07-06-2021, 04:45 AM
I became an expat after having a serious back injury, which resulted in my losing my job in the UK. By the time I had recovered from my illness, my wife and I had used up all our savings, and were to put it mildly in a serious financial situation.I decided that the best way for us to get back on our feet, would be for me to get a job overseas. I made this decision as I knew from previously working overseas; I would be able to earn far more money than I could in the UK.Once fully fit I sent my CV to a company that carried out overseas contracts. Fortunately, this resulted in my obtaining a one year contract as a Project Supervisor in Saudi Arabia.
I first worked in Riyadh where I lived in a company paid apartment, until later being transferred to Jeddah. Here the company paid for me to live on a camp with all meals provided. Unfortunately, due to a lack of work the company made me redundant, after I had only been in Saudi for 7 months. I then returned back to the UK.
However, in this short space of time I found myself able to pay off all our debts, as well as being able to buy a new car for cash. This would have been impossible to do, had I been working in the UK and not overseas.
Shortly after my return to the UK, I contacted a company that carried out works in Oman. After an interview they offered me a 4 month contract as a joiner, which I accepted.
Whilst working in Oman, the company paid for me to live and eat in 5 star hotels. On our days off work, along with some work colleagues we used to drive to a beautiful long sandy beach.
Behind the beach were large land dunes, which were used for what is known as "Dune Bashing." This being where drivers try to drive their jeeps up to the top of the dunes. When first witnessing this activity, I thought that the driver had gone crazy. But it seems that Dune Bashing is a very popular pastime.
A week after completing my contract in Qatar and Indonesia Phone Number List returning to the UK, my old boss from Saudi contacted me. He offered me a contract to work in Brunei on a Palace for the Sultan of Brunei. His phone call resulted in a complete change of scenery for me. I went from working in the desert; to working in the jungle.
A few weeks later I flew out to Brunei. At first I lived with a few of my work colleagues in a hotel in town. However, a few weeks later we all moved from the hotel to a government camp, which was set up in a large flat grassed clearing in the jungle. The camp accommodation consisted of a large number of Portakabins. I lived in one of them, which I found to be very comfortable.
While in Brunei I had my first experience of going on a Hash. This involved a large group of runners, who ran through the jungle following a paper trail, which had been laid down by what is called the hares. I also went Jashing. Instead of running through the jungle, we used to drive through it in specially reinforced jeeps. Although it seemed rather crazy, it was a lot of fun and an experience I will not forget.
During my time in Brunei I acted in two Amateur Dramatics shows. Although I had never been in one before, I enjoyed being in them very much. All in all, I had such a great time in Brunei that I did not want to leave at the end of my contract.
Before leaving Brunei, my company arranged and paid for me to fly back to the UK via Thailand and Hong Kong. In Thailand I met up with a number of Thais that I had previously worked with in Brunei and Saudi. While with them they treated me as an honored guest, and took me to several places of interest including the Kings Palace, and a crocodile farm.
On leaving Thailand I flew on to Hong Kong where I stayed in a 5 star hotel for two days, which my company paid for. I then fly back to the UK.
Whilst later in London seeking a new contract, a recruitment company arranged an interview for me re a contract in Qatar, which turned out to be a Palace for the Emir. Shortly after being accepted by the company, I flew out to Qatar. Once again I found myself back in the Middle East.
The company provided me with accommodation in a camp, where I had all meals provided. I lived in one half of a self contained Portakabin, with a work colleague living in the other half.
On our days off work, some work colleagues and I used to enjoy driving across the desert in an old pick-up truck, which the company had provided me with. We also went snorkeling, and spent long lazy hours relaxing on a beautiful sandy beach
Shortly after returning home from Qatar, my ex company offered me a short contract back in Brunei. Surprisingly, this involved some refurbishment works in the Palace I had previously worked on.
Once again I left the desert and returned to work in the jungle.
This time I worked in both the Palace that is home for the Sultans second wife, and also in the main Palace that has four mentions in the Guinness Book of Records.
1. The Sultan was the richest man in the world.
2. The chandeliers in the Palace were the heaviest in the world.
3. The main Palace had the most amount of rooms in a single building.
4. It has the smallest hill in the world. (which is in fact a hummock on the golf course)
Whilst working in the Palaces, I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with both of the Sultans wives.
Before leaving Brunei, I received an invitation from a construction company to attend an interview in London, re a contract in Algeria.
After landing at Heathrow, I went and attended the interview. In this I was successful, with the company then offering me a one year contract.
Once again I returned to work in the desert. This time however, it was in North Africa and not in the Middle East. The work involved construction projects for the Gendarme in several desert locations. Here I lived in camp accommodation with all meals provided.
On my days off work, along with some colleagues we used to visit various places of interest. On one trip we came across a deep canyon, where in the dried up riverbed we found many fossil sea shells. Obviously at some time in the past, the river had been connected to the sea.
I happened to be on a short break in London, when the owner of a Jordanian construction company contacted me re a contract in Jordan. After having an interview, I accepted a contract to work on a Palace in Jordan for King Hussein.
