Go Back   Professional Soldiers ® > Area Studies > Africa

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-01-2015, 19:47   #1
FlagDayNCO
Guerrilla
 
FlagDayNCO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: KEYSTONE STATE, Bucks County
Posts: 251
Uganda Mountain Trekking Vacation

No kidding, we have an Associate booking a mountain climbing vacation to Uganda, and they need a travel assessment/ security briefing. Well, we pulled the usual info from US DoS, as well as UK and CA (Traveler is a Canadian).

The mountain climbing expedition is operated by an internationally known/ very reputable company, that provides local guides and support for each trip. The expedition will take place near the Dem Rep of Congo, so the usual suspects and security concerns are known.

The traveler is going on vacation, not official business, so there will be no security detail. We're only providing a brief as a courtesy, and I've already asked if they couldn't find a mountain here to climb, instead. Maybe Mount Mc... Oh, missed it before the name changed.

One question I have is this:

The female traveler is going with their husband. They are an interracial couple (he's black) and the concern is will they get any crap for this in Uganda? He's Prior Service Regular Army and thought they may run into some problems from the local nationals.

Anyone have any input/ knowledge from the region they would be willing to share?

Thank you in advance,

Now back to discussing the insurgency.
__________________
Flag Day NCO
"Fundamental truths are our most powerful weapon and chief among those truths is the sanctity of the individual right to self-determination." Trapper John

The Cold War didn't end, communism still lives and has come to America.

The Insurgency is going well, especially with the enemy at the table of every branch of our Federal, State, and Local Government.
FlagDayNCO is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2015, 20:42   #2
Flagg
Area Commander
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 1,423
I haven't a clue of the current security state in Uganda.

I have climbed in Kenya and Tanzania.

The infrastructure around Mt Meru and Mt Kilimanjaro would be better developed relatively speaking.

I'd try to shape the, to places like Mt Meru and Kili if possible.

Kili is very well known and becoming common.

Meru less so.

Easy to get to from Arusha airport,

Challenging scramble depending on time.

The more time you have, the easier it is. Suits mountain /trek scramblers from newbie(4-5 days) to very experienced (24-48 hours),

Not so much an answer, but a valid and relatively more secure option.
Flagg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2015, 20:21   #3
Penn
Area Commander
 
Penn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,461
Arrogance and stupid combined usually crashes and burns. What compelling reason would you take your wife or anyone you love to a region so unstable?
Penn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2015, 05:51   #4
JJ_BPK
Quiet Professional
 
JJ_BPK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: 18 yrs upstate NY, 30 yrs South Florida, 20 yrs Conch Republic, now chasing G-Kids in NOVA & UK
Posts: 11,901
What Penn said..

Prognosis: FAIL

__________________
Go raibh tú leathuair ar Neamh sula mbeadh a fhios ag an diabhal go bhfuil tú marbh

"May you be a half hour in heaven before the devil knows you’re dead"
JJ_BPK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2015, 08:03   #5
mark46th
Quiet Professional
 
mark46th's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Orange, Ca.
Posts: 4,941
I have a family member who was living in Kenya. They just moved back to the states because of the instability.
mark46th is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2015, 08:34   #6
Team Sergeant
Quiet Professional
 
Team Sergeant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 20,929
1978 I was headed there with 500 others from the 1-505 PIR.....

Then, to our dismay, they cancelled the party.

All you "kids" can goggle : "General Idi Amin Dada" to understand this post.
__________________
"The Spartans do not ask how many are the enemy, but where they are."
Team Sergeant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2015, 13:44   #7
Badger52
Area Commander
 
Badger52's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Western WI
Posts: 6,817
As if Uganda isn't pristine enough, did they also read the rosy travel briefing from the Brandy-snifting folks at Foggy Bottom for the adjacent DRC?

This is in YGBSM territory.
__________________
"Civil Wars don't start when a few guys hunt down a specific bastard. Civil Wars start when many guys hunt down the nearest bastards."

The coin paid to enforce words on parchment is blood; tyrants will not be stopped with anything less dear. - QP Peregrino
Badger52 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2015, 15:10   #8
Axe
Guerrilla
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MI
Posts: 110
Do these folks have KRE insurance? If not, I would push that button to try to discourage their travel plans.
Axe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2015, 19:42   #9
Leozinho
Quiet Professional
 
Leozinho's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: No. Va
Posts: 407
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penn View Post
Arrogance and stupid combined usually crashes and burns. What compelling reason would you take your wife or anyone you love to a region so unstable?
To go trekking to see mountain gorillas and whitewater kayak the headwaters of the Nile?

Or you can stay on the couch watching American Idol and eat at Applebee's with the rest of Generic America.

Everyone has different tolerance for risk.
Leozinho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2015, 04:26   #10
Penn
Area Commander
 
Penn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,461
I was in Kenya right before the embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; was interviewed/met with the CoS, whose brother just happened to run a company that set up refugee camps....We had Masai as bodyguards with us 24/7.
Lived in a walled compound with Iron wood bedroom doors that were further secured on the inside with bars that you locked at night, basically imprisoning yourself in a room with a hide space. It got my attention...Nairobi was challenging.

I was treated to a safari, with the distinct pleasure of traveling by truck from Nairobi to the Plains of Kenya just as the migration started. It was an interesting kidney jarring ride, stayed several days there, before flying back to Nairobi in a private C172RG. Concerned for my daughter's safety, I turned down the job offer. And it was a serious offer.

All travel arraignments were booked out of Canada.

Risk assessment and tolerance? Well, who can predict the future.

Last edited by Penn; 09-11-2015 at 04:28.
Penn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2015, 05:31   #11
Pete
Quiet Professional
 
Pete's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Fayetteville
Posts: 13,080
Most of us don't

Most of us don't fall into that category - but never grow old and sit there in your rocker on the porch with your grand kids in you lap and say "I wished I'd have done something exciting in my life."

With that said I don't think I'd plan a trip to the North African coast or Red Sea area any time soon.

The odds are in your favor - just keep your eyes open and be aware at all times.
Pete is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2015, 05:58   #12
LeapingGnome
Quiet Professional
 
LeapingGnome's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it
Posts: 62
Additionally, from your original question, the mixed race couple thing is not an issue there.
__________________
Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

An Army of sheep, led by a lion is more to be feared than an Army of lions led by a sheep
-Alexander the Great
LeapingGnome is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2015, 18:00   #13
FlagDayNCO
Guerrilla
 
FlagDayNCO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: KEYSTONE STATE, Bucks County
Posts: 251
Thanks

Thanks to the many comments that supported what I already told her. As one mentioned, they travel the world seeking adventure; they don't si and grow old. He already retired from military with many combat tours under his belt as an infantry officer. He won't have a couple platoons to protect him now.

Their most compelling concern is the mixed race marriage thing, as they had a foul experience in another African nation.

Yes, SHE is covered under our K&R policy, but HE is not.
__________________
Flag Day NCO
"Fundamental truths are our most powerful weapon and chief among those truths is the sanctity of the individual right to self-determination." Trapper John

The Cold War didn't end, communism still lives and has come to America.

The Insurgency is going well, especially with the enemy at the table of every branch of our Federal, State, and Local Government.
FlagDayNCO is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:33.



Copyright 2004-2022 by Professional Soldiers ®
Site Designed, Maintained, & Hosted by Hilliker Technologies