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Up Topic Chit-Chat & Non-Welding Discussion / Off-Topic Bar and Grill / Georgia on my mind
- - By Superflux (****) Date 04-10-2013 07:19 Edited 04-10-2013 08:50
"Dee-la mshvee doh-bee-sa" (Good morning) fellow forum members.
So here I am having breakfast in Tbilisi, Georgia and checking out the view from the 10th floor dining room.
Wrong Georgia you Falcon Fans, this is 8 time zones and 6400 miles east of Atlanta.
I'll post pictures of the pipeline running through the Caucasus Mountains if I ever get through orientation and get on the R-O-W.
If you saw the Bond movie "The World is not Enough" where he gets in a Pig and is shot through a pipeline into Russia... That's my pipe...
This gig will not quite have the charm and amenities of a skanky tent in Afghannyland, eating Army chow, drinking burnt coffee, getting shot at and wondering if you're gonna get raped by some Whackanistan Marine on "Man Love Thursday's"... but somehow I'll endure this tour of duty.
Yeah, I like the Money, BUT! I LOVE my job!!! .... sometimes....
It really is not about the bucks, I took a Major cut in pay to come over here. Anyways, I was about to go Transporter and do some Van Damage on some of them sphincter drivers in Houston.
It has been said that "If you love what you do, you'll never have to work a day in your life", or something to that effect.
And it's true
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Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 04-11-2013 01:15
When you said Tbilisi I was wondering what part of Georgia that was in because it sure didn't sound like peachy Georgia!

Hey now, easy on the Marines! When the shyte gets deep, nothing finer than "Mother green and her killin' machine"!! Most of the prior service Marines I know one would be happy to be on his/her good side! Well, enjoy yourself over there! What do you have to do? Dig out the movie star and the pig that got stuck in the pipeline from the Bond movie? LOL!

From the two pictures you've posted looks like your going to have a hard time over their, sure you can handle it?
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 04-11-2013 05:29
Shawn,
My humblest apologies, the comment has not been properly interpreted from it's original meaning, and was NOT meant to offend any current or former member of "Mother Green and Her Killing Machine"! It certainly was NOT in reference to OUR US Marine Corps!
I had a memo a couple of years ago that had "named" a certain countries' marines (from the land of sand and proponents of the "Man Love Thursday Crowd" where women are for babies and boys are for fun!) that had been brought up on male on male gang rape sexual assault charges (hence the "Whackistan" marine....). Since there were never any convictions... sheet happens in a war zone ya know... I had received a memo that required me to secure armed escort if leaving the PAX Terminal or the company compound at night on certain bases. Having never been entered by a man, I AM a virgin by this definition and fully intend to maintain this status.
Now on the other hand, there are some VERY HOT women in uniform over in Asscanistan that would get no resistance from me if advances had been made.

Yep! your right, Sean Connery was hired to remake that movie and got stuck in a short radiused tube turn....
It is rehab work repairing landslide damage and various other anomalies. I brought my binoculars along for proper surveillance of the Hot Tapping activities :eek::eek:...
Right now I'm still waiting out the prehire game. BORING!!!
Working on my Georgian speak trying to learn a new word/phrase every day. I get sexier smiles from the local chicks when I try to speak to them in their native tongue:wink::wink:
It is a very difficult language to learn for the fact that it is unique unto itself and is one of only 12 "Original languages" on the planet. So there are NO common words to relate to for us English speaking folks.

Some how I shall endure the rigors of this assignment.
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 04-11-2013 11:17
No apologies needed John, heck I figured you were just joking around due to your experiences across the pond. :cool::cool:

Way back when I was in I learned that if a WM could make cammies look good then she was dynamite in street clothes!

Sounds like a pretty cool place. Seems like I've looked into it years ago for some strange reason. Looks like a gorgeous country though, mountains, black sea. In my experience I have found that when your out and about and trying to mingle with the locals trying to speak the lingo makes them think better of us dumb Americans. Besides that, in Japan I noticed that it helped when flirting with the ladies!!

Make sure to get some pics and let us know how Sean is doing!
Parent - By Superflux (****) Date 04-11-2013 12:06
I'll get out into the field one of these days. Right now it's an administrative waiting game.
I feel like a 30 y/o aspiring rock star living in his parent's basement... "I'm fully prepared to lay here on this couch until my big break comes along..."
Parent - - By swsweld (****) Date 04-11-2013 15:59
Hey John,
I'm glad you are liking your new 'home'. Thanks for the fair warning on the 'certain named country' and Thursday. I'm at a FOB that has 'that' countries soldiers here, it's a black out base and it's Thursday. I'll be staying in tonight!

Good luck with your new adventure and keep us posted.
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 04-14-2013 13:25 Edited 04-14-2013 14:02
So here I am once again across the pond near the border of "Where-the-hell-am-I-stan, and finally out on the job (8 days since arrival).
The horseman rides the ROW looking for illegal hot taps.
Tbilisi is above my right ear.
Migrant shepherd's ponies came down to join us for lunch.
So nice and green I expected Julie Andrews to come dancing by singing a line from "The Sound of Music"!
Other than that, just another pipeline, it's only a paycheck.
Any of you out there ever do the off shore GOM or North Slope rotations? It seems like a win/win situation. Steady money with a LOT of time off.
I've never had anything like this and the only downside is to manage the finances during the off times since the paycheck is intermittent.
We'll give'r a shot though and see what this is like.
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Parent - - By swsweld (****) Date 04-14-2013 15:12
Nice!
That is a lot of greenery compared to your last two overseas gigs, huh?
Tbilisilisili looks like a pretty good sized city...I might have mis-spelled it?
I see that you didn't forget to pack the Hawaiian shirts.

