Hello folks, I'm also thinking about buying a Wacom Bamboo, but first I have a few questions:

What is your experience using the tablet with GIMP? On several GIMP boards, I read about the problem that the Pen "freezes" for a few seconds from time to time. Did you come across this problem too?

How long does it take to get used to drawing on the tablet but only seeing the result on screen? I haven't tried it yet but I imagine it to be weird. I'm drawing for nearly thirty years now and am so used to see the drawing on the surface I'm working on. I really can't imagine how it feels to see it different. Any problems with this?
Out of this reason, I'm toying with the idea to buy a Cintiq with a built in screen, so that you can see the drawing on the tablet. These tablets are far more expensive than the Bamboo and I don't know if it is worth the money. Please tell me about your experiences getting used to unfamiliar hand/eye-coordination. Thanks!