ISSUE 13 / MAY – JULY 2014
LookInside
YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY
EKA HOTEL
This is my kind of business hotel…
FoodForThought
EAGLE’S STEAKHOUSE
Simply sizzling
CarReview
HONDA ODYSSEY
At last – an MPV that’s fun to drive
An East African marriage… TEN GREAT PLACES TO WED IN STYLE COMPETITION WIN DINNER FOR TWO AT HEMINGWAYS NAIROBI See page 4 for details ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE: LATEST RELEASES • 540 NEWS • HARGEISA CITY GUIDE
Contents
contents
REGULAR FEATURES 03 in this issue
COVER STORY 6 A VERY AFRICAN MARRIAGE
04 540 NEWS 30 BusinessHub
Ten great places to wed in style
The rich aroma of success
34 MotorReview
At last – an MPV that’s fun to drive
36 latestReleases
Coming to a screen near you...
39 ProductReview
Running shoes. Check! Water bottle. Check! Smart band. Check?
41 LookInside
Eka Hotel
43 CityGuide
USEFUL INFORMATION
47 Foodforthought
49 The fly540 network
51 fly540 fleet
issue 13
52 TRAVEL INFORMATION
Hargeisa
Eagle’s Steakhouse
56 kidS’ corner
Essential travel and visa information
55 fly540 contacts is published by Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) Ltd Email: publishing@landmarine.com www.landmarine.com
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on behalf of
SPECIAL FEATURES
Fly540 Aviation Riverside Green Suites, Palm Suite, Riverside Drive PO Box 10293-00100, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/2/3/4/5 Email info@fly540.com www.fly540.com
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The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisation associated with this publication. No liability can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions. ©2014 Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) Ltd
View this issue online: http://qrs.ly/m53spf0
This is one legend that’s rarely spotted…
14 Buying property
Kenya coast style
20 MTB Challenge
26 Olympic Dream
Teddy’s Olympic dream...
32 Team Work
Restoring the gift of sight
44 Diani Beach Art Gallery
A pan-African display of pictorial talent
The ultimate test
22 Good Manners
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Manners maketh the man – but you can overdo it
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connect with fly540 @fly540aviation www.facebook.com/pages/Fly-540
InThisIssue
issue 13
in this issue W
elcome to Issue 13 of ‘540’ as the in-flight magazine celebrates its third birthday. It seems like only yesterday that Fly540 and Land & Marine Publications decided to go ahead with this magazine; and three years down the track we are all delighted with the success of ‘540’ and its sister publication, ‘Fly-SAX’. In this issue, we seek out East Africa’s top 10 wedding locations and I believe we have chosen a fine selection. Is now the time to buy property at the coast? Those in the know really seem to think so. Kenya has the world’s best coffee and a thriving coffee shop culture. As part of our regular business hub feature, we analyse this key sector as coffee shop operators compete for our hard-earned shillings. We look back at this year’s exciting 10 to 4 mountain bike event, which was sponsored by Fly540. The magazine also goes on the hunt for the Zanzibar leopard. Sadly, we can find no trace of
panthera pardus adersi. Staying at the coast, we visit the Diani Gallery. They say that good manners cost nothing. But are good manners on their way out? We hope not, and in this issue we provide some tips and guidance for those who may need some assistance.
LooK out For... Buying property: at the coast on Page 14
They say that good manners cost nothing. But are good manners on their way out?
City Guide: On Page 43 we travel to Hargeisa in Somaliland and discover its secrets
For our regular car review spot we test drive the new Honda Odyssey, an MPV that so far has been rarely seen on East Africa’s roads – but perhaps that is about to change. Finally, don’t forget to enter the magazine’s competition to win dinner for two at Hemingways Nairobi. I hope you enjoy your flight with Fly540 and please feel free to contact me with any comments about the magazine. Gary Gimson
In our Latest Releases section on Page 34 we look at the movie ‘Under the Skin’ among others and the latest ‘must read’ books
Publisher, 540 and Fly-SAX Magazine
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LATEST RELEASES
NEWS HOLIDAY EXPO
NYAnzA GOLF
Fly540 and Fly-SAX participated in a holiday fair expo at the Sarit Centre in Nairobi throughout the first weekend of April. Fly540 was there along with other airlines, tour operators and hoteliers to exhibit products and offer excellent deals to the public.
Fly540 and sister carrier, Fly-SAX, sponsored the highly successful Nyanza Golf Tournament in March. The all-day event was held at Kisumu Golf Club as a goodwill gesture to all west Kenyan Fly540 travellers.
COMPETITION
Win DINNER FOR TWO This is your chance to win dinner for two courtesy of Hemingways Collection and Fly540. Just send your answers to the e-mail address below and you could be the lucky winner of this super prize. Hemingways Collection is a luxury chain of hotels. The company owns and operates Hemingways Watamu, located on the sparkling Watamu Beach and within Watamu Marine Park; Ol Seki Hemingways Mara, a 10-tent luxury camp in the Masai Mara; and Hemingways Nairobi, a luxurious boutique hotel in the Karen.
Questions: 1. Which five-star hotel recently opened in Karen? 2. What is Hemingways Watamu best known for? 3. To which international destinations does Fly540 operate? 4. What’s the name of Fly540’s sister airline in Kenya?
The winner will receive dinner for two at Hemingways Nairobi. E-mail your answers, along with your Fly540 booking reference number, to: competition@landmarine.org
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Competition Terms & Conditions: Closing date is 15 July 2014. Subsequent competitions will run in 540 and Fly-SAX magazines throughout 2014. Only one entry per passenger. Entries are restricted to passengers over 12 years of age. The winner will be announced on the Hemingways Collection, Fly540, Fly-SAX and Land & Marine websites. The decision of the organisers will be final. The competition is not open to employees and their relatives of Hemingways Collection, Fly540 nor Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) Ltd.
CoverStory
Hand in hand ď ˝ Kenya is a perfect wedding venue for tourists
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WeddingVenues
a very aFrican MarriaGe… Ten great places to wed in style By Jane Barsby
‘To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, to love and to cherish…’ The Book of Common Prayer
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t’s the wedding season and brides the world over are reviewing the relative merits of traditional versus beach escape; a guest list in the hundreds versus nearest and dearest only. Figures suggest that in Europe they’re abandoning the church in
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favour of a fusion of wedding and holiday (with minimal guests). In Africa, however, they’re taking it out and about but keeping the guest list as wild as ever. Where to tie the knot? We’ve chosen 10 very different venues that can serve as backdrops to your ceremony, your reception – and even your honeymoon. >
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WeddingVenues
Islands don’t get much spicier than Zanzibar, where the very air is laced with the heady scent of cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon. This is an island of dreams, where the coast is caressed by silver-white sand as soft as sugar, the sea is at body heat, the coral is like filigree lace and the palm fronds rustle like discarded bridal gowns. As for wedding venues, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Get married on the beach, in the grounds of an Omani sultan’s palace, in the Portuguese fort, on the balcony of the beautiful House of Wonders or in one of Stone Town’s many hotels. You might also like to take advantage of local women’s skill in traditional Swahili art of henna body painting.
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Truly timeless
Want to keep it timeless? Then why not consider a ceremony in one of Kenya’s many historical sites? Choose from Fort Jesus, overlooking Mombasa Creek, which offers a dynamic sound and light show for your guests and an authentic flare-lit Portuguese banquet; or the impossibly romantic ruins of Gedi, which has its own event centre and lies just outside one of Kenya’s bestloved beach towns, Watamu.
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Lyrical Lakes
Divine venue
When it comes to lakes, East Africa is hard to beat – and they all make divine wedding venues. Choose from Lake Naivasha, close to Nairobi and ringed by hotels ranging from the pocket-friendly to the sublime; Lake Bogoria, flocked by flamingos; Lake Nakuru, a famous rhino sanctuary; Lake Elmenteita, a pristine wilderness; or simply head for Uganda, the ‘Land of a Thousand Lakes’.
Lake Naivasha
Fort Jesus, overlooking Mombasa Creek, offers a dynamic sound and light show for guests and an authentic flare-lit Portuguese banquet
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Millionaire’s mansion
You only live once, so why not give yourselves the millionaire treatment and go to the only mansion that can be hired for anything less than a rich man’s ransom. Ol Pejeta House, once the ranch house of multi-millionaire arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, is 14 km from Nanyuki on the Mount Kenya plains. Set in gorgeous grounds with its own game conservancy, it has two swimming pools, a dance floor and a panoramic wedding site that has already seen the knot tied around some of Kenya’s most fashionable wrists. Ol Pejeta also offers a private honeymoon cottage and use of the nearby Sweetwaters Tented Camp for the accommodation of a few hundred of your closest friends. www.serenahotels.com
© Stanislaw Tokarski : Shutterstock.com
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Spicing it up
WeddingVenues
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Out of town
For a safari wedding without the driving, head for one of the best ‘secret’ wedding destinations in East Africa – Nairobi National Park. Just 15 minutes from the city centre, it offers rolling savanna, lions, rhinos, its own mini migration and a choice of idyllic picnic sites that can also double as wedding venues. High on a hill, Impala Lookout has its own stone pavilion, washrooms and picnic tables, while Kingfisher Campsite offers shade, a huge stone barbecue and some exquisite photo opportunities. For a truly green wedding, serve gourmet picnic food in hampers and use the resident trees as your wedding bower.
