Anyone here been to the Falkland Islands?

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Feek

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I'm talking about going as a civvy so those like @Zefan and @pastymuncher need not reply :)

I've wanted to go to the Falkland Islands for years, it's just somewhere that's always fascinated me, even before the events of 1982. I was probably one of the few UK residents who knew where they were and didn't think they were islands off the coast of Scotland.

I've still not been.

Has anyone been? Did you get on a flight via Brize or go a different route (perhaps via Chile)?

If I could manage it, I'd like to take a small amateur radio setup with me and operate from there for a while but that's not essential. I just want to go.

What was the cost, how did you find it, etc?
 
All the military jobs I did there are civvy now anyway! Obviously joking (half...) but if you fancy doing it paid, Serco have a job up for electronics nerds to go there 2 months at a time for lots of RF fun and games :p

Opportunities at Radar - Falklands

Opportunities at Radar - Falklands
careers.serco.com careers.serco.com
 
Zefan said:
but if you fancy doing it paid, Serco have a job up for electronics nerds to go there 2 months at a time for lots of RF fun and games :p
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Sadly I don't have any radar experience otherwise that'd be a role I'd seriously consider.

I did apply a few years ago for an IT/Comms position at Chez Pingu (British Antarctic Survey) but despite the fact that I put a lot of effort into the application, I didn't hear a word back. I've since been in contact with people who do work there and they've all said that you need to apply at least twice, ideally three times before they even take an interest. If only I'd known back then.

But a fortnight at VP8 with a small HF radio and a 20m dipole would be the icing.
 
There were civvies on the MOD sites as well. We had 26 people on the mountain radar sites and 3-4 of them were civvies working for Turner Power Generation. They handled our power, water and telecommunications. All three radar sites had them and there was a big compound at Mount Pleasant Airbase (Falkland East Island) presumeably doing similar to what they did on the mountain sites. On the sites they maintained our power station which were three huge RR diesels driving generators, two of which would be on at any one time with the third being rotated in when one developed a fault or was due servicing. They were a great bunch of guys and if I remember right did 1 or 2 years down there at a time and were paid tax free. They used to travel down and back on MOD flights from Brize Norton with the service personnel. There were also the Bristows guys who provided heliops throughout the islands although I believe another company has the contract now. If you can get down there it's well worth it. There's not a lot to spend your money on so it's a good way to save which was why some people actually volunteered to do a tour. A lot of it is barren (a bit like parts of Scotland actually) but there are plenty of things to do and the wildlife is awesome. You can get up close to massive Penguin colonies of which there are several types, Leopard Seals, Elephant Seals, Dolphins, Porpoises and if you are really lucky you can see Killer Whales. Then there are the Cara Cara birds of prey which are remarkably tame and will feed from your hand. Port Stanley is the main settlement and has a cracking little museum as well as the church that has whalebone arches over the entrance path. I would love to go back and see how much has changed in the past 25 years since I was last down there but as a tourist it's simply far too expensive.
 
Perfect if you are into time travelling, because you are pretty much back in the 80s 90s when you get there.

Not sure how you get there non military, I'm assuming you still fly through Brize?

Nice 18hr journey to get there too
 
I've made some enquiries and it looks like it's about £1800-£2200 for a return flight and you have to be very flexible on dates and able to switch at the last moment.

lemonkettaz said:
I'm assuming you still fly through Brize?
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Yup. Hence the requirements about being flexible.

I probably won't bother.
 
Always fancied a trip down there, part of my growing up was Falklands War each night on telly so has an appeal. Turns out that one of my local neighbours, who I popped in for a gin with over Christmas was a former Fleet Air Arm Harrier pilot who was on Hermes during the Falklands. Fascinating chap.
 
When I was there in 2022 (just as the last of the covid restrictions were being lifted), Stanley was starting to see more and more tourists coming in on the Ships.

I've been there 3 times since 2011, Safe to say the Island hasn't changed much over the years... they've started tarmacking the main road between MPA and Port Stanley which is nice.
 
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