Alex's Historical Fiction

The Tank

We asked for a medium-sized car but were given an upgrade (i.e. it's all they had left when the dp finally got to the car hire place) We got a Kia Sedona MPV. It was huge (hence 'The Tank') and they took out one set of seats, which still left four and plenty of 'boot' space. So it was a big car, but I still had my moments with cars coming at us from the left! Probably my favourite hired car, and the most useful for re-enactors was, the Citroen Xsara - plenty of room for the kit, and the tent poles! Unfortunately, you get what you're given with hired cars, only having a choice of size - small, medium or large.

We fried at Arbeia. Most unexpected, as on the previous three occasions we've been up there, it's rained. So they do have sun up in South Shields :-) As well as a good infantry turn-out, we had three riders/horses with us; there'll be some photos later. My highlight was being up on the reconstructed fort walls and attempting to defend from 'attacking' troops. Cue loosing arrows (I got to use a recurve bow, and have the bow-slap bruises to prove it), throwing javelins, tossing plumbata (weighted darts), and when the soldiers had crawled through the two ditches, chucking cabbages and a bucket of ... water. Great fun!

posted by Alex Bordessa @ Monday, June 27, 2005