West Africa – Would you/have you worked there?

[SpearROV]

Hang on 😯
I don’t like tea 😕

[T-Boy]

You rang ❓

I don’t like tea

Pooof 😉

[Savante]

ROVRat, the FPSO attack was in 2005/06 so quite a while ago now; I’m afraid the report I read was only posted up on the notice board and I don’t have an electronic copy.

[Andy Shiers]

Still , it goes to show it can happen 😯
How often do you get that here in the North Sea ?

[Anonymous]

Poison Fire

[Andy Shiers]

Black Gold 😀

[Anonymous]

Ah who can forget the joys of shopping in Sector A (real suburb name) Luanda, burnt out-rusting MPLA BMPs by the side of the road; or the view from Avenida Lenin through the transparent multi-storey Ministry of Justice building festooned with antennae to the un-completed Liberation Monument with its constantly un-attended tower crane.

Or sitting at a barbie with an ex-officer of an unnamed patrol that tried to gain Kabinda for the west but were rumbled by tip offs from all our friends in Virginia?

A $25USD entry tax with a laptop into Congo DRC Point Noire and the same to take it home and I honestly didn’t know that I was jeapordising the Congo IT industry!

Or getting off of an RSV at 0300 approaching the quayside in a RHIB through the blackened night and mist (nacht und nebel), climbing the pylons to the quayside laden with equipment, nearly tripping over the kipping watchman and regretting that you didn’t have a bayonet… 🙄

[MarsBar]

Hi norfolknchance2

What a hoot that job was eh? The Matresses went down OK eh? but they should never had left the system out there unmanned for all that time.

PS. The Dodgy Rolex only lasted for 2 days. 😕 lol

[MarsBar]

TEMA, Ghuna

Great run ashore but go out "Mob Handed". Going to any Bar at night is an experience not to be missed, but is for the more adventurous amongst you. Rats as big as Cats in ther Port area.

One major tip whilst in Africa is to go into the Bar and look around for the "best" looking Gal. (Tribal scars are a bonus), Sit her down next to you with a bear (about 30p a bottle) and nobody else with bother you all night. So if there are four of you out, have one at each corner!!! Its the only way to get a bear and conversation in.

Oh, a pomander is usefull, or fly spray!!

Angola

Great, but there are lots of Beggers after the war who are looking for hand-outs. I do understand, but as with Egypt, if you give to one you will be chased forever. Dont do it!!

Nigeria…. Naw.. Wont do Nigeria or anything with a "STAN" on the end of it!!! You want to DIE.. 😕

Pointe Noir The Congo.

Great run ashore. Avoid the Cassino unless you really do want to get chased. Flys everywhere and the hotels on town are the pits. We are talking Midnight Express here!!. Ones on the beach are OK though. Dont do on road trips for a look around cos you might not get home!! Dont buy anything offered, and watch where you eat!!

Kenya

Wonderfull, but they are fighting each other again!! Key word, "Jambo".
View from the top of Mt Kenya is fantastic, (they wern’t fighting just then).
The chemicals in Tusca beer make you ill. Dont drink any more than 10 bottles!!

Be safe out there!! lol 8)

[CheckoffsUglyRumor]

Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Some Extracts from the FCO page:
"We are unable to provide you with formal consular assistance in Ivory Coast." interpretted as we’ve run out of money so we chopped the Brit embassy and can’t even find enough money to pay s local to be Consul.

"Crime

There is a risk of crime in Abidjan, including violent crime, car-jackings, armed break-ins to private residences and hold-ups in the street. Weapons circulate freely."…so it’s got quite a bit in common with london and Manchester.

"If you are the victim of a robbery, co-operate with your assailants and give them what they want without hesitation. Keep your eyes down and do not make a lot of noise; you are less likely to be physically harmed."…and the local police are as effective as the UK crime squads.

"Avoid crossing the two bridges over the lagoon in Abidjan on foot, even in daylight hours"…now that I agree with. You get an AK47 poked through the window by the local Gendarme and need either your passport or a shore pass issued by the ship.

In reality a great place – bars of all sorts from a french cafe culture to a wild-west dancing and pole bar clubs. Beer is pricy in town (around 4 quid), but near the port it’s less than a quid a bottle.

Best bars & restaurants are in part of town called Zone 4 (Zone Quatre) and include "Havana"- best steak in Africa and Jimmy’s Bar for pool tables. Other places to visit are "Scotch Bar"… not a jockenese in sight, and "Garage D’Or". Sunday brunch at Wafou Hotel is good value and the pool is about the only one I’d risk swimming in.

Get a reliable taxi (with driver who has a mobile phone) and stick with the same guy throughout the visit. Get a local SIM for your phone 3000CFA (about £5) and a 5000 CFA top up card will last ages – certainly cheapest way to phone UK.

Always best to travel in 3’s or 4’s (especially in taxis)

[Salona]

Port Gentil – Gabon. Absolutely no probs at all. (so far!)

[Gamekeeper]

Congo – No probs
Angola – No probs
Ghana – No probs
Ivory Coast – No probs
Nigeria – No way

[Mongrel]

If you are considering working in Nigeria I found this excellent documentary on line:

http://current.com/items/77541711_rebels_in_the_pipeline

I understand the militants have declared war on the oil industry and are intent on causing as much trouble as possible. Judging by the documentary I think they might have a point!

😯

[Oldschool]

I understand the militants have declared war on the oil industry and are intent on causing as much trouble as possible. Judging by the documentary I think they might have a point!

King George II (a.k.a. US Pres. Bush) "officially" formed the US Africa Command via "Presidential Directive Decision" in 2007 and assembled a think tank in Germany to plan and launch the next "war" on terrorism (West AFRICA!). Current ground troops are mostly Mercs on US Govt. payroll (now there a job that pays well and provides all the ammo you can carry and guchiflage designer kevlar…LOL). A few USAF Combat Controllers and other special forces already in country and playin.

Today (October 1, 2008) is the "Official" here we are Africa…deal with us on a military scale lick-off/kick-off!

No combat skills to apply to BW, EO, etc? Uncle Sam will hire you and give you live fire on-the-job training as a civillian (low rent merc) so you can join in the playin with the well paid private sector in Africa:

http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=75611483&AVSDM=2008%2D09%2D10+07%3A03%3A55&Logo=0&q=africa+national+security&sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&customapplicant=15513,15514,15515,15669,15523,15512,15516,45575

Read for yourself that this new US Command was formed with 3 goals:

Secure all oil ports in West Africa, beat the Chinese competition for the oil/contain them to the east coast of Africa and a dellusion of grandeur plan of uniting all of the African Continent under a single "Africa One" central militarized government!

No BS…can you imagine ever getting 2 rival tribes to shake hands, bend over and grab their ankles for Uncle Sam 😯 …let alone every rival faction on the continent ❗

Research this for yourselves, starting with: http://www.africom.mil/

So, you are considering stepping into the midst of "Operation Next" for how much per day…LMAO! 😆

[Toni Morgan]

I was in Angola for 12 months. If the 9 hr flight to Luanda wasn’t enough you had to enjure another 3hrs or so for them to proccess your short term visa, incidentally you are only allowed to have 3 short term visa’s per passport. Security was ok but I get a bit nurvious when I see a teenager carrying an AK47.

At the end of the 27 year civil war, Angola was left with unemployed young soldiers and they recon arround 70% of Angolans still have there guns. So would I go back, I don’t think so. I hear Nigeria is a lot worse.

Good luck if you are going.

[Author]

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