18 replies to this topic

[zencat]

So where do we think "Erewhon" -- the terrorist trainig camp where Bond is sent in Role of Honor -- is located? Gardner never says, and Bond never knows. In the end, M says "the Israelis have located it," but leaves it at that.

Clues are that it's sandy with a mix of low hills pitted with rock, and crests running several hundred feet with ragged outcrops. It's high above sea level. It's also "warm, but clear. Rare."

It's also somewhere a massive terrorist training camp, complete with airplane cockpits, can exist with any problem.

Could it be Afghanistan?

[Single-O-Seven]

Clearly, somewhere in northern Wales, on Cardiff Bay. Or on an island off the coast of Spain. Or at the end of a tunnel leading to an autoroute into London.

[Righty007]

My guess is either Afghanistan or Iran. The Iran hostage crisis had ended only a few years earlier so that country was probably very fresh in Gardner's mind at the time.

[zencat]

Or Syria?

[Trident]

Or Syria?

Yes, always suspected it somewhere around close to Israel. Syria, Lebanon, Jordan. Iran, Iraq or Afghanistan would be too far away for 80's Israel to come up with the location earlier than, say, the US.

[Bryce (003)]

So where do we think "Erewhon" -- the terrorist trainig camp where Bond is sent in Role of Honor -- is located? Gardner never says, and Bond never knows. In the end, M says "the Israelis have located it," but leaves it at that.

Clues are that it's sandy with a mix of low hills pitted with rock, and crests running several hundred feet with ragged outcrops. It's high above sea level. It's also "warm, but clear. Rare."

It's also somewhere a massive terrorist training camp, complete with airplane cockpits, can exist with any problem.

Could it be Afghanistan?

No. It's similar to the infamous "Camp X" in Canada.

Northwestern Lybia. The Red Brigade ran camps out of there in the early/mid eighties. By the 90's they had sat-shielded camo bunkers and knew when the NSA/CIA sats passed and what time of day they passed.

As to my knowledge of this - DA-DT. No...

REALLY.

[Righty007]

Could be Jordan.

[Jim]

Clearly, somewhere in northern Wales, on Cardiff Bay.

SPECTRE being so evil they moved Cardiff to North Wales. As if Rhyl wasn't bad enough already.

As to the question - I always assumed the Middle East "somewhere".

[Double-Oh Agent]

For some reason I'd always assumed it was in North Africa like say Libya or Egypt.

[zencat]

Northwestern Lybia. The Red Brigade ran camps out of there in the early/mid eighties. By the 90's they had sat-shielded camo bunkers and knew when the NSA/CIA sats passed and what time of day they passed.

Libya. Yes, that very well could be. Remember Gaddafi and all that? Very much on the radar in the '80s (at least in the U.S.) as the hotbed of terrorism.

[marktmurphy]

Just next door to The Village.

[Bryce (003)]

Just next door to The Village.

LOL! Yes...Bond was Number 7. Cheers on that MTM.

Libya. Yes, that very well could be. Remember Gaddafi and all that? Very much on the radar in the '80s (at least in the U.S.) as the hotbed of terrorism.

A few people that are "in the know" from that era tipped me off.

[Head of S]

Erewhon is Nowhere.

[zencat]

OMG, you're right. How did I not see that?

[Jeff007]

You'll have to re-read Double or Die for some cryptic clues help.

[marktmurphy]

Blimey; tell me you're joking, John!

[zencat]

I'm not. I honestly didn't see that. But I'm terrible with puzzles and word play, etc. My brain just doesn't work that way. I'm simple.

[marktmurphy]

Oh no! I'm like that a bit too, though: I can't play scrabble for the life of me.

[Single-O-Seven]

Where was Butler's Erewhon? Maybe that will be the answer...