Now that he's safely in Tanzania, guns in tow, I'll relate the following:

On Sunday evening I received a call from a fellow who just visits this forum, he being all in an understandable tither. He was a complete stranger to me, but (at least to this point) (at least vircariously) an Africaphile. That counts in my book.

He was leaving the U.S., early on Tuesday morning on the way to Tanzania for a very expensive 21 day safari and had just come aboard the forums while surfing the web.

He had never heard of the Dutch transient gun requirements and was about to dump in his britches because of the Labor Day holiday, his almost immediate departure and the fact that he had saved every penny he had for the trip..... and no permit.. much less having applied for one.

My first inquiry was "What guns are you taking?". I about swooned when he said that he had a Wilkerson .600 N.E. and a .450 N.E. by Army and Navy (made by Webley & Scott)... I immediately realized that a huge part of his trip was the rifles and borrowing a beat-up .375 was not exactly a pleasant option... this guy had been saving for the guns his entire adult life, not to mention the big bucks required for the full-meal-deal safari. I pondered weak and weary.

Lucky for him... and only because of the grace of Saeed, et al... this fellow got in touch with me... his PH never notified him of the new regulations.. and he had booked directly (PH and airlines)... Only AR had given him a hint that his $50K plus rifles might end up in a warehouse somewhere, never to be found again...

Since I had already "screwed the pooch" and had learned from experience.. he didn't have to recreate the wheel. I did what about every AR member would have done. I tried to help.

I reminded the guy that the Dutch don't celebrate Labor Day and gave him numbers to call and contacts in Amsterdam (again, having learned whom to call, having botched the permit process myself).... I suggested he start calling at 4:00 A.M. and I e-mailed him the requisite forms to fill out and for him to FAX as soon as the Dutch fellows could be expected at work...

The happy ending is that he called me at 8:15 a.m. Monday and you could hear the smile on his face... The folks in Amsterdam expidited his application and had already faxed him back his permits...

Saeed, my friend...

It is not a direct benefit that you expected when you started this site... but there is a guy with rifles that deserve to be in the Selous, being used by a very grateful gentleman... and it never would have happened if this site didn't exist and the faithfull posters kept us all aware of what was up with Africa, its minions, its politics, its joys and its perils...

I, too, never would have know about the permits for my August trip to Tanzania unless it was posted here... and I remain.. Semper Fi...

Kudos (Kudus? ) to you for helping him out!

True words from the Judge, but the Dutch just dropped that one on us without any word, fortunatly all our people made it, mostly due to booking with Gracy Travel who were on top of it all the way...

Most travel agents did not get appraised of it until very late in the game, and some got false imformation from the Dutch who also had no clue what was going on....and some booking agents are not travel agents and they simply refer you to a travel agent they use..

At any rate it has all been cleared up except that the Dutch have made another change, this one for the better, that is you don't need paper work on the return trip....

Giving me a kudo is like saying that Hank Aaron would have never hit a home run unless somebody owned the Braves. Or something like that.. it's late and I'm going to bed.

Yes, indeed, and in spades.

What I thought I knew before I discovered this site, and what I now know that I didn't know then, are two vastly different things.

Innocent ignorance can and will hurt you, but because of the generosity of Saeed and the many knowledgeable and generous posters on this, his most excellent site, no one needs to or should fly blind.

I will most gladly add my thanks to yours.

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
Giving me a kudo is like saying that Hank Aaron would have never hit a home run unless somebody owned the Braves. Or something like that.. it's late and I'm going to bed.

If I figure that one out in the morning I'll let you know. My bed is calling me as well.

Edited: Okay, I think I got it now. But I'm going to quit while I'm behind.

JudgeG!
A kudo to you from me whether you like it or not! It is deserved.



465H&H

Judge:

You are a true southern gentleman.

Judge, would you settle for a 60 inch kudu...

Mike

Retreever, your comment is the best!
Max