点评:Scammed in Nungwi by Alex Tour Guide, a local man, robbed of trip to Mikumi from Nungwi and left stranded
BEWARE!!!
I had been to Zanzibar a year ago in December 2023 and visited again for the month of December 2024.
I am writing this review to help stop other tourists falling for this scam! Alex Wilson, a local man, operates from Nungwi and #Kendwa Rocks.
I booked a tour with Alex who I had met at #Coccobello nightclub where he worked as a 'manager' he said. Having a base gave me a feeling of security, he is well known and his manner was very personable.
From London, I booked to go to Kilimanjaro, Alex's suggestion, an area he is familiar with as he comes from Marangu nearby and his father, Wilson had been an experienced Kilimanjaro tour guide for many years; #Serval Wildlife park not far from Moshi [$550] and #Mikumi Safari [$500] were also part of the tour in addition to two weeks car hire to cover Christmas and New Year [$500] and to visit other parts of Zanzibar spaced out over a few days.
On the day of the tour from Nungwi Mon 9th Dec, I handed over all the money to Alex and the coach to Marangu was booked online. We drove down to Stone Town to get the ferry. A guy came to collect the car and I was told the hire car money had been paid to the guy [$500], ready for the two week hire when we returned from the tour.
After a long ferry and coach journey, we were picked up by a driver in Marangu. Day 2, tue 10th, we went to an air bnb that Alex had booked, in the middle of nowhere (to me) way up in the hilly forest. The air bnb was a good standard, a nice bungalow and a housekeeper was there. I met Alex's father, daughter and two other 'aunties' it was lovely to see village life and to meet Alex's father who I spoke on the phone with before (which had made me feel safer). The other reason for going to his father's was to see land Alex's mother had left to him. Trust me, the very remote area and the specific piece of land is not appealing for a westernised tourist to want to invest, especially after being in beautiful Nungwi (I realised afterwards that seeing the land was part of the hook to add to a Kilimanjaro tour - knowing, it is highly unlikely that anyone would consider such a remote location to buy land, up in the hills via slippery, muddy dirt tracks!). I had a good day though, meeting the locals and seeing village life.
Serval wildlife, day 3, wed 11th Dec. As the morning started, Alex's demeanor changed! I was about 10 mins late getting ready and he started raising his voice and complaining, I rushed out of the house and he was quite rude, and condescending, using a critical parent tone for most of the day. I did ask him not to speak to me like that, it carried on at Serval during my engagement with the animals :( (Serval is a wonderful experience) When we arrived at Serval, I thought we had an appointment to meet a guide, we did not, so I couldn't understand the shouting in the morning about being late! Alex went on to go up an octave and shouted at me twice more during the day, saying I ask too many questions and I should shut up and wait for him to tell me when to move!!! All witnessed by the driver! I did say I'm not happy, I don't appreciate how he is speaking to me, I don't have anyone in my life that speaks to me like that. Thereafter, I remained silent!
The next morning day 4, thu 12th Dec, we were due to go to Kilimanjaro and then travel on to Mikumi etc. I dared to ask the question, what's the itinerary for the day so i can organise myself and timing. He said I don't look happy, I don't want to talk to him! I said i'm not happy, I am speaking to him and let's just continue the tour.
The housekeeper made me breakfast, then he came out of the room at 8am fully dressed and wheeling his suitcase; he said the driver is outside and he is going back to Zanzibar because I'm not talking to him. I asked what am i supposed to do? If he is not going to continue the tour and I have not had the opportunity to shower or pack, can he give me the money back to continue to Mikumi ...the way he looked me in my eye and said "What money?" ..at that point, the penny dropped, I realised I had been scammed!!!!
He planned to treat me unacceptably badly so i wasn't happy; then use that excuse to leave just before the $500 would need to be paid to Mikumi ..and I wouldn't be asking about the two weeks car hire $500 thereafter either ...and he left!!!
So I was stranded in the middle of nowhere in a place I have never been to before and abandoned to find my way back to Nungwi from that point!!!
The lady in the air bnb witnessed everthing as we were in the living room.
Alex had no idea if I had any money or anything! It was disorientating and so cruel!!!
