…you will have to venture outside the base – even to get back & from the airport.

Not necessarily.

My opinion, go for it. If its somewhere like Bastion you'll be posted to, its as safe as it gets in Afghanistan, with a ruck of facilities. Even if you hate it after a month or two, you'll still be getting free flights home with nearly 10 or 20k banked. Just dont tell any of the troops there what you are earning. I returned from most my 6 month tours with barely enough for a decent second hand car…

Not without a photon beam accelerator.

Try Peanut butter on the trap. Heard they cant resist the stuff.

Avoid the 3 network. Postcode check said i would get very good signal. In reality it was worse than useless. Customer services are in Mumbai and a nothing short of a nightmare and Technical support centre advice was "try sitting by an open window". Dire beyond belief.

This could help give you a few ideas.

http://www.eaglerider.com/motorcycle-tours/self-drive-motorcycle-tours.aspx

My first bike was a 600f and i found it perfect for progression to bigger and faster bikes. I learnt more on the 600f just by riding around and experimenting than during all my instruction. I now have an Aprilia Factory 😀