Passports

[j.sabourn]

#140 . What years were you in the North Sea Austin ? I brought down a pipe layer from Singapore to Australia sometime in the 90s . Cannot remember name at moment will have to have a look and see if have any record of same. She may have been ex North Sea. JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

A few years ago now a Pensioner in Sydney killed an intruder after a fight in his home, he was charged with manslaughter and it looked like he was on the way inside, but people put up such a protest he was acquitted, but the point was made to be careful how you deal with it, one thing I got out of it was mack sure you stick the knife in his stomach not his back, as he could have been running away.
Des.
PS
I always took out my knife and spike before going up for a dinner drink or two or six. mainly because my knife was a Norwegian one with a wolfs head on it belonging to my brother.

[Austin Carl Largan]

#141

J.S., 1974 to 1978. I worked for an outfit call J. Ray MacDermott on the lay barge 23 (I think that was the number) also on Derrick barge 19 and a Jet Barge the number of which I can not recall. I bailed out of the North Sea because the Brits were closing the tax loopholes (this story covered in a previous thread) and went to Nigeria.
My last years before retirement were in Antarctica and I met a guy there who worked some of the year with Medicines sans frontier, he was a Doctor and he had worked in Nigeria too. When he learned that I had been there he asked what years I was there and it transpired that he had worked there fifteen years after I had been there. We compared stories and at one point he said "well, you know, Africa is changing". Incredulous, I said "Surely you don't mean it is getting better???" He replied, quite seriously, "Oh no, it never gets any better". Yes, I thought to myself, you don't have to tell me that one.......

Austin

[j.sabourn]

#142 Predeminated ( probably spelt wrong) is the guilty word , the French have a get out of Gaol free few words and call it a Crime of Passion . A much mis-used phrase I would imagine , as to cold bloodingly murder someone must arouse passion of one sort or another. Cheers JS.

[Austin Carl Largan]

#142

Pen blaidd? should have been a pen ddraig goch.

Austin

- - - Updated - - -

#144
J.S.

I thought that the French 'get out of gaol free card' was the Foreign Legion ???

Austin

[j.sabourn]

Think only, the pipe layer was called the Jan Steen and brought her down from Indonesia. She was originally of Dutch origin I do remember that . Think I have the right name but not 100% sure. My introduction to the North Sea was September 1977 and was the Wimpey Sea Wolf. Left the uk nov. 1991 and carried on in Oz till 2002. JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Speaking of Indonesia, fish there bis great to eat.
You can watch the fishermen on the beach catch the fish then go to the local restaurant and eat them, the fish that is not the fishermen.
There is a species of Eel there which is the finest I have ever eaten, real melt in the mouth stuff, might be the way they cook it over a fire made of dried cow dung.

[Tony Taylor]

Speaking of Indonesia, fish there bis great to eat.
You can watch the fishermen on the beach catch the fish then go to the local restaurant and eat them, the fish that is not the fishermen.
There is a species of Eel there which is the finest I have ever eaten, real melt in the mouth stuff, might be the way they cook it over a fire made of dried cow dung.

must be a nice hange from standard smoked eel.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Old hat that John, when I was a kid around 10 or so we used to cook flatfish down the beach using cows dung for the fire, lovley grub.
When swimming down the river used for a fire it to keep warm. Good country practice.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Cow dung patties are used for cooking in many countries.
One just hopes they do not get mixed up with the meat patties.