Rumours abound in touring. Over the years I've shared a cockpit with Scots and Irishmen and Finns and Norwegians, Swedes and Aussies, Brits and French, Russians and Uzbek's, Romanians, Belgians, South Africans, Americans...no doubt forgetting a few, as the company fills posts with whomever has the experience and endorsements to satisfy customer requirements, irrespective of nationality. I have to admit, the varying perspectives are almost as intriguing as the exotic locales. Lasting friendships without borders are forged over shared experiences and airborne adventures, but these offshore contracts are generally short term affairs, and your new found mates spread across the globe to enviable, as well as some very unenviable, contracts. One does one's best at staying in touch, and through this network you often hear rumblings about a new contract in some exotic sounding locale you'd REALLY like to visit. Pouring over google images and CIA's World Factbook, and letting one's imagination run wild, is an enjoyable past time for most of us touring nuts. But many of the rumours are just that, some are proposed contracts that never materialize, and some, we just don't win the bid. Some.....well, they send someone else. We sign on, agreeing to go where required, within reason, as there are limits to the risk one is willing to accept. Some will gladly fly military personnel to forward operating bases in Afghanistan or ride in armed convoys to and from work through the slums of Nigeria, for the financial incentives are quite attractive. For myself, it's the opportunity to travel and experience the world, with far more intimacy than visiting these places as a tourist would allow. I'm quite content to stay on in East Africa....but there's some very interesting rumours cropping up.....
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