Yeah - the U.S. wanted to save money on the military, got rid of all but the "fighting man" (or woman), and the rest are contractors, paid for at way over-inflated prices by the U.S. taxpayer (me).

I want to scream whenever I read one of these - I'll be paying for your trip, and all the other contractors trips - for a long time.

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

No need for screaming.

I've also paid extortionate amounts of tax in my career, and feel I have earned the money. I've taken very little from my country, and think I have given quite a lot back.

The money is there for anyone who is willing to go and get it. I don't set the wages, besdes, anyone who would go out there for pennies needs their head examining (imo).

Should anyone who has been in the employment of any government be denied the right to spend their hard earned cash in the best way they see fit, just because of its origin? Where does that stop, can civil servants or regular soldiers spend it how they see fit? Can binmen and local councillers?

I also worked for the Brits, so no Yank tax dollars have directly funded my trips, if that is any consolation.

Joel

I do enjoy your little rants !!!

Hows the road treating you in deapest darkest Africa ??

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

bored,bored,bored ! i have spent years dreaming about going off on my big trip , worked hard just paid off the mortgage , with plan,s to sell up and ride off into the sunset with not a care in the world , and what happen,s ? the bloody credit crunch / recession , nobody is buying and i am stuck here until somebody buy,s my place ! AAARRRGGGHHH , i will say it again ..AAAARRRGGGHHH ! let me outta here !

Hi up there in Glasgow. Why not just do a smaller trip? There's no need for it to be the biggest, but all trips can hit the spot. Mondo Enduro's moto is reputedly, " Time spent planning is time wasted". Linzi.

I'm not a big spender and never have been, with the result that I've never been in debt other than the occasional use of my overdraft when an invoice gets paid late. So now I have some savings, but also a relationship where, while I could just go and he'd still be here when I get back, I don't want to just go and do my thing leaving him to work and pay off his debts.

So... I'm investing in his career change: he also wants to be a private contractor, but in landmine clearance. He's been saving for the course, I'm making up the shortfall so it happens sooner rather than later (bit of a dent to his manly pride there!!). Then, if all goes well, he goes off and earns lots of money in stints of a few months at a time. I get to spend that money

We're both very independent, so while he's off doing his thing I'll be doing mine, then when his contracts end we spend a few months together before starting all over again. (whilst both technically British, we both grew up abroad, so don't particularly feel we have to base ourselves here)

So kind of a mix of lots of the options mentioned: investment, danger money, keeping the other half happy while you go off and play, and marrying the money! After all, if he's going to make me worry about how many limbs he has left I figure I deserve some travelling money to take my mind off it!

Mind you, if it weren't for him I'd probably be gone by now, always been tempted by just upping and leaving and sorting things out as you go along...

Laura

Since your partner will be going to "strange and exotic" places to ferret out mines, why not go along? Get hold of a bike, and explore the country your in while he's getting paid? Cambodia could use his help from my own experience there.
Maybe someone should train the locals in mine extraction
instead of hiring overpaid foreigners to do a job they could do better themselves? :confused1:

The so called "experts" we met (Brits, btw) there had "native" workers actually getting in up close and personal with the munitions, while they stood back the barked orders

I was in Cambodia filming in the early 90's, at one point we were very near the Angor Wat ruin .... which was shut due to ..... MINES. Some Russians (technical Advisors) had been blown up a few days before around the ruin.

We used a lesser site for our stand up piece and went back to Phenom Phen
and drank with our minders.

What a great country to bike around! I was stuck in a UNICEF Landcruiser most of the time.

Patrick
"No Sound Too Big"

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Also an option - I thought of setting myself a challenge, no matter where he's sent in the world I have to ride there before the contract runs out! Balkans, easy, Cambodia, hope it's a longer one! Kind of like a permanent treasure hunt...

Re use of foreigners vs locals, I think it depends where you go - the training he's off to do is in Kenya, and run by the Kenyan army, so that's a reverse situation. Problem is that training in disposal requires using explosives, so it's expensive, where training to find them doesn't, so isn't - hence why foreigners can pay their own money to train in disposal, which locals often can't afford, and charities feel they're helping out by getting locals trained to find the things. Far from ideal I agree. Although apparently now they use rats in some places, cos the rats can smell them!!

Linzi will send you a PM with the places the boyfriend found for info on it.

Laura

Update: This plan only works if the bastard doesn't dump you once he's taken the money and done the training.



Yeah OK maybe that was an obvious flaw.

But hey, on the flip side, I've just done 14000 miles and 4 months in Europe for about £3500 excluding the bike (but I get to keep or sell that), I'm back for 6 weeks then off to Indonesia getting paid to work for Rough Guides, then back for 5 weeks before spending Xmas working for my little sister who's a zoologist in Botswana.



Moral of the story: work with what you've got rather than focusing on what you think you should have, learn to stand on your own 2 feet and pick yourself up no matter what happens (that's literally as well as figuratively, 65kg me vs 250kg bike on its side...), and things will sort themselves out.

Laura

Wise words Laura ..

Please let us know how you got on in Indonesia .. as this country is on my 'optional' list.

Thanks




.

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Right Way Round ...

Home prices here have dropped about 15% or more in the last year. But RENTS are UP. Could you rent your place out? This would provide steady income while you are on the road.

I would wait this thing out before selling. It will be AT LEAST a five year long
depression. (it's way beyond a recession now). Europe may be hit harder than the USA. Good time to leave.

Best,

Patrick

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Hi Luara, bad joke on land mine clearing. Sorry. Can you tell me anything about this as employment please? I am ex military but difinitely not after danger for the sake of it, only fishing for any ways of making money. Thanks, Linzi.

That would make sense if only i had not spent my last penny paying off the mortgage ! i was counting on the sale of my house to cover the cost of the carnet . also you are quite right about this depression lasting for about five years . at 43 i feel that it,s now or never , especialy since a mate of mine who was only two years older than me ,recently dropped dead from a massive heart attack !!! . i am not going to wait another few year,s . I guess that i should not complain too much , when many people are struggling to keep a roof over them and their families head,s . oh well ! back to watching the horizons unlimited dvd ... the acheivable dream ... i have most of it memorised by now . back to dreaming ...