The only time I carried more than $10k was when I hunted Cameroon in 2003. And I declared it. All my other safaris I needed less than that. But when I did Cameroon I was the last hunter of the year and would have had a chance at an unfilled quota for Lord Derby Eland and wanted to be sure I could cover it. The quota got filled so I hunted Western Roan and plains game.
You get out of life what you are willing to accept. If you ain't happy, do something about it!
We are hunting Mozambique in Chawalo Wilderness area. I was planning on taking cash for the final hunt installment (PH likes cash) but with tips (including PH) that would put us over the $10K easily. So we will wire at least part of the last installment to stay under the $10k I suppose.
I took a few thousand to SA several weeks ago. No problems at all. However, there was no safe in my room, so I just hid the cash. Gave it to my hunting party as tips.
Something I ran into in Zambia last year. Was trying to pay for a couple of days we spent in a fishing resort after the hunt. $100 bills older than about 2 or 3 years were refused. I was told their bank wouldn't take them. My PH was happy with them. He said he'd just take them to the USA on his next marketing trip and exchange them here.
by Idaho1945 Never heard of cash being confiscated, is that something new? On my first trip over in 2001 I had $7,000 cash in a money belt inside a plastic bag. On this last trip it was much less cash & more credit card, but again the confiscation surprises me. Someone help me out here.
Over $10,000 undeclared is subject to unconstitutional theft by government thugs.
Dick, not sure what Aces meant, and not putting words in his mouth... When he says Thugs, it's not just in Africa.
If you were driving to the Airport and had a tail light out...the nice officer who pulls you over will recognize that you are traveling. If you answer his gun question honestly, (or any one of other paths) you will be asked if you are carrying a large amount of cash.
He will then almost certainly confiscate all of your cash. You won't be charged, you committed no crime. You will then have to hire a lawyer and sue to get it back. If you win, and if you are lucky, in a couple years you will get half back.
This addresses the LEO side.
This is from a victim's side. 1:30 if you want to avoid the backstop.
Google to check, this can and does happen in Idaho. They reformed the laws, but only the most egregious parts were modified.
Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
Years ago when hunting in Africa I took a half-dozen used Leatherman tools (or knockoffs) I'd picked up cheap in pawn shops before traveling. I handed those out (along with cash), and they put a pleased grin on everyone's face! Apparently you can repair most anything wrong on a Land Rover with one!
Something I read about carrying large amount's of cash. $5000+. You draw out that much cash from the bank and the bank is required to inform law enforcement. Then if they catch you, the money is taken away as suspected drug money until you can prove it's not! I think if you were totake lost of cash I'd check into getting money used where your going well in advance. If all your taking is a credit card, I went back to Mich when my dad died and had to let the bank know I'd be using it back there. Doesn't seem to me like there's an easy way to take money and be able to use it!
Never herd of such a thing, cash transaction's over 10k are reported to the IRS.
I’ve only ever carried enough cash for tips to the PH and staff and at the airport. I’ve always fo7nd a credit card to be the best way to pay for anything. I can’t think of a reason to carry over $10k but I’d certainly declare it f I did.
Mule Deer - I’m not sure that travelers checks are even a thing anymore. More than once I’ve had them refused here in the US.
Actually they still do exist--and even if years old can still be cashed.
The only time I've had them "refused" was in a pizza place in a small town north of New York City--which was owned by an Italian family. This was in 1986, and when we tried to pay with an Amex check, the mother said, "We don't take-a the checks." Whereupon her daughter said, "You gotta. They don't have any real money." So mama did....
Ha! We were on Waikiki Beach after dark, when we were approached by a group of Native Hawaiians selling leis (illegally on the beach) - very nice ones...
Claimed they were raising money to go to another island for baseball. So - what the hell?
We mentioned we were from Alaska, and I handed them a $20 for two - more than they were asking by just a bit. They looked skeptical, and asked, "Is this real money?"
I snatched the 20 back right out of his hand and said, "not any more!"
We got called names as we walked off, for quite awhile!
Sometimes ignorance is not bliss.
On our 10-day photo safari to Tanzania, we took $1500 in cash for tips.
We ran out, and had to hit an ATM in a mall in a small town..
Our guide was VERY nervous.... and it was his tip we were getting!
Restrooms were very clean at all our stops in the parks, with an attendant on hand to immediately clean up after every use. Jobs R Us.
I tipped every one of them $2.00 - figured they could use it better than I. Probably spoiled them...
Recently, I told my safari outfitter that I will only pay in Bitcoin, gold or ivory. He responded with, "The Yankee dollar is still the preferred financial currency." We had a good laugh.
Traveling through the jungle in Cameroon in 1998, trees started falling across the ‘road’ ahead of us and behind us. Lots of little guys came out of the trees with AK’s. They would have killed us for pocket change or so I thought. Our interpreter got us out of the predicament. We had little money on us at any rate. The Americans there warned us - even the cops were dirty. Border guards at Central Africa Republic screamed at us in French. I had no idea what they were saying. We had no interpreter with us then and I was driving. “Parley English “ didn’t work. Baseball caps for every guard got us out of that.
We had security guys screaming at my wife and I in Peru, they were carrying Uzi’s. They took our passports- that’s all they wanted. I was carrying mostly Peru money, but had a $100 note stuck in my billfold. That was mid-1990’s.
A guy came at me with a machete in Guyana. He decided to back off when he saw I had him by 12” and at least 100 lb. 2002.
