I did the "touring" thing for a great many years. I had a love-hate relationship with it.
I loved the time off....liked the money....hated some of the places i found myself in....made friends all over the World...and got an education that cannot be bought or found at any University.
I found the Offshore work to be boring.
Onshore work much more enjoyable....the more remote the better with the exception of a Geologist's Fly Camp....avoid them like the Pox! I don't mind living rough but Geologists really enjoy being miserable!
Alaska is great, Africa can be depending upon where you are....Asia, Southeast Asia is wonderful.
For way too many years BHL insisted upon an 8/4 rotation....which plainly sucked.....6/6 is the norm now and the only roster I would consider. One can stand on your head for six weeks at a time and having a full six weeks off is perfect. By the time your time off is done...you are ready to go back to work to rest up.
Forget the BM idea.....as has been said....not enough money for the headaches. Taking on Challenges is one thing but there is a limit to the reward one gets for doing so....especially when the rate of pay is so poor.
You will meet great folks....good folks....and Assholes.....just like anywhere else but overall you will find long term touring folks good fun to be around. I treasure some of the friends I have made over the years.
As to taxes....you will have to pay Uncle Sam for the pleasure of working overseas....but at a reduced rate as there is a set exemption for overseas earned income. Now days you might even earn enough to exceed that and thus have to pay taxes on the overage. If you are working for an foreign firm....especially if paid in a foreign currency....thus no W-2 Form.....you will have to "report" your earnings to the IRS. In all my years working overseas i was never audited by the IRS.
You will have to qualify for the exemption....read up on the law....get a good accountant who deals daily with these issues....and you will be good to go as far as dealing with the IRS.
By working overseas and NOT paying normal Income Tax.....you can save/invest a lot of money that you would not ordinarily be able to do. Do that....as overseas contract work can sometimes be a short lived thing which can wreak havoc on your Tax situation.
I retired at age 58 by saving and investing.....very few Gulf of Mexico pilots ever did that unless they had a Military Retirement before they started in the GOM.
The World Travel, seeing strange places, working with stranger people....make touring the right way to go if you can accept the differences and your marriage can survive the separation. Most marriages do not.
One thing you should be prepared for....if you work for a foreign company....you are not on the Home Team. Accept it and enjoy your time at home.