Sushi on Zil's Planet

[Yet another dioxin-emitting extract from Spacefall's LiveJournal]


One sunny afternoon, Fearless Leader Ruth and I went to explore Zil's planet (a Japanese garden, now restored to its pre-B7 function.) We collaborated on a sushi lunch and set out by train to Mertsham . . .



Ruth eating
FL Ruth tucks into the vegan sushi.


Alighting, we found ourselves in some kind of time warp, surrounded by 1970s bunting and frightening mock tudor houses. I almost passed out at the sight of an immaculate 10cm grass border on the far side of the pavement. Disturbing stuff. Fortunately it was on, on, on to Gatton and we set off quickly across the North Downs way.


Spacefall with a banana on her head!
Zil!Spacefall lurks in the bushes. Sadly our special effects budget didn't extend to make-up.

We passed a cricket club filled with earnest-looking young men, a golf course filled with frumpy-looking middle-aged men and finally a mixed-sex band of elderly hikers. After a quick wrong turning (detectors broken again) and directions from passing locals we finally arrived at the Royal Alexandra and Albert School. We swapped a few cryptic comments with the entry staff, then moved on to the garden itself.

The overgrown Japanese garden used in 'Trial' has been re-developed in recent years, with new landscaping and removal of several trees from the middle of the site. Some of the bamboo was removed and pond area restored, though the vegetation Blake struggled through is still around. We were disappointed by the total lack of aliens or glowing white eggs, but the local humans were friendly and knowledgeable about the garden's past.

Ruth in the bushes
Ruth retrieves an escaped teleport bracelet from the bushes. No wonder Blake got lost.



We stopped for sushi at a nearby teahouse, then spent a while re-creating Trial banana-fashion (look, improvisation is in the spirit of B7 special effects.) It's amazing how difficult it is to pose in the bamboo while balancing soft fruit on your head. We chased Ruth's teleport bracelet through the undergrowth for a while, and interrogated local gardeners about the garden's TV history (mainly Whovian.)

Ruth nibbles a banana
Feeling peckish, Fearless Leader tucks into poor Zil.

On our journey we met some interesting beings, including Deva!Dog, landscaping volunteers, and an ex-fireman working at the gardens who used to 'make rain' around Betchworth for programs like B7 and Dr Who. The man claimed that he always tried to get a bit of himself into the show (elbow, leg) and that he's visible in one Who ep. We heard a little about the episode of Dr Who filmed in the Japanese garden, and were told how the doctor had to fall into another pool on the site because the garden was so silted up. One woman who'd worked at the site for 30 years offered to look for information on B7's visit. Result!