Fly-SAX inflight magazine – Issue 6, May 2015

ISSUE 6 / MAY – JULY 2015

YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY

COMPETITION WIN A LAND ROVER TEST DRIVE See Page 4 for details

Look Inside

JACARANDA NAIROBI HOTEL Food for Thought

SHEHNAI RESTAURANT

FASHION HIGH TEA

THEY’RE ALL CRAZY – ABOUT HIGH FASHION…

ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE: LATEST RELEASES • FLY SAX NEWS • MOMBASA GUIDE

Contents

contents issue 6 REGULAR FEATURES 3 In this Issue 4 Fly-SAX News 36 Car Review

36

Land Rover Discovery Sport

41 Food for Thought

Shehnai Restaurant

42 Look Inside

COVER STORY 20 High Tea

Inside Nairobi’s most fashionable tea party

Cover photo courtesy of Radek Art Photo (www.radekartphoto.com)

Jacaranda Nairobi Hotel

44 City Guide

41

Mombasa

46 Tech Review

Apple Watch

48 Latest Releases

Books and films

48 Kids’ Corner is published by Land & Marine Publications Ltd 1 Kings Court, Newcomen Way Severalls Business Park Colchester, Essex, UK, CO4 9RA Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Email: publishing@landmarine.com www.landmarine.com

on behalf of

44

SPECIAL FEATURES 7 Bees v. elephants

Bees help solve a jumbo-sized problem

11 Nyama choma

A meat treat that’s hard to beat

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12 Contemporary art Fly-SAX Baycourt Upper floor, Suite 3 & 4 The Watermark Business Park Ndege Rd, Karen PO Box 10293-00100, Nairobi Tel: +254 (0)20 388 3060/2; +254 (0) 720 607 607; +254 (0)705 305 305; +254 (0)707 305 305 Fax: +254 (0)20 3883063 Email: reservations@fly-sax.com www.fly-sax.com 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. ©2015 Land & Marine Publications Ltd

View this issue online: www.fly-sax.com/onboard

Connect with Fly-SAX @flysaxairline www.facebook.com/pages/Fly-SAX

Five of the best contemporary art galleries in Kenya

18 Beer

Revolution? We’ll drink to that…

20 High Tea

32

They’re all crazy – about high fashion…

24 Serviced apartments

Why short-stay luxury is all the rage

26 Business cards

It’s on the cards

30 Smart Fellas

Smartest way home for city’s revellers

32 Hemingways spa

Putting a new spin on spa

USEFUL INFORMATION 51 The Fly-SAX Network 52 Fly-SAX Fleet 53 Fly-SAX Contacts 54 Travel Information

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In This Issue

Issue 6

In this issue LOOK OUT FOR  Bees & Elephants: But what is the connection?

Find out on page 7 City Guide: On Page 44 we go to Mombasa and discover the charm of Kenya’s only port city Tech Review: On Page 46 we take a first-look at the new Apple Watch Latest Releases:

On Page 48 we review the new Avengers movie among others and the latest ‘must read’ books

Welcome to issue 6 of Fly-SAX magazine

O

ur cover story in this issue features the Fashion High Tea, an event that took place recently at Nairobi’s uberchic Zen Garden. The occasion brought together an odd mix of chai, cakes and fashion, while the highest of Nairobi’s high society gathered to view the fanciest of fancy frocks.

It’s fair to say that, in Kenya, beer didn’t used to be tasted and savoured to any great extent – it was just consumed. But that is all changing. Kenya’s drinkers now find themselves with a new range of beers, many of them of the premium variety, and we highlight the fast-moving changes in the nation’s drinking habits.

There are also intriguing features about bees and elephants (yes, there is a link), the weird ritual of giving and receiving business cards, contemporary art, Kenya’s unhealthy obsession with nyama choma, how to beat the breathalyser (by hiring a chauffeur and not doing something illegal) and we also look at serviced apartments and whether they represent good value.

We visit Westlands’ Jacaranda Hotel (an old-time favourite of mine) and dine out at Shehnai, arguably Mombasa’s finest Indian restaurant.