I can’t imagine carrying much more than $100 on me in any third world country.
Last edited by Bugger; 05/14/24.
I prefer classic. Semper Fi I used to run with the hare. Now I'm envious of the tortoise and I do my own stunts but rarely intentionally
Traveling through the jungle in Cameroon in 1998, trees started falling across the ‘road’ ahead of us and behind us. Lots of little guys came out of the trees with AK’s. They would have killed us for pocket change or so I thought. Our interpreter got us out of the predicament. We had little money on us at any rate. The Americans there warned us - even the cops were dirty. Border guards at Central Africa Republic screamed at us in French. I had no idea what they were saying. We had no interpreter with us then and I was driving. “Parley English “ didn’t work. Baseball caps for every guard got us out of that.
We had security guys screaming at my wife and I in Peru, they were carrying Uzi’s. They took our passports- that’s all they wanted. I was carrying mostly Peru money, but had a $100 note stuck in my billfold. That was mid-1990’s.
A guy came at me with a machete in Guyana. He decided to back off when he saw I had him by 12” and at least 100 lb. 2002.
I can’t imagine carrying much more than $100 on me in any third world country.
Screw that noise.....I'm not going anywhere I have to pay people to follow me around and keep me alive just to hunt some freaking animal.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
Traveling through the jungle in Cameroon in 1998, trees started falling across the ‘road’ ahead of us and behind us. Lots of little guys came out of the trees with AK’s. They would have killed us for pocket change or so I thought. Our interpreter got us out of the predicament. We had little money on us at any rate. The Americans there warned us - even the cops were dirty. Border guards at Central Africa Republic screamed at us in French. I had no idea what they were saying. We had no interpreter with us then and I was driving. “Parley English “ didn’t work. Baseball caps for every guard got us out of that.
We had security guys screaming at my wife and I in Peru, they were carrying Uzi’s. They took our passports- that’s all they wanted. I was carrying mostly Peru money, but had a $100 note stuck in my billfold. That was mid-1990’s.
A guy came at me with a machete in Guyana. He decided to back off when he saw I had him by 12” and at least 100 lb. 2002.
I can’t imagine carrying much more than $100 on me in any third world country.
Screw that noise.....I'm not going anywhere I have to pay people to follow me around and keep me alive just to hunt some freaking animal.
We were in sketchy parts of third world countries. I believe you'd be safe with a guide. We were traveling mostly without a paid guide service and usually no one to meet us at airports. But still, money to those who have none is precious.
The worst:
When we landed in Lima Peru, the lights in the airport were being shut off behind us as we walked down the aisle - we landed at 3 in the morning. When we got outside, the doors were locked behind us. The gravel parking lot was filled with little brown people, many wanting to help us with our luggage - trying to grab the luggage off our hands. My Spanish wasn't even close to polished, and these guys talked fast. We were supposed to meet someone there... After maybe 15 minutes - it seemed longer, and a guy held up a sign "Hardy" we went to him, he grabbed our luggage - he didn't speak English. Most of the intersections we went through to get to the hotel had military presence, sandbags and guns. The area looked like the slums of Mexico. When we got to the hotel, there were two guards with UZI's that opened up a tall metal gate with sharp wire on top - entrance to the hotel parking lot. We met the lady at the desk (first one we met that spoke English) and she told us, "Don't worry, once you get to your room, you'll be safe." The lobby was full of prostitutes and handlers. The entire time in Peru seemed surreal. Found out a few days later that, that night the Japanese embassy had been overrun by the Shining Path - the largest Communist group outside the communist countries.
I've spent quite a bit of time in third world countries. Peru was the worst! I didn't leave anything there to go back to. Never again!
Last edited by Bugger; 05/15/24.
I prefer classic. Semper Fi I used to run with the hare. Now I'm envious of the tortoise and I do my own stunts but rarely intentionally
Peru has changed dramatically since 1979. Shining Path and a large epidemic of cholera near Lima has had lasting impact. I spoke Spanish, which helped.
In many countries, hide your money in covert money belts.
Spain and other countries have skilled pickpocket crooks. The days of wearing even stainless steel Rolex Submariners and GMT models is fast disappearing. In the U.S. I carry a 1911 early Colt Series 70 and a Kahr PM 9; all with extra magazines ----with a Federal retired badge along with a State badge in case they don't like/like Feds. We are in a changed world and one needs to be prepared. Next-it will be a police riot shotgun.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena-not the critic"-T. Roosevelt There are no atheists in fox holes or in the open doors of a para's aircraft.....
I’ve only ever carried enough cash for tips to the PH and staff and at the airport. I’ve always fo7nd a credit card to be the best way to pay for anything. I can’t think of a reason to carry over $10k but I’d certainly declare it f I did.
Mule Deer - I’m not sure that travelers checks are even a thing anymore. More than once I’ve had them refused here in the US.
Actually they still do exist--and even if years old can still be cashed.
The only time I've had them "refused" was in a pizza place in a small town north of New York City--which was owned by an Italian family. This was in 1986, and when we tried to pay with an Amex check, the mother said, "We don't take-a the checks." Whereupon her daughter said, "You gotta. They don't have any real money." So mama did....
Not to hijack the thread, I had one (almost) refused in Saltese, Montana, Years ago. Got snowed in, and was told "We don't take foreign money" AMERICAN Express Traveler's Check. It all worked out,
And these zombies line up and eat from the media’s trough
