Life changing decision

[S1MON]

Ladies and Gents, i require some help/advice.

I have only been to LOS once but found it to be exactly what i am looking for, i am currently working 5 weeks on and 3 weeks off in west africa, after speaking to my boss it seems that if i wish to change to 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off it will not be a problem, the only thing i am worried about is the 25% pay reduction and more time off to spend the less money that i am earning, so i have a couple of questions:

1) Should i go for it now while i am still young, and worry about the financial side of things in a few years time or should i be considering my future now???

2) Is it possible that i would be in LOS for 3.5 weeks each time and manage to only hit the bars 3/4 times a week, or would it be like a permenant vacation and be there 7 nights a week??(marc26, how are you getting on??)

any advice welcome as i would like to decide very shortly.


Simon

[LivinLOS]

I have many mates working in the oil and offshore industry (2 jocks).. one month on one month off but well paid work.. Of course the lifestyle becomes part of what you live for and many of these guys are the kind that will never settle back in 'home countries'..

25% pay reduction in changing shift patterns, by dropping 5 to 4 you drop 20% so I would argue the toss over that with management.. Most of my mates are contracted long term and have continuity of work with fixed slary IIRC.. One of them was in Nigeria and West Africa for a long time..

Why not try the 3 weeks off pattern to begin with.. Come and set up a little apartment on the cheap.. Get things rolling and see how you like it without incurring any big costs or changes.. Then if you decide things are going OK you can make a more informed descision..

Drop into the 'Offshore Bar' on Nanai for a lot of boys working the rigs and shared contact / contract info / companies to try for / war stories / etc

[aussie dollar]

simon 4 weeks work 28 days right no time off ?
5 weeks 35 days right no time off ?
on contract not paided when not working ?
therefore 25% is spot on.
still pay your airfares to thailand as before ?
reckon your still young enough go for it
set your self a time limit to do this and work to that time limit (1 year 2 years whatever)
as you know you can eat cheap,get cheaper accomodation(maybe a unit)
slow down on your drinking a bit (that would save you heaps your a good bloke to have a drink with)
cut back on the girls a bit etc.
if I could do it I would(reckon 2 years time I will be able to do what your talking about)
good luck

[LivinLOS]

4 weeks 'increase' to 5 weeks would be a 25% increase...

5 weeks 'reduction' to 4 weeks is a 20% reduction...

Dont let them niggle you !!!

Also flights should be paid by the company.. Deals vary, some have downtime allowances for higher skilled guys.. some guys in demand would rather get the most dosh and least benefits.. etc etc etc...

One of my close mates juist transfered from one company posting in Mumbai which seemed like he was just there on reserve mostly chatting on MSN all day and sunbathing with coffee and fag breaks thrown in, to double the money but Kazikstan and sub zero temps and 12 hour days.. Plus his 4 week on has tunred into 6 weeks and looks like at least one week - 10 days more..

The way I see it why not spend the 3 weeks anyway.. gotta be better than back in Scotland and probably save money also..

[S1MON]

Thanks for the fast response

I really wish to find a place to settle down in, i have been floating around for the past 5 years and getting bored of it, i would like to rent a place out there to stay and have been looking at the gazzette, if i continue with 5 and 3 i would only get around 17 nights there each time, which means that i could book into a hotel and it would work out cheaper, but if i was there for 24/5 nights it would be more cost effective.
Aussie, i am considering this due to some of our discussions and so many people saying that they wish they discovered LOS earlier in their lives. I know i would need to slow down on my drinking but i am not sure that i could.

thanks again
Simon

[LivinLOS]

the only reason I suggest 5 and 3 is that it causes nearly no change and yet you can get a feel for the lifestyle.. Wet your feet with no risk so to say.. Also why do you only gte 17 nights, the travel take 4 days ???

I would not recccomend hotel staying as its not part of the lifestyle.. You could surely find a nice secure kind of place for 10 - 15 if it was a studio flat or small spartment (up to 20 max) and that allows you to accumulate bits and pieces easily (DVD player, stereo, etc).. then moving from a studio place to a more home environment is easy progression but backing out also is not a large cost.

Come her for one of those 3 weeks.. find an apartment.. make a deal.. next 3 weeks concentrate on making it homely.. find a balance between drinking and mongering.. Before you know it there will be a full time teelak playing house and keeping the plants watered ..

My advise is do it, but would just take it steady to begin with..

[steveski]

Originally Posted by S1MON

Ladies and Gents, i require some help/advice.

I have only been to LOS once but found it to be exactly what i am looking for, i am currently working 5 weeks on and 3 weeks off in west africa, after speaking to my boss it seems that if i wish to change to 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off it will not be a problem, the only thing i am worried about is the 25% pay reduction and more time off to spend the less money that i am earning, so i have a couple of questions:

1) Should i go for it now while i am still young, and worry about the financial side of things in a few years time or should i be considering my future now???

