BEWARE Amsterdam
International
Just a heads up. My last bowhunting clients traveled thru Amsterdam from SA and were all but arrested at the airport for transporting broadheads into the country. They were told by the police that the possession of broadheads in their country was illegal and that they would be arrested. Funny, they traveled through there on the way to SA but were detained and hassled on the way home. Their baggage was checked thru in-transit and one of the security personnel who scanned the bags picked up on the broadheads. This has never happened to any of my clients before but I've only had a handful go thru Amsterdam. FYI.
Ken Moody
Forgot to mention the outcome. All of their b'heads were confiscated and they were released.
Ken Moody
going through amsterdam to get to SA is a long strange trip for sure.
They would have been better off if they'd been caught with a homosexual midget and a pound of hash. Not a problem in Amsterdam but broadheads! Oh my.
Ken Moody
Good idea Ken, if I ever get to cross the big pond, I will get CAT to come along, and bring a big can of Dinty Moore's! ;-)
They gave me fits a few yaers ago. They Xrayed the bags and found my bow, which was in checked baggage. They called me up to the customs desk and wanted to see my weapons permit for the bow. I was lucky and had a Texas handgun permit and told them it covered my bow as well. They let me go. That was my last trip thru their junky country.
Thanks for the heads up. Some travel sites are offering consolidated fares--Delta over, and KLM, or Air France, on the way back. IF I got that way, I'll opt for Air France.
Also, everyone should NOTE that Northwest and Delta are now merged, and that Northwest and KLM often code share. Be careful about passing through Schipol on a "Northwest" flight, especially on the return flight.
"a homosexual midget and a pound of hash"
Why would you pack those when you can buy them in A-dam in the duty free shop?
The Dutch Army has a recruiting poster of a Male Capt and a male EM hugging and embracing in Uniform
They dont have any hair regulations in the Army I hear.
Army Rangers that served with them in Afghanistan say they are pretty limp as soldiers and fighters.The Afgans like thier beards too!
I emailed the Dutch Consulate in Washington. Their "auto responder" (Sunday AM) promises an answer within 48 hours.
I asked about this on Accurate Reloading.Com and it raised a few eyebrows.
Just another reason that more Americans won't travel overseas to hunt. Each country has so much BS in what you can bring in and out and how to transport it is ridiculous. It certainly adds insult to the already sky high air-fares.
Sorry to interject of topic, but regarding airfare. 2005 $1800, 2007 $1500, Rate quoted 2010 $950. As to enroute country rules I would recommend flying direct.
OK Gary....let's see "Direct".....LOW # so far is close to $2400 during July 2010.
If you can beat it, tell us. From the website, I don't see it.
Otherwise, PLEASE stop moving off topic.
Thanks.
Here is the response from the Dutch Consulate that I got in my email this evening. It sounds like they expect you to fill out a "gun form" for a bow, in each direction.
===============================
Dear Madame/Sir,
Thank you for contacting the Netherlands Front Office.
When you pass through the Netherlands with weapons you have to declare them before you leave at our Customs Office.
The form and more information can be found on our website:
http://www.netherlands-embassy.org/article.asp?articleref=AR00001345EN
Kind regards,Netherlands Front Office (NFO) for the U.S.A. and Canada Phone: 1-877-DUTCHHELP (1- 877-388-2443)E-mail: [email protected]: www.netherlands-embassy.orgOffice hours: 7AM–7PM Central Time (14:00-2:00hours Netherlands time)
was in amsterdam last week. traveling thru for work. they picked me for a random search. he looked at me and asked "May I". i said ok and he searched me alright. dude grabbed my boys. not pleasant for me but my coworkers laughed. was in slovakia. bowhunting not permitted!
Hey JB,
Before you publically scold someone you should know of what you speak. Go to www.customtravelafrica.com go to rates and scroll down to July-August round trip JFK or Dulles to Joberg. $1350. The $950 rate was April-May. Stop being a jerk just trying to help you!
"know of what you speak" Oh Brother....
Hey Gary-
Please look carefully at their site. It's now the end of September. The July-August rates on the website are for 2009 rates, which have expired.
FYI, I called them. They CAN'T quote for July of next year, they don't have their blocks of tickets from the airlines. EVERY travel agent is in this position. Custom Travel's best guess is around $2600.
Sorry I stand corrected. But you are still a jerk!
"But you are still a jerk!"....
Sorry, didn't know you were talking to my ex-wife....
Sorry also if it came off wrong, but some folks may already have booked via A-dam and now have to rush to complete paperwork or have their hunt ruined. The travel info is on another thread.
Beware of Air France. I shipped a Polar Bear tanned skin Air Canada via Air France to South Africa. They would not accept it at Paris. They claimed they do not ship live animals(?). We had to have the skin shipped back as the CITES permits expired during the wait. What A headache.
Shipping a live Polar Bear in a cardboard box via freight. How stupid can some people get?