In Jordan I lived in a large well furnished company apartment, with the company also providing me with a car.
I was fortunate in that while in Jordan I visited the ancient city of Petra, which is an incredible place. Both the Treasury and the Monastery are really spectacular buildings. It was however, quite a climb up the trail to reach the Monastery.
I first worked in Riyadh where I lived in a company paid apartment, until later being transferred to Jeddah. Here the company paid for me to live on a camp with all meals provided. Unfortunately, due to a lack of work the company made me redundant, after I had only been in Saudi for 7 months. I then returned back to the UK.
However, in this short space of time I found myself able to pay off all our debts, as well as being able to buy a new car for cash. This would have been impossible to do, had I been working in the UK and not overseas.
Shortly after my return to the UK, I contacted a company that carried out works in Oman. After an interview they offered me a 4 month contract as a joiner, which I accepted.
Whilst working in Oman, the company paid for me to live and eat in 5 star hotels. On our days off work, along with some work colleagues we used to drive to a beautiful long sandy beach.
Behind the beach were large land dunes, which were used for what is known as "Dune Bashing." This being where drivers try to drive their jeeps up to the top of the dunes. When first witnessing this activity, I thought that the driver had gone crazy. But it seems that Dune Bashing is a very popular pastime.
A week after completing my contract in Qatar and Indonesia Phone Number List returning to the UK, my old boss from Saudi contacted me. He offered me a contract to work in Brunei on a Palace for the Sultan of Brunei. His phone call resulted in a complete change of scenery for me. I went from working in the desert; to working in the jungle.
A few weeks later I flew out to Brunei. At first I lived with a few of my work colleagues in a hotel in town. However, a few weeks later we all moved from the hotel to a government camp, which was set up in a large flat grassed clearing in the jungle. The camp accommodation consisted of a large number of Portakabins. I lived in one of them, which I found to be very comfortable.
While in Brunei I had my first experience of going on a Hash. This involved a large group of runners, who ran through the jungle following a paper trail, which had been laid down by what is called the hares. I also went Jashing. Instead of running through the jungle, we used to drive through it in specially reinforced jeeps. Although it seemed rather crazy, it was a lot of fun and an experience I will not forget.
During my time in Brunei I acted in two Amateur Dramatics shows. Although I had never been in one before, I enjoyed being in them very much. All in all, I had such a great time in Brunei that I did not want to leave at the end of my contract.
Before leaving Brunei, my company arranged and paid for me to fly back to the UK via Thailand and Hong Kong. In Thailand I met up with a number of Thais that I had previously worked with in Brunei and Saudi. While with them they treated me as an honored guest, and took me to several places of interest including the Kings Palace, and a crocodile farm.
On leaving Thailand I flew on to Hong Kong where I stayed in a 5 star hotel for two days, which my company paid for. I then fly back to the UK.
Whilst later in London seeking a new contract, a recruitment company arranged an interview for me re a contract in Qatar, which turned out to be a Palace for the Emir. Shortly after being accepted by the company, I flew out to Qatar. Once again I found myself back in the Middle East.
The company provided me with accommodation in a camp, where I had all meals provided. I lived in one half of a self contained Portakabin, with a work colleague living in the other half.
On our days off work, some work colleagues and I used to enjoy driving across the desert in an old pick-up truck, which the company had provided me with. We also went snorkeling, and spent long lazy hours relaxing on a beautiful sandy beach
Shortly after returning home from Qatar, my ex company offered me a short contract back in Brunei. Surprisingly, this involved some refurbishment works in the Palace I had previously worked on.
Once again I left the desert and returned to work in the jungle.
This time I worked in both the Palace that is home for the Sultans second wife, and also in the main Palace that has four mentions in the Guinness Book of Records.
1. The Sultan was the richest man in the world.
2. The chandeliers in the Palace were the heaviest in the world.
3. The main Palace had the most amount of rooms in a single building.
4. It has the smallest hill in the world. (which is in fact a hummock on the golf course)
Whilst working in the Palaces, I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with both of the Sultans wives.
Before leaving Brunei, I received an invitation from a construction company to attend an interview in London, re a contract in Algeria.
After landing at Heathrow, I went and attended the interview. In this I was successful, with the company then offering me a one year contract.
Once again I returned to work in the desert. This time however, it was in North Africa and not in the Middle East. The work involved construction projects for the Gendarme in several desert locations. Here I lived in camp accommodation with all meals provided.
On my days off work, along with some colleagues we used to visit various places of interest. On one trip we came across a deep canyon, where in the dried up riverbed we found many fossil sea shells. Obviously at some time in the past, the river had been connected to the sea.
I happened to be on a short break in London, when the owner of a Jordanian construction company contacted me re a contract in Jordan. After having an interview, I accepted a contract to work on a Palace in Jordan for King Hussein.
In Jordan I lived in a large well furnished company apartment, with the company also providing me with a car.
I was fortunate in that while in Jordan I visited the ancient city of Petra, which is an incredible place. Both the Treasury and the Monastery are really spectacular buildings. It was however, quite a climb up the trail to reach the Monastery.