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Out of Africa
Karen Blixen’s story, ‘Out of Africa’, still resonates, and her home is still there at the foot of the Ngong Hills, right next door to the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden, which offers both superlative catering and charming accommodation. Alternatively, do as Karen did and head for the Ngong Hills, which offer a unique panorama of Nairobi on one side and open country on the other.
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Wonderfully romantic
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Invite the real relatives
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For a really wild wedding, why not celebrate with some of mankind’s oldest relatives, the gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. Not only is a trek to see these gentle giants one of the ‘must do’ experiences of Africa, but the forests of Bwindi are some of the most romantic in the world. They also offer a great selection of forest lodges where you can make your vows in rustic style.
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If you’d like to play Adam and Eve in the simplicity of the wilderness, to be married in a sacred glade overlooking the forest canopy, or beneath a waterfall, then head for the Shimba Hills National Reserve, 400 metres above the palm-fringed beaches of Kenya’s glittering coastline. As for wedding sites, there’s a choice of at least four picnic sites, some with pavilions, and a secluded clearing with bandas and its own spacious kitchen and outdoor dining room.
Snows of Kilimanjaro
www.kws.org
In the centre of Kenya’s Amboseli National Park is a volcanic hill. It’s easy to find, has its own car park and the summit is reached by a flight of stone steps. A recognised public picnic spot, it has a stonebuilt pavilion and a wide flat top with wonderful views. It is encircled by shallow lakes heaving with hippos, and by swamps erupting with elephants; and it is backed by the might of Mount Kilimanjaro. Wedding venues don’t come much more show-stopping and you only have to pay a park entrance fee. Do your own catering or head just minutes away to a comprehensive selection of hotels.
Romantic 1920s Cottars Safari Camp
For ultimate impact, why not get married on the rim of the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, which stands in its own volcanic wonderland right next door to Tanzania’s beautiful Serengeti National Park. Backdrops don’t come any better. You can either keep it simple with cocktails and canapés on the rim of the crater, stage a seated banquet in the acacia groves of the crater floor, or head back to one of the many excellent hotels located high on the crater sides for the big bash.
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Adam and Eve
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ZanzibarLeopard
African leopard
The most common subspecies
Zanzibar leopard
A legend that’s rarely spotted… By Sam Gimson
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ZanzibarLeopard
N
essie, Bigfoot and the Abominable Snowman have become the stuff of jokes and cartoons in this sceptical age of ours. But even the most far-fetched stories continue to intrigue us; perhaps because we need to believe the world has more secrets to disclose. The mystery surrounding Zanzibar’s less fantastical but zoologically more interesting beast, the Zanzibar leopard, never took quite such a hold on the popular imagination. Even some young Zanzibaris I’ve spoken to were unaware that this unique subspecies, native to Unguja, had inhabited the island not so long ago. In truth, the only thing that links this leopard with those semi-mythical creatures is the uncertainty of its existence. But whereas the legend of Bigfoot is not taken very seriously nowadays – if indeed it ever was – the Zanzibar leopard is a real-life tragic story of environmental negligence. From the little we know about the Zanzibar leopard, it was smaller than its continental cousins and had distinctive markings on its fur. As with other indigenous species, it had evolved independently from mainland Africa since the end of the last Ice Age. Nothing much is known about its behavioural patterns; but leopards in general are nocturnal and elusive creatures.
Belief When, in Zanzibar, humans began to encroach on the leopard’s natural habitat, there was a common belief that these creatures were kept by witches and sent to terrorise the farmers and their livestock. This led the villagers to take up arms against the ‘vermin’. In 1964 a major hunt began for witches and leopards with the aim of wiping them off the island; and it very nearly succeeded. The last recorded hunt took place in the village of Jambiani in April 1995 followed by a few
undocumented cases in 1996. Kills ceased to be reported in statistical hunting records because of fears that the government would further enforce the prohibition on hunting leopards. But sightings have been made as recently as 2007 and 2009. Some appear to be perfectly credible, while others are founded on more supernatural premises. In Marumbi there was a report of a kept leopard. A villager had seen it pass in and out of a house door. A curse had fallen upon the victim, who was struck dumb (but, curiously, was able to relate the story).
less than two hours you can drive the length of the island. If there was anything to be found it would surely have been found by now.
Unclassified And yet it was not until the 1990s that the zoological community became aware of a previously unclassified subspecies of genet native to Unguja. The Zanzibar servaline genet was known to rural inhabitants, but only by chance did it come to the attention of Jamie Archer, a wildlife consultant, who found the skin and skull for sale
From the little we know about the Zanzibar leopard, it was smaller than its continental cousins and had distinctive markings on its fur On further inquiry, no leopard was found in the purported witch’s house and the villagers stopped coming forward to talk about the incident. What may be legitimate sightings have become entangled with these figments of imagination, thus impairing the investigation. Attempts have been made to find conclusive evidence that the leopard still exists; but these have had to rely mainly on reports. Whereas, in the case of the Loch Ness Monster, both the BBC and Discovery Channel funded major expeditions to search for the elusive creature, the whereabouts of the Zanzibar leopard – a subject of more immediate ecological concern – have only once been categorically investigated. So what are the hopes of finding it? Well, to compare the two locations, Loch Ness (which I think has now been conclusively shown to be empty of any monster) has a surface area of 56.4 sq km, while Unguja island covers 1,658 sq km. Loch Ness is home to the odd otter, whereas Zanzibar has a human population of almost 1 million, not to mention hordes of tourists. In
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The last specimen
in Kitogani village. In 2003 the servaline genet was photographed for the first time; but despite this remarkable find it is still a critically endangered species. So perhaps there is still hope that we shall one day find the Zanzibar leopard in the not-soremote forests of Unguja. There are no known photographs extant, and the leopard ‘survives’ today only in the form of a few identified skins and taxidermal specimens, one in London’s Natural History Museum and the other, much faded, in the Zanzibar National Museum of History & Culture. Let’s hope that if the leopard were to be found alive and well today, then, as with the genet, appropriate measures would be taken to ensure its future.
BuyingProperty
Buying property Kenya coast style
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BuyingProperty
F
Jahazi House
Courtyard swimming pool
or many, Nairobi property prices are dizzyingly high and getting higher in what is now Africa’s fourth most expensive city after Cape Town, Johannesburg and Luanda. But Nairobi is not Kenya’s only highly priced property market. Down at the coast, it may be slightly less expensive than in the capital, yet properties in hotspots such as Malindi, Watamu and Vipingo still don’t come cheap. So does it make sense to buy a pwani property, either as a weekend bolt-hole, a holiday home or purely as an investment? ‘540’ magazine spoke to Roz Clark at Property Link Africa about what and where to buy at the coast and she gave us her highly informed views on the current market. Roz is clearly optimistic: “We are seeing strong buoyancy in coast
So does it make sense to buy a pwani property, either as a weekend bolthole, a holiday home or purely as an investment? sales, both residential and commercial, with a marked upturn since last November that has continued into first quarter 2014. Our sales at the coast are up 33 per cent.” The coast market can be very up and down, however, and buyers capricious. Roz says: “Unfortunately 2013 was a different story: volatile and buffeted by bad news that hit the inbound residential investment market hard.” There were several reasons for this dip. “UK and US travel adviAfrica’s low cost airline
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sories in the first-quarter run-up to the 2013 presidential election saw inbound tourism suspended. This situation was compounded by post-election politics and the ICC headlines. Then the Westgate tragedy unfolded. As a result, coast sales were virtually suspended; even local investors were nervous. But from November the market stirred again and has come back even more vigorously with a lot of viewings and offers coming through, mostly at the advertised price, leading to strong first-quarter sales this year.”
Location Of course, the coast is not one uniform market and each resort location is slightly different from the others. Roz explains the differences: Lamu attracts European lotus eaters and celebrities. Its popularity faltered in 2011-12 but we are seeing a gradual return to the idyll that is Shela and Lamu island life. Malindi is the favourite destination for inbound Italian investors. Dubbed ‘Little Italy’, it has Italian shops and products, restaurants, casinos, cafés and fabulous beaches and hosts a core Italian population who live and work here full-time. Watamu is Kenya’s Riviera, attracting European, predominantly British investors, whether inbound investors or expatriates from Nairobi and upcountry. A growing number of deepsea fishing enthusiasts are buying or building second homes here to use from October to March, when billfish, marlin and sailfish surface here in huge numbers.
