29.3.11

Dates

So it's 144 days until August. But it's time for us to confirm the dates. We have been toying with a few dates for a while, and we have a number of different factors to think about.

1) Climate - The climate is not generally an issue as we are only travelling for 14 days, so the climate in early August won't differ to much from that of Late August, however, humidity in late August across northern Europe is slightly higher, and this is definitely something worth considering.

High humidity according to some studies increases the risk of Arthritis, and although this is not a concern for us, it does mean that any aches etc occurring after a long days cycling can become more aggravated.

So the weather says early August.

2) Jobs/University/Other - September has always been the mark for new starts at university, and with Andy and myself getting stuck back into books this September it seems appropriate to give ourselves a few days before this academic month kicks in to buy some new pens. :)

So the Jobs/Universities/Other says early August.

3) Return flights - Flight prices in August are generally higher than the rest of the year, as this is the time when most European holiday -makers jet off to the Costa-Del-Somewhere to top up their tans. However I have noticed that prices returning half-way through August (19th, 20th etc) are slightly cheaper than their later counterparts. The assumption here is that many tourists from the UK travelling with kids will want to return in time for the new school year, and tend to do so at the last minute (Late August).

So the Return Flights say we leave early August.

This list seems to make it obvious which dates we should choose, and I did have my sights set on the weekend of the 6th/7th anyway, but I don't think it's wise to leave on a Saturday morning in August (especially heading for Dover) so we will probably leave on the morning of Thursday 4th, this way we can be on the ferry, and in Calais for the Saturday morning.

If we do depart on the 4th, then our return flights will be the 18th of August, and anyone wanting to come out to meet us in Berlin should aim for the 16th/17th.

Next step: book return flights..

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