Kavey

JClayton, it sounds as though you have many experiences, good and bad, to share.

I really hope, now you have taken the plunge and signed up, that you will consider becoming a more active participant and tell us more about your experiences.

As for doubting posts, it's not that first time posters or newbies to Africa are not welcome here - they absolutely are.

It's simply that, in order for us to place credence in such a posting (given that both positive and negative reports are posted by those in the business and their rivals), we simply need to have some history with the poster so that we have a basis for judging whether or not the posting is genuine.

carlottawest

Greetings:
I have not visited the website since my original posting because I was doing just what many responders suggested...warning others who might read my "tale of woe" and choose to not travel with Solomon Olemwaipasi. I sent my original post to many travel sites like Fodor's, Lonely Planet, etc, as well as the Tanzanian police, the US Embassy, TATO, and the Tanzanian press with some measure of success from all of them.

An interesting aspect of this internet experience is hearing from those who doubted my veracity because this was my first internet post. I sincerely appreciate those who offered their sympathy recognizing that, other than the scam of this scroundrel, I loved the people, the animals, the scenery and the overall experience of Africa. I hope to go again someday if I can raise the funds, but I will select a well known travel company, even though I prefer independent travel to groups. I have learned that lesson the hard way.

Others, like J. Clayton, have contacted me to tell me their experience with him and regrettably, each of them lost even more money than I and my travelling companion. It is also interesting to me to learn of those others that he has scammed, and that they were just as trusting (naive?) as I was.

My only goal was and is to prevent other people from becoming victims of Solomon Olemwaipasi in the future. I consider myself a "seasoned" traveller, however anyone can be hoodwinked by a skillful con artist.

I may not post again for awhile because "life" demands more of my time. However, I will answer any questions honestly and respond to email sent to me about this experience.

Kavey

carlotta

Very glad to hear you have had a measure of success with your complaints. Are any of the organisations you contacted going to take any action against Solomon?

Sadly, it's very much a fact of life on the internet that a certain volume of posts made to boards such as this are fake/ maliciously posted. And that makes it important for those heeding such information to find a way of establishing which posts are genuine and which are not. Given how hard that is to do in communities such as this, a posting history does lend more credence to a strong complaint. Displaying a healthy dose of skepticism is simply a way to protect oneself.

I hope you were able to take away many great memories of Africa amongst all the soured ones and that you too will find a little time to tell us more about some of those special experiences.

Perhaps you can also benefit from some of the wealth of information and experience here to plan and book a return trip that goes much more smoothly!?