BuyingProperty
Kilifi has seen a marked change since its status as County Headquarters was announced. Traditionally it was akin to the UK’s south coast, a favourite with British couples looking for retirement living in the northern winter, but also popular with local, upcountry farmers holidaying at the coast and retiring here. Now the lead investors are Kenyans and the diaspora, investing in commercial and residential property – mainly buyto-lets – and in the last three years we have seen a growing trend in ‘land banking’. Vipingo is another consistent performer over the last five years, especially Vipingo Ridge, which comprises 2,000 acres of former sisal farmland. Undeveloped plots originally released onto the market 10 years ago for US$ 50,000 are now snapped up for US$ 200,000. Beautiful villas, permanent residences and holiday homes have mushroomed along the ridge, with its sea views and year-round breeze.
Last year a property with sea views fronting the second fairway came on the market priced at KES 53 million and was sold within a week to the first viewer and at full price. Houses here will sell fast if priced correctly, from KES 40 million for a semi-detached villa up to KES 60 million for a stand-alone house on the golf course and more for the larger properties away from the course on one or two acre plots. This has in turn boosted the popularity and capital uplift for home owners on nearby Kuruwitu and Vipingo beaches, formerly isolated ‘Robinson Crusoe’ havens for people wanting total seclusion and no social life on holiday. Now property values have soared. Most sales are in excess of US$ 800,000 for a beach property and US$ 250,000 for an undeveloped front plot. Kenyans, particularly the Mombasa business community, are investing in this area as well as plenty of Europeans and retiring expatriates from Nairobi seeking the security and orderliness of compound living on a macro scale. Africa’s low cost airline
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Jahazi House Dining at dusk on Kizingoni Beach
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Diani has been favoured by inbound, predominantly German and Swiss, investors since the early 1980s and still has a long-standing European residential community. It is a far more urban holiday destination than any of the other locations and in recent years has been the destination of choice for Kenyans from Nairobi for beach holidays with plenty of social activity available. In fact, it is Kenyans who are now driving the coast property market. Says Roz: “Kenyan buyers are the biggest growth area in terms of residential sales, catching up with the more traditional commercial investment patterns. Kenya’s business community is growing. A wealthy middle class has learned to love beach and poolside holidays and has identified the possibilities of the holiday homes and buy-tolet investment potential. “Commercial investment has also shot up. Former farmland has been snapped up for light industrial development – fruit and
BuyingProperty
juice processing plants, clothing manufacture and godowns for cargo storage, transport parks – and there has been a boom in the greater Mombasa area in high-rise apartment developments targeting all budgets.” Those looking for their dream beach-front property will need patience as well as deep pockets, however, because opportunities to buy are rare. Roz explains: “Resale opportunities do come up. Two magnificent beachfront properties in Watamu recently fetched prices of around US$ 2.55 million each and properties in Kilifi, when an old property with a good beachfront comes up on, say, Bofa Beach, sell for between US$ 1.7 and 3.4 million, depending on beach width and size of plot.
Modest “More modest sale prices can still be found, especially on previously unknown or formerly inaccessible beaches along the creeks or on the ocean-front further out from the centre.” So where are the key places to buy in the current market? “This year Kilifi continues to be the hotspot, with very strong development and buy-to-let investment potential. There are still some fabulous properties and plots available along the Creek or ocean front between
Mnarani and Takaungu Creek. But Roz cautions: “Bargains can be tricky. Clean title deeds have long been a problem, with many documented cases of land grabbing in the past catching up with today’s buyers, now that Kenya is working hard to stamp out corruption and reorganise its land portfolio. “Areas where beachfront land is a good buy are Mambrui and Ngomeni, north of the Sabaki River (Malindi), and, if title is good, between Watamu and Kilifi – the areas known as Roka and Tezo but buyers beware: these are generally first-time sales from local families and there are many twists and turns and rival ownership claims to newly issued plots which have been gazetted under the squatter settlement schemes. “But for a hardy buyer with good advice and legal support, this is where there is still money to be made long-term by buying, smartening up and land-banking beach or cliff-front plots.” Sound advice.
Dream home Along the coast
Investing at the coast So is now a good time to invest at the coast and what kind of returns can investors expect on their money? Roz Clark says: “The coast offers canny investors the chance to buy a dream home in a fabulous location; and, with the holiday homes rentals market being extremely buoyant, it gives the home owner peace of mind that all costs will be covered and they can use their home whenever it isn’t booked, free of charge. It will certainly ‘wash its face’ and, correctly managed and marketed, make a small profit while gaining capital uplift at an average rate of eight per cent per annum, which comes from the continuing increase in land and location values (rather than the building itself). “The best advice is to use an expert. Talk through what you are looking for and what return you are seeking with your real estate agent before you start to look. Be strict with yourself and define your target area, budget and purpose; then look at everything that corresponds with those filters.
Hotspot Watamu
“Once you have bought, use a professional property manager to oversee the property, pay the staff and bills, make sure they are going to physically check it weekly for small maintenance issues and report to you regularly on all that is going on. “Use a holiday rental agent (there are a few excellent professional agencies in Nairobi with offices at the coast) and they have access to the local and international holiday let clients needed to maximise usage of the property when you are not there. “Or use a property lettings agent to find you longer-term rental tenants and supervise how they utilise the property and make sure they leave it the way they found it. More and more contractors and professionals are now basing themselves at the coast and the market for short to mid-term (six-month to annual) property rentals is growing.”
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MTBChallenge
10 to 4 Mountain Bike Challenge
The Ultimate test
T
he latest Fly540 10 to 4 Mountain Bike Challenge began on a startlingly early February morning in the foothills of Mount Kenya. The Extreme riders assembled for their gruelling 90 km ride and made their way from the Borana Race village through the Ngare Ndare forest. After a tough 2,000 metres of climbing, the athletes reached the Mount Kenya forests. With the strong midday heat beating down, the next 20 km stretch was particularly demanding for the cyclists. Grassy single tracks, a rocky descent through the ‘elephant corridor’ and a steady uphill climb made for a strenuous ride to the 60 km mark. Then it was time for speed as the Extreme riders headed down into the valley via the fast, winding trails through the Ngare Ndare Forest and back onto the savanna. After four hours and 17 minutes Davidson Kamau crossed the line some seven minutes ahead of
second-placed Davis Kinuthia, who finished an impressive 10 minutes ahead of the 2013 champion and Safari Simbaz team leader, David Kinjah. Two riders competed in the women’s event, with Joyce Nyararu coming in ahead of Asa Forsman. Day two of the 10 to 4 saw the number of participants swell from 34 Extreme riders to some 160 riders competing across three separate events. All events start on the edge of the Mount Kenya forest at an altitude of some 10,000 ft. The Classic (60 km) and the Rush (50 km) proceed uphill into the forest, testing the riders’ technical single-track skills, before winding their way down the mountain. The Slide (30 km), as its name suggests, consists of directing the riders immediately down the side of the mountain to the savanna below and to the finish line at 4,000 ft at the Borana Race Village. The Classic route takes many by surprise because it has a sting in the tail. The course pushes riders
Fast and furious Battle in the dust
The Extreme riders assembled for their gruelling 90 km ride and made their way from the Borana Race village 20
up a taxing steep climb to the top of an escarpment overlooking the race village. A ride of a few kilometres along the top of the escarpment is followed by a steep, treacherous descent that eventually takes riders back onto the plains. From there it’s hammer time as riders put their heads down, achieving well over 30 kph on the rough tracks as they power their way to the finish line.
Extreme In the men’s Classic race, the top two riders switched places from the Extreme results, with Davis Kinuthia pipping day one winner Davidson Kamau into second place. Over the two days, however, Davidson Kamau emerged triumphant with a lead of more than six minutes over team mate Kinuthia. There was much drama in
MTBChallenge
the women’s event, with Asa Forsman retiring after just 6 km with technical issues. Joyce Nyaruri also suffered technical problems and eventually came in second, five minutes after winner Lizzie Cranfield. Despite the setback, Joyce emerged triumphant for the two-day race as the only woman to complete both days. The 2014 race was a phenomenal success, but there is no time to rest. Even before the dust had settled on this year’s race, planning had begun for the 2015 Mount Kenya 10 to 4 mountain bike challenge.
