approx the same price. Obviously you will have flights and hotel/living expenses, I paid £200 for a flight off the net, accomodation was £25 for a room that had two beds in so if you go with a mate you can share the costs on that, food/beer was about £15-20 a day depending on how mad you go!
If you do go this route though make sure you get he writtens exams out of the way in the UK as you will be able to concentrate on the flying a bit and will you the oppurtunity for the odd day off sightseeing. There is also an oral part to the exam which weeds out the 'parrot fashion' learners from those who actually understand what they are doing.
Either way do something and get the experience. Personally I love flying IFR to VFR, much more interesting and good fun and you get a buzz coming down the ILS to look up and see the rwy straight out in front of you where before there was just clouds....
Julian.