DONT GO TO NAMIBIA!

[Atravelynn]

I think Chas actually had a fabulous time in Namibia and wants to keep the country to himself. What better way than to denounce it for all the world and discourage anyone else from going.

 

I'm going to take a page from his report: Rwanda is repulsive! Uganda is unacceptably awful! Duba Plains is disgusting! Simons Town sucks! You can flush the whole of Kenya down the toilet!

 

The signing off and saving the documentation on return of the car rental is a good reminder and one that served him well.

[white stork]

Ok I was just trying to help you but if you don't want to listen that's up to you. Personally if I looked on a website offering photo safaris and if in their advertising etc they had incorrectly identified species I would never go anywhere near them as it looks so amateur and sloppy. That's just me though.

 

And also you can search for anything on google and because there are many people who can't spell you will get results. That's why when you search for 'malacite' the first link you get is 'do you mean malachite' as that's the right spelling!! Likewise if you search for 'diuker' you get the link 'did you mean duiker' and 'geranuk' you get 'did you mean gerenuk'!!

 

Seeing as you can use google how about this search:

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&am...sa=N&tab=wi

 

Not overly similar to your picture are they!

[Safaridude]

By the way, "The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals" as well as Kingdon's "East African Mammals" both have it correctly... "gerenuk".

 

I, for one, don't judge the worthiness of a country as a destination based on seeing a single "tired" cheetah living in a semi-artificial environment... or the number of animals in a given area... or which places I am more likely to see the BBC crew.

 

Anyhow, I am sorry you had a terrible time in Namibia. The country has a lot to offer other than the cheetah sanctuary and Etosha.

[Guest chas4551]

Jan - Just because a person earns a living with a lens and has a website does'nt make them an expert on every organism on the planet. Or are you saying the papparazzi know every person? The musician the work of every composer? That's why we have marine biologists, ornothologists, entomolgists, primaologists, mammalogists etc.

In short, because we can't know everything - unlike the know alls on this site!

 

sniktalk - no you're allowed to be rude it's called bad manners!

 

To be honest I've never known a site with so people poised to stick their nib in!

 

No - i'm not a photographer I'm actually rubbish. I've won no awards at all, I actually work as milkman! I've never been to anywhere apart from Blackpool and that was only for the rock. I don't know a bird from a horse, I can't spell and somone from an agency keeps sending me cheques for footage and stills I know nothing about! Shall I keep them like I have for 20 years or send them back? Please help me I'm a misfit in your world of experts!

 

 

 

I'll tell you what else I am - an ex member of this group of morons!

[Guest sniktawk]

sniktalk - no you're allowed to be rude it's called bad manners!

 

I'll tell you what else I am - an ex member of this group of morons!

 

Spelling still a problem?

 

My manners may be bad but at least I know what I am saying.

 

You promised to leave earlier, I do hope this is not another load of nonsense!

[Guest schnauzi]

Iz dis hooman courtship behavior?

[Game Warden]

OP has requested that he be removed from the Safaritalk membership. I've done as he asked.

 

Matt

[ZaminOz]

GW,

I read this entire thread. I feel that my life has been cheated of at least 10 minutes. Please refund my life 10 minutes by return post.

Thank you in advance.

yours etc

ZaminOz

[Game Warden]

ZaminOz: I feel honoured that you spend so much time on Safaritalk I'll buy you a Mozi one day to compensate...

[Guest nyama]

I'll buy you a Mozi one day to compensate...

Since this seems to be a thread about spell checking....

 

[Game Warden]

You don't know how many of the local Portuguese version I've been drinking today... Spell check? Who needs it

[egilio]

I'm just ashamed that there's people with the same background as me, calling themselves some kind of biologists and are so shortsighted, ignorant, minsinformed and uninterest in the very things they studied, most probably, out of passion...

[twaffle]

Twaffle,

 

So who are we allowed to be rude too?

 

Look at this guys description and website if we cannot criticise a "professional" then who can we do it to?

 

Spitting venom indeed!

 

I've re read my posts and I don't think I told anyone that they couldn't be rude although I would rather other ways of communication were found. I was just trying to throw a fire blanket over the thread before it deteriorated completely, but never mind … I went to sleep and when I woke up it was all sorted!

[tracker]

It appears the anti-venom has been administered and it appears to be working!

[JohnR]

Interesting thread. There were a lot of valid and interesting points in the OP's first message, but what a way to try to get people on your side.