2) Is it possible that i would be in LOS for 3.5 weeks each time and manage to only hit the bars 3/4 times a week, or would it be like a permenant vacation and be there 7 nights a week??(marc26, how are you getting on??)

any advice welcome as i would like to decide very shortly.


Simon

Shite mate,

If you want I will swap and you can have a whole 5 weeks off a year, and not allowed to take them at once.
I am trying to find a job in Oz that will allow me to have 3 months off a year in 4 weekly chunks and I can’t find it even with the extra time off without pay.

I wish that I was in your shoes because for me it would take about a nano seconds thought.

I like the sound of the suggestions from LivinLos they appear pretty sound to me.

Also I wish that I had found Thai 20 years ago, go for it now don’t wait until you’re a grumpy old bugger and can’t catch the young BGs, IMHO of course.
Good luck with your decision.

Regards,

[LivinLOS]

Have you considered retrianing for the oil industry ??

Oil has set record highs and is looking stable at over 45 a barrel.. Goldman Sachs one of the biggest oil brokerage houses and players in the market have made rumblings it could hit 105 a barrel soon.. Under investment in refinery and shipping are all weak links.. As such the industry is in a cash rich position for now and for the next few years at a minimum..

2 of my mates went and did a 2 week course as LST's (Life Support Technicians) to be topside assistance to divers, course cost a couple of grand and took 2 weeks.. Both of them are now working offshore.. entry level wages are 150 - 200 USD per day rising to to solid 200 with experience after only a couple of contracts (the first gig is the toughest to get).. One month 'on' at 30 days is anything from 4500 - 6000 all flights and costs on the rig absorbed by the company.. In a year or so's time they should be in the 250 range with experience and obviously that gets 7500 per month (none of the guys I know pay any income taxes)..

I know divers that have retrianed to be joystick jockeys (RoV operators).. They can be 400 or so per day IIRC.. One of my close buddies pulls in 10k GBP (+-18k USD) working offshore (lots of experience though) in one month on, works 6 months a year and parties 6 months a year in Asia and nets >100k USD (he is fun in BKK I can tell ya)..

Expat life doesnt come knocking.. You gotta go and find it..

[S1MON]

Gents
I am now pretty sure that i will take the chance and ask for equal time, all i have to do is write the mail, i have also searched through the phuket gazette and mailed about a possible apartment for rent.
I will be out again on the 13th May for 2.5 weeks and will hopefully get everything sorted then.

Simon

[Tor]

S1mon,

Totally agree with LivinLos. There is a thriving oil based expat community in SE Asia. A lot have been doing for years what you are thinking about. Are you in the industry?

I too have mates that went out to SE Asia, young free and single to start out in the oil diving industry there. The idea being to get some experience under our belts before heading back to the big bucks in the North Sea.

A lot of them found the lifestyle suited them perfectly. They earn an okay wedge but with the cost of living being so low and not paying any tax, they have a very comfortable lifestyle out there. They have stayed and some of them have families now. They ALL reckon it’s the best decision they’ve ever made. It has not always been a bed of roses for them (it rarely is for any of us) but one thing is for sure, none of them could expect any better anywhere else. In fact none of them can think of anywhere else giving them a better lifestyle.

You’re young and I presume you have a decent contract that you can plan around for the next few years. I also presume that you don’t have commitments that you can’t get out of/settle back home.

If so, then go for it. Suss out the place first. Rent a place and get a feel for actually living there. I suggest giving it six months/ a year. Make connections with the expats from this board and elsewhere. Get informed. If after this time it’s still what you want, then commit to it and enjoy. If not, then you will have learned why not. Either way it will be an interesting experience.

Good luck and all the best.

[magnusvv]

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

Have you considered retrianing for the oil industry ??

You have me considering it. Sounds like better pay than what I have now...I take home a little over $3k/month and I work 50 - 60 hours / week and I get a whopping 3 weeks vacation (after 5 years of service to this company). My vacation time is worth more to me than gold. So this type of work is very tempting to me, I never realized the pay was better than what I'm getting here.

[mikegb]

Most things are achievable in life if you really want them.

The fact that most of us have got off our bums and travelled to the other side of the world already makes us a bit different to Joe Bloggs and his missus with his humdrum job that he hates (nothing wrong with it, but a lot of them hold themselves back).

If you can see it in your mind, and you make a definate plan, then usually it is only the first step that is the hardest.

People like Nicke, Geespot, Geir, Urtheman etc have at one time or another been in the same position as the 'normal tourist' and decided that they wanted to do something about.

Turning thoughts into actions is why they are there now, and the majority are on the plane home.

