Andy Graham of Hobo Traveler Robbed and Beaten in Luperon Yesterday

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belmont

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Oct 9, 2009
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His injury looks more consistant to be received from a working girl than a 190 pound male.

His black eye doesn't jive with his statement the intruder entered his balcony and threatened him with a broken bottle.
 

BabyBlu

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Jan 20, 2004
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Only watched 2 minutes and 30 seconds of the video when I decided I was not going to waste another 12 minutes on this clown...Read a few of his D.R related blogs, and not sure why someone who is so racist would want to visit a carribean country. I don't think anyone deserves to be robbed and or beaten but if that little incident will keep asshats like him from coming back to the D.R, well, job well done...
 

SNH

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Jul 24, 2010
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just curious why didn't they take the laptop or the video cam?
 

Viajero

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Dec 16, 2011
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Jaja ... this is the guy that makes those vids in Sosua. I was wondering if this was gonna happen eventually.
 

KateP

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May 28, 2004
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I'm by no means a pro at this but as part of a course I took once, they give us tricks on how to detect if someone is lying. By the end of the first 30 seconds of the video, this guy was constantly looking towards his right as he thought. In general, that means the person is constructing an image or a thought. AKA lying. NOT saying this is his case, it's not 100% foolproof, but he ain't got me convinced!
 

Bjkearns

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Mar 22, 2012
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I don't think anyone deserves to be robbed and or beaten but if that little incident will keep asshats like him from coming back to the D.R, well, job well done.
g.php
 

Edward Rivas

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Mar 16, 2012
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www.goldenkeymanagement.com
I can`t believe it, but after seeing the first few minutes of the video and the comments, you`re all right. It does look like a bad PR campaign against the DR. Not the first time, nor the last. If that Andy was anything bigger in terms of audience, I`d go directly to the head of tourism and start an investigation, and have a persona non grata letter ready to be sent if this was just a hoax.

I wrote an article not long ago, will copy some of it here ( I hope this forum is neutral in terms of politics, it seems so).

When planning a trip to a Caribbean destination, close to 90% of travelers take some time to research into the available offers from tour operators, travel guides, friend referrals, and other online sources that provide information through travel review sites, forums and specialized sites. In a competitive industry such as travel and tourism , it is expected that some destinations become affected adversely by the success of others, thus creating a market for PR attacks and negative campaigns if the competing destination has no creativity to compete in a fair way.

The Dominican Republic has been the victim of such PR attacks since more than 2 decades ago when it began to compete in the international market for all inclusive tourists that began in the city of Puerto Plata and later expanded dramatically to the Bavaro-Punta Cana areas. It is common to read online and printed reviews about inflated crime figures, poor roads, warnings about leaving the hotel zones and other misleading data that luckily some tourists double check before considering and yet after all this bad publicity the Dominican Republic still gets around 2 million visitors each year and statistics show growth, though modest due to the misleading bad PR. New York is a top world destination, and has a exceedingly high crime rate... compare that to all tourists areas of the DR combined and you`ll have all New Yorkers coming to live here.

About 50% of the bad PR goes towards the island, something that clearly shows that the false advertising comes from other competing islands, including Mexico according to published news citing DR government officials. The rest of the misleading reviews are directly aimed at the first tourist destination of the island, the North coast. Although Puerto Plata suffered when Punta Cana and Bavaro started to lobby government officials to get the bigger and eventually the whole advertising and infrastructure budget from the government, still the city retains its much higher value with a superior natural beauty and appeal – There`s no better ecofriendly and varied tourism offer than Puerto Plata, including Sosua, Cofresi, Cabarete and Costambar. Nearby Cabrera is also considered part of the extended package, with amazing places to visit.

It`s no wonder that most of the all-inclusive tourism belongs to the East of the island, which has row after row of beach resorts packed next to each other. For a weekend of beach and sun it sounds fantastic. Then there`s a more complete type of tourism that involves cultural, ecofriendly travel that takes the visitor to a wide range of tours including towns and beaches not set inside the seclusion of a resort. Puerto Plata has all that, including the largest self catering vacation rental market in the island. Another interesting factor that misleads visitors is the claim by tour operators and some beach resorts that venturing outside resorts boundaries is too dangerous, which they do because of some interesting reasons, being the main two that they want tourists to spend their dollars in the resort stores and restaurants, and the operators want to minimize losses on travel insurance if used.

Compared to other destinations (e.g. Jamaica and Mexico) the island of Dominican Republic is far less dangerous, and most crime cases can be traced back to irresponsible lifestyles related to drugs and sex for pay. Small towns such as Sosua in the North coast have seen quick change after the new major took over office, although to some it`s been too quick too hard ( some bars and restaurants complained ). In the world of advertising , perception is everything. 2012 presidential elections will be a good arena to present plans and demand change, since the current administration has failed to make tourism grow in the Dominican Republic as everyone expected in a long 8 year government.
 

La Rubia

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Jan 1, 2010
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seems a brief account of what happened for a journalist

It seems in the age of internet and blogging, anyone can be a "writer". To me like he's a guy with a website (which may be his area of expertise), but I could be wrong. Don't see any indications that he's a journalist.

(But then again, I'm feeling like I could become a travler writer, as I post here on DR1.)

Now I stopped watching after the, "I'm naked, . . . . . and he's in my pantalones," then he shows his "secret" hiding spot." Don't know if I can bring myself to watch the rest.
 