RESULTS Day 1 – Hardcore 90 km (Men): 1. Davidson Kamau 04:17:44 2. Davies Kinuthia 04:24:07 3. Joseph Kuria 04:24:22 Day 1 – Hardcore 90 km (Women): 1. Joyce Nyaruri 05:45:55 2. Asa Forsman 06:25:28 Day 2 – Classic 60 km (Men): 1. Davies Kinuthia 02:13:12 2. Davidson Kamau 02:13:13 3. Joseph Kuria 02:13:25 Day 2 – Classic 60 km (Women): 1. Lizzie Cranfield 03:15:20 2. Joyce Nyaruri 03:21:16 3. Jan Coffey 03:29:22 Overall – Extreme 2 days (Hardcore + Classic) – Men: 1. Davidson Kamau 06:30:57 2. Davies Kinuthia 06:37:19 3. Joseph Kuria 06:37:47 Overall – Extreme 2 days (Hardcore + Classic) – Women: 1. Joyce Nyaruri 09:07:11 Day 2 – Rush 50 km (Men): 1. Brendan Sowerby 01:57:31 2. Edward Cunningham 02:05:28 3. Samuel Somers 02:08:26 Day 2 – Rush 50 km (Women): 1. Anne Marie Dolier 02:23:46 2. Tamara Britten 03:18:09 3. Zoe Stewart 04:16:03 Day 2 – Slide 30 km (Men): 1. Alex Villec 01:18:42 2. Jonathan Somers 01:19:36 3. Silvester Choge 01:22:12 Day 2 – Slide 30 km (Women): 1. Kirsty McLean 01:37:30 2. Annabelle Somers 01:52:15 3. Louise Meaby 02:03:12 Day 2 – Black Mamba (Men): 1. Ishmael Khaelanga 01:43:12 2. Samuel Mwangi 01:50:19 3. James Jacxd 01:51:25 Day 2 – Black Mamba (Women): 1. Joyce Mwangi 02:23:29
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GoodManners
Manners maketh the man
– but you can overdo it As my dear departed mother used to say (and as a child I took little or no notice), good manners cost nothing and are always appreciated. How right she was. Good manners are indeed appreciated, especially by women, yet I seem to see fewer and fewer examples of common courtesy and chivalry on the part of my own sex. By Gary Gimson 22
GoodManners
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tiquette and doing the right thing are the quintessential ingredients of being a gentleman. Being a gentleman is not about being foppish or effeminate – on the contrary. Nor is it about snobbishness or a sense of feeling superior to others. In fact, it’s about making others feel at ease and valued. Good manners will also get you noticed, and for all for the right reasons. Do you stand up when a lady walks into the room, always open a car door for a member of the fairer sex, hold an umbrella for others while you get wet or give up your seat on a bus or a train? Maybe you don’t; but if you did, I’m sure you would be much more highly thought of and would greatly improve your standing with women.
Etiquette Of course, some examples of gentlemanly etiquette have fallen by the wayside. It’s not so long ago that a man would tip, or even doff, his hat to a lady. I’m sure if you had walked down Delamere Avenue or Stewart Street in Nairobi in, say, the mid 1950s you would have witnessed such behaviour. We don’t seem to wear hats any more (and no bad thing); but even if we did, I doubt that this practice would still be adhered to. Yet it remains extremely impolite for men to wear hats indoors, especially in church. Some of our African leaders please take note. The wearing of golf caps in the clubhouse is another big no-no and marks the wearer as anything but a gentleman. Caps should also be removed when shaking hands on the 18th green.
Even today there are still examples of odd customs and strange etiquette that were once commonplace. Some of these arcane rules are still in force at Nairobi’s best clubs: no cell phones, no briefcases and men-only bars. In terms of good manners, it is also worth noting that, in officers’ clubs, three subjects are never raised over dinner: money, religion and women.
supply these days, they instantly put you head-and-shoulders above other young men out there.” Spot-on in every respect. The book goes on to say: “Do you like to wake up early to meet someone, only to have them be 20 minutes late? Do you enjoy it when your friend throws a tantrum after losing a round of golf? Do you appreciate being interrupted while you’re speaking? No? …….. the golden rule is: treat others with the same respect you’d like to be treated yourself.” It adds: “Unfortunately, many young men are raised with very little guidance on the proper manners to cultivate for different
Conventions Of course, in England, where fine manners are still highly prized in certain social circles, there remain some rather odd conventions about gentlemanly behaviour and style. For example, and somewhat perversely, a gentleman does not wear brown shoes east of Windsor (a town about 40 km from central London and home to one of Queen Elizabeth’s most impressive residences) or a tweed suit after six o’clock in the evening – a time when a gentleman would be expected to have started dressing for dinner and have already climbed out of his ‘day’ clothes. The eminently readable style bible ‘Essential Etiquette for Young Men’ puts it this way: “A man with good manners makes enjoyable company, a welcome party guest and a trusted employee. Good manners attest to a man’s selfrespect and self-control, qualities that apply to all areas of life. Plus, as good manners are in such short
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Do you stand up when a lady walks into the room, always open a car door for a member of the fairer sex, hold an umbrella for others while you get wet or give up your seat on a bus or a train?
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areas of their lives. The good news is that good manners can be learned by any young man, no matter his background (and by any older man, no matter his age).” So it’s not too early or too late to polish and hone fine manners; and remember, they will always be appreciated.
OlympicDream
Teddy’s Olympic dream... By Robert Deaves
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DEDICATION To sail at the level required to compete at the Olympics requires high levels of physical fitness, sailing preparation, perfect weather analysis and instinctive tactical responses. It is often described as a game of chess on water.
ike countless other sailors around the world, Teddy Ndaro has a dream – to represent his country in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is not unique in that, but in doing so he would become the first ever native Kenyan to sail in the Olympic Games. He knows it is going to be an uphill struggle not only to be competition ready but also to manage the logistical and financial burdens that come with such a challenge. Strangely, sailing is not a large participation sport in Kenya, despite the excellent sailing conditions along its coasts and on its many lakes. Teddy explains: “It is a very difficult to participate in sailing in Kenya because there is not much support for the sport or its participants. So far, all my sailing has been self-funded. “The sport of sailing is also suffering because participation numbers go down every year. Since it is mainly a white-dominated sport, many of them of the older generation, it means the numbers
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are low and reducing. A few natives like myself are trying it out, but there are still not many because of lack of equipment. Most equipment is privately owned and it is very expensive to own a boat and to participate in the events, making the locals less likely to take part.” Now 28 years old, Teddy was introduced to sailing by his older brother, Samuel, 12 years ago. Teddy got hooked on the sport and has developed into one of the Kenya’s best sailors. Last year he launched his campaign for the Olympics, ‘Teddy for Rio 2016’.
Laser He currently sails a Laser, one of the most popular sailing dinghies in the world. It is a 4.2 metre one-man dinghy with a single sail and has been used at the Olympic Games since 1996. Teddy sails out of Mombasa Yacht Club, one of the largest yacht clubs in Kenya, and while his trophy haul there is impressive, his dream is much bigger. He explained the appeal that sailing brings. “It’s the ability to
OlympicDream
©ISAF
Sailing symposium In March 2014 Teddy attended the International Sailing Federation’s Development Symposium in Cape Town. Here he is with ISAF’s training and development manager, Dan Jaspers
interact with the forces of nature that gives me the thrill and attracts me to sailing. Propelling the boat using wind and currents in the water, plus the physical aspect of the sport, is exciting yet challenging. Racing then lets me use all the knowledge gained over the last 12 years to compete at the very top level. I am very competitive so I am always pushing myself to do better. So the racing part is also interesting for me.” The club is trying to help him achieve his dream and the commodore, Chris Soper, has even donated his newer boat to help Teddy train and race at the club. Teddy also owns his own business, Costo Tours and Adventure Activities, which specialises in safaris and day trips along the coast. Unfortunately, Teddy is otherwise lacking in home-grown financial support. “Although there is moral support, a lot still is needed financially. Mombasa Yacht Club has supported me financially before in 2012 but since then they have been busy with club development projects so cash has not been
easy to spare. The Kenya Yachting Association has been helping me with writing me letters to support my application for visas, but I think more could come from the clubs and the KYA on supporting their athletes. But, hopefully, good things will happen in the future.”
