Given what appears to be a total economic meltdown in Zim, does it give any of you headed over this year cause for concern ?

I am going . I am reading some of these news accounts . I wonder what will happen if things blow up while I am there .

Larry;

We're all waiting for you to test the waters for us!!!

I'll trust you're experience!!!

Best regards, D. Nelson

You already know that I am, but I'll go anyway and have a good time.

Here is a word of advice, that has never let me down.

Go and hunt with some you trust. Anything you think you require there just ask your host to provide.
You can pay for it in advance or after you return.

That is how we have always done it hunting Africa, regardless of country.
Saves you carrying money and worrying about what might happen.

I depart from Atlanta on the pm of the 8th of this month. Delta 200.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

I wonder what will happen if things blow up while I am there .

You will have a great story to tell if, er, when you get back.

Anyone reluctant to travel to Zim, please let me know, I am a potential buyer of abandoned hunts for $0.25 on the $1.00.

I just came back from Zim 2 days ago. We heard there were a lot of road blocks between the Bubye (BVC) and Bulawayo so chartered back to Bulawayo. When leaving at immigration they asked me how much money I had. I said about $2600 so he said it was too much! I told them that I had brought the money in with me and more and showed them proof (blue form which i completed on arrival). He looked it over and said fine and let me pass. Other than that no problems. If Mugabe goes there could be issues!

I would definitely declare your money on arrival on the BLUE FORM if you plan on carrying some.

More about our 40 animal hunt later.


Arjun Reddy
www.huntersnetworks.com
30 Ivy Hill Road
Brewster, NY 10509
Tel: +1 845 259 3628

I went at the height of the political problems. I went to the Save when it was the center of controversy . Never thought twice about it . This seems a bit different .

I am? BUT I am still going!!!

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Anyone reluctant to travel to Zim, please let me know, I am a potential buyer of abandoned hunts for $0.25 on the $1.00.

If that includes my .600, we may have to talk (and write up a contract, of course).
Cal

Just don't pay any attention to the overly neurotic travel warnings as proffered by various embassies. Zim will be fine. If all he'll broke loose and you were in the bush you wouldn't even know. And it would be short-lived. The "simmering masses" are really only interested in where to loot the best selection of flatscreens.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Anyone reluctant to travel to Zim, please let me know, I am a potential buyer of abandoned hunts for $0.25 on the $1.00.

Taking advantage of a bad situation is wrong. I will give 30 cents on the dollar.

Zim is always "interesting". I use Global Rescue every trip to insure Zim does not become "memorable".

quote:

Originally posted by Barry Groulx:
Just don't pay any attention to the overly neurotic travel warnings as proffered by various embassies. Zim will be fine. If all he'll broke loose and you were in the bush you wouldn't even know. And it would be short-lived. The "simmering masses" are really only interested in where to loot the best selection of flatscreens.

. . . sounds like most major cities in the US.

Just got back from Zim 03 July after hunting 14 days there. Loved every minute of the hunting. Bit of rudeness from oficials on arrival at Harare, and was squeezed for "drinks money" by two guys who brought my firearm into the baggage claim area. But, must admit, they expedited the firearms clearance through the customs firearms inspection. Declared my cash on the form. Was well looked after by my hosts so experienced no issues. Yes, plenty of roadblocks but we were waved through most. Obviously with the Zim economic situation and current cash crisis many are doing it tough which I suspect could lead to some minor issues. Overall though I would not be uncomfortable going again and hope to do so sometime. Personally I would avoid city centres and any nightime activities and would expect to remain safe.

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Anyone reluctant to travel to Zim, please let me know, I am a potential buyer of abandoned hunts for $0.25 on the $1.00.

If that includes my .600, we may have to talk ( and write up a contract, of course ).
Cal

You might not live long enough to read the whole thing.

Perhaps I should elaborate a bit more. We, here in the US,bare getting bits and pieces of what is going on over there. I have a lot of friends over there. Some are sending me info/articles that are somewhat surprising/shocking. For example , one says that Botswana has closed their border and are now refusing to recognize Mugabe as the legitimate ruler of Zimbabwe. Another discusses people attacking the police.

These do not seen normal to me at all. Frankly , they bother me a lot more than the previous issues.

quote:

Originally posted by bobmn:
Zim is always "interesting". I use Global Rescue every trip to insure Zim does not become "memorable".

You buy the "executive" plan with extraction services?

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Perhaps I should elaborate a bit more. We, here in the US,bare getting bits and pieces of what is going on over there. I have a lot of friends over there. Some are sending me info/articles that are somewhat surprising/shocking. For example , one says that Botswana has closed their border and are now refusing to recognize Mugabe as the legitimate ruler of Zimbabwe. Another discusses people attacking the police.

These do not seen normal to me at all. Frankly , they bother me a lot more than the previous issues.

Same sort of reports for me (from people I respect) but I'm still going in less than 60 days. Might rethink travel to the hunting concession by road, though.

Zimbabwe protests take to the internet that the government blames on a US led conspiracy and Crazy Bob threatens to shut down social media.



The Zimbabwean government has also engaged in its own war of words, firstly trying (largely unsuccessfully) to kickstart the counter-hashtag #OurFlag, but also trying to delegitimse the social media phenomenon as a US conspiracy.

After US ambassador Harry Thomas tweeted “wonder if #Zimbabwe’s #thisflag movement will spread to the US and other nations”, Zimbabwean Minister Jonathan Moyo claimed the US was behind the whole movement. He claimed a meeting the ambassador had held with social media voices was “Evidence of an exposed cat coming out of a see-through bag” and claimed “US envoys ignited social media revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, whose common outcome was bloodshed”.

