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So this sounds dodgy. I want to go to South Africa where it is potentially dangerous, to do a voluntary horse riding thing for 4 weeks. You learn a lot doing it.

http://www.i-to-i.com/ProjectBooking.as ... kg=0&stg=2

The thing is, while I should be able to afford this, my friend and I will be both going alone, and the political situation is fairly tricky. I'd like to know what you think, and if you can help me in any way decide the safety of this decision.

We will be going at the end of 2008.

Well I dont quite get what you mean about the political situation but Im sure if you didnt want to go out of the country, you could find similar programs in Australia. I know in the US they have all kinds of nature type get aways and programs that you're suposed to learn from. Granted, it wont be African wildlife but you'll be closer to home.

South Africa is generally peaceful, isnt it? Its more of central and north africa that you have to worry about isnt it? Im not sure.

Hello there!

I'm from South Africa and have lived here all my life.

There is no huge danger in South Africa. The political situation is perfectly sound and has been for several years. The current government, the ANC, is in no danger of a coup in the middle of the night.

Is there anything in particular you are worried about (Are you concerned about issues of racism or crime?) or do you have any general questions?

I'll gladly answer anything.

Lamentably, there's HUGE rates of HIV infection there, as is in a good portion of Africa. Try hard not to sleep around, if you can. I don't know the politics, but it seems like a safe enough place to visit.

i understand its very beutiful there and there is really good hunting there..

Hey guys!

Thanks for the replies. And haha I don't sleep around, I'm monogamous though currently single I am not going to sleep in some stranger's bed.

I was mostly worried about being shot, or HIV from injuries.

Unfortunately, I now have realised my financial situation is not going to allow me to go on this trip. But, I will gladly take any information to memory because I will be going there someday. I'm very disappointed about this.

So Syzygy, I will let you know if I do end up heading that way. Thanks all for the replies!

Kirk Hammett wrote:Hey guys!

Thanks for the replies. And haha I don't sleep around, I'm monogamous though currently single I am not going to sleep in some stranger's bed.

I was mostly worried about being shot, or HIV from injuries.

Unfortunately, I now have realised my financial situation is not going to allow me to go on this trip. But, I will gladly take any information to memory because I will be going there someday. I'm very disappointed about this.

So Syzygy, I will let you know if I do end up heading that way. Thanks all for the replies!

My pleasure.

(The HIV situation is pretty bad - I think almost 30% of pregnant women in S.A. are infected. It is a serious problem, but you shouldn't worry about getting HIV from injuries as the virus dies fairly quickly in open air.)

Syzygy wrote:

Kirk Hammett wrote:Hey guys!

Thanks for the replies. And haha I don't sleep around, I'm monogamous though currently single I am not going to sleep in some stranger's bed.

I was mostly worried about being shot, or HIV from injuries.

Unfortunately, I now have realised my financial situation is not going to allow me to go on this trip. But, I will gladly take any information to memory because I will be going there someday. I'm very disappointed about this.

So Syzygy, I will let you know if I do end up heading that way. Thanks all for the replies!

My pleasure.

(The HIV situation is pretty bad - I think almost 30% of pregnant women in S.A. are infected. It is a serious problem, but you shouldn't worry about getting HIV from injuries as the virus dies fairly quickly in open air.)

That's a relief. It's pretty sad, that disease. The governments need to do more about it, but unfortunately no government is non corrupt. I look at my own government with...utter disgust sometimes. More than just sometimes.

Kirk Hammett wrote: That's a relief. It's pretty sad, that disease. The governments need to do more about it, but unfortunately no government is non corrupt. I look at my own government with...utter disgust sometimes. More than just sometimes.

The corruption in governments really disgusts (just look at the situation with Jacob Zuma and Schabir Shaik) me and the fact that we do not have enough ARV's makes the AIDS situation worse.

Syzygy wrote:

Kirk Hammett wrote: That's a relief. It's pretty sad, that disease. The governments need to do more about it, but unfortunately no government is non corrupt. I look at my own government with...utter disgust sometimes. More than just sometimes.

The corruption in governments really disgusts (just look at the situation with Jacob Zuma and Schabir Shaik) me and the fact that we do not have enough ARV's makes the AIDS situation worse.

The shaky government was part of the reason I was dodgy about going in the first place. I wish they'd look at their people for once, I wish Australia's government would do that too.

It annoys me, as the government could set up huge public work schemes (like America did after the Great Depression and the crash of Wall Street) to help the unemployed and build up public infrastructure. The people without money could get a basic job building roads, schools, clinics, community centres and vital infrastructure which some parts of the country sorely need. (The Eastern Cape in particular, being the poorest.)

Alas, nothing happens.