Last Weekend - getting packed

We think we have all the guides and maps. We hope the bikes are serviced and ready to go. The packing and kit are still being fine tuned, although the webcam pictures of snow in Oberalp did make us rethink on the warm clothing front. 
We will leave Monday 20 May, cycling to Carlisle and then train to Newcastle. We stay overnight in Newcastle before cycling to Tynemouth for the ferry to Holland. From Amsterdam we get the Night Train to Zurich, local train to Andermatt and then on Friday off we go.

Bikes on trains: Transpennine Trains are happy to take bikes  but you cannot book a bike place, and they operate a first come system, which is fine unless one has a ferry to catch. They also say they limit the bikes to 2 per train. This is why the Parkins are meeting us in Newcastle, they are travelling on a different train. We decided that, by travelling the day before the ferry, we won't be pressured by time. One day the train companies will follow Europe and realise the better the facilities for cyclists, the more custom they get.

We are all looking forward to setting off now. Attempting to minimise the number of electronic gadgets, chargers etc that we carry. 3 kindles weigh less than one hefty tome.