Laser sailing Teddy taking part in a regatta in Kilifi
All African Games No stranger to top-level competition, Teddy has already represented Kenya in the All African Games in Maputo, Mozambique in 2011. “After participating in Maputo, I met Allan Julie, a sailing legend from Seychelles, who inspired me as it showed that in Africa we can also work hard and compete at the top level. It was possible then and the proof of that was right in front of my eyes and so the building blocks for the ‘Teddy for Rio 2016’ campaign were laid there and then in Mozambique.” He also travelled to Poland in 2013 to train and race against the best Polish sailors. “I was training with top Polish coach Robert Siluk and he taught me tactics, sail setting, hiking techniques and Africa’s low cost airline
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downwind technique, which I am still trying to improve. I also saw the amount of work and effort sailors had to put into performance sailing. Training very hard every single day in the cold Baltic sea, was a tough challenge and, even though it was difficult, I loved every single minute I was there.” ‘Teddy for Rio 2016’ is a bold plan. To sail in the Olympic Games in Rio, he must first qualify Kenya for a place on the starting line by racing in other regattas. There are several chances to do that, the first being at the ISAF Sailing World Championship in Santander, Spain in September 2014. However, his first challenge is to actually get a boat and himself to Santander. “To get to Santander I need to first of all get help with funds. So far I am self-funding all
To sail in the Olympic Games in Rio, he must first qualify Kenya for a place on the starting line by racing in other regattas
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my sailing activities. It is very costly, especially when you talk of international events. My budget stands at around KES 2 million to include entry fees, insurance, air tickets, accommodation, food, boat charter, coach boat, sails, sailing
OlympicDream clothes and gear, coaching and training and gym memberships. “To qualify for the Olympics, I need to go professional and sail full-time. This means training hard and hiring professional coaching and medical services as well as competing at the highest level to gain experience and to know what it takes to perform at that level.
Opportunity “I think sailing is still seen widely as being a rich man’s sport. I was brought up in a modest middleclass family and we had our fair share of ups and downs. When the opportunity presented itself, I took it and ran with it. The catchword here is opportunity. I think if Kenyans get presented with the opportunity to participate in the sport then we shall be a force to be reckoned with. We can be a great sailing nation. I think I am proof of this theory.”
To get competition-ready by September Teddy is trying to put in as much time as he can on the water to improve his boat handling technique. Meanwhile, out of the water, he is maintaining a healthy diet and getting in some physical exercise to condition his body for the beating it takes while racing in competitions, are priorities. Apart from a British settler representing Kenya in 1964 in the Finn class, another single-handed dinghy, no Kenyan has sailed in the Olympics. “As for the natives or citizens, there has been no-one who has ever represented Kenya in the Olympics and so my inspiration is to be the first.” He has a look of steely determination in his eyes that convinces you he will succeed in his goal. “It would be a dream come true for me to be able to race amongst the legends in the Olympics. It would
Competition Tough conditions for training in Poland
be my greatest achievement, one that I will always cherish and remember for the rest of my life.” We wish Teddy the best of luck as he embarks on this adventure. He is now actively seeking sponsors and support. Teddy can be followed at www.facebook.com/ TeddyForRio2016 and can be contacted at: teddyndaro@yahoo. com or on +254 700 832 474.
Sailing at the Olympics Sailing is one of the oldest sports in the Olympics, being introduced as an exhibition regatta at the first modern Olympics in 1896 before becoming fully established in 1908. Today there are 10 sailing events in the Olympic Sailing Competition ranging from windsurfers to single-handed dinghies including the Laser, catamarans, double-handers and high performance asymmetric dinghies. A series of 11 to 16 races, depending on the class, is held over four to five days before the top 10 proceed to a final race to decide the medals on the last day.
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BusinessHub
The rich aroma of success The pace is hotting up in a frenetic sector that refuses to stand still. It’s one that Kenyans just can’t seem to resist – and who can blame them. We are talking about the almost unchecked proliferation of coffee houses, especially in Nairobi, where no mall, however insignificant, is complete without somewhere to grab a frothy macchiato and a calorie-filled cake. And more outlets are on the way.
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t seems that, from almost nowhere, Kenya’s homegrown coffee houses have sprung up in and around Nairobi and are now fanning out across the country. And these locally created and carefully branded outlets are certainly a match for the best coffee houses in Africa and around the world. Kenya’s fiercely competitive coffee shop sector now has just two main players: Nairobi Java House and Artcaffe. (The latter bought up a batch of smallish Dormans outlets in January.) Each of the new ‘big two’ occupies a slightly different niche in the main market. Artcaffe offers classier meals along with tasty bread and pastry counters, while Java House puts the emphasis on truly great coffee along with meal choices such as its Mexicaninspired cuisine. Then there is Savanna, a brand backed by the giant Sameer Group, which has good coffee but falls behind the other two in terms of its menu. Savanna has eschewed the main mall locations typically favoured by the ‘big two’ and has also reduced its city centre presence recently.
Malls For its part, Artcaffe had until very recently opted to place its Viennese café-style outlets in the big malls: The Village Market, Gigiri, Junction, Karen and the giant Thika Road Mall. Yet the company is taking a slightly different route with its newly opened branch at Oval Building in Westlands. Sadly, Artcaffe’s two Westgate outlets are no more. Java’s chief executive, Kevin Ashley, says that malls are not the only good locations. “The important lesson from Java’s experience is that coffee shops do not need to be in traditional malls to succeed,”
he says. “Few would classify ABC Place, Adams Arcade or Valley Arcade as malls, yet we are thriving in those locations. There are no malls in downtown Nairobi, but there are scores of different coffee shops in town. The rule is that if you have a great product at a fair price and are located near where target customers live and work, you will succeed.”
Strategy Java also has a breathtaking growth strategy. Ashley explains: “We have an ambitious expansion plan in place. Nairobi Java House will be opening new branches in 2014.” Outside of Nairobi these will be in Kampala, Kisumu and Naivasha. Java will also be opening three branches in downtown Nairobi as well as additional branches in Westlands (Orbit House), Donholm (Greenspan Mall), Hurlingham, and Thika Road (Garden City Mall). The ‘big two’ do not have things completely to themselves, however, as smaller players are creeping into the market. Says Ashley: “There are a few others who have also established a chain approach such as Savanna, The Mug, Avanti and Urban Coffee (even Aroma in Mombasa). I feel there is still room for people to be a bit more innovative with their new coffee concepts, with more attention to their brand promise and the products they serve. Many of the newcomers are simply trying a copy-and-paste approach, not realising that the consumer is looking for something authentic and fresh in the marketplace.” Staying fresh is clearly key and a failure to keep up probably hastened the decision of its parent company to sell off Dormans. The brand had been in decline for some time, eclipsed by the razzle-dazzle of Java House and outclassed by Artcaffe’s chic.
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Great Coffee Nairobi Java House
Dormans milkshakes are still the best and the coffee is pretty much up to standard, but the brand was tired. The Dormans name is being retained by Artcaffe, but look out for a revitalised Dormans in the months ahead. It’s worth pointing out that Dormans sold only its ‘shops’, while its former parent, C. Dorman Ltd, founded in 1950, remains Kenya’s leading coffee roaster and exporter. The deal with Artcaffe in January saw seven Dormans outlets change hands. These were mostly lobby-
Kenya’s fiercely competitive coffee shop sector now has just two main players: Nairobi Java House and Artcaffe
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type ‘shops’ and consisted of Dormans outlets on the ground floor at Yaya Centre, Air Kenya’s departure lounge, Junction, Karen (Nakumatt), The Village Market, Mama Ngina Street and City Mall in Mombasa. The acquisition has put Artcaffe into a new market subsector and in direct competition (at least in terms of selling coffee) with Java House in a host of locations across Nairobi. So let us sit back and watch as the ‘big two’ battle it out in a hot war for our mochas and espressos.
TeamWork
The joy of being able to see again is obvious, even on the faces of the most stoical of individuals who have had to endure for so long the handicap of blindness
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TeamWork
Teamwork: Fly540 and MEAK
restorING the gift of sight
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ry to imagine, just for a minute, being blind. Close your eyes and think about what it would be like. Imagine being unable to walk around without someone constantly at your side, holding your arm and leading the way. Imagine being unable to work, to cook or to look after your children and watch them grow. Sadly, this is the reality for many Kenyans, especially those who live in dry and dusty rural communities. What makes it even sadder is that the majority of cases of blindness are preventable and easily treated. For those who live in geographically remote communities, however, access to specialist medicines and eye care is limited or non-existent, forcing many people to live the life we have just imagined. Life in the dark. Enter MEAK (Medical and Educational Aid to Kenya), a tiny charity with a big heart. Over the past 10 years MEAK has supported teams of medical specialists from Kenya and the UK to work all over Kenya. They provide eye care and treat blindness, perform orthopaedic surgery and conduct heart surgery on babies and children who were born with serious heart problems, all free of charge. Arguably the most rewarding of all these treatments is restoring sight
to the blind. In the skilled hands of a surgeon it can take literally only minutes to remove a cataract and restore sight. The joy of being able to see again is obvious, even on the faces of the most stoical of individuals who have had to endure for so long the handicap of blindness. These people can now go back to their communities and play an active part in activities such as minding children and looking after animals. For members of MEAK, it is heart-warming to be involved in this work; and its success in restoring people’s sight is a major incentive to MEAK to continue with its missions.
