Did you hear about the archaeologists who got themselves thoroughly confused doing surveys down there ?
They kept finding square corners. Just corners with wee bits of wall/ trench.
Thing is square corners = Roman, and this was a *lot* of corners
Turns out that Roman squaddies had to practice building their temporary camps, and this was where they were taught to get the corners right
Somethings don't change.
My first rucksack was a green canvas pack with a brute of a steel frame. I was so glad to get one of those Cobmaster ones with the Aluminium frames........except it was bright orange
Well, it was the seventies
It was a disaster at keeping kit dry too.
I miss the smell of the parafin and meths we used in the Tilley's. I still like the smell of warm parafin. It just smells of comfort to me.
Oilskin, there's another smell from the past. We used it as the waterproof layer under our blankets in the pre closed cell foam mat days. Had to hollow out the ground for hips and shoulders to get comfortable enough to sleep. Fine shingle was okay, so was machair, but woods full of tree roots were a pain.
And tarry twine
Used for everything that needed secured. Still smells like the stockholm tar they use in the boatyard
Mildew, every canvas tent had a kind of foosty smell to it, even the ones that we really did look after. Hot sunshine kind of added a cooked overtone to the smell inside the tents.
Me ? I'm glad we have mats and lightweight packs, even lighter weight tents and tarps, paracord and cat stoves,sporks and Ti mugs
The scents are missing though, kind of soulless
cheers,
Toddy
