Hi Mark,

There were some riots in the high density suburbs yesterday but were sorted. Today the headlines I saw said Harare burns! I drove from North to South of Harare this morning and all was as per normal and fine so the problem we have as always is the media blowing things way out of proportion. There was also a message saying Chinoyi town was on fire and Police had run. My friends there tell me there is absolutely nothing happening there at all!!!

Gary

Guys, if you have plans to go to Zim - just go! We've heard this stuff for years in Zim, and all to date has been just fine for visiting hunters. Don't stress - go and have a good time.

Regards,

My best and most memorable trip to Zim was taken when the most strident warnings were in place and the rumor mill was working overtime about revolutions, coups and unrest. Be prudent and listen to the people on the ground. The Zim operators are simply the best and they absolutely do not want a client to be placed in a compromising position.

Mike, was that 2008?

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
My best and most memorable trip to Zim was taken when the most strident warnings were in place and the rumor mill was working overtime about revolutions, coups and unrest. Be prudent and listen to the people on the ground. The Zim operators are simply the best and they absolutely do not want a client to be placed in a compromising position.

+1 was also in Zim -08. Would not hesitate going back

I were going in June to CAR im actually glad I let that one go. After talking with some security personal in country a month before going I dropped it..even with minimal risk they said its not worth going to CAR at this point with new groups forming everyday and everyone wanting to make a name of their little group in all parts of the country.

quote:

Originally posted by PSmith:
Mike, was that 2008?

Yes.

Yep, I thought so.

I was in Harare then Dande in July/August 2008. No worries at all, really just the same as 2006 and 2015.

I was there just before the elections in 2008. At the time folks on AR were talking about riots, Rwanda-like violence, etc. There was none of that. That is not to say that there could not be a meltdown tomorrow, next week or next year . . . point is, if you are hunting with someone that you trust, listen to them and heed their advice.

I wouldn't worry.If something were to happen England will send planes to rescue you and punish the culprits.

I was there in 2002 and it was falling apart and I would never have believed in the year 2016 we would still have travel concerns every year.
It is realy just a roll of the dice if and when the total system failure happens.
I don't want to be there when it does without a backup plan with a plane to come get me out of a camp but until then roll the dice and take your chance.

Last year seemed to be one of the good years in Zim so I chose to take my family there. It was a good decision and I am glad we went then in July 2015.

Things have seemed more tight in ways since. I would go if I had something there or a hunt but I might not want my girls along with these rumblings.

But in most ways the thing to do is listen to the guys you trust there. They know and have their families there too.

Things get blown up fast. Once I was working over seas and in country there was some strife going on. I was way out in the oil fields and then in the city I was probably 100 miles from it. When I called in to Houston they said it is going on right now. I walked over and looked out the window and came back and said I don't see a thing. It was over 100 miles away. But yes things can get brewed up fast in some places.

The real shame is this has been ongoing on the see saw in Zim for years and it and they and we are still there with things really only being worse and followed by little portions of improvement here and there and then another round of even more negatives. At some point things have to reset.

I would have no issue with going to Zim if money and time allowed, as long as Gary and Neil said all was OK.

Those two have been straight shooters with me, and like the US, Zim is a wonderfuil place if you discount the government...

^^ Thats very true. They have a lot of great people there in Zim.

I just zipped off a couple emails to guys there as well.

I was in Zimbabwe in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, and really not much changed from year to year. I traveled and hunted all over the country during those years. Same old roadblocks, same money problems(although the first few years with the rampant, out of control inflation was interesting to say the very least), same 'make a plan' attitude by my friends there, same government corruption, same ZANU-PF/MDC issues, etc, etc, etc. Never witnessed any violence, and I was there during the 2008 elections as well. I never felt unsafe at any time, as long as I followed the instructions of my PHs, even though once I unsuspectingly waived to a group of government soldiers using the MDC sign. I would only not go if my friends still living there told me that they didn't feel safe.

Trouble with media one place, is they'll copy it and repeat many other places the same crap, true or not. Never know for sure what's the truth.

George

Went out and about yesterday to all the northern and eastern suburbs and all was quiet. There was some violence in the high density areas but it did not spill out. There is a groundswell movement against vice president Mphoko who is squandering money staying in a 5 star hotel because there is a ghost in his house or some other idiocy and it seems it was his shop that was torched in Chitungwiza township.

As a political statement the stay away was a non event. I'm guessing that 75% of the businesses were closed but the big supermarkets (like Bon Marche and Pick 'n Pay, which are in big with ZANU PF) stayed open so there really was no standstill.

Whatever happens, it will be (1) short lived, (2) not targeting anyone minding their own business, and (3) will not affect rural communities.

We should rather stand in awe of an administration that has screwed up a US dollar economy even more efficiently than Obama. These folks are talented!

Don't worry about Zim, just come!

Thank you for the real time reports which are very comforting.

Lets face it. Zimbabwe has been a slow motion train wreck since the moment it was no longer Rhodesia and became Zimbabwe.