Because the Skylands were so much further to the north than Horsmarlonerpool, at least a three hour express train journey, the summer days were very long, and the winter days were very short.

In fact, the days right in the middle of summer were so long that it was still light until nearly midnight, and then only dark for three and a half hours before the sun would come up again.

And the people of the Skylands knew that they were so lucky to have these special summer days, that on mid-summer’s night, they celebrated it in the most wonderful way possible. Captain Hercule would fly into the town of Marbleglow in his gigantic zeppelin - a floating airship as long as a skyscraper is tall - a huge balloon-like structure the shape of a marrow. And below it, a large set of rooms and cabins for people to ride in.