Then we test drive the new Land Rover Discovery Sport, which will soon be on East Africa’s roads.

Thank you for flying with Fly-SAX.

Gary Gimson Publisher publishing@landmarine.com

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ANOTHER HAPPY CUSTOMER FOR FLY540 In the last issue we shared some feedback from a customer who wanted to praise sister airline Fly540 for their hard work and professionalism when his luggage unfortunately was lost by another airline. This time, they received words of praise from Peter, one of their passengers from Australia:

Issue 6

NEW PAYMENT SERVICE FOR FLY540 CUSTOMERS Sister airline Fly540 has announced a brand-new partnership with the online payments service 3G Direct Pay (3GDP) that allows customers and business partners to pay online using a variety of methods including credit card, PayPal and Mobile Money.

“Before travelling to Africa I had never heard of Fly540 and booked with trepidation. From the on-time take-off to the on-time landing [it was] an absolute job. You have my strongest recommendation.”

Don Smith, chief executive and founder of Fly540, said: “We are delighted to deliver added value to all our clients and provide a payment option that is completely painless and secure. Our mission is to make life more convenient for both our customers and business partners.”

COMPETITION

Win a Land Rover test drive This is your chance to be the first person in Kenya to test drive the fabulous all-new Land Rover Discovery Sport courtesy of RMA Motors Kenya and Fly-SAX. Just send your answers to the email address below and you could be the lucky winner of this super prize.

Questions:

RMA Motors Kenya is the nation’s only authorised distributor of the Jaguar Land Rover range of premium sedans and luxury SUVs.

The winner will receive a Land Rover Discovery Sport test drive in Nairobi plus associated Land Rover-related gifts supplied by RMA Motors.

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1. How many speeds does the automatic version come with?

2. What is the 0-100 kph acceleration time?

3. What size (in inches) is the touch-screen infotainment system?

4. During which two months was the first consignment of Discovery Sports due to arrive in Mombasa?

Email your answers, along with your Fly-SAX booking reference number, to: competition@landmarine.org

Competition Terms & Conditions: Closing date is 15 July 2015.

Only one entry per passenger.

The winner will be announced on the RMA Motors, 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 RMA Motors, Fly540, Fly-SAX or Land & Marine Publications Ltd. The Fly-SAX issue 5 competition winner was Abdihakim Mohamud, who won a test drive in the new Jaguar XE.

Bees v. Elephants

Bees help solve a

JUMBO-SIZED PROBLEM H

By Gary Gimson

uman-wildlife conflict is one of the problems of our age here in East Africa. And those working hard to reduce such conflicts deserve our admiration and support.

Each confrontation is different.

Down in Kwale, for example, the conflict is between villagers and migratory elephants. But a solution is at hand.

In essence, this solution is as simple as it is inexpensive. In one word, it is: bees. As improbable as it may sound, bees hold the key to the mutual separation of man and elephant – or so says the Shimba Support Group (SSG), which plans to install a ring of beehives to protect local people.

And here’s why. Elephants, it seems, are terrified of bees.

It does seem odd that such

BUSY BEES  Hive of activity

a big and (literally) thick-skinned animal should be frightened of a tiny insect. Esmé van Niekerk of the SSG tells 540 magazine: “Elephants do have very thick skins, but the skin around their eyes and ears is very sensitive, as is the inside of their trunks. It can still be very painful when they get stung on these sensitive areas. Being intelligent creatures, elephants will not get stung in the same area twice,

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Bees v. Elephants hence the effectiveness of beehive fences.”

So how long have bees been used to ward off elephants? “I cannot say for certain how long this method has been in use,” says Esmé. “I know that a lot of research has been done on the topic since 2006, but it could be that local communities have been making use of it as some might have known before the actual research that elephants don’t like bees. This method is not only used in Kenya.

It has been used with great success in Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa and even parts of India.”

Defence The concept of a beehive defence system in Shimba is one thing, but how does it work? “In the case of Shimba Hills, the communities were given 10 hives and they were placed five to seven metres apart,” says Esmé. “This was a pilot project and KWS will be referring to the successes of these fences when the service decides on the placement of fences and the future training of communities.”

