The fallacy of someone in Paco's situation is he is not at home in the UK...and the money he is spending on rent could be spent on buying a home in the UK. If he is planning to retire in the ME and is buying a home there then he is on a good plan....otherwise he is going to be in for a shock when he tries to settle down at "home" unless he is banking a lot of money towards a down payment on that UK or retirement home somewhere.
While he is quite happy in the ME now...when he finally goes back to the the UK...he starts at the bottom of the pay scale and seniority list with no time in the pension fund. That is the down side to his situation as I see it.
No insult meant Paco....but it is something you have considered I am sure.
Helicopter jobs are usually not long tenured....for a host of reasons thus we always have to be looking down the road looking out for the pot holes coming up.