mõtted / thoughts
Georg Martin appreciates punctuality and quality “There really is
a lot of travelling and flying in my life, since marine exploration is an international job,” says marine biologist Georg Martin. His work often requires flying to countries around the Baltic Sea, as well as faraway places like the US, China, Australia, the Caribbean and Iceland. Martin reckons he spends about a quarter of his time away from home due to his work travel, and makes about 10 long-haul and 20 short-haul trips every year. “I like travelling and flying,” he says. “This is part of my job and if I didn’t like it, I guess I wouldn’t be doing this job. Flying is like a ritual – you get used to it. Over time, I have learned to work or rest during the flight.” His summer excursions are mostly to Baltic countries, though winter takes him farther afield. Martin’s current position is as vice director of the Estonian Marine Institute, for the University of Tartu. He also serves as head of the Department of Marine Biology. His scientific interests are connected to the diversity and ecology of Baltic Sea life and environmental protection of the sea. To this end, Martin likes to fly to capitals around the Baltic Sea – Stockholm, Copenhagen and Amsterdam – with Estonian Air, since it is the most convenient for him. “I need to visit these cities very often and these are one-day business
October / November 2014 in time
trips – flying out direct in the morning and back to Tallinn in the evening,” he says. “The Estonian Air flight schedule is perfectly suited to this.” He also starts many of his European flights with Estonian Air, if possible. The departure times from Tallinn fit in well with his work schedule, and all customer-service issues can be handled in Estonian. An experienced flier, Martin considers punctuality a very important quality in airlines. The years have provided him with experience as to which airlines can be trusted and which have been problematic. He remembers a case a few years ago, when he flew several times in a row with the same airline and its flights were delayed every single time. He learned from that experience and chose the airline that does not pose any problems. A sense of security and reliability is especially important when flying. As a marine biologist, Martin often travels with special baggage, including expensive video equipment and diving gear needed for his job. Though the special equipment is insured, no one would be happy if it got lost or broken. When Martin gets to choose his destination, he is especially drawn to South Africa – particularly Cape Town and its surroundings, where he has managed to travel several times. “I also love the Caribbean, the sea and marine life there,” he says.
Text: merike pinn Photos: private collection
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