Comments on: Gear for Tbilisi http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/ Estd. in Ireland, July 2002 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:42:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gavin Sheridan http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-552307 Gavin Sheridan Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:09:49 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-552307 Hehe. Good idea. Hehe. Good idea.

]]> By: Gamma Goblin http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-550645 Gamma Goblin Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:54:24 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-550645 Spare underpants. Spare underpants.

]]> By: Gavin Sheridan http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-550510 Gavin Sheridan Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:17:04 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-550510 Thy will be done. Thy will be done.

]]> By: Peader http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-550504 Peader Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:12:26 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-550504 And don't forget to make a will before you leave ! And don’t forget to make a will before you leave !

]]> By: Gavin Sheridan http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-548529 Gavin Sheridan Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:36:39 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-548529 Thanks for the info RW. I will be sure to follow your advice. Thanks for the info RW. I will be sure to follow your advice.

]]> By: RW http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-548448 RW Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:56:33 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-548448 Three things come to mind. A sat phone is expensive, but very handy. Domestic mobiles are often the first to go when shooting starts. The other is a waterproof notebook, preferably two or three. At a minimum, record all essential contact numbers and other info (eg your passport number) on one of these and then keep it very secure. It means that if it all goes wrong and you are robbed of everything, you at least have the most important details recorded. Not a small consideration either - your two biggest threats in a hostile environment are car accidents and banditry. One last thing on a similar note is to make photocopies of your passport and so forth and keep them separate. You will be asked for your documents frequently and it is always preferable not to hand someone you may not completely trust your actual passport if you can get away with the copy. It is also worth spending a little time online to get an outline of ballistics and cover; best practice about finding cover can be quite counter-intuitive and even if you are not intending on pushing the envelope, you are still head to somewhere where being in crossfire unexpectedly is a possibility. Happened to me on a recent trip when I had not expected it would. I would not recommend travelling too light on info and equipment either - for all we know Tblisi will be the new Gori in a few weeks time. Best of luck, excellent idea to make the trip and I look forward to reading all about it. Three things come to mind. A sat phone is expensive, but very handy. Domestic mobiles are often the first to go when shooting starts. The other is a waterproof notebook, preferably two or three. At a minimum, record all essential contact numbers and other info (eg your passport number) on one of these and then keep it very secure. It means that if it all goes wrong and you are robbed of everything, you at least have the most important details recorded. Not a small consideration either – your two biggest threats in a hostile environment are car accidents and banditry. One last thing on a similar note is to make photocopies of your passport and so forth and keep them separate. You will be asked for your documents frequently and it is always preferable not to hand someone you may not completely trust your actual passport if you can get away with the copy. It is also worth spending a little time online to get an outline of ballistics and cover; best practice about finding cover can be quite counter-intuitive and even if you are not intending on pushing the envelope, you are still head to somewhere where being in crossfire unexpectedly is a possibility. Happened to me on a recent trip when I had not expected it would. I would not recommend travelling too light on info and equipment either – for all we know Tblisi will be the new Gori in a few weeks time. Best of luck, excellent idea to make the trip and I look forward to reading all about it.

]]> By: Back Garden Philosophy » Out talking the witnesses http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-548103 Back Garden Philosophy » Out talking the witnesses Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:59:03 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-548103 [...] nephew, Gavin, introduced me to a brilliant website recently. It’s called TED which stands for Technology, [...] [...] nephew, Gavin, introduced me to a brilliant website recently. It’s called TED which stands for Technology, [...]

]]> By: Gavin http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-547950 Gavin Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:31:37 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-547950 I didn't know Michael was going, I'll give him a shout, thanks Eamonn. I will likely stay out of many of the more volatile regions though, and have the advantage of already knowing locals, which has always been important in Georgia, war or no war. I didn’t know Michael was going, I’ll give him a shout, thanks Eamonn.

I will likely stay out of many of the more volatile regions though, and have the advantage of already knowing locals, which has always been important in Georgia, war or no war.

]]> By: Eamonn Fitzgerald http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-547942 Eamonn Fitzgerald Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:16:13 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-547942 Gavin, I suggest you contact Michael Totten (http://www.michaeltotten.com/) for some pointers on gear and some tips on contacts. He's on the ground in Georgia now. He's been to several "hot" places and he knows how to get the story out while staying alive. Eamonn Gavin, I suggest you contact Michael Totten (http://www.michaeltotten.com/) for some pointers on gear and some tips on contacts. He’s on the ground in Georgia now. He’s been to several “hot” places and he knows how to get the story out while staying alive.

Eamonn

]]> By: Gavin Sheridan http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-547805 Gavin Sheridan Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:07:35 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-547805 I don't intend on being quite as gungho as the Turkish journos... and the video was shot at the height of the conflict. A tricolour?? lol I don’t intend on being quite as gungho as the Turkish journos… and the video was shot at the height of the conflict.

A tricolour?? lol

]]> By: Dan Sullivan http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-547719 Dan Sullivan Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:48:26 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-547719 As large a tricolour as you can find! As large a tricolour as you can find!

]]> By: Tom http://www.gavinsblog.com/2008/08/19/gear-for-tbilisi/comment-page-1/#comment-547671 Tom Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:26:30 +0000 http://www.gavinsblog.com/?p=3283#comment-547671 I'd say a flak jacket, judging by the Turkish camera crew's clip you posted. I’d say a flak jacket, judging by the Turkish camera crew’s clip you posted.

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