The lady helped me to get a flight from Kilimanjaro back to Zanzibar. I informed my hotel in nungwi as i had told them I was going on tour (Alex had initially wanted me to meet him in Dar es Salaam on my arrival to Tanzania, go touring, then go to the hotel in nungwi afterwards. I wasn't comfortable with taking everything I had come with for a 26 day holiday on a week's road trip. I'm glad I followed that instinct! I might have lost everything, no one would have known I was in the country and there would not have been any accomodation booked to go to - a very wicked man!)
I managed to get back to nungwi in the early hours of the morning, after paying another visit to his father. His father filled me in on a lot of things about Alex, a dishonest, devious and potentially violent man, who can be so cunningly charming.
(I found a blog a traveller wrote which mentions Alex!
[https://www.travelblog.org/africa/tanzania/blog-461357])
I was shook up by the experience, glad I got away with my life and was not physically harmed. I just then wanted to enjoy my holiday to the max!!
I have given this level of detail in hope that it might help someone being finessed, confused, pressured and primed to be conned and scammed. Speaking to locals in nungwi it was said, "this type of scam is Alex's work, he is a big thief who solely targets tourists to scam them". It is not the first time he has done this Kilimanjaro scam! Where Alex would sit in #Coccobello nightclub in Nungwi he sees all who come through the door and knows who to prey on!!
I was told "He often steals from people but people complain and leave him alone because he says no one can arrest me and take me to the police station!"
I didn't go to the police station, i was shocked and just wanted to enjoy the rest of my holiday. Plus Alex is friends with some of the police!
A week later, coming back from Mikumi late afternoon (which I paid again for and booked through Get your Guide this time!), very near to my hotel I saw Alex outside the liqour store drinking, there were a group of guys there. I was shocked he was there hanging around but I kept walking. I wondered if he just came there to boast and gloat!
I blocked Alex's number the day I was abandoned in Marangu!
Stay safe trusting travellers.
I did meet quite a few wonderful local souls who took really good care of me.
Date of experience: December 2024
翻译:在南威被当地人 Alex Tour Guide 骗了,他从南威到米库米的旅行被抢劫,被困在原地
小心!!!
一年前,也就是 2023 年 12 月,我去过桑给巴尔,2024 年 12 月又去了一次。
我写这篇评论是为了帮助其他游客避免上当受骗!当地人 Alex Wilson 在南威和 #Kendwa Rocks 工作。
我和 Alex 一起预订了一次旅行,我是在 #Coccobello 夜总会认识他的,他说他在那里担任“经理”。有了一个基地让我有一种安全感,他很出名,举止也很亲切。
从伦敦出发,我预订了去乞力马扎罗山的行程,这是 Alex 的建议,他熟悉这个地区,因为他来自附近的马兰古,他的父亲 Wilson 多年来一直是一名经验丰富的乞力马扎罗山导游;距离莫西不远的 #Serval 野生动物园 [550 美元] 和 #Mikumi 野生动物园 [500 美元] 也是这次旅行的一部分,此外还有为期两周的汽车租赁,用于度过圣诞节和新年 [500 美元],并在几天内游览桑给巴尔的其他地方。
12 月 9 日星期一,从 Nungwi 出发的旅行当天,我把所有的钱都交给了 Alex,并在网上预订了前往 Marangu 的长途汽车。我们开车去石头城乘渡轮。一个人来取车,我被告知租车费已经付给了那个人 [500 美元],我们旅行回来后就可以租用两周的车了。
经过漫长的渡轮和长途汽车旅程后,我们在 Marangu 被一名司机接走了。第二天,10 日星期二,我们去了 Alex 预订的一家空中民宿,它位于山林深处的荒无人烟的地方(对我来说)。这家民宿的标准很高,有一间漂亮的平房,还有一名管家。我见到了 Alex 的父亲、女儿和另外两个“阿姨”,很高兴看到乡村生活,也见到了 Alex 的父亲,我之前和他通过电话(这让我感到更安全)。去他父亲家的另一个原因是想看看 Alex 的母亲留给他的土地。相信我,这个非常偏远的地区和特定的一块土地对西方游客来说并不吸引人,尤其是在去过美丽的 Nungwi 之后(我后来意识到,看土地是乞力马扎罗山之旅的一大亮点——要知道,几乎没有人会考虑在这么偏远的地方买地,还要走滑溜溜的泥泞土路上山!)。不过,我度过了愉快的一天,结识了当地人,了解了乡村生活。
薮猫野生动物,第 3 天,12 月 11 日星期三。清晨,Alex 的举止变了!我准备迟到了大约 10 分钟,他开始大声抱怨,我冲出了房子,他非常粗鲁、傲慢,一整天都用批评的家长语气说话。我确实要求他不要这样跟我说话,在我与动物互动时,这种事一直持续到 Serval :((Serval 是一次美妙的体验)当我们到达 Serval 时,我以为我们已经约好了见导游,但实际上并没有,所以我无法理解早上他因为迟到而对我大喊大叫!Alex 继续提高了一个八度,白天又对我大喊了两次,说我问了太多问题,我应该闭嘴,等他告诉我什么时候出发!!!司机亲眼目睹了这一切!我确实说过我不开心,我不喜欢他这样跟我说话,我生命中没有人这样跟我说话。此后,我保持沉默!
