Answers,
1. Although they look like monkeys they dont live in trees
. At present they will only base you at MAN or LGW.
2. This changes all the time. At present the 300 does a lot of longhaul to India over the winter (crews stay Bahrain). Summer is mostly around Europe. One aircraft has been based in Dublin for the last few summers.
3. Strong rumours of a slow reduction from 4 to 0 over the next few years. Nothing firm that the crews know of. Bond? No way. Just a type change. This already goes on frequently.
4 A few have left, most enjoy it and the majority live in fear of getting an A320/321 type conversion (bond free).