Moving a large amount of kit can be one of the more frustrating parts of reenacting, especially when traveling overseas. You need to pay or find ways around high transport costs, while packaging everything securely.
Airline regulations are varied, but most charge regular or oversized baggage fees according to the number of linear or dimensional inches (length plus width plus depth). Expect to pay surcharges in the area of $100 for large shields and long spears. A gorytos with a modicum of flexibility can be crammed into your suitcase. US Airways requires items to be packaged in hard-sided cases (I've found that a rifle case works best for a recurved bow and arrows, and can hold sidearms as well; US Air doesn't consider this oversized). American Airlines doesn't have such a requirement, but does set an upper limit of 75 inches in length which should be just barely enough for a 6-foot spear. United Airlines requires documentation for weapons, but does have a separate cargo service and special hard-sided boxes in very large sizes for an extra charge.
Shelley Powers of Hoplologia informs me that rather than checking their spears and shields as airline baggage, the Plataians got theirs to Marathon 2011 by commercial shippers, which is viable for large groups. She (and Ashley Holt of the Hoplites Association) also recommended plastic pipes for spears. Shields were packed in bicycle boxes.
Since your kit will take up so much room, travel as lightly as possible otherwise. Bring only as many changes of clothes as you need, and travel-sized toiletries (don't forget mosquito repellent and sunblock). Wear a single jacket with plenty of pockets, and pick one pair of good walking shoes, with buckles or velcro so you can take them off quickly in the security check.
Your schedule will be busy and unpredictable, so eat well at breakfast and lunch. If you're not camping out, or not camping out for the entire event, I can personally recommend the Thomas Beach Hotel in Nea Makri, which is a short drive from Schinias Beach where Marathon 2011 was held.
Next up: A proposed rulebook for XMFM the reenactment group.
Showing posts with label luggage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label luggage. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Don't go without...
Update 12/10/13: This post contains information that is probably incorrect. Please see here.
You need at least two items to get along while in costume:
Drawstring bag
I don't know what ancient Persian luggage looked like, but as a stopgap measure you can use a simple drawstring bag. It should be big enough to hold your lunch, water, wallet, cell phone, watch, glasses, meds, a mini-first aid kit and any other small objects you think you'll need. Use soft leather or a heavy period fabric (a lining of finer fabric can help prevent objects bulging or poking through if the outer shell is a loose weave).
At Marathon I used a jute burlap bag with a long drawstring that could be worn over the shoulder. I found the jute shed far too much and the cord was pretty uncomfortable. I'm preparing to experiment with linen burlap (rug backing). Possibly cutting out the section of the cord that actually goes over the shoulder and replacing it with a section of wide leather strap or fabric belting would make wearing it more tolerable.
You may, alternately, wish to keep a few things like your phone in a small bag (pocket) tied to your belt.
Water bottle
Some groups allow members to drink from modern bottles covered in a tight-fitting drawstring leather bag. Others prefer that you use a waxed leather bottle. These are readily available, for a hefty price, but are fairly easy to make yourself - see here for detailed instructions.
A few notes on leather bottles: Make the smallest stitch holes you can still get the needle through, to reduce the chance of leakage. You don't need a double boiler; a stainless steel bucket on a steaming rack in a pot of water works too. You do need a massive amount of wax. To save money, I used non-food-grade paraffin from a nearby candlemakers' supplier. No idea if this is safe, but it hasn't made me sick yet. Last but not least, keep your bottle out of the sun - you don't want the wax around the seams to melt.
Next up: Chapter review!
You need at least two items to get along while in costume:
Drawstring bag
I don't know what ancient Persian luggage looked like, but as a stopgap measure you can use a simple drawstring bag. It should be big enough to hold your lunch, water, wallet, cell phone, watch, glasses, meds, a mini-first aid kit and any other small objects you think you'll need. Use soft leather or a heavy period fabric (a lining of finer fabric can help prevent objects bulging or poking through if the outer shell is a loose weave).
At Marathon I used a jute burlap bag with a long drawstring that could be worn over the shoulder. I found the jute shed far too much and the cord was pretty uncomfortable. I'm preparing to experiment with linen burlap (rug backing). Possibly cutting out the section of the cord that actually goes over the shoulder and replacing it with a section of wide leather strap or fabric belting would make wearing it more tolerable.
You may, alternately, wish to keep a few things like your phone in a small bag (pocket) tied to your belt.
Water bottle
Some groups allow members to drink from modern bottles covered in a tight-fitting drawstring leather bag. Others prefer that you use a waxed leather bottle. These are readily available, for a hefty price, but are fairly easy to make yourself - see here for detailed instructions.
A few notes on leather bottles: Make the smallest stitch holes you can still get the needle through, to reduce the chance of leakage. You don't need a double boiler; a stainless steel bucket on a steaming rack in a pot of water works too. You do need a massive amount of wax. To save money, I used non-food-grade paraffin from a nearby candlemakers' supplier. No idea if this is safe, but it hasn't made me sick yet. Last but not least, keep your bottle out of the sun - you don't want the wax around the seams to melt.
Next up: Chapter review!
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