Looks like a good job John, enjoy!
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 04-14-2013 18:51
swsweld,
Oh you mean like this swath of verdant rain forrest at Camp Spahnn?
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Parent - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 04-15-2013 00:55
Rotation gigs always sound attractive as long as the pay is commensurate with what your use too or better.  Most of the stuff I have found off-land they want a contract and they will fly you anywhere BUT home on a break...that probably tells ya all ya need to know right there.  I am interested in you telling me about the gig in Kuwait....I have some standing offers there that are pretty tempting....but im a chicken****....Give me a shout when your not watching for the locals to blow some **** up on the taps.
Parent - - By swsweld (****) Date 04-15-2013 03:58 Edited 04-16-2013 12:08
Man John,

Looks like you were stuck between a CHIGO and a ConX. Looks like you might have "Shanked it"

I hope you were hitting line drives so that you didn't set off the 'incoming alarm'.

As I was flying back from R&R into Kandahar I thought, 'nice, I'm gone for 3 weeks and the weather has warmed up, spring is in the air, field of green grass a growing, bird is chirping,' then, when I landed I realized, it was just green sand bags, not grass. But looking on the bright side of life, there isn't a problem with pollen here.
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Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 04-17-2013 13:49
Tim,
I'm sure the view was breathtaking through the port hole of a C130 while enjoying those jumpseats with the support rod riding up in your "prison cleavage"...
BUT !!!! I'm certain what you missed the most was the world famous aromatic PooPond.
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Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 04-17-2013 13:52
Ahhh....
Springtime on the steppes of the Caucasus Mountains. My dig site is right at the snow line today.
Back home they've been getting hammered with snow falls measured in Feet! And one after another.
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Parent - - By qcrobert (***) Date 04-17-2013 19:51
So good to hear from you!  and it sounds like the nomadic life suits you.

Have you secured a motorcycle to take in the sights?

QCRobert
Parent - By Superflux (****) Date 04-18-2013 06:55
QCRobert,

Having been a road whore stateside for a few decades, I decided a while back to travel abroad on someone else's dime.
This looks to be the ultimate gig with a 28/28 rotation. I can actually enjoy my time off with the luxury of a semi steady paycheck rolling in. We'll see how it all pans out in the long run. Great crew and colleagues here with of course the usual administrative debacles. But all in all it is working out just fine.
Not very many motocycles over here, and company policy wont allow me to drive unless I were to accept a full-time 9-5 and 5 day a week admin slot. That would suck. Seen a few "rice rockets" but no Real (Harley) bikes.
Parent - By Tex (**) Date 04-28-2013 18:08
Hey John,
Glad to hear things are going good. Yeah, we got nailed with some bad snow two weeks in a row. Been sunny and beautiful the last few days though. Aint nothing like spring time in Wyoming. Sunny and 72 yesterday and about 60 today. We are branding on Saturday, June 8. If you are over here stop by. You still thinking you might be in this area sometime in May?

Tex
Parent - By jwright650 (*****) Date 04-17-2013 13:56
Poo Pond with Life Guard on Dootie!....LMBO!!!!!:lol:
Parent - By swsweld (****) Date 04-19-2013 06:54 Edited 04-19-2013 07:03
It more of a tourist attraction these days with fishing and exotic birds. Tourists taking pictures all the time...:lol:

It was bound to happen though, Kandahars best kept secret is now world renown.

Due to the different cultures, we had to clarify a thing or two concerning the facilities.

John, you have a similar picture from your trip here don't you? :lol:
Parent - - By 99205 (***) Date 04-15-2013 03:59
Did you get a free drop if you rolled up on an IED.  :yell:
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 04-18-2013 01:45
I agree with the binocular idea....everyone seems to disappear when it is time to strike an arc on a hot tap.  Cheers Bro....give usa fair warning when you rotate out eh?
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 05-03-2013 16:36 Edited 05-03-2013 16:50
Few fotos from my excursions.
1) There are quite a few of these accessorized cars. Thinking maybe I should sell my F250 and get a 1960 Rambler and convert it over.
2) The goats have the most unusual looking horns with some being twisted into a double helix.
3) There must have at one time been a large demand for deep holes needing drilled. There is one particular bridge that along it and within a 2 block radius, everyday there must be 30 to 50 men with these Makita drills displayed waiting for some one to drive by and hire them.
4) An entire store dedicated to this fine product???

The job is a purdy cool gig. Building a pipe around a pipe. We are the kings of live line welding.
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Parent - - By jwright650 (*****) Date 05-03-2013 17:18
That big brown goat at the front of the herd looks suspicious, I think he might be up to something. :eek:
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 05-03-2013 19:02
Relax, he's just really "horny"...
Parent - - By jwright650 (*****) Date 05-03-2013 19:07
<Relax, he's just really "horny"...
Maybe......but then again, he may be running from the herder that is trying to sneak up behind him :surprised:
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 05-03-2013 19:17
Izzat a Wyoming joke???:confused::confused:
Our sheep stampede at the sound of a zipper ya know...
Parent - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 05-04-2013 04:10
I dunno that looks like a really good dinner to me....bring one home and I will serve you up some fine lamb steak.
Up Topic Chit-Chat & Non-Welding Discussion / Off-Topic Bar and Grill / Georgia on my mind

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