Communities will be informed about the benefits of beehive

fences – for example, increased pollination of crops; more crops because elephants are not raiding them so often; a better quality of life from the income they can generate from selling honey and other bee products; and less danger and trauma for communities in terms of human-elephant conflict.

This is a combined project between the SSG, the KWS and the communities surrounding the game reserve. The SSG will buy the hives, the KWS will decide where to place them and the communities will be responsible for keeping the fences cleared, looking after the beehives and harvesting the honey.

But who gets to keep the honey? “As the communities will be harvesting the honey, it is for their own consumption,” says Esmé.

“They can also bottle the honey, make honey products and sell it for extra revenue.”

Esmé moved to Diani in December 2013 from Mtunzini, a small coastal village in South Africa. Her husband was offered a position at a mine in Kwale County and her whole family relocated to Kenya.

INTELLIGENT  Elephants will not get stung twice in the same vicinity

ABOUT THE GROUP  The Shimba Support Group was set up in 2001 and consists mainly of local volunteers.

Its aim is to promote the retention of wild and indigenous nature as well as the biological diversity of Shimba Hills Game Reserve.

SSG helps the Kenya Wildlife Service and its local director and senior warden to: • Create awareness through education and publicity • Provide a pool of knowledge and skill for the benefit of reserve management • Establish a network of contacts and stakeholders for effective communication • Raise funds for projects that specifically benefit the reserve and surrounding communities.

The SSG is unusual in its structure because it has not one but two chairmen. One is chosen via an election process while the co-chair is always the senior park warden. This arrangement ensures close links with KWS when it comes to developing conservation initiatives. The group’s current chair is Shazaad Kasmani and the co-chair is Mohamed Kheri.

SSG’s first fund-raising event – in February – took the form of a music quiz. The money raised went towards buying beehives and the materials needed to install the beehive fences.

Esmé says: “We may have more quiz evenings to raise funds, but we are also still looking at other ways to increase awareness and funds for this project. As an active member of SSG, and with the help of Shazaad and Ayesha Kasmani, I organised the quiz to raise awareness and funds for the Beehives for Elephants Project. Our aim is to raise the KES 150,000 needed for buying enough beehives to cover the remaining area surrounding Shimba Hills Game Reserve. SSG is hoping to raise the funds for this project by mid 2016.”

Readers interested in donating to this project should contact Esmé at: vanniekerk.esme@gmail.com A donation of KES 5,000 buys one beehive.

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Nyama choma

By Joan Wandegi

T

he almost ritualistic way in which Kenyans enjoy their nyama choma (grilled meat) is riveting to say the least. It is an activity that requires commitment and planning if one is to fully indulge and relish the whole experience.

Nyama choma is a culinary phenomenon far removed from any fine dining experience involving a complicated menu.

There is nothing pretentious about nyama choma eateries in Kenya and you can spot them a mile off. They usually have cow, sheep or goat carcasses hanging in a makeshift cold room right at the entrance, so that you can choose what part of the animal will be dissected, salted and placed on a jiko. Usually the meat is served with a variety of accompaniments such as kachumbari (a salsa-like relish), traditional green vegetables and ugali. Animated discussions may revolve around whether fried potatoes should be included, but that usually doesn’t take long. After all, the more time taken at the weighing scale, the more agonising is the extra wait for your meat to arrive on the table.

Nairobi has many popular venues for choma. Carnivore, on Langata Road, is a mecca for the grilled meat experience in Nairobi. At one time Carnivore served a big range of meats including antelope, buffalo and wildebeest before a ban prevented the culling of wild animals. But there is still an impressive selection of sizzling grilled meat on offer today, stacked on large spits and carried around by roaming waiters for diners to pick at their leisure. The idea is to eat to your fill and, when you are done, to accept defeat by displaying a red card on your table.

Nairobi, has been considered the home of grilled meat in Maasai land for the last decade now. Olepolos (meaning ‘place in the middle’) has fine views of the magnificent Ngong Hills and takes full advantage of the locale. Guests can sit on rustic wooden benches, some covered with the signature red-and-black Maasai blanket, and enjoy the panoramic views.