 

And having visited Namibia for the last three years in a row and planning to keep doing so I can't agree with the OP's conclusion.

 

As a newby, if life on this website is always this exciting then I'm hooked.

[Game Warden]

As a newby, if life on this website is always this exciting then I'm hooked.

It can sometimes get interesting

[Atravelynn]

And having visited Namibia for the last three years in a row and planning to keep doing so I can't agree with the OP's conclusion.

 

As a newby, if life on this website is always this exciting then I'm hooked.

 

JohnR,

 

The level of excitement is up to you--and the rest of us. Some of us are more exciting than others. I won't elaborate any further, but would love to have others offer comments, sarcasm, or barbs in response. You know, to keep the excitement rolling.

 

Anyway, you'll be hearing from me when Namibia rises to the top of my travel heap. Three years in a row! Impressive and obviously you were impressed with Namibia.

[twaffle]

Sometimes we miss Mwana and Masaiman (although he'll be back assuming he doesn't get eaten by his pets).

[Guest nyama]

Sometimes we miss Mwana and Masaiman (although he'll be back assuming he doesn't get eaten by his pets).

You forgot to mention that helpful guy who always wants to make this forum a better place........

[rickmck]

Right. Drove that guy right out of camp, eh? Well done!

 

And to all those folks lurking around as "guests" and wondering whether to post their stupid questions, poor opinions, or bad experiences, who'd like to be next to join, eh? Come on, step up!

[Guest nyama]

Come on, Rick, we're improving. Since you'd told us this the last time we really got some new members.

[twaffle]

You forgot to mention that helpful guy who always wants to make this forum a better place........

No I didn't. (forget that is)

 

 

Right. Drove that guy right out of camp, eh? Well done!

 

And to all those folks lurking around as "guests" and wondering whether to post their stupid questions, poor opinions, or bad experiences, who'd like to be next to join, eh? Come on, step up!

 

This poster had been a member for over a year and had posted before without ill effect. I think having a go at a whole country instead of just a bad experience was perhaps unwise. The reaction was predictable. I don't think you or I would post a report in such a manner on a Safari loving site and expect a favourable response. I'm sorry it ended the way it did but we're dealing with people with different ways of viewing the world and communicating, it's not all a bed of roses.

 

 

Come on, Rick, we're improving. Since you'd told us this the last time we really got some new members.

 

Yes we have. Some really good members who post interesting things, can be controversial and will fight their corner.

 

Then we have some crusty old members who like to stick their boots in sometimes. But the world isn't a saccharine sweet place and happy endings are for fairy tales. I'm glad for the acerbic and the nice and am just happy to contribute my little bit. Now I really do sound like Pollyana.

[Safaridude]

Rick, "stupid questions, poor opinions or bad experiences" are all welcome on this forum. In fact, the more the better. It's just that it's really weird coming from a person who claims to be a safari guide!

[Guest sniktawk]

Rick, "stupid questions, poor opinions or bad experiences" are all welcome on this forum. In fact, the more the better. It's just that it's really weird coming from a person who claims to be a safari guide!

 

 

Let's not forget Wildlife Photographer and Travel Agent.

[predator]

Sorry to hear you had a bad trip, but I dont believe your experiences are typical of visitors to Namibia, and I think its foolish to let one bad trip to a small part of the country put you off visiting again.

 

Most of your problems seem to have been down to the trip organisers and the hire car company. I havent used Budget so cant comment on them, but I've never had problems with car hire in Namibia.

Yes most places in Windhoek have fences and gates, but so do places in other countries. Crime in Namibia is far lower than the UK for instance, and although its higher in Windhoek (as it is with any large city), its still far safer than London or any other city in the UK.

 

I've always had superb food at Okonjima (better than any lodge I visited in Kenya), but you're right - the Cheetah that visitors get to see are tame (completely tame). They dont take visitors to see the ones that are wild and will be re-released as they dont want to get them used to human contact.

 

Regarding Etosha, I take it you didnt look at a map? If you had then you'd have seen there are more roads than just one as you claim. Wildlife densities vary depending on the rains - if you were there after the rains had started then you will see a lot less wildlife as its widely distributed, but in the dry season there is lots of wildlife around the waterholes and near the roads. The rest camps are basic when compared to private lodges, but I dont mind that as its the location that makes it worthwhile - you get a lot of wildlife at the camps waterholes. Not had cold food there at the buffets though - its always been hot when I've stayed there (on lots of occasions).