La Rubia

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Jan 1, 2010
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This look like a propaganda against the DR. It look like too fake for me. ( He was not Haitian. what this mean?)

I, too, was put off by the "He was not a Haitian", in such a short "article".

He seems a little off, but I resist the conspirarcy theories that people are just out to slam the DR.
Perhaps just trying to keep his "followers" interested?
 

Koreano

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Jan 18, 2012
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Seriousely! Can you live off of site like that? I am no expert in web design anymore but I can find a better open source website sources and skins and do better job in my sleep. And have you guys looked at the crappy $25US pictures he is selling and his crappy and short blog posts? And is there a word to describe how horrible and boring his youtube videos are? And can we have more distracting ads from google PLEASE?!?!?!
 

Givadogahome

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Sep 27, 2011
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And this guy is a writer? Story teller? His black eye is not from a punch,you are more likely to get something like that from having a shoe flung at you (I know, I've had one).
I am no P.I. but you must know how sticky and hot it can get putting a laptop on your naked bollox, which it seems he was. It sounds like a set up. Guy hires chic, chic distracts his attention, whores don't like doors locked so that would have been on minimal if any security, boyfriend comes in, they both demand all he has (another hole in the story, he would have taken the laptop as well as watch and phone) blah blah blah blah.
These attacks are nothing todowith decline in tourism, tourism down because the DR does not offer quality for money. It is expensive be it A/I or independent. People want more for their money, even beer is more expensive in DR than Europe, the only cheaper things are cigs. I can get sheap cigs from Ali at the local Spar.
 

JMB773

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Nov 4, 2011
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I am not trying to be patronizing or anything like that, but I think some of you have been" INSTITUTIONALIZED" by the Dominican Republic. Is everybody lying when they same something negative about the DR? Are some of you saying this can't happen in the DR? If he was at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills CA, I would agree this story is BS, but from a small town in DR when people know there is a "GRINGO" in the area with money I believe it is more likely to happen.

The reason why he said it was not a Haitian, because like him and many others who understands how the DR works EVERYTHING I mean EVERYTHING bad or negative about the Dominican Republic is blamed on their Haitian neigbors.

I think someone on here made fun of his web page which as nothing to due with being ROBBED or BEATEN, this is what I mean by becoming" institutionalized"

BTW Living in the Robbery Capital of the word, the USA I can tell you there have been 5,000,000 times when a robber wanted NOTHING but the money regardless if it was more valuables items in the room.

What is a street thief more likely to take a stack of money worth 2,000USD or 50 South African Krugerrands?
 
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CFA123

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May 29, 2004
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If he was at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills CA, I would agree this story is BS, but from a small town in DR when people know there is a "GRINGO" in the area with money I believe it is more likely to happen.


I don't doubt he was accosted. Exactly what led to it I couldn't say, but I could make some educated guesses. He's made several videos in DR.
By his own account staying in 300-400 peso a night hotels in Montellano and Luperon, chatting up the working girls, hanging around long enough to take video of a knife fight, etc.

Choosing these types of accommodations and associations wouldn't exactly be considered low risk vacation destinations. I'm not saying he was consciously 'asking for trouble', but he certainly appears to have made stupid choices that made him vulnerable. You can put yourself in harms way anywhere in the world... and as someone who proclaims to be a knowledgable traveller, you'd think he'd know better.

From his website "I started traveling in March of 1998, and I live the good life, it a life of luxury, on a Hobo Budget.
Andy, a word of advice - maybe you should upgrade to a luxury deluxe 450 peso hotel next time. Just saying...
:bunny:

[video=youtube;fSfGD_DpXu4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSfGD_DpXu4[/video]
 

JMB773

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Nov 4, 2011
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I don't doubt he was accosted. Exactly what led to it I couldn't say, but I could make some educated guesses. He's made several videos in DR.
By his own account staying in 300-400 peso a night hotels in Montellano and Luperon, chatting up the working girls, hanging around long enough to take video of a knife fight, etc.

Choosing these types of accommodations and associations wouldn't exactly be considered low risk vacation destinations. I'm not saying he was consciously 'asking for trouble', but he certainly appears to have made stupid choices that made him vulnerable. You can put yourself in harms way anywhere in the world... and as someone who proclaims to be a knowledgable traveller, you'd think he'd know better.

From his website "I started traveling in March of 1998, and I live the good life, it a life of luxury, on a Hobo Budget.
Andy, a word of advice - maybe you should upgrade to a luxury deluxe 450 peso hotel next time. Just saying...
:bunny:

[video=youtube;fSfGD_DpXu4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSfGD_DpXu4[/video]
Your right I did not know he was into working girls, but I should have known. I thought by his title "HOBO" that he was just trying to find cheap hotels and rooms for budget travlers or backpackers. Now I could say he deserve what he got.

Buying and selling women is a EVIL business!!!! Also this man has a thing for Dominican women and I tell a lot of men if you have a thing for Dominican women, and Dominicans know it your asking for trouble.
 

DavidZ

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Aug 29, 2005
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www.vipcigartours.com
Wow...this guy is such a tool!! Clearly he's lying about what went down when he got robbed...too many "clues" to list. And his videos and website are absolute garbage...he rambles, contradicts himself, mumbles, and doesn't seem to offer any interesting or valuable information. In this "bundle of benefits" video he references a section on his website (travel rooms) that isn't even there. Who follows this guy?? And how could he possibly be rated in National Geographics "top 10 travel blogs" and Forbes.com's "top 5 travel blogs"???
 
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