Ep 16. The Vacation Solution

Sheldon is scheduled to give a presentation at a conference in Switzerland, but due to his fear of flying he refuses to go. Leonard, Howard, and Raj are assigned the job of convincing Sheldon to go, but even their best efforts don't work. Meanwhile, Amy realizes she needs a break from her thesis and invites Penny to join her on a spa weekend. Bernadette also decides to take a break from work and joins them on the trip. The three women have a great time and manage to take their minds off their respective stresses. However, things quickly unravel when they discover a rat in their hotel room. As the guys try to come up with a new plan to get Sheldon to Switzerland, they come up with the idea of a "virtual" vacation. They set up a room to simulate Switzerland, complete with a snowman and fondue. Sheldon is initially skeptical but eventually gives in and "goes" on vacation with them. Back at the spa, the girls have problems getting rid of the rat and eventually call for help, which leads to a confrontation between them and the hotel staff. In the end, both groups return home exhausted but happy to have had a break from their regular lives.