I have been a reader of this board for quite some time and have found it interesting and a good source of info to travellers. I do agree it is important to post items, even though they may seem negative to some but also a caution to others, and hence my post about my experience on CC: a warning to the innocent,kind and good hearted traveller. I was on the island end November last year for a couple of weeks and it was my first overseas trip and first time travelling on my own. I did a snorkel trip with a shop up near the split opposite a dive shop. Anyway, my guide was Harry and he seemed at the time one of the best person I had ever met - friendly, caring, fun and made one feel so wonderful. We ended hanging out together most of my time on the island - breakfast, lunch, dinner, nights out, drinks, he practically moved into my hotel room. I thought I had found Mr Right and as they say love is blind, I never thought twice about paying for everything as he told me he had trouble making ends meet to support his kids and it was slow season or he hadn't been paid. We had many a long talks, which included his dreams of his own house and how he has saved nearly enough money and just needed a little more to move in with his kids by Christmas. He ask if I could lend him some, with his promise of paying me back as busy season was coming. At the time I thought life couldn't get better, with promises of waiting for me when I return and our relationship was so special ....I guess I was sure caught hook, line and sinker and gave him some money but explained it meant my finances were now very low as I had also extended my stay on the island.Things then started to change when I decided to let him pay for a meal or a drink..in which he never did as he seem to have an excuse of not being paid or a promise to pay me back later. Also started making himself scarce, saying he had things to do and on the day I was leaving we had breakfast together and then couldn't find him anywhere when it was time for me to go. I asked around hoping to find him before I left CC and was told he gone to the city as he didn't have a trip.I realised then what I had started to suspect, that I had been scammed and cheated big time and how everything he said was such a lie and I was just a provider of food, sex and a good life. I was upset and angry but felt more foolish, embarrassed and stupid than anything else. A few days after I had left the island I met up with some travellers who were regular visitors to the island and I told them what happened. They didn't seem at all surprise as Harry had tried it on them once before and had asked them to 'invest' in a boat for him and that he will repay them back. They also told me they had seen him on the island in the last days of their stay and he was all over another tourist girl (and so his good life starts again). They said he had been doing the same routine with innocent tourist for years... Well call me stupid, foolish, an idiot and I agree, and I have learnt a huge lesson in life and a much wiser person, which cost me some dollars as well, but if this post saves some innocent naive good hearted tourist from being scammed and used by Harry then it was worth it. I know I probably wasn't the first to be scammed and unfortunately won't be the last, but just beware, he can put on a real good act and make it all sound so sincere and genuine and he probably isn't the only one out there who does this. Call it survival or whatever you like, but for me it just showed what lengths a person would go to for their own selfishness and greed, so sad. And is just another example in regards to Lawydy comments......when you have something to give, then they want to know you, once you have no more to give, then you are nothing. Lastly, I must say Harry is an excellent tour guide and he does his job well, but it is such a shame he uses it to find his next innocent victim. I don't know if Harry is still working for the same shop or another but this post is in no way reflective of the shop I did my trip through which provided professional,friendly and helpful service.
I hope this isn't deleted from the message board as I didn't put it as a negative comment and it is directed only at one person, plus I gave a lot of thought whether to post it or not; it is just a warning for the innocent and good hearted travellers in the world. Scammers and cheaters are all over the world but here is one to watch out for.