This is a full-day affair involving a walk to the butchery, a quick conversation about the freshness of the meat and friendly banter about what other choice cuts are available (stuffed stomach and intestines being the delicacy here).

Social The experience is a social one. Sometimes the conversation gets so animated that it could be mistaken for the onset of a brawl if it weren’t for the raucous laughter that keeps breaking through.

Silence immediately ensues once the hero of the day – the genius responsible for the delicately roasted meat – appears and begins

to break down juicy ribs and other pieces of meat.

Nyama choma is at the heart of most ceremonies in Kenya, whether it’s a wedding or the birth of the sixth sibling of five children. For most people, it’s an indispensable part of what is warm about the Kenyan hospitality, ready and waiting to be experienced.

A meat treat that’s hard to beat

Experience Those looking to heighten their nyama choma experience will join the exodus out of Nairobi on any preferably sunny mid morning in search of the perfect location with an unbeatable ambience for the unbridled carnivore.

Olepolos Country Club, about an hour’s drive from www.fly-SAX.com

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Contemporary art

Five of the best

Contemporary art galleries in Kenya

By Kirsten Alexander

T

he art scene here is evolving, with an evergrowing interest in all things arty as well as fresh new talent emerging into this exciting world, sharing the space with acclaimed, established artists with worldwide success.

Contemporary art covers a whole range of styles, so before you shout ‘No! I don’t like it!’ and assume it is synonymous with brash colours and nonsensical drawings, take a trip to a gallery. It might just change your mind and open up a whole new, exciting world for you.

One Off Contemporary Art Gallery Opened in 1994 by curator Carol Lees, One Off is one of the best loved art galleries in Nairobi.

Acting as a platform for some of the most established artists in East Africa, it offers not only a splendid permanent collection of paintings and sculptures, but also monthly galleries. From renowned artists such as Florence Wangui, Richard Kimathi and Harrison Mburu to fresh, emerging talent, One Off is committed to the cause of displaying the best art in Kenya as well as representing artists from Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan and Rwanda. While a visit to the gallery in person is highly recommended, if you are unable to get there, be sure to sign up to the mailing list on the gallery’s website to receive regular updates about new works being featured in there.

Visit: 16 Rosslyn Lone Tree, Nairobi Online: oneoffafrica.com

ONE OFF  Left: One of Nairobi’s best Right: Painting

by John Kamisha entitled Taking your eyes off the job (All One Off pictures courtesy of Carol Lees)

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Contemporary art

The Shifteye Gallery

Banana Hill Art Gallery Just north of the Village Market lies Banana Hill Art Gallery, one of Nairobi’s leading exhibition spaces for contemporary art. Representing more than 70 artists from all over the continent, the gallery exhibits some of Africa’s best paintings and sculptures and is run by Rahab and Shine Tani, two Kenyan artists in their own right. The gallery is run very much by artists, for artists. Since it opened in 1994 the gallery has gone from strength to strength and its membership numbers have grown impressively over the years. Check out their website for a great selection of artworks available to buy from the comfort of your own home.

Visit: Banana Raini Road, Nairobi Online: bananahillartgallery.com

The Shifteye Gallery is the newest, freshest venue in the capital. But this is more than just an art gallery; it is also a photographic studio and event space where artists of all kinds have an opportunity to exhibit their works, ranging from paintings to fashion events to dance.

Since it opened in 2013, the Shifteye Gallery has hosted exhibitions by German painter Mathias Muelhe and local artist Ogonga Thon as well as numerous events, acting as a springboard for anyone with a great idea – and a bucketful of passion – in the arts industry.

The gallery comes fully equipped with security, lighting and audio systems and a raised stage area, too. Check out their website to keep an eye on upcoming events and exhibits.

Visit: The Priory Place, Argwings Kodhek Road, Nairobi Online: shifteyegallery.com

IN THE SPOTLIGHT  Lady Karun’s album launch at Shifteye (All Shifteye pictures courtesy of Zachary Saitoti/Shifteye Photography)

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Contemporary art

The GoDown Arts Centre A large, renovated warehouse is the setting for the GoDown Arts Centre, which aims not only to promote but also to nurture artistic talent across various art forms.

