zodiac76
I'm visiting Europe this summer with my family (2 adults, 4 children between ages 4 and 16). I'm not sure whether we should rent an RV and drive through Europe at our own pace, or buy a guided tour package (30 days) that is at a faster pace but includes hotel stays and transportation.
We are planning on visiting the Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Spain and Switzerland. We have a span of 3 months to do all of this, if we rent an RV.
Any advice from past travelers to Europe? or from anyone who has travelled in an RV. I'm not sure how the bathroom situation would turn out, RV bathrooms have always looked a bit cramped to me.
Answer
Advice is
limit the countries you wish to visit a bit more, and take a camping package.
You will find it difficult with a large family over that period of time in an RV.
Take a look at www.europcamp.com and hire something like a Ford galaxy
There are other companies that provide ready erected tents on some superb campsites.
I would leave greece out and instead think about Switzerland, France and Spain.
read up on places to visit
For Switzeralnd have a look at a campsite called camping Jungfrau at a place called Lauterbrunnen.( spectacular )
For france there is a reasonable campsite at a place called l'escalet near St tropez/cavalaire.
For Spain i would reccomend the Costa brava.
say around tossa de mar
Much though depends on where you wish to stay and what you wish to do.
Advice is
limit the countries you wish to visit a bit more, and take a camping package.
You will find it difficult with a large family over that period of time in an RV.
Take a look at www.europcamp.com and hire something like a Ford galaxy
There are other companies that provide ready erected tents on some superb campsites.
I would leave greece out and instead think about Switzerland, France and Spain.
read up on places to visit
For Switzeralnd have a look at a campsite called camping Jungfrau at a place called Lauterbrunnen.( spectacular )
For france there is a reasonable campsite at a place called l'escalet near St tropez/cavalaire.
For Spain i would reccomend the Costa brava.
say around tossa de mar
Much though depends on where you wish to stay and what you wish to do.
what was the life of a soldier like during the reign of julius caesar ?
noth
Answer
The average soldier's life was hard, but no harder than most people's. In the legions you did two things when you were not in combat. The first was to train. Like modern soldiers, you trained to keep up your skills with your weapons, and you trained to march in formation, and how to move from one formation to another quickly. The training weapons were usually weighted, so that when you used your real weapons and shield they would feel lighter.
The other big use for the legions was actually building. Military engineers would use the legions as manpower to build roads, bridges, or walls, whatever work had to be done. This kept the soldiers fit while being economical. Legionaries also built their camps. Even if stopping for a single night, legions were expected to build a basic camp, This would includes a small moat or ditch, about 6 or 8 feet deep. The dirt would be used to build a small wall inside of the ditch, with openings at certain points. Each soldier carried wooden spikes used to line the ditches and walls. The camps were always laid out the same way, with the commander's tent and supplies towards the center, and the legionaries tents set up in neat rows. Even in the dark a legion was expected to be able to set up the camp within a couple of hours, and because the layout was the same, know their way about.
When legions stayed in place longer, they would broaden the defenses and widen the camp. Many of these camps would become towns or even cities, as the legions were permanently camped there. While legionaries were not allowed to marry, most would end up with common law wives living just outside the camps. Unlike many other armies through history, the Romans discouraged camp followers, since they slowed down legion movements.
The food was plain but plentiful, barley or wheat to make bread, vegetables, cheese, and wine would be part of the meals, with meat only eaten a couple of days a week Legionaries loved to gamble, and dicing was popular. Legionaries also had their favorite gods, and often built small shrines to the gods they believed watched over them. The legion's banners and eagle were also semi-sacred, and to lose them in battle was to lose honor and suffer humiliation.
when it came time to campaign, legionaries would be expected to carry full kits, plus shared equipment (cooking utensils, tools, tents, and other items shared by those in the same tent), and their weapons. When possible extra items would be put into a baggage train, but if speed was needed they would march with basic equipment and let the rest catch up. A Roman legion could march up to 20 miles a day, day after day in good conditions. Which is a good pace even for calvary, but the legions were mostly heavy infantry.
