From what I heard the encounter rate itself hasn't changed, just is easier in the safari zone since there are only two or three types of Pokemon there.
Sorry about the multiple emails. The PM system has been rather weird for me, it keeps giving me an error whenever i send a message, so I have to resend over and over until it tells me that I can't send another message for 5 minutes.
Hey, I haven't spoken to you in a while, but I've been working on a Terrors of Tomorrow Prologue in the Writer's Corner. It'd be cool if you checked it out.