第二天早上,即第四天,12 月 12 日星期四,我们原定前往乞力马扎罗山,然后前往米库米等地。我大胆地问了这个问题,当天的行程是什么,这样我就可以安排好自己和时间。他说我看起来不开心,我不想跟他说话!我说我不高兴,我在跟他说话,我们继续旅游吧。
管家给我做了早餐,然后他早上 8 点穿好衣服,推着行李箱走出房间;他说司机在外面,他要回桑给巴尔,因为我没跟他说话。我问我该怎么办?如果他不打算继续旅游,而我又没有机会洗澡或收拾行李,他能把钱还给我,让我继续去米库米吗……他看着我的眼睛说:“什么钱?”……那一刻,我恍然大悟,我意识到我被骗了!!!!
他打算对我太差了,所以我很不高兴;然后用这个借口在需要向米库米支付 500 美元之前离开……我也不会问接下来两周的 500 美元租车费……然后他就走了!!!
所以我被困在一个我从未去过的地方,然后就放弃了,从那里开始寻找回到南威的路!!!
空中民宿的那位女士目睹了我们在客厅时发生的一切。
亚历克斯不知道我有没有钱或什么的!这让人迷失方向,太残忍了!!!
那位女士帮我从乞力马扎罗山飞回桑给巴尔。我告诉了南威的酒店,因为我告诉他们我要去旅游(亚历克斯最初想让我在到达坦桑尼亚后在达累斯萨拉姆与他见面,一起去旅游,然后去 Nungwi 的酒店。我不太愿意把 26 天假期的所有东西都带在为期一周的公路旅行上。我很高兴我遵循了这种直觉!我可能会失去一切,没有人会知道我在这个国家,也不会有任何住宿预订——一个非常邪恶的人!)
我设法在凌晨回到 Nungwi,再次拜访了他的父亲。他的父亲告诉我很多关于 Alex 的事情,他是一个不诚实、狡猾、可能有暴力倾向的人,但他却如此狡猾迷人。
(我发现了一个旅行者写的博客,其中提到了 Alex!
[https://www.travelblog.org/africa/tanzania/blog-461357])
我被这次经历震惊了,很高兴我活了下来,没有受到身体伤害。我当时只想尽情享受我的假期!!
我之所以给出这种细节,是希望它能帮助那些被欺骗、困惑、施压和准备被骗的人。在与 Nungwi 当地人交谈时,他们说:“这种骗局是 Alex 干的,他是个大盗,专门针对游客进行诈骗。”这不是他第一次做乞力马扎罗山骗局了!Alex 坐在 Nungwi 的 #Coccobello 夜总会里,他能看到所有进门的人,知道该骗谁!!
有人告诉我“他经常偷东西,但人们抱怨,不去管他,因为他说没人能逮捕我,把我带到警察局!”
我没有去警察局,我很震惊,只想享受剩下的假期。另外,Alex 和一些警察是朋友!
一周后,傍晚从米库米回来(我再次付费,这次是通过 Get your Guide 预订的!),在离我酒店很近的地方,我看到亚历克斯在酒铺外面喝酒,那里有一群人。我很震惊他在那里闲逛,但我继续走着。我想知道他是不是来这里吹牛和炫耀的!
我在马兰古被遗弃的那天屏蔽了亚历克斯的号码!
信任的旅行者保持安全。
我确实遇到了不少很棒的当地人,他们真的很照顾我。
体验日期:2024 年 12 月