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Is Zanzibar safe?



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 25th, 2006, 09:41 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Default Is Zanzibar safe?

I am thinking of taking a honeymoon to Tanzania (game park+Zanzibar
combo), but just read the State Dept. website and it does not sound too
safe for Americans to go there (esp. Zanzibar). Can anyone comment on
this who knows this area better? Thanks so much, Doug.

  #2  
Old April 26th, 2006, 02:17 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Default Is Zanzibar safe?


wrote in message
oups.com...
I am thinking of taking a honeymoon to Tanzania (game park+Zanzibar
combo), but just read the State Dept. website and it does not sound too
safe for Americans to go there (esp. Zanzibar). Can anyone comment on
this who knows this area better? Thanks so much, Doug.


I was there about a year ago, coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Read the State Department warning for Kinshasa if you want to know how
seriously I take those State Dept warnings. :-)

Seriously; the warnings are meant as deterrants to those who are deterred.
Zanz was absolutely magical, we felt completely and utterly safe, and saw
many many other tourists on our trip. If you have travelled outside the US
before, then you know about having a modicum of 'street smarts'....not
paranoia but legitimate world-wisdom. AFAIK, there is no greater risk to
being in Stone Town or the rest of the island than there is in any suburb of
a major US city.

My guess is the State warning is because of the general paranoia surrounding
terrorism in the world in general. I don't believe there are any hard
targets in Zanzibar, or any specific threat.

--riverman


  #3  
Old April 26th, 2006, 09:57 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Default Is Zanzibar safe?

In message
"riverman" wrote:


wrote in message
oups.com...
I am thinking of taking a honeymoon to Tanzania (game park+Zanzibar
combo), but just read the State Dept. website and it does not sound too
safe for Americans to go there (esp. Zanzibar). Can anyone comment on
this who knows this area better? Thanks so much, Doug.


I was there about a year ago, coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Read the State Department warning for Kinshasa if you want to know how
seriously I take those State Dept warnings. :-)

I was astonished a few years back by what I read about Kenya there,
then I read what (at that time) they were saying about the UK.
Grief.
I should dig a deep hole to live in, it's just soooooooo bad here,
apparently.

Though try not too look American.
Americans are well known to be rich.
Whenever I get hassle from people wanting handouts, I just say, "I'm
not American!". This gets the meaning across almost everywhere, and is
more effective than an outright 'No'!

Slainte

Liz

--
http://www.v-liz.com Kenya; Tanzania; Namibia; India; Galapagos
Photo galleries:
http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/free/gallery.asp?memberID=165111"
http://www.photoshopuser.com/napmem/...g.php?id=39466
  #4  
Old April 27th, 2006, 03:49 AM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Default Is Zanzibar safe?

My daughter just phoned this morning from Zanzibar. She has a few weeks off
and travelled to Nairobi, Mombassa, Dar es Salem and now Zanzibar. This is
the place she likes the best so far. In Kenya she got really tired of the
hucksters who followed her around trying to pitch their tours. There was
much less sales pressure Tanzania. She is having a great time in Zanzibar,
getting lost in Stone City and visiting the beautiful beaches. She says the
turquoise and magenta colours of the ocean and absolutely fantastic. We are
going to visit her in August and she and my wife are already planning a trip
to Dar es Salem and Zanzibar during the two weeks she arrives before I get
there. I think I heard them mention something about looking for Tanzanite
jewellery.

My daughter is quite travel wise, having back packed though much of South
America and southern Africa so she knows how to avoid trouble. She seems to
feel quite comfortable with Zanzibar.

Scott
Kelowna, Canada

wrote in message
oups.com...
I am thinking of taking a honeymoon to Tanzania (game park+Zanzibar
combo), but just read the State Dept. website and it does not sound too
safe for Americans to go there (esp. Zanzibar). Can anyone comment on
this who knows this area better? Thanks so much, Doug.



  #5  
Old April 28th, 2006, 12:08 AM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Posts: n/a
Default Is Zanzibar safe?

"I am thinking of taking a honeymoon to Tanzania (game park+Zanzibar
combo), but just read the State Dept. website and it does not sound too
safe for Americans to go there (esp. Zanzibar). Can anyone comment on
this who knows this area better? Thanks so much, Doug."

The US State Department travel advice notoriously overreacts to
absolutely everything. They don't want to be sued, so they list
absolutely everything that has ever happened to any foreigner in a
given country, no matter how rarely, so that they can't be accused of
not warning people about a danger. (The State Department advice on
India has something about how if you are driving and hit a cow, they
might attack you or burn your vehicle...)

I find the British Foreign Office's travel warnings to be much more
reasonable: www.fco.gov.uk.

  #6  
Old April 28th, 2006, 04:37 AM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Posts: n/a
Default Is Zanzibar safe?

I don't think the State Department (a part of the Federal Government)
worries too much about being sued, as that is not possible.

wrote in message
ps.com...
"I am thinking of taking a honeymoon to Tanzania (game park+Zanzibar
combo), but just read the State Dept. website and it does not sound too
safe for Americans to go there (esp. Zanzibar). Can anyone comment on
this who knows this area better? Thanks so much, Doug."

The US State Department travel advice notoriously overreacts to
absolutely everything. They don't want to be sued, so they list
absolutely everything that has ever happened to any foreigner in a
given country, no matter how rarely, so that they can't be accused of
not warning people about a danger. (The State Department advice on
India has something about how if you are driving and hit a cow, they
might attack you or burn your vehicle...)

I find the British Foreign Office's travel warnings to be much more
reasonable: www.fco.gov.uk.



 




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