Accommodated within the centre are a studio, an exhibition gallery and discussion rooms, all aimed at getting the best out of Kenyan artists. One of the most captivating exhibitions at GoDown is the ‘Kenya Burning’ series, featuring photographs of the 2007 election results and resulting civil war.

Aside from visual art, music bands of all kinds (as long as there is a minimum of five people) can play at the GoDown Gig, which takes place on the last Saturday of every month.

Visit: 12 Dunga Road, Nairobi Online: thegodownartscentre.com

WORKSHOP  With resident artist Patrick Mukabi

Diani Beach Art Gallery If you find yourself in Diani, be sure not to miss the Diani Beach Art Gallery, the first contemporary art gallery in the Kenyan coastal region. It is light, airy and spacious, but not short on paintings and sculptures by artists from across Africa. The welcoming space plays host to art classes and meetings as well, making it the go-to place for contemporary art on Kenya’s coast.

As well as admiring the beautiful gallery, you can take part in a workshop to discover and nurture your own talents. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the next big artist featured in the gallery!

DIANI BEACH  Guitar by Patrick Mulondo (Pictures courtesy of Diani Beach Art Gallery)

Visit: Diani Beach Shopping Centre Online: facebook.com/diani.art.gallery

(Picture courtesy of Fred Abuga c/o Diani Beach Art Gallery)

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Beer

Revolution?

We’ll drink to that…

Market upheaval leads to wider choice of great beers

A

revolution is brewing in Kenya. And like all revolutions it is not as spontaneous as the history books will later suggest.

Often, revolutions are slow to get a hold; and then, all of a sudden, everything changes. In this case, the revolution is taking place in the production, sale and consumption of beer.

The Kenya beer revolution has been fermenting for some time and has really gained a foothold only in recent months. It centres on a market that has changed from one of near-dominance by a single brewer to a more fragmented and dynamic sector with various players, both local and foreign.

Today, the picture is one of newly arrived premium imports slugging it out with carefully crafted niche brands from local suppliers.

For as long as anyone can remember, the Kenyan market has meant Tusker. First brewed in the early 1920s, today it is joined by a long list of affiliated beers from East African Breweries (EABL): the iconic Tusker as well Tusker Malt, Tusker Lite, Pilsner and Pilsner Ice; White Cap and White Cap Lite; Balozi, Senator and Guinness; plus brands imported but sold locally such as Windhoek (from

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Namibia). The brewer has further brands in Uganda and Tanzania such as Bell and Kibo.

Taken together, the various brands of EABL have a huge market share in Kenya of about 90 per cent. With this kind of market penetration, however, the only way is down, and the Thika Road-based brewer may see a reduction in this impressive share. It is being nibbled away at from both ends, with those premium imports on one side and a new or newish home-grown kid on the other.

Keroche This nearly new kid on the block is the Keroche Brewery. Set up by the doughty Tabitha Karanja and somewhat surprisingly located in Naivasha – hardly the centre of the world’s brewing industry – Keroche was launched in 2008 and today produces the Summit Lager and Summit Malt brands.

The Kenya beer revolution has been fermenting for some time and has really only gained a foothold in recent months.

Both are natural and sugar-free.

The company has ambitious plans for expansion as it takes the fight to EABL, challenging the ubiquitous Tusker brand. In April, Keroche announced plans to invest KES 5.5 billion in a new brewing plant – a move that would see a tenfold increase to 600,000 bottles a day in the brewer’s annual output – along with a drive to capture a market share of 20 per cent. Keroche also hopes to start exporting its products to Kenya’s near-neighbours.

For some time, Nairobi’s Sierra brand has had a dedicated following.

Brewed by Ozzbeco, the various boutique Sierra labels are available from some supermarkets but are otherwise difficult to find beyond the Sierra Brasserie in Yaya Centre which is part of the same group.

Added to the concerns of EABL – and probably of Keroche, too – is the arrival from overseas of a new and increasingly wide range of internationally recognisable brands.

