Working in Kuwait

Being head hunted by the big boss is a flattering thing. To be head hunted for a job as important as fixing up foreign war crafts is another story.
Thursday night he got a call  telling him that he bagged the overseas job, and is being transferred on Saturday.
Ben Amos, university graduate of Swansea Met has been offered a work placement of ten weeks in Kuwait, Working for the American Government for lots of dollar and a lifetime experience in fixing their army vehicles.
They dumped him right outside the road that leads into Iraq to begin with. Since, he has been moved to a new apartment, 40 miles from the boarder in a town called Mangaf. "It's good, a brand new apartment with some nice luxuries! It has a gym, swimming pool, a freezer that makes ice cubes, pool table, and a nice TV with satellite! I can't complain now" A nice update from his basic living head quarters he was previously sharing with five people.
However, the USA are taking their time in sorting the admin and although arriving a week ago he is still waiting to start work.
Heading home on the May 30, regardless of when he starts, Ben just wants to get the ball rolling. "I just want to get on with it now, I'm really bored! But the pay will make up for it when I start, and I don't have to pay for accommodation so that's good."
Rifle ridden army folk are on his doorstep, and being in a war zone means early hours and late nights, with awkward afternoon breaks.
On top of that, alcohol and bacon are forboden.

First thoughts? "It's shit scary".

More to come.

Jailbreak Journals - Part 2

On a less successful journey, The Great (or not so great) Escape made it to Newcastle...

Lauren Fielding, Chris Davies, Ailbe Moore

University of Gloucestershire

19-21February 2010

Destination: Newcastle! 214 Miles

Raised: £? for Raise and Give - Haiti

Lauren:

9.00am

In the process of filming a documentary and because it has been raining the past two days I absolutely HAVE to film today, so Jailbreak will have to wait.

3.30pm

The trio head to Royal Well bus station after an unsuccessful bus blag at Stagecoach

“We ask the first National Express (to London) if we can board and are point blank refused. Consider sneaking into the luggage compartment, but decide against this. We ask the next coach (to Heathrow) and again are refused (but this time the driver was slightly more sympathetic).

2 hours down already, and a 40minute wait for the next train… so they tried their luck at a petrol station and manage to secure a hitch to Cambridge

“We get in the car. The driver is a lovely woman called Jean, who's only downside is switching the radio station every 3 minutes. She offers to drop us off at Birmingham Airport”

6.20pm

Arrived at Birmingham Airport about 6:20, and are told that they cannot issue free tickets, they have to be arranged in advance “ironic, as when I rang a few days before they told me I had to wait until the day”. They caught the monorail to Birmingham New Street station.

“We decided our best bet is to head to Manchester where we can try the airport. After being turned down a few times we manage to persuade a train conductor to let us on the train, and we sit in the part between the carriages, feeling like proper hitch-hikers!”

At Manchester The Great Escape manage to jump on a train heading to the airport and enjoy a few pictures in First Class!

“At the Airport everywhere is closed! After milling around Terminal 1 for a while, we decide to check in for the night. We head to the nearest hotel, which as we approach realise it looks pretty expensive, but we head for it anyway… Radisson Blu Hotel. Cheapest room -  £119. Ouch.

“Our room, situated on the Maritime themed floor is pretty swanky, so we revel in the luxury before heading to bed”
5.30am

“The airport is so alive, it's hard to believe it was so empty the night before! We try each and every ticket desk in all three terminals, and are turned away from all of them. We come to the conclusion that airports are useless, and decide to use the trains again”

7.00am

A train heading to Newcastle stops at Huddersfield, so Lauren, Chris and Ailbe decide to try their luck at catching a ferry from Hull. “            We discuss the possibility that once the train starts moving the conductor will come into the carriage with a police officer, and we began to worry!”

“Turns out he is the nicest guy we will meet on the whole hike. He asks us what we're all about. After chatting for a while he tells us to act like first-class passengers to get our complimentary drinks and biscuits from the trolley (to keep our energy up), and suggests us getting off at Leeds. What a nice bunch us Northerners are!”

The train to Hull arrives at the platform. And they are told by an officer that he'll ask the conductor and give them either a thumbs-up or down. After a sigh he says, ‘Well, the bad news is...you're going to Hull’

“After thanking him and giving him a massive hug, we leap on the train (unfortunately not in First Class this time) and settle down for another hour and a half train journey.

Arrive at the Docks, and are unsuccessful in getting a free ride because they don’t want word getting around that they give out free ferries. 

They head back to Leeds and arrive at Newcastle, all for free.  “We ran to the nearest guards who tell us to use the Metro to get to North Shields, and manage to blag our way onto the Metro”

4.00pm

“Adrenaline is running pretty high as it is a race against time.”

“We get off the Metro and run towards a massive ferry in the distance.  We were told it was roughly a 15 minute walk so we run as fast as we can, stopping a few people for directions as we get slightly lost. Again we are refused, and told that all passengers have to have been signed up by 4pm for security checks. It is too much, and I burst out crying.”

Petrol gets me no where!

So, I'm thinking after owning a car fuelled by petrol and bank notes that maybe I should switch to a diesel.
A tenner, keeping in mind the high prices at the moment, fails to put my dial above the quarter mark. I know I have a 1.6, but driving 40 minutes and back to work for a four hour shift makes out to be actually a five and half hour stint, with an hour earning my travel expenses which remain un-covered. Joy.
So, the benefits of a diesel car:
Its 'greener' than wheels on petrol! And lately I've been feeling a little eco friendly. Switching off my lights, 30degree washes and putting the toilet seat down, Not that this contributes, but it's a nice thing to do.
It gets you further, and even though typically and technically it should be more expensive than petrol, my small town home neglects this idea, equalling out the price of the two. Making my switch to another petrol motor, when really I wanted a diesel in the first place but thought it would cost more - a little bit annoying.
I drove a diesel (a very nice brand new Toyota 4x4) to Swansea and back on behalf of the university last year, and despite an ankle full of ache and unsuccessful car park practising, by the time I hit the motorway I was happy enough.
And apparently 'Their diesel engines have higher compression ratios and can generate more power from less fuel' ... but that means nothing to me.
Cheaper road tax AND less flammable, what stopped me getting a diesel in the first place?