The PHs speaking Afrikaans to each other in front of clients is a bit of a peeve for me. I'm not talking about quick sentences or to clarify something but drawn out conversations over the dinner table.

I just got back from Namibia and this was an issue. My repeated polite "could you translate that for me please?" didn't seem to clue them in either.

A couple of you brought up packing for the trip.
Completely forgot about that.
Man, I hate packing.
Since this was brought up it came to me that my wife is usually gone when it's packing day. LOL

you what gets me the most about going away is all the hassles, stress and pressure before you go on your trip - i always find the last two weeks before a trip the most stressful

The plane ride and the cost. The rest was all good.

quote:

What I like least is #1 landing in a fully loaded Boeing 727 on a runway that is barely long enough for a Piper Cub, in Mfuwe, Zambia, and not being able to see the end of the pavement because it is under the belly of the plane when it turns around at the end.

Just another normal day in African aviation, Mac. You walked away from it, so it was a success. That is the criteria. Anyone who climbs aboard an African air carrier is literally taking their life in their hands. The have the world's worst safety record. Any landing you can walk away from is a good one. That's reality.

quote:

Originally posted by safari-lawyer:
Paying for it.

I'm with you on that one Will.

Never long enough.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:
Anyone who climbs aboard an African air carrier is literally taking their life in their hands. The have the world's worst safety record. Any landing you can walk away from is a good one. That's reality.

Jetdrvr

No offense, but you have been banging that same drum for a long time. Do you have a link to any safety statistics?

I really don't doubt what you are saying(as I know of a pilot for an African airline and he is said to be quite a drunk), but I would like to see the numbers.

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:
Anyone who climbs aboard an African air carrier is literally taking their life in their hands. The have the world's worst safety record. Any landing you can walk away from is a good one. That's reality.

Jetdrvr

No offense, but you have been banging that same drum for a long time. Do you have a link to any safety statistics?

I really don't doubt what you are saying(as I know of a pilot for an African airline and he is said to be quite a drunk), but I would like to see the numbers.

Go check to see how many African carriers are banned from European airspace ?

The thing I like the least about African safari hunting is the creeping sense that it and me are both slowly passing from this earth.

The look on my wife's face when I walked back in the door after leaving her for two plus weeks by herself with two small children.

I'd have sooner dealt with a wounded buff at 5 paces...


Can't wait to go back!

quote:

Originally posted by Vanderhoef:
The look on my wife's face when I walked back in the door after leaving her for two plus weeks by herself with two small children.

I'd have sooner dealt with a wounded buff at 5 paces...

I saw that look about a week ago. At least she remembered it had been her idea that I go in the first place. Still, I did feel under gunned with a pair of earings .

Dean

quote:

Originally posted by maki:

quote:

Originally posted by Vanderhoef:
The look on my wife's face when I walked back in the door after leaving her for two plus weeks by herself with two small children.

I'd have sooner dealt with a wounded buff at 5 paces...

I saw that look about a week ago. At least she remembered it had been her idea that I go in the first place. Still, I did feel under gunned with a pair of earings .

Dean

Classic!

For me, it has to be the constant worry about snakes in an African Camp. Snakes are bad news.

[/QUOTE]

I saw that look about a week ago. At least she remembered it had been her idea that I go in the first place. Still, I did feel under gunned with a pair of earings .

Dean[/QUOTE]

Just as long as they were originally found in Kimberlite and were not Chinese imports.

quote:

Originally posted by Ahmed Sultan:
For me, it has to be the constant worry about snakes in an African Camp. Snakes are bad news.

Ahmed,
This speaks for the areas you have hunted.
I've been hunting only to see a big friggin python take up a warthog hole.
I've had an unknown snake waiting for me at the entrance to my door (took 3 guys to extinguish it).
And we've run over unknown numbers just driving around.

I hate snakes!

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:
The decline of East Africa that becomes more pronounced every year.

Y'all (you Brits that is) should have kept it!

personally, Buffalo Ticks are my number one issue.

Since I left Vietnam (intact) I have never felt more alive than I did hunting Cape Buffalo in Zim nearly three years ago. Nothing except being shot at and missed hikes the adrenaline rush more.

Rich

PHs whom expect every client to be a millionaire, and mention to the client during the lunch break, that they wished you (the client) had a lear jet so we could fly somewhere nice for lunch.

Also PHs whom think all clients have never hunted before, and they are the expert. When the reality is the main reason they get the business is it is required to hire one by law.

No contest: The actual plane ride, particularly the leg on the Airbus with its poor ventilation and concrete seat bottoms. I actually enjoyed the 10-hour layover in Frankfurt where we took the train to downtown and sampled the local sausages and beer.

Those tsetse got me this year......
The second.....is to have to put my rifle in the case, meaning.... No hunting for some months to come.

Guys,

It's all part of the grand adventure but a PH with a sour attitude can really be a wet blanket on even the best of safaris. Only had one but it was not good.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:

quote:

What I like least is #1 landing in a fully loaded Boeing 727 on a runway that is barely long enough for a Piper Cub, in Mfuwe, Zambia, and not being able to see the end of the pavement because it is under the belly of the plane when it turns around at the end.

Just another normal day in African aviation, Mac. You walked away from it, so it was a success. That is the criteria. Anyone who climbs aboard an African air carrier is literally taking their life in their hands. The have the world's worst safety record. Any landing you can walk away from is a good one. That's reality.

I think JetDrvr and I agree on this one. I fly nearly every week in the states and don't even think about it, but I sure do think about it in Africa.

I think there is a huge maintenance gap, but the professionalism of the crews are like night and day.

Remember that CO flight that burned up in Denver? That plane was toast almost immediately. How many deaths would that have been in Africa?

How about the landing in the Hudson? Or the DC10 that lost hydro pressure and crashed in the Iowa cornfield?

Of these three, only the DC10 incident resulted in any deaths, and even then, lots of people lived.

We might bitch about air travel, but the pilots and flight attendants in the US are second to none.

30 plus hours of travel time( counting layovers,etc.)from the west coast to damn near anywhere in Africa.

Jet lag. It really hammers me once there.

The international flights are the worst part for me. 12+ hours in coach, throw in a 300+ lber in the coach seat next to you, crying babies, belching, farting slobs and it makes a guy long for any alternative. The only way to manage it is to take an ambien every 4-6 hours and pray for non-full flights to find an open seat next to yours. One day I might even accumulate enough miles and plan a hunt for a time when it might be possible to get a business class frequent flier award!!

That part where you refuel in Senegal and the AC goes out. Sitting there trapped breathing in the sweet stench of the unwashed...Just when you think you can not bear the heat and the claustrophobia starts to set in....they choke you with that horrible fumigation spray!

Still a small price to pay!

LOL been there Grafton!