R&R

Thumbnail image for The Gander Airport blues

The Gander Airport blues

People

For some obscure reason, we got into a dustup that night with someone who didn’t take kindly to mainlanders. We already knew that we couldn’t sit in the bar after hours without an international ticket, so I headed out in the blackest night across the tarmac to the helicopter to collect the journey log.

Thumbnail image for A third helicopter arrives in Djibouti

A third helicopter arrives in Djibouti

Africa

Air France unloaded C-GOEB from the belly of its 747 at the Djibouti airport on the Gulf of Aden. Days later, once a u/s fuel control was flown in and replaced, the helicopter was flown overland to our camp.

Thumbnail image for Mad Mullahs and American oil companies

Mad Mullahs and American oil companies

Africa

European/British interference in Somalia has been replaced by a modern America, whose foreign policy is entirely based on oil availability for their now-faltering economy.

Thumbnail image for Ass-kicking not allowed

Ass-kicking not allowed

Africa

We had been down in Mog on an R&R for four or five days. When we returned to camp we learned that one of Conoco’s agents, had been removed from the camp and sent packing.

Thumbnail image for R&R Indian Ocean

R&R Indian Ocean

Africa

Occasionally we’d get a day off to relax around the base camp. Some of us would congregate in the mess tent and shoot the breeze or tell lies to pass the time. Rarely, we would fly the 90 miles to the Indian Ocean on a beach excursion.

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