Thread: Field modifying service weapons

"You are lucky to know such incredible men, I’d love to know more about how you came to meet them, you mentioned guiding?"
@hamish9701 .Yes we are very lucky to have got to know & become friends with a number of interesting characters from our work/travels around the world over the years .

I am very lucky in that my long suffering wife loves Hunting, Fishing,Diving,Boats & exploring remote regions as much as l do.Back in the late 90's we sold the farm here & decided to do something we had both wanted to do for a while ,combining things we lover doing recreation-ally with a business .We partnered up with a couple we knew from Sky Diving ,Motorbikes & Scuba Diving who operated a "Adventure" Outfitting business in remote areas of PNG & the Top End of Oz ie Diving ,Trekking/Exploring,Rock climbing/Abseiling ,Hunting & Fishing .I looked more after the Hunting/Fishing side.

A large part of the clientele they had built up over the years were Veterans (Partner was a Ex Norwegian Navy & PMC Clearance Diver ),as we dived & operated in areas loaded with WW2 wrecks & artifacts & had access to areas off limits to the general public ,(like a WW2, US Secret Bomber Base,that was littered with equipment & wrecks). The third client l took up in PNG, was the Colonel who outfitted around the world, who had a group of Pacific campaign Vets with him,we got on well from the start ,at the end of that trip he booked me to take him & his son Hunting/fishing/Diving in Arnhem Land on a private trip.After 9/11 Americans were hesitant to travel to most destinations ,we were deemed as being in a "safe"area & business 'boomed' ,the Colonel did a lot of trips with us that & then over the years it grew to where we did trips all over the world & hunted Africa a number of times .

The Colonel is a hugely successful businessman & he operated among others a Lodge set up to cater solely for Veterans & their families, our friendship grew & he asked me to join him as a manager for part of the year, which l did for a number of years & through socializing with the Colonel & his family with the guys he served /worked with (a lot were the original leadership for contractors operating in the ME) ,plus the clientele l got to be friends & guide for many of their trips around the world .

A lot of people can not handle being around Combat Veterans, as they can be pretty intense & "Alpha" for want of a better description, but our Kiwi, Bushy Bastard up bringing & no BS nature ,plus in my case the fact l have been around bikers through the family all my life, meant l had no problems dealing/socializing & becoming close friends with many.

A lot of people do not realize how well respected & valued Kiwis are around the world, for being "real",no BS in nature& especially Farm raised Kiwi's are valued for the large range of "jack of all trades ,master of none"skill set & can do attitude.IMO part of the reason Kiwi's are valued over dopey Aussies so much in their own mine industry