Once in combat, the legions were usually drawn up in three lines, with the most seasoned veterans in back. These lines could shift formations as needed, closing up or spreading out to hold more ground. Once a battle was won, legionaries would be expected to turn in loot to be shared out to everyone later. This included prisoners, who would be sold as slaves. The money would then be split among the troopers.
Roman officers usually were mounted, but did not fight as calvary. The Romans preferred to hire auxiliaries from allied tribes who were better horsemen. Officers might have a slave or two to assist them, but most legionaries were expected to take care of their clothes, their armor and equipment, and their daily needs themselves. Those that survived their 20 year enlistments could expect to be granted a plot of land and full citizenship, though in Caesar's time this was one of the issues causing problems in Rome. There was no land available left in Italy for such retirements, and the rich large land overs were not about to forfeit land for that purpose. So the land might be in one of the more recently defeated provinces, and the retired legionaries would help serve as a type of militia on the frontier.
The average soldier's life was hard, but no harder than most people's. In the legions you did two things when you were not in combat. The first was to train. Like modern soldiers, you trained to keep up your skills with your weapons, and you trained to march in formation, and how to move from one formation to another quickly. The training weapons were usually weighted, so that when you used your real weapons and shield they would feel lighter.
The other big use for the legions was actually building. Military engineers would use the legions as manpower to build roads, bridges, or walls, whatever work had to be done. This kept the soldiers fit while being economical. Legionaries also built their camps. Even if stopping for a single night, legions were expected to build a basic camp, This would includes a small moat or ditch, about 6 or 8 feet deep. The dirt would be used to build a small wall inside of the ditch, with openings at certain points. Each soldier carried wooden spikes used to line the ditches and walls. The camps were always laid out the same way, with the commander's tent and supplies towards the center, and the legionaries tents set up in neat rows. Even in the dark a legion was expected to be able to set up the camp within a couple of hours, and because the layout was the same, know their way about.
When legions stayed in place longer, they would broaden the defenses and widen the camp. Many of these camps would become towns or even cities, as the legions were permanently camped there. While legionaries were not allowed to marry, most would end up with common law wives living just outside the camps. Unlike many other armies through history, the Romans discouraged camp followers, since they slowed down legion movements.
The food was plain but plentiful, barley or wheat to make bread, vegetables, cheese, and wine would be part of the meals, with meat only eaten a couple of days a week Legionaries loved to gamble, and dicing was popular. Legionaries also had their favorite gods, and often built small shrines to the gods they believed watched over them. The legion's banners and eagle were also semi-sacred, and to lose them in battle was to lose honor and suffer humiliation.
when it came time to campaign, legionaries would be expected to carry full kits, plus shared equipment (cooking utensils, tools, tents, and other items shared by those in the same tent), and their weapons. When possible extra items would be put into a baggage train, but if speed was needed they would march with basic equipment and let the rest catch up. A Roman legion could march up to 20 miles a day, day after day in good conditions. Which is a good pace even for calvary, but the legions were mostly heavy infantry.
Once in combat, the legions were usually drawn up in three lines, with the most seasoned veterans in back. These lines could shift formations as needed, closing up or spreading out to hold more ground. Once a battle was won, legionaries would be expected to turn in loot to be shared out to everyone later. This included prisoners, who would be sold as slaves. The money would then be split among the troopers.
Roman officers usually were mounted, but did not fight as calvary. The Romans preferred to hire auxiliaries from allied tribes who were better horsemen. Officers might have a slave or two to assist them, but most legionaries were expected to take care of their clothes, their armor and equipment, and their daily needs themselves. Those that survived their 20 year enlistments could expect to be granted a plot of land and full citizenship, though in Caesar's time this was one of the issues causing problems in Rome. There was no land available left in Italy for such retirements, and the rich large land overs were not about to forfeit land for that purpose. So the land might be in one of the more recently defeated provinces, and the retired legionaries would help serve as a type of militia on the frontier.
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