I am just a bold faced Liar
[QUOTE=Chicago85;2731988]How are you able to bring in 40 phones at a pop? I've brought them, laptops, rare scotch in and re-sold to friends, but I always understood the limit was 3 or 4 phones before they tax you on the remainder. My luggage is also scanned 90% of the time. Am I missing something?[/QUOTE]If I told you how I did it, then you would know what I know. There is a way to do it and many of the posts so far are really off the mark, but then again, you can always count on my post to be so unbelievable that surely my recollection of events must be false. Pollo Negro is Out!
You are a better man than I, my Villainy friend, with your complete response
[QUOTE=Villainy;2732043]I think for the most part you simply do not understand why people aren't writing out a complete "do's and don'ts" notebook for you.[/QUOTE]Not sure, but I think I was the first to respond to our crabby new friend with the free advice to stay home. My response was curt, did not offer any explanation, not very helpful, and glib.
I was being as serious as a heart attack.
I liken it to the old saying, "If you have to ask, then you can't afford it." This was the nature of his questions, in my opinion. They were coming from someone who was showing evidence that he would not be able to safely navigate the scene no matter what the info provided to him in his behalf. I could be wrong, in fact I hope I am.
When it comes to matters of personal safety or behaviors effecting other's safety, an experience in Medellin can turn sour in a hurry without a healthy dose of common and street sense. Those factors can be very hard if not impossible to teach. The overall odds are probably still in this guy's favor of coming out the other side relatively unscathed, so then it becomes a matter of degree of risk acceptance. Most of us do not walk around with the same risk tolerance. His responses still do not instill me with confidence. As you noted, he is obtuse, and I find too philosophical about a "nuts and bolts" topic that needs plain thinking and straight talking.
My free advice is not the final word, and he can take the sum of all the opinions from those who answered here and form his own hybrid opinion. I stand by my original answer, he's not ready. Maybe two years was too long of a waiting period, maybe not. Imagine for a moment if did actually study the forum and Spanish for "awhile." The difference in his situation could be huge. Or maybe he does not adapt well, how would I know? His responses have not given me the feeling that, "yeah, this guy is going to be receptive to criticism and be able to effectively modify his behaviors." I suppose time will tell. I don't want to see anyone get hurt.
Let's forget about the phones for a second, they are throwing off the topic a bit
[QUOTE=AmorPorFavor;2732191]So it seems that giving a phone provides a lot more value than cash? [/QUOTE]This has been mentioned many times. Chicas need money, but they love regalos (gifts). I can buy a 10 mil COP frock or something for a chica to wear over at the corner of the courtyard at Ground Zero. When I give it to her, she will act like it costs four time that.
They love plata or coins. If you give the identical amount of money in "silver" as paper, they again act as though the peso amount has significantly more intrinsic value in a metal than paper state, which of course is not true.
You can get a very nice performance ROI (Return on Investment) with the strategic use of inexpensive gifts. Of you don't have to worry about the ROI. Some guys pack and bring trinkets with them, others buy them in Medellin.
Activation of refurbished phones
Hey,
Does it make any sense to give away a Iphone without a proof of purchase? If no, must it have the IMEI on it?