Its a real shame about the S9500, it would seem that fuji rushed to bring it out & judging by alot of the online reviews many people who bought it share your sentiments entirely.
Given proper time & thought it should have been an improvement on the S7000, which is a highly acclaimed bit of gear, I've been using one for the past year & even though I'm shortly upgrading to a Nikon DSLR ( hopefully the new D200 when its released!) I wouldn't dream of parting with the S7000, I can't fault it!
You made an excellent choice with the Panasonic FZ30, I know of someone who has one and his photos are very impressive.
I look forward to seeing yours