The bulbs usually form roots pretty quickly,but you should be fine just make sur you fill with water before you go.You don't have to put place it in a lighter area until you see green coming sprouting out the top.

I had not seen your question until today. Generally, once you plant bulbs, you don't have to worry about watering for the first few weeks. You water them after planting; and then leave them in a cool, dark place. They store enough water to take care of themselves, unless left in a hot, dry place; of course. You gradually bring them out to the light when they have about 2 inches of green peeping through the soil. Again, keep the temperatures low, and do not expose them to direct light or hot sun. Only after they start to show bloom do you put them in brighter light.

You call them forcing bulbs, but all that means is that they are specially prepared to hurry up their wintering period in order to get them to bloom sooner. It depends upon what type of bulbs they are; daffodils and hyacinths need very different care.

Are they hyacinths? I've done those in water, like you said it's pretty cool. The first week should be fine. It takes a bit till they really start sucking up the water, the roots have to grow a little bit.

I don't remember this exactly but I think a couple of weeks in the dark and cool while the roots grow and the top begins to sprout. Let the top grow out a bit before you bring it out of the dark. If I remember correctly as soon as the sprouts get light the blooms start to open -what I mean by this is that if the flowers aren't up and out they will bloom way down in the bulb and look all "choked up" down in there.

Indeed, if they are hyacinths they need to barely touch the waterline. But a couple of weeks is not near enough to keep them in the dark. They need to stay there until about 2 inches of growth comes up. Hyacinths take the longest of all the bulbs to appear, and need the coldest and darkest conditions.