Good luck with your choice. Either way, it sounds like quite a nice position to be in

Dirty Mike

[eric-the-viking]

May i ask what you do for a living now ?
I think like many other reading this thread it has set coggs turning ,At the moment i am in the Gas transportaion game but only on low/medium pressure stuff up to 30" pipe at 7"psi.
The idea of doing the course that Livinlos was talking about sounds really interesting and i would be gratefull for any more information he may have, Now i normally find talking about money a tad vulguar but i have to admitt an interest to the pay expectations .
good post guys just when i thought i was past Los blues ......

[magnusvv]

I did some research here at work found this site here in the US:
http://www.commercialdivingacademy.c...emedicine.html

They have an 80 hour course for (cover your eyes if the money offends you) $2500 USD

I was suprised to find the health requirements for working on an offshore rig were so intense. From what I read I would most likely fail since they include an evaluation of the spine, as I have 2 herniated discs.

It does sound like a fun job though, I'd take that kind of overall cut in pay for more time off.

[LivinLOS]

I dont know how tough medicals are in reality.. Kiwi Pat has a ****ed arm others have various injuries (it is a higher risk profession than many)..

That course is similar in price to the LST one.. Can be done cheaply in Mumbai but my buddies did it in portsmouth.. Then you have to do a heli drop training in pool.. clean medical (can be done here and you WILL pass )..

Plunk Life support technician offshore into google ( http://www.imca-int.com/divisions/di...reers/lst.html ).. Or scan the oil jobs sites.. If you have engineering background or qualifications the skill base is there.. Or welding (gaz pipe AMSE 9 6RG) is very valuable in the middle east.. Turbine techs.. Loads of things..

Not just oil either but the contract work way of life.. its a less stable life than having a regular employer but the rewards are higher pay and more time off..

[geespot]

Simon

I think everyone her is offering you good advice

In terms of money only you can decide if you can afford it or not

If you decide to live in patong during your stays then I think initially you simply wont be able to stay in and its likely you will spend alot of money

On a tempering note, I know many people who go to LOS for the 1st time (me included) and have been completely blown away and it literally fcuks up your head. I would simply advise that you make some more trips here to be sure its what you really want. I done 10 trips before I moved here

Anyway as they say in Thailand 'Up To You'

Take care

G

[urtheman]

Don't worry about looking for a place in the Gazette there some places there but I've found most places here through word of mouth or friends.

Stay aweek at a hotel and just go around talk with the guys and you will find aplace no problem. 10-16k will get a something pretty good for your time here.

Cheers!

[S1MON]

Thanks again for all the advice

Yesterday i spoke to my boss about what i am planning to do, we decided to use my days that the company are due to me(127) to continue being paid for my 5 and 3 rotation but do 4 and 4, this will mean that i lose my days due at about 8/9 per month, but who cares, this life is supposed to be fun and at the moment mine is not.
ETV, i am not sure if it is me you are asking about but if so i am an electronic technician for a company called schlumberger, considered one of the best oil service companies in the business, the money for me is not too bad but i am at the bottom of the ladder, there are so many very high paying jobs in the industry, the guy who came to LOS with me monitors our drilling activities and earns around $120,000 after tax for a 4 and 4 rotation, so anybody who is thinking about joining the industry i can only say give it a go.

G - i consider myself pretty adaptable, i realise that i have been only once to LOS but i liked it so much i think that is where i want to be, even if i do go home to scotland i will be out every night there aswell as there is nothing else to do, and it is the culture.
whatever happens i am leaving for LOS in 3 weeks, see you there.

sorry for my morning ramblings
Simon

[river]

Some good advice from locals I agree you should ease yourself into it LOS is cheap but you can still blow allot of money there if you get carried away I think at 25 you still need to consider your future put a plan together and stick to it.

It makes a big difference if you start planing now time goes quickly and this is IMHO one of the best times to party but always stay focused work hard play hard.

[LivinLOS]

Let us know when your coming.. Will try and assist in the finding of apartment or whetver, can at least ask around for you..

[rockstar!]

You're only young 1 time...live your dreams!

[Tor]

For those interested in commercial diving. This is an excellent site.

http://www.longstreath.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.pl

Mark Longstreath is an expat diver based in Thailand. I think he’s moved into Project Management/Consultancy now but still has a good grasp of what’s going on in the area so I hear.

As with any forum, there is a lot of ‘chaff’ but the fundamentals are there.

My advice is to get a trade that you can utilise during your periods of inactivity (they will be frequent to start with). But if you’re focused and driven, you will get there in the end. Even if it doesn’t work out, you will have made acquaintances with some of the best/worst blokes on the planet. One thing is for sure, you will have a fcuking good laugh in between sh*tting yourselves

Have fun and good luck to those that are up for it!

[Tor]

Also….just to open some eyes if you get lucky!!

http://members.tripod.com/divewebber...ea%20Rates.htm

something to ponder, even if it is a few years out of date