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...