A gift of sight A life transformed
Screened Together with Fly540, the MEAK eye team flew to Maralal in the Samburu. The team was transported along with trunks of eye medication, antibiotics, fragile ophthalmic microscopes and all the other equipment, from sterile gloves to eye charts, that allows the team to diagnose and treat eye problems. The Maralal area was screened by the team before the surgical team arrived. Eye infections were treated and advice given on how to prevent eye infections (for example, the need to avoid touching one’s eyes, especially with unclean hands; to keep flies away from one’s eyes; and to wash
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one’s hands). Those identified as being blind from cataracts were transported back to camp, where a makeshift theatre was set up. Here, cataract surgery was performed to remove the diseased lens of the eye and replace it with a new one. In Maralal 273 people had this surgery and regained the gift of sight, thanks to an incredibly hardworking team and logistics support by Fly540.
Missions MEAK conducts between eight and 10 eye missions each year in conjunction with the Lions SightFirst Eye Hospital. They cover regions as geographically diverse as the Moyale on the Kenyan/ Ethiopian border, Lokichoggio in Turkana and the Dadaab refugee camp close to the Somali border. With the generosity of supporters like Fly540, the charity is able to continue with its missions across Kenya and so help to end life in the dark for so many Kenyans.
FIND OUT MORE To find out more about MEAK, fund its outstanding work or donate to its eye programme, please visit www. meak.org. MEAK is registered in the UK with the Charity Commission under Number 1093115.
MotorReview
Honda Odyssey
At last – aN MPV that’s fun to drive By Karl Peskett
A fun MPV Looks good – even in white
ODYSSEY IN DETAIL Engine Type: V6
Tyres: All-Season 235 / 65 R17 103T
Displacement (cc): 3471
Wheelbase (in): 118.1
Horsepower @ rpm: 248 @ 5700
Exterior dimensions (LxWxH): 202.9 x 79.2 x 68.4
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 250 @ 4800 Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic Wheels: 17” Alloy
MPG (City/Highway/Combined): 19 / 28 / 22
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Sleek and spacious Well equipped
The Odyssey is downright cool; the angular lines keep it looking fresh, edgy and contemporary
third row. Unlike most seven-seat passenger vehicles, the Odyssey has loads of room in the very back. There’s even a usable boot, with or without the third row stowed. Practicality, therefore, is brilliant. The engine is excellent, too. It’s not the most powerful, with 170 bhp and 225 Nm on tap, but it’s smooth and, coupled with the ‘rubber band’ CVT automatic, it’s always at the right rev-count for the load and speed required. The engine uses stop-start and an ecomode to keep fuel use down, but has enough oomph if you need to overtake. This is a ‘see the world’ approach to driving, encouraging you to drive at a relaxed pace.
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here must be something wrong with the world. Normally, a people carrier is a sign your social life is over. Prolific breeding may be fun initially, but then becoming the family bus driver involves some beige piece of transport. Honda has decided it’s time to change all that. The Odyssey is downright cool. It’s not the most beautiful vehicle out there – the front end looks like a smiling squirrel with acorns in his cheeks – but the angular lines keep it looking fresh, edgy and contemporary. The modern styling continues inside, with a huge full-colour touch screen for infotainment and a small touch panel underneath for climate
control including rear air con. The cabin is clean and clutter-free and devoid of unnecessary buttons, while USB, HDMI and iPod inputs keep passengers entertained.
Activated The size has expanded hugely since the previous generation, liberating even more space. The two side doors are now powered sliders which can be activated by the key fob or from the driver’s seat and require only a pull on the door handle to open and close. Step inside and you’re greeted by leather captain’s chairs with extendable footrests which slide forwards and sideways so that passengers can easily step through the centre and gain access to the
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Speaking of which, the suspension, combined with gorgeous 17-inch wheels, has a role to play in keeping things calm. While there is enough firmness to make it handle well, it is able to ignore jittery road imperfections and iron out the ride, thus ensuring passenger comfort. The steering is direct, too, and actually feels quite natural. Attention has been paid to safety, too, with blind spot alerts, a bird’s-eye view reversing camera and parking guides, plus the usual suite of acronyms: ABS, ESC, EBA and TCS. While it looks like something out of ‘The Jetsons’ cartoon show, the Odyssey is a genuine alternative to the ubiquitous SUV if you need to carry lots of people. It’s funky, modern and (shhhh, don’t tell anyone) it’s fun to drive, too. A people carrier that is actually enjoyable to be in? Miracles do happen.
latest releases
recommends...
BOOk WORm LORD OF THE FLIES
WE NEED NEW NAMES
By William Golding
By NoViolet Bulawayo
‘Lord of the Flies’ remains as provocative today as when it was first published in 1954, igniting passionate debate with its startling, brutal portrayal of human nature. A plane crashes on an uninhabited island and the only survivors, a group of schoolboys, assemble on the beach and wait to be rescued. By day they inhabit a land of bright fantastic birds and dark-blue seas, but at night their dreams are haunted by the image of a terrifying beast. As the boys’ delicate sense of order fades, so their childish dreams are transformed into something more primitive and their behaviour starts to take on a murderous, savage significance. Labelled a parable, an allegory, a myth, a morality tale, a parody, a political treatise, even a vision of the apocalypse, ‘Lord of the Flies’ has established itself as a true classic.
‘We Need New Names’ is the 2013 debut novel of expatriate Zimbabwean writer NoViolet Bulawayo. A coming-of-age story, it tells of the life of a young girl named Darling, first as a 10-year-old in Zimbabwe and later as a teenager in the United States. Darling escapes the violent world of Zimbabwe to stay with an aunt in the Mid West. But, as an immigrant, her options in the new land are perilously few. The first chapter of the book, ‘Hitting Budapest’, initially presented as a short story, won the 2011 Caine Prize; and the full-length novel was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2013.
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LatestReleases
BlOckBUsTeRs CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Redford, Samuel L. Jackson Directors: Russo Brothers Genre: Fantasy, adventure ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ is the thrilling sequel to ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ following on from ‘The Avengers’. The new film finds Steve ‘Captain America’ Rogers (played by Chris Evans) teaming up with Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) to take on a mysterious assassin codenamed The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Inspired by classic conspiracy thrillers of the 1970s, this eagerly anticipated Marvel superhero sequel blends awesome spectacle with provocative moral complexity.
DIVERGENT Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet Director: Neil Burger Genre: Action, adventure, sci-fi The story takes place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic version of Chicago where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues. Beatrice (‘Tris’) Prior is warned that she is Divergent and thus will never fit into any one of the factions. Tris soon learns that a sinister plot is brewing in her seemingly perfect society to destroy Divergents. She and the mysterious Four must find out what makes Divergents dangerous – before it’s too late.
must-see
movie
UNDER THE SKIN NOAH
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Paul Brannigan, Jessica Mance Director: Jonathan Glazer Genre: Horror, sci-fi, thriller
Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins Director: Darren Aronofsky Genre: Action, adventure, drama
Scarlett Johansson plays an alien seductress who preys on hitchhikers. In the persona of a beautiful young woman, the alien travels the country in a Transit van, picking up men and harvesting their bodies. But her encounter with a lonely and disfigured man leads to an identity crisis as she becomes more conscious of her human body. Many of the scenes in which Johansson’s character picks up men were filmed on the streets of Glasgow and in other Scottish locations using non-actors, unscripted conversations and hidden cameras.
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A man is chosen by his world’s creator to undertake a momentous mission to rescue the innocent before an apocalyptic flood cleanses the wicked from the world. Russell Crowe plays the title character and Jennifer Connelly is his wife Naameh in this Biblical spectacular, which was described by British film critic Mark Kermode as “a preposterous but endearingly unhinged epic”.
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ProductReview
Running shoes. Check! Water bottle. Check! smarT band. check?
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hysical activity trackers are nothing new, but there is a burgeoning market for semi-intelligent wristband activity trackers. Paired with a smart device, they not only provide activity logs but also advise on daily goals and critique techniques to improve the user’s health and well-being. Here we look at three of the market leaders as well as two new offerings. These wristbands generally pair with iOS or Android devices and are designed to be worn continuously in order to log movements such as steps; to track sleep patterns; to record what the user eats and drinks; and to provide a personalised insight into activities and goals through an associated, and usually free, app. The Jawbone UP fitness tracking wristband is compatible with both iOS and Android devices and comes with 10 days of battery life. Eating and drinking patterns can be logged through the app to track nutritional information. With no screen, it contains a single button to change modes. Through the app, the UP also provides personalised insights and tips to help you achieve your goals. The Fitbit Flex wireless activity tracker and sleep wristband is a very similar device at the same
price (US$130) as the Jawbone, with logged data viewable through the Fitbit dashboard on the paired device. The Flex comes with a range of free online tools for goal setting and progress monitoring as well as syncing with many popular fitness apps. The Nike+Fuelband tracks a wide range of daily activities such as walking, running, basketball, dancing and dozens more. It measures daily activity and records it as NikeFuel. Daily goals can be set, with a row of indicator lights turning from red to green as the goals are reached. Using the single button, you can cycle through your time spent on the activity, NikeFuel earned, number of steps taken and calories burned. A downside of the Nike+Fuelband is that it’s compatible only with iOS. It also costs $200.
