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Tuesday 6 November 2012

Crisis, What Crisis!

Last Friday morning saw me and a chum set off on a big silver bird (white and orange actually) and then a fire breathing dragon (read smokey red and yellow) to the Belgian city of Antwerp to attend Crisis 2012, the biggest and best continental wargames show this side of the Atlantic.

By teatime we were in the hotel bar chatting with a few traders and also a few wargamers then heading off on a downtown wander terminated by a superb Italian meal followed by a few more beers back at the hotel.

All on schedule so far until Saturday morning when I was unable to lift my head off the pillow. All the symptoms of the dreaded 'flu' were apparant as my chum set off to Crisis alone while in due course I demolished half a dozen paracetamols in the vague hope of getting there before close of play.

I did manage a brief afternoon attendance doing a zombie impersonation and everyone who knew me agreed that I didn't look at all well. A few minutes of rare clarity saw Dave Ryan of Caliver Books trade £50 against three Wargamers Annuals (more of them later) and another trader supplied a box of plastic bits which I expect to become some of my Panzer Grenadiers transports.

I finally found my chum and we set off back to the hotel. We were unable to attend the evening buffet, one of the show highlights, as the earlier zombie resemblence reappeared.

Sunday produced a day largely confined to the hotel room although I managed to follow the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in a choice of French, German, Dutch and English. Sunday also confirmed that all pharmacies and chemists were closed so my chum and I resorted to a short evening of an alcohol remedial therapy.

By Monday morning I had resumed a sufficiently human appearance to go off in search of the red and yellow dragon and then the big silver bird.

Disclaimer:

No Dragons, Birds or Welshmen were harmed during the research of this tale.


9 comments:

  1. Hope you are feeling better now.

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  2. Jim,

    Sorry to hear that you have not been well. I hope that you are now well on your way to getting better.

    I must admit that I am very tempted to visit 'Crisis' one year. I have heard great things about it, and it is not so far away that it would be difficult to get to.

    All the best,

    Bob

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    Replies
    1. I am on the way to what I consider normal Bob. An adequate supply of paracetamol has helped and I've just managed to eat a proper meal this evening.

      I have also just built an Armourfast Hanomag 251 so my eyesight and eye-hand co-ordination is improving.

      Crisis is a great show. I just wish I had been able to take some photographs to illustrate but unfortunately I dared not to open my camera case.

      Antwerp is a good tourist venue too! Your good lady would enjoy it!

      Many thanks for your kind words.

      Jim

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  3. Oh man, I'm so sorry to hear you were so sick for such an event. That's adding insult to injury. Good to hear that you are on the mend though. Here's to a quick recovery and better luck next time!

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    Replies
    1. Hi FB

      It certainly wasn't part of the plan to stay in the hotel as much as I did.

      Being an 'older' wargamer with a heart problem and asthma I took up the standard offer of a 'flu' jab the weekend before.

      'You can't catch flu from the flu jab' says the posters in the doctors surgery. I wonder what it was then since I had the screaming headache, a chesty cough, hot and cold flushes, the sweats, upset stomach, no appetite and absolutely no energy.

      I had my lung capacity checked at the same time as the jab, peak flow they call it and I scored just under 600 which is just about normal for someone of my gender and build. My blood pressure was pretty good too. The nurse said I was in good health all things considered.

      Maybe it was 'airline flu'!

      I am feeling a lot better this morning (Wednesday) which is good as I plan to drive north at the weekend to the next show on the list, TARGE in Kirriemuir. It would be disappointing to miss it.

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    2. One of my other chums (just wait till I see him) says that I have Chalara Fraxinea.

      If I was an Ash tree I would be worried but I really think I am a Scots Pine.

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  4. There are some pictures from Crisis at:

    http://www.aldegarde.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/crisis-2012-is-over.html

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  5. And some more pictures here:

    http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,6357.0.html

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