I have considered going to England at some point, when I am financially independent, and spending a lot of time with the Steel Knot civil war re-creation groups. And I’ve also considered building a Viking longship in order to sail in the annual longship races they have across the North Sea these days. I could probably do it — I have enough timber. Getting the longship from New Zealand to the North Sea would be the fun bit. I’d probably try and sail it there.
The really unusual reaction to SCA is the people who look at you as if you’re completely mad — and they will sneak furtive glances at you, but when they’re walking directly past you they will act as if they can’t even see you. My interpretation is that we upset their world view so much they just don’t like to admit they’re seeing us.