Jawbone UP
Fitbit Flex
Nike+Fuelband
Tracker Sony’s first venture into the fitness tracker world is the SmartBand SWR10, launched in March 2014. This is the first gadget to be powered by Sony’s new Core fitness tracking technology. It uses the Lifelog app for Android, which tracks exercise routines, places visited, songs heard and books read. The app connects to the Africa’s low cost airline
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Sony SmartBand
Moov fitness tracker
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SmartBand via NFC or Bluetooth. The SmartBand is designed to be worn continuously and is fully waterproof. The removable Core means it can also be detached and carried in a pocket. Anyone who likes gadgets and new technology will love these activity trackers; but they are still perhaps a long way from reaching their full potential, and usability is perhaps not quite at the same level as desirability. A step in the right direction, if you’ll forgive the pun, is the Moov fitness tracker. Not only does this innovative device track your movements; it also provides real-time advice through headphones on how to improve your running style, your workout or even your golf swing. Launching in the summer of 2014, it will initially support running, biking, swimming, cardio boxing and weight training, with yoga and golf in development. Each activity is a separate app, initially for iOS but with Android on the way as well. The apps will constantly critique pace, form and progress through the paired device. It will also be less expensive than most of the above at just $120, while providing a step increase in functionality.
LookInside
LookInside
Eka Hotel
This is my kind of business hotel… By Gary Gimson
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here was a time, not so long ago, when Nairobi seemed unable to produce one decent business-type hotel beyond the narrow confines of the central business district. But today’s discerning business traveller (meaning those with a generous expense account) can choose from a tempting range of what might be described as contemporary-style executive hotels in and around the city. According to my back-of-theenvelope calculations, Nairobi now has several such properties. But for me, the pick of the bunch, and certainly the most conveniently located, is the Eka Hotel in Mombasa Road, just a stone’s throw from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Unfussy I like the smart, unfussy simplicity of the rooms. As a business traveller, it’s just what I’m looking for. I need a good, clean, sharp-looking room with somewhere to rest my
laptop so I can send an e-mail or three. There’s complimentary Wi-Fi (what hotel now charges for this service, by the way?) and DSTV on an impressive-looking flat screen to fall asleep in front of. In the morning I love the easy-to-use rain shower followed by Eka’s all-too-healthy-looking breakfasts. For me, Eka ticks all the boxes. I’m not quite so keen, though, on the glass walls of the bathroom. Maybe I’m just shy.
Flat-screen The hotel has three levels of accommodation: superior room, junior suite and executive suite. All come with minibar, coffeemaking equipment and hairdryer. The executive suites (priced rack at US$ 399) come with a pair of flatscreen TV sets (no less), a bathtub seemingly built for Usain Bolt and a sitting room. Eka has another factor in its favour. Like the Southern Sun Mayfair across town, the hotel has a Spur franchise serving up mouth-watering steaks and fingerAfrica’s low cost airline
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licking ribs. Who would want to go anywhere else on Mombasa Road on a wet Tuesday evening – or at any other time, for that matter? In Nairobi’s increasingly crowded mid-market business hotel sector, the in-house Spur is the clincher for me – that and the short drive from the airport.
Stylish Executive comfort
I like the smart, unfussy simplicity of the rooms. As a business traveller, it’s just what I’m looking for
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CityGuide
CityGuide
Hargeisa Somaliland’s surprising capital
What to see Without being in any way uncomplimentary, it’s fair to say there is very little in the way of tourist sights and associated activities in Hargeisa. Some visitors may find the town-centre market of interest and it is fascinating to see the range of local produce being sold by eager traders. There is also a camel market. What Hargeisa lacks in visitor sights is more than made up for by the friendliness of the local people, who always seem pleased to see foreigners in their city. It is generally safe to get around and local people are helpful and welcoming to visitors.
H
Climate Delightfully situated at 1,300 metres above sea level, Hargeisa has a much more moderate climate than, say, stifling Berbera. The city has been untouched by Somalia’s troubles of recent years. Today it is a safe and thriving metropolis with a population of around 1.2 million. Following a recent construction boom, Hargeisa now has several international standard hotels, many of which were built with finance provided by the vast Somali diaspora.
One recommendation is to visit Laas Geel, on the outskirts of Hargeisa, where the rock paintings are thought to be some of the best preserved in Africa.
ERITREA
argeisa is Somalia’s second-largest city after Mogadishu and the capital of the selfdeclared Republic of Somaliland. In colonial times Hargeisa had also been the capital of the British Somaliland protectorate, which later joined the former Italian Somaliland to form Somalia. Good hotels Because it is part of an Jubaarea Safe and secure formerly controlled by the United Kingdom, English is widely spoken UGANDA and understood in Hargeisa. At the same time, the local population retains close ties with the UK and KENYA where large communities from Somaliland are now resident.
YEMEN
DJIBOUTI
Hargeisa
SOMALIA ETHIOPIA
Where to stay
Where to eat
Ambassador Hotel: Conveniently located on Airport Road, close to the international airport, this is one of Hargeisa’s finest hotels. Rates include breakfast and free Wi-Fi.
Ambassador Hotel: Probably the best in Hargeisa. Prices are very reasonable. Situated in a pleasant garden, the restaurant offers spot-on service. The kebabs and steak are recommended.
Safari Hotel: Smart, clean, well presented and newly built. Attractive room rates and offers cable TV and a good restaurant. Maan-Soor Hotel: Popular with NGOs and business visitors. Less than 20 minutes from the airport. For a weekend break at the coast, there is a sister property in Berbera. Oriental Hotel: Close to government offices, this is one of the city’s oldest properties. An air conditioned courtyard where meals are served. Free internet.
Hargeisa is served only by Fly-SAX
It is also worth noting that visitors planning to leave the city must be accompanied by a government security guard.
Crown Hotel: Built in the early 1990s on the west side of the city. A reputation for good service, comfort and food.
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Ming-Sing Restaurant: Reported to be Somalia’s only Chinese restaurant, the Ming-Sing also serves a variety of cuisine including local dishes. Oriental Hotel: Good food and inexpensive prices in the hotel’s restaurant. Highly recommended. Amina Café: A mix of restaurant, café and alcohol-free nightspot. Often features live music. Popular haunt for tea-drinking locals. Maan-Soor Hotel: The restaurant is one of Hargeisa’s best loved. Good for all-day dining, with breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. Busy at weekends.
DianiGallery
By Nina Naibor
Diani Beach Art Gallery
A pan-African display of pictorial talent
I
n the course of a short break on the white-sandy shores of Diani Beach, south of Mombasa, I came upon a place I never dreamt of finding here: a fully fledged gallery of contemporary African art. Here at the Diani Beach Art Gallery, visitors enter a world of creativity, colour, stories and versatility. The gallery provides a light and airy setting for a remarkable
collection of paintings, sculptures, photographs, mixed media and other works of art.
Collection Reuben, the gallery assistant, welcomes me to the Diani Beach collection. As he shows me round, Reuben points out a selection of paintings by Joseph Cartoon, one of Kenya’s oldest and most renowned artists. His pictures
44
convey a powerful interplay of symbolism based on the traditional values of African women, folk tales and the day-to-day aspects of African family life. “But we not only focus on Kenyan art, we also represent artists from other African countries,” says Reuben, pointing to a beautiful sculpture: “These entirely unique pieces by the Ugandan sculptor Patrick Mulondo were
DianiGallery
Visitors enter a world of creativity, colour, stories and versatility
Colours The place to go in Diani
made from a largely random collection of scrap metal car parts,” he says. I take a closer look and am surprised at the level of detail the artist has managed to achieve in recreating the human form through the use of scrap metal and a welding torch. His works are truly artistic. Elsewhere in the gallery I see biographies of artists from a wide variety of places including Ethiopia,
Sudan, Tanzania, Zanzibar and South Africa. It really is a panAfrican display.
Contemporary
Coast art
Reuben says the gallery’s chief aim is to offer a space for artists, art lovers and patrons alike to promote contemporary African art locally and internationally. “We have found new homes for many wonderful pieces we
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have exhibited at the gallery,” he says. “Some of our clients send us images of their chosen pieces in their homes and offices. This makes us really proud and happy. Again, we have won ambassadors to support our creative talent abroad.” The Diani Beach Art Gallery is nothing if not on trend when you consider the growing awareness of African art in recent times. I spent an extraordinary morning learning about contemporary African art in an environment that was never less than inspiring. This place is a ‘must see’ destination when visiting Diani Beach.
