phyxit,
I spent the last 2 1/2 years with an International airborne survey company myself before recently joining the regional airlines, quite long hours when in the field and did find it interesting though.
Went first solo in 1967, did not go commercial enough work as LAME but did use my pilots licence for a number of years as a flying spanner chasing helicopters around Australia in a cessna 210, these were long hours.