Furthermore, faced with growing dissent, Mugabe has even threatened to control social media, saying: “There is a lot of filth in it. There are a lot of serious insults peddled in there…China set up security measures and we will soon look into how they are administering it so that the abuses and insults can be reduced.”

However, ICT Minister Supa Mandiwanzira has poured cold water on this idea somewhat, saying: “[The internet] is an important tool for development and no sane government or sane minister would say we want to ban social media. And if there was an intention by anyone to ban social media it would be next to impossible.”



http://africanarguments.org/20...-will-be-hashtagged/

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Perhaps I should elaborate a bit more. We, here in the US,bare getting bits and pieces of what is going on over there. I have a lot of friends over there. Some are sending me info/articles that are somewhat surprising/shocking. For example , one says that Botswana has closed their border and are now refusing to recognize Mugabe as the legitimate ruler of Zimbabwe. Another discusses people attacking the police.

These do not seen normal to me at all. Frankly , they bother me a lot more than the previous issues.

Where did you see this? I am crossing from Kasane to Victoria Falls.

Never easy in Zimbabwe. But I would not hesitate to go hunting albeit with more caution.

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Perhaps I should elaborate a bit more. We, here in the US,bare getting bits and pieces of what is going on over there. I have a lot of friends over there. Some are sending me info/articles that are somewhat surprising/shocking. For example , one says that Botswana has closed their border and are now refusing to recognize Mugabe as the legitimate ruler of Zimbabwe. Another discusses people attacking the police.

These do not seen normal to me at all. Frankly , they bother me a lot more than the previous issues.

Where did you see this? I am crossing from Kasane to Victoria Falls.

It was sent to me today from someone in Zim.

While it does appear there are riots as well as those openly wanting violent overthrow of the government , I think the article my friend sent about Botswana is old.

Frostbit: Yes. Global Rescue is also a good source of current conditions.

I follow Peter Goodwin on Facebook. He has been posting some pretty harsh rioting pictures from Harare via Twitter feeds.

I have also seen a lot of my Zim friends go pretty quite on social media. I have previously been told by Zim guys they don't discuss political stuff on email as they think uncle bob is monitoring email.

Mike

I called Victoria Falls this morning. I asked about the border crossing with Botswana. She said as far as she knew its was still open, but the border crossing with South Africa was closed. She said all this is just in Harare and should be over in a day or two. We shall see.

I am much more afraid of Chicago than Zim.

My PH and his wife live in Harare, and I spoke with them this morning. They are not concerned. They indicated there will be demonstrations tomorrow, so they are staying out of the downtown area. They said the jist was taxi drivers were tired of getting shaken down at police roadblocks, so they are demonstrating. Bob will only put up with this kind of thing for so long, and then he will clamp down. I fly 6 Sept, and I am not the least bit concerned. My September hunt will be safari #8 there. I have never had trouble of any kind at the airport or any place else in Harare or out in the bush. Before you fly, talk to your PH - he will probably give you good advice.

I leave for Vic falls a week from Friday. I guess it will either be better, worse or the same when I am there!

Looking forward to my trip. we won't be able to get out into the bush fast enough. once on the hunt, all the political worries should go to the wayside. Just the part of getting to and from the airport that will be a challenge.

Ahh Africa...

What I find interesting . . . and somewhat instructive . . . is that the State Department has not issued any travel warnings or advisories. In the past the State Department has issued numerous warnings and advisories regarding travel to Zim. We also know there is no love lost between the US and Zim so the US certainly does not have any incentive to play it safe when it comes to Zim in terms of issuing advisories and warnings. I am not suggesting that the situation on the ground could not change quickly but at least at this point, the State Department, which has never hesitated to issue warnings or advisories regarding Zim in the past at a drop of the hat, has not done either.

Here are the security messages issued by the Embassy in Harare (as opposed to the State Department): Emabassy Security Messages

The first trip over was back when all the war vet stuff was beginning and we chartered directly into camp from Joberg and avoiding the major airports to clear customs. I cannot believe after all these years Zim has not rotted off all the meat from the bone. No predicting Africa as it is the proper place for dysfunction to thrive. If we had all been waiting for the collapse we would have missed enjoying Africa that Zim afforded. Eventually it has to end in Zim but I have long stopped predicting it.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
What I find interesting . . . and somewhat instructive . . . is that the State Department has not issued any travel warnings or advisories. In the past the State Department has issued numerous warnings and advisories regarding travel to Zim. We also know there is no love lost between the US and Zim so the US certainly does not have any incentive to play it safe when it comes to Zim in terms of issuing advisories and warnings. I am not suggesting that the situation on the ground could not change quickly but at least at this point, the State Department, which has never hesitated to issue warnings or advisories regarding Zim in the past at a drop of the hat, has not done either.

Here are the security messages issued by the Embassy in Harare (as opposed to the State Department): Emabassy Security Messages

There is one from Canada, but none on the USA site.

quote:

I cannot believe after all these years Zim has not rotted off all the meat from the bone.

All the meat and the marrow long gone; just the dessicated bone is left and even the hyenas got no use for it.

See my post today FROM MOKORE SAFARIS TODAY ON HARARE.

I have been every year since 2008. I was there at the height of the turmoil. I was in the Save at the height of the turmoil there. This feels different to me. I have seen some things (videos) and commentary on social media that I find disturbing. Things I have not seen or heard before.

Mike makes a good point. No warnings have been issued. On the other hand, they appear to not be able to charge a felon.

If I do not go,it will not be because of this type of thing.