FoodForThought
FoodForThought
Eagle’s Steakhouse
A sizzling good scene By Gary Gimson
T
he American film actor Paul Newman once said (while paying a huge compliment to his wife): “Why go out to eat when there’s steak on offer at home?” Well, I think I have found the perfect excuse to ignore the late Mr Newman’s advice. It’s also fair to say I have a soft spot for the Ole-Sereni Hotel on Nairobi’s Mombasa Road. I was quite literally in on the ground floor, visiting the property on a regular basis as it was transformed from ugly shell to elegant hotel. I took the first pictures of the room mock-ups, toured the building site and wondered if construction work would ever be completed (it almost wasn’t). When I go back now, I see a creation that just didn’t seem possible; one offering the most magnificent views over Nairobi National Park, even if the game seems a bit scarce. So it’s a pleasure to come back
and dine at the hotel and to sample its Eagle’s Steakhouse, located on the fourth floor. Can there be a better aspect in Nairobi? I doubt it. Chef Kevin Barron has been with the Ole-Sereni since before it even opened and over time he has
“Can there be a better aspect in Nairobi? I don’t think so” worked his magic to ensure that the menus are always fresh and irresistible. Eagle’s introduced a new menu at the start of the year. Before sitting down, my first question to the hotel’s PR and marketing executive, Aziz Mussaji,
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was: “Where does the Steakhouse get its beef?” All Aziz would say was: “Upcountry, from specific ranches, although I’m not telling as it has taken four years to get the beef right.” Whatever the source, however, there were no fewer than five types of steak – tournedos, fillet, T-bone, sirloin and rib eye – from which to choose, plus a mixed grill (only for two). Expect to pay around KES 2,000 per steak. For those not too concerned about their waistline, there’s ‘The Butcher’s Cut’, a chunkier portion, priced by weight. It can be shared if necessary. There is also a quartet of seafood dishes plus Molo lamb, ostrich and quail. It’s hard to believe, but Eagle’s welcomes vegetarians, too. “We don’t mind doing dishes off the menu if a guest has particular likes and dislikes,” said Aziz. “It makes things more fun for us and for them.” But who would want to eat a nut cutlet here? Not me.
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AIRCRAFT FLEET F
ly540 operates modern aircraft and is constantly updating and modernising its fleet. The company uses aircraft such as the ATR 72-500, which burns only half as much fuel as some other aircraft and also
emits less carbon into the atmosphere. This underlines the fact that Fly540 is a ‘green airline’ that cares for the environment. The crew and engineering team are professionally trained and certified to ICAO standards.
Cessna Caravan C208 Type: Single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 10 passengers
ATR 72-500 Type: Twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner Number in service: Two Capacity per aircraft: 78 passengers
DC-9 Type: Twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 80 passengers
BOMBARDIER DASH 8 102 SERIES
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Type: Twin-engined, mediumrange, turboprop airliner
Type: Twin-engine regional jet
Fokker F27
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Type: Turboprop cargo airliner
Number in service: Three
Capacity per aircraft: 50 passengers
Number in service: One
Capacity per aircraft: 37 passengers
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TravelInfo
FLY540 VI
INFORMAT A I S
KENYAN VISAS VISA INFORMATION
M
ost nationals require visas to enter East Africa. Citizens from the five East African states require no visas while those from the Common Market of East and Southern Africa (COMESA) member states have relaxed entry requirements into East Africa. However, East African member states have their own visa requirements for various nationals.
Visas are required for most nationals and cost US$50. A visa can be obtained on entry, however we recommended one be obtained before arrival to avoid airport lengthy queues. Visa Application Forms are available online. A visa is required by all visitors travelling to Kenya with the exception of those holding a re-entry pass to Kenya and citizens of Ethiopia, San Marino, Turkey and Uruguay. Note that the reciprocal visa abolition agreements with Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain, and Republic of Ireland no longer apply and nationals of these countries now require a visa. Kenya Visa Requirements • Valid passport with sufficient number of unused pages for endorsements abroad. Passport must be signed and valid for at least six months. • Visa application form duly completed and signed by the applicant. • Two recent passport size photographs attached to the application form. • Valid round trip ticket or a letter from your travel agent certifying that the applicant holds prepaid arrangements. • A self-addressed stamped envelope for express mail, courier, registered mail, etc., if the visa is urgently required. Metered stamps are not acceptable. • Home and work telephone numbers.
Please fill out the form correctly and enclose the photographs and payment to avoid delay and disappointment. Standard Visa fees payable by cash to the High Commission of Kenya. Visa fees charges: • Multiple entry: US$100 • Single entry: US$50 • Transit Visa: US$20
Passengers can pay in US dollars, British pounds, Euro or Swiss franc. For more information and to download a Kenya visa application form visit: http://www.immigration.co.ke
52
N O
TRAVEL INFORMATION
TravelInformation
TANZANIAN VISAS
SOUTH SUDAN VISAS Any visitor going to South Sudan through Khartoum requires a valid visa. Visas are issued through the South Sudan Embassy.
All foreigners from non-Commonwealth countries are required to have a valid visa unless their countries have agreements with Tanzania under which the visa requirement is waived.
The Republic of South Sudan has missions in Kenya, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia, Norway, Belgium, the UK, Germany, France, Turkey, Libya, China, India, Italy, Canada and the USA.
Exemptions: Citizens of Commonwealth countries are not required to obtain visas unless they are citizens of the United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand or Australia.
Immigration regulations stipulate that anyone going to South Sudan and wishing to travel outside of Khartoum needs a travel permit from the Government of South Sudan. Those travelling to South Sudan from Kenya, should visit the South Sudan Embassy in Kenya.
Tanzanian visas are issued by the following: • The office of the Director of Immigration Services, Dar es Salaam, and the office of the Principal Immigration Officer, Zanzibar.
Requirements:
•
• All applicants to launch their visas in person
• Any other gazetted entry point.
• Passport must be valid for at least six month and presented on submission of application
• From Tanzania High Commissions or embassies abroad.
• Two recent colour passport-size photos
For more information on Tanzanian diplomatic missions visit: www.tanzania.go.tz/tanzaniaembassiesabroad.htm
• Yellow fever vaccination card •
Entry points to the United Republic of Tanzania: principally Namanga, Tunduma, Sirari, Horohoro, Kigoma Port, Dar es Salaam International Airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport, Zanzibar Harbour and Zanzibar Airport.
Letter of invitation and intent Standard Visa fees payable by bank transfer to: Government of South Sudan Special Permit Account Bank: Kenya Commercial Bank; Sarit Centre Branch A/C No. 402004247
HEALTH
Fees: • Multiple entry: US$250 (six months)/US$400 (one year)
Vaccination requirements for international travellers
• Single entry for countries with common boarder with South Sudan: US$50
• No cholera vaccination certificates are required of travellers coming from all over the world.
• Single entry for other African countries: US$100 • Single entry for European and US citizens: US$100
•
ACCINATIO V 0
N ORMAT INF IO
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Only valid yellow fever vaccination certificates are required of all travellers over one year old, arriving from yellow fever infected countries mainly in central and West Africa, South and Central America South East Asia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh.
• Vaccination for international travellers are obtainable from all international air and sea ports, city and major municipal councils NB: Make sure you get your yellow fever shot in good time since the yellow fever certificate is valid for travel use 10 days after vaccination.
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J.E. Mommaertslaan 16b (2nd floor), 1831 Diegem
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Maria Rosa Cappelli Mobile: +39 335 778 5936 Email: mcappelli@aviareps.com
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c/o AviaCircle, 28-29 The Quadrant Business Centre, 135 Salisbury Road London, NW6 6RJ
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KidsCorner
Kids’
Corner KNOCK KNOCK... Knock Knock Who’s there? Moose! Moose who? Moose you be so nosy! Knock Knock Who’s there? Annetta! Annetta who? Annetta wisecrack and you’re out of here!
SAFARI
G H C T R A C K S A F A R
I
N
Can you find the words listed below in the letter grid? Tip: Some words are going backwards!
R U M L N O
I
L
A B E O G A T
F
ZEBRA RANGER JEEP GIRAFFE SAFARI WILDLIFE
F Q R Z E B R A
WORDSEARCH
TRAIL LION TRACK CAMERA BUSH
I
F B A C R E A A E
F
I
Z R J
L D L E
E P
I W L
S
Q. What did one wall say to the other wall?
JOKE TIME!
A. I’ll meet you at the corner.
Q. What do you call a greedy ant?
Q. Why do bicycles fall over?
A. An anteater!
A. Because they are two tyred!
Q. Why did the owl, owl?
Q. Why was the broom late?
A. Because the woodpecker would peck ‘er!
A. It over swept!
Q. What’s grey and moves at a hundred miles an hour? A. A jet propelled elephant!
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