Got back last Friday from my first trip to Africa. My AR hat went as well! If there is interest I will post a series of accounts of my experiences "warts and all".
First, I had no problems with my flights, or luggage. Being only 5'6" and 165 pounds, I found the SAA Airbus seats probably more comfortable than domestic flights. Kathi Klimes booked me good aisle seats both ways (thanks Kathi!)and in one case I had a bulkhead seat that gave me more leg room than usual. The food was excellent, with several hot meals and good service. The individual DVD capability was very good. I checked my baggage (including guns) at Jacksonville airport, and never saw them again until Windhoek. I did however make a point of asking at each check in counter whether my luggage was on the plane! No one ever asked about ammunition until I got to Windhoek, and he only wanted to know how many rounds I had! I did buy a Tuffpack (against my better judgement) and have not regretted it. At Windhoek, I met 3 hunters from the States, one of whom had bought a brand new Winchester 2 rifle gun case especially for the trip. It was gouged, scratched and much the worse for wear, while my Tuffpack was still as ugly as ever. Thanks to AR for that tip! Jo'berg despite being announced as a "smoke free" airport does have a "smoking lounge" just as Terry Carr says, and one only has to buy a drink (more on that later). I had asked about buying in the duty free shops, and for some reason, I could NOT buy in the duty free shops in Jo'berg if I was going to Namibia! Don't know why, but if that is your intent, I guess you must buy in the States.
I must mention something that no one else seems to have mentioned...IT WAS COLD! In that part of Namibia, in early June it gets cold at night (40's or colder) and gets to maybe 70 during the day. Skies were cloudless and blue, but because of the (unusual) windy conditions that prevailed while I was there, It took a long time to warm up. I was not prepared for that kind of weather. I had no need for bug repellant but did need lip balm, which I did not have! Namibia is about 4000 feet and dry. I celebrated my 60th birthday in Namibia and took a nice old bull Kudu on that day. Life is good!
Peter.

Congratulations on a fun trip. I would love to hear more about your experiences. I leave in 3 weeks for my 14 day trip to Namibia, and can hardly wait. Sounds like the baggage/guns hassle has been worked out satisfactorily. Everyone here on AR has been extremely helpful in getting ready properly. I will be several hours north of Windhoek, and the elevation where I will be is about 5600'.

Peter, I live in Jacksonville too(actually Orange Park). How was the process here to check your guns and ammo? It seems to me that it has varied everytime I go through Jax airport. Did the TSA reps see your guns at the airline counter or somewhere else. IF you get the chance, pls post details or PM me thank you. jorge

Welcome back Peter. I have been back for almost 3 weeks now and had the same joyful experience you mentioned with guns and ammo. Coming back the Namibian cop asked how many rounds I had left but he never counted them. He just took my word for it. As a matter of fact, no one anywhere looked at or checked my ammo. They only asked if I had it in my guncase.

Peter,
Glad you had a great safari and welcome home!
Thanks for the backhanded compliment on the Tuffpak...we will take them anyway we can get them!
Let's see the photos!
Better tomorrows!

Hello Peter:

Welcome back from Felseneck. We need more details and photos on your hunt. I am sure you shot more then a Kudu. In our phone conversations, I mentioned the warm jacket for the cold mornings and evenings.

So, after you get over the jet lag, update us here and if you get a chance, give me a call.

Bob S.

To answer some questions:I showed up at the airline counter, told them I had 2 items to check in, they said fine! I told them that I had 2 rifles in one of them, and they said 'Fine, put this tag inside", which I did! I then asked them if they wanted me to lock both both "bags", they said "of course"! No TSA involved at all, no questions about ammo, no pages to open luggage, nothing! I fully expected the sniffers to locate the ammo, but nothing happened.

I took 2 rifles, a Tikka in 300WM and a Tikka in 30/06. I had 20 rounds for each in reloads in a plastic MTM box, and 20 rounds in factory ammo for each, in original cardboard boxes. I never used the factory ammo and gave it to the PH when I left. The reloads for the 30/06 used 180 gr.Nosler Partitions, while the 300WM used the 180 gr. Nosler partitions in their Combined Technology configuration ie. moly coated. All bullets fired, except for one, were complete passthroughs and were not recovered.

Day one, got up at 7 am ate breakfast and uncased rifles for the trip to the range. First shock, my 300 Wm Tikka had no recoil pad! What the hell! I borrowed one from the PH's Win Mod 70. The pad was retrieved from the Namibian police at the airport on my departure. It had fallen off when I had uncased the guns for them to verify the serial numbers on arrival. Tikka had only glued it on. It was not screwed on! Went to the range. At 100 yards, the 30/06 was about 14 inches high and right! What the hell!! I had sighted in both rifles at 200 yards, but had cleaned them both prior to departure (lesson learned!). Wasted ammo correcting the 30/06 for 100 and 200 yards. the 300 WM was pretty close. Went hunting! Reviewed procedures with the PH. SOP was: when gun is in the rack on the "bakkie", the mag is loaded but the bolt is closed on an empty chamber. When beginning a stalk, chamber a round and safety on! Early afternoon, spotted a kudu from the landcruiser, the PH said "That's a good old bull, why don't you take him". "How far?". "About 150 meters".Hastely disembarked from the vehicle. Tracker also jumped off with the shooting sticks. Remembering all the discussions on the board about not taking too long to shoot, I chambered a round, placed the gun on the sticks (tripod), lined up and fired! Kudu ran off! I told the PH I thought I had shot over the top. He agreed because he had seen a dust splash. We checked anyway. No blood, and no evidence of wounding. Wonderful. My first shot in Africa is a complete miss! Next time, take more time!

Later that day "Peter, there is a good old bull about 280 yards away, think you can take him?" This time I shot from a backpack rested on top of the vehicle. Perfect sight picture, cross hairs on the right spot. The kudu leaps in the air when I fire, bucks a couple of times and heads off. Much backslapping and congratulations, but I already knew what I had done. My rifle was sighted in for 200, I shot at 280 (meters/yards what the hell) and even though I had a Burris Fullfield with Ballistic Plex, I had put the cross hairs, not the stadia mark for 300 on the aiming spot. I knew I had a problem. Told the PH I thought I had hit low (check ballistic tables if you don't believe me). He said "Let's see". Found blood and a track and the tracker, Helifa, got to work. After a couple hundred yards I said to the PH "Do they normally go this far?". He said "Some do, some don't". Damn, this guy should go into politics. After about 30 minutes I was despondent. Missed the first shot, wounded an animal on the second, and he might get away, all on my first day in Africa. Said to the PH "If I don't have a shot and you do, take it". I did not want this kudu getting away. After about 45 minutes, Helifa spots the kudu bedded down, I cannot make out the shape at all (both the PH and the tracker use 10x binos), so the PH takes the shot. He can't make out which part of the animal he is shooting at either, but at least he can see it. The kudu leaps up and is off. 10 minutes later it is all over. We find the dead kudu. He is stunningly beautiful! I cannot believe it. I have seen people laid out in funeral parlors that don't look as majestic. I had indeed hit him at the top of the leg. He bled a lot internally, but most of the blood was in the stomach cavity. The 300WM bullet passed completely through.

A magnificient kudu !!! Bravo ...How are Helgaard and Christine ??? Two of my favourite people in the entire world !!! I can hardly wait to hear the rest of the saga !!!

I'm sure that I will be seeing them next month ...