The question “Is it a life experience?” has launched us into some amazing cultural exchanges such as volunteering in Tanzania, floating in a canoe down the Amazon, snorkeling in Alaska and walking among the wonderful creatures on the Galapagos Islands.
After the wonderful Vindolanda experience we headed off on the last 10 km of our Hadrian's wall walk. Past 14th century castles made from plundered stones from the wall (as are most of the farm houses in the area!). The skies were amazing. Looking in from of us at the castle... blue skies, behind us thunderous rain clouds!
Vindolanda is still being excavated and they estimate that it will take another 50 years to complete. What was incredible was that they found an altar while we were there... thrilling stuff. Felt really enthusiastic about volunteering and then the next gust of wind and rain came through!
A fantastic morning here. This Roman Fort was founded about 90AD. There have been some amazing finds here including the Vindolanda tablets. These were found mainly in a waterlogged rubbish heap at the corner of the commander's house in the pre-Hadrianic fort. The vast majority of them date from the period AD 97-103. More have been recovered from other parts of the site since. In all, there are over 400 tablets, made from thinly cut slivers of wood between one and three mm thick, about the size of a modern postcard, on which the correspondent wrote in ink before folding the leaf in half and writing the address on the back.
Stunning scenery, lonesome sheep, glorious flowers and lovely hopeful handmade signs which promised tea and cakes. At the end of our second day, we dripped into the Twice Brewed pub. Why twice brewed? One theory is that on the eve of the Battle of Hexham in 1464, Yorkist foot soldiers demanded their beer be brewed again because it lacked its usual fighting strength. The ploy worked – the opposing Duke of Somerset’s Lancastrian army fled after an early morning raid... who knows?
Our host for the evening picked us upfrom the pub...300yds from the official pick up point. She bounced into the pub...obviously unhappy at this inconvenience. She chatted with everyone else in the pub and then roughly told us to hop in the car.We had bought a bottle of wine which evoked a severe reminder (not that we had ever been told) that corkage was due as the hotel was licensed and she had staff to pay!
Our walk from Chollerford took us to Housesteads Fort. Just mind boggling. Housesteads is the most complete Roman fort in Britain.http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/launch_vt_housesteads.shtml. 800 soldiers lived there and the technology was fantastic. Central heating in AD122!.
At the end of the first day of forts, walls and walks we were grateful to arrive at Halls Barn... the B & B who didn't do choice! Huge salmon steaks for dinner...great if you love salmon (as I do!) but poor old Roger had a veggie dinner! As for lunch the next day, our host's eyes rolled as we asked what choice did we have? 
