How to pack?

This is going to be a bit of a challenge. We want to pack very light (one backpack each and a small carry on) so we can use public transport the entire time. I have opted not to rent or borrow a car.  We thought it would be interesting to use the vast system of planes, buses, trains, taxis and other modes of transportation available in Europe. The thing is we have to be completely mobile.

To make things more challenging, we are going to need warm clothes, and our wet weather stuff, for the sailing trip, as well as some slightly dressier duds for our urban adventures.

The most difficult thing is probably footwear. Shoes are incredibly bulky things to pack. Especially with size 13 feet! Its like strapping skiis on the outside of my pack. I figure I need some sailing shoes, a good pair of walking shoes, running shoes, and some sandals. The walking shoes need to be dressy-ish, but also need to be good solid shoes because much of the time I'll be carrying a pack while I'm wearing them.

Another dilemma is a sports jacket, or something I can wear to dress up my usually untidy look. Wear do you pack that in a backpack? Do I wear it all the time? Maybe I can have a pair of shoes in my pockets?

We are also toting a computer, cameras, phones and all the rest of that pile of crap that everyone carries everywhere these days. We bought a small netbook, and the smallest decent camera we could find. I even have a tiny little short wave radio (for Radio Canada International!)

But there is still those damn size 13 boats I've gotta pack!

I just remembered we've also gotta pack towels and sleeping bags. Nightmare!

Phase 7

It looks like Phase 7 is shaping up to be a quick 3 day visit to Munich SORFing with the Hoelzemanns.  It has been a very long time since I sipped a beer in Bavaria. Mmmm! Lookout, Marilyn and Eckhard, here we come!

London flat secured!

Fiori got back to us in record time. We have rented her entire flat for 5 days. Perfect!
Airbnb guarantees the arrangement by not paying the renter until one day after we have taken possession of the accommodation. They also sent me an emergency phone number and email address should things go south. Hopefully we won't have to test that aspect of the service.

Internet challenges

I have been having some difficulty connecting with the fellow than owns the place I have been trying to rent in Kingston on Thames. It seems he is out of the country and in an area where internet access is difficult. I have tried three times to connect with him to rent his apartment, but it just doesn't seem to be working out.
I have selected a different one, this time in Brixton (despite its slightly unsavoury reputation). The woman I corresponded with has answered quickly each time, it is slightly cheaper, and close to where we want to visit.
Airbnb staff have been very cooperative and helpful.  I should hear back from Fiori in Brixton shortly.
The amazing thing about the internet is the amount of info available for a trip such as this.  I can even check which trains/buses to catch to get to Brixton from Heathrow and see how long it takes online. It will make getting to the apartment much easier than if we had to figure that all out after flying for 24 hours. We won't exactly be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!
The digital plot thickens!

Keeping our valuables safe while on the road!

Of course theft is always a concern. I am researching innovative ways to keep papers and money from being stolen from hotel rooms, back packs etc. while travelling. Here are a few interesting ideas:

Brief Safe

Anti-theft food bags

Laptop protection

Links to websites used

Airbnb - Find a place to stay.

VRBO - Vacation Rentals by Owner

Canal Boating Holidays

KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines

Planning

Our first step in planning our eurodash was to book flights. We did the 'surf the internet' thing looking for best deals into London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt from our home here in Victoria, BC, Canada. There were a couple challenges. First of all, it seemed that flights were significantly cheaper if we flew from Vancouver or Seattle. We looked closely at several options, but resolved that the price of ferries and hotels made up the difference in price. We also met a fellow who booked his vacation out of Seattle (at bargain rates), but had difficulty getting there when Vancouver Island got hit by a storm that shut down the ferries and the flights off the island.  We figured it would be prudent, and not much more money, to simply fly from Victoria.

We made a pretty comprehensive list of the many flights, and then went to a local travel agent (actually two different travel agents). After telling them our needs they presented us with their "best" prices/plan to get us to Europe and back. When we got home we compared the prices with what we had found ourselves and opted to do the bookings online rather than through an agent. They enevtually called us and inquired as to whether we were still going or not. When we told them we had found better prices online and already booked they were a bit miffed. They said that they could price match any price we found. Too bad! We gave them a chance and they failed to give us the best price. Ya snooze, ya lose!

So we booked for two (extra legroom) from Victoria to Amsterdam (via Calgary) and then on to London and return with KLM. They were the cheapest.

The next problem is of course the "where are we going to sleep" problem (and the most expensive part of any lengthy trip). I decided to try all the different things that the internet offers. Vacation rentals on Craig's List, Roomorama, Airbnb, VRBO and even hotels. This was a difficult aspect because I was not keen on sending money to people I found on Craig's List with no reassurance that there even was a place at the other end. I ended up using VRBO to find a place in Amsterdam for a week and Airbnb to find a place in London for a week. Both organizations offer some protection against getting ripped off (for both the renter and the landlord). There were many different properties to choose from in every price range. We opted for a couple small apartments so we would not have to eat all our meals in restaurants. We'll see how that works out. I have tried to confirm (once again using information available on the net) that both places are in safe areas of their respective cities, but we really won't know until we get there.

We have also booked a narrowboat in England for a week (works as both a way to travel and accommodation), a yacht on the Baltic (out of Kiel) for 10 days, and a side trip to Budapest, Hungary (both with friends). We are also SORFing (Scounging Off Friends and Relatives) for a portion of the trip. Thanks to all of you for having us.

This is the general plan:
Phase 1 - Fly to London;
Phase 2 - Stay in Kingston on Thames for a week of shopping and sightseeing around London;
Phase 3 - Spend a week on a narrowboat cruising the canals around Oxford;
Phase 4 - SORF with friends and relatives for a few days;
Phase 5 - Fly/train to Dusseldorf for some more SORFing;
Phase 6 - Sail out of Kiel with friends for 10 days;
Phase 7 - Still open for a quick adventure somewhere;
Phase 8 - A five day jaunt into Hungary;
Phase 9 - A week in a flat in Amsterdam;
Phase 10 - Fly home.

More on the planning to come...