For example, the UK-based brewing giant SABMiller offers several ‘African’ labels – Castle Lager, dark and lovely Castle Milk Stout, Castle Lite, Redds, and the pale-looking Miller Genuine Draft – and has been in the Kenyan market for some time.

But SAB Miller faces competition from others. Last year Denmark’s Carlsberg Group appointed Nairobi-based Centum to handle its sales in Kenya and is even looking to build a local plant.

Market The United States brewing giant Budweiser has also arrived in this more and more crowded market.

Budweiser has chosen Viva Global as its importer and distributor and will sell both bottled and canned beer in Kenya. Imported Heineken is also on sale and the company has set up a regional office in Nairobi.

The only elements missing from the market are craft beers and microbreweries. These have burgeoned in South Africa, the UK and the US; but beyond the excellent range of beers from Nairobi’s Brew Bistro, run by the Big Five Breweries Company, they have not made much of an impact in Kenya.

So let the brewing revolution take its course. It’s only Kenyans who can benefit from a wider range of beers. After all, they have been denied for far too long.

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High Tea

By Jane Barsby All pictures courtesy of Shivani Radia, Managing Director at Zen Garden

AD HATTER M E TH TEA PARTY ’S ‘I’m sorry I interrupted your birthday party,’ said Alice.

‘Birthday? My dear child, this is NOT a birthday party,’ said the March Hare.

‘Of course not. This is an unbirthday party,’ said the Mad Hatter.

From ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’

by Lewis Carroll, published in 1865

THEY’RE ALL CRAZY – about high fashion…

Y

ou could be forgiven for thinking that the Fashion High Tea at Nairobi’s Zen Garden Restaurant in February was an East African version of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

In the first place, it was populated by an enormous number of exceptionally frivolous hats, and in the second place it was definitely an untea party: very little tea was drunk, lots of cocktails were 20

downed, and a full-scale fashion show marched its way down a runway in the middle of the lawn while the audience nibbled on everything from prawn cigars to California rolls.

Charity Now in its fifth year, the Fashion High Tea is Nairobi’s answer to London Fashion Week, but with a few, rather radical, differences: it

takes place over a weekend; you can buy the fashion rather than simply ogle it; and proceeds go to charity. This year it raised funds for the ‘I support my daughter campaign’, which aims to ensure that the daughters of women in the Samburu community receive a full education rather than becoming child brides.

Every bit as much a ‘see and be seen’ event as London Fashion

The Fashion High Tea is Nairobi’s answer to London Fashion Week, but with a few, rather radical, differences MAD HATTER  Drop of a Hat

Week, this year’s High Tea was the ultimate in eclectic. The crème de la crème of East African designers met the Who’s Who of high society; full-time local residents met the temporary internationals; and the most fabulous of fashionistas sat down with the most horrifically ice cream faced of five-year-olds.

And everyone had a good time.

As for the exhibitors, they provided the most colourful contrast of all. It was not just that they juxtaposed the glitter of Asian saris with the glamour of Ascot hats, or the vibrancy of African fabrics with the cool of classic safari style; they also demonstrated how plastic refuse can be turned into jewellery, art into fashion and deprivation into creativity.

It was not all fun and frivolity, however. The event focused attention on such topical issues as the benefits of recycling, the horrors of poaching, the needs of ethnic communities and the challenges of conservation.

HIGH TEA HIGHLIGHTS As exotic as their guests, the 30-odd exhibitors, who also dressed and accessorised the runway models, displayed everything from wedding hats and gowns to fringed waistcoats to tasselled bags, and from safarifriendly totes to psychedelic kaftans. Here’s a taste of what was on show:

Eclastic The ultimate fusion of eco-awareness and Euro-chic intuition, this sublimely colourful yet carefully coordinated range of jewellery is produced by Maasai women selfhelp groups using discarded plastics – typically water bottles – and the heat from candles to produce an Italian-inspired range of jewellery that draws on the ancient heritage of the Maasai people.

Contact: www.eclastic.org www.fly-SAX.com

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High Tea

Miraya’s

Bush Princess

In a radical new take on a timeless concept, Shashi Mediratta, a Nairobi-based designer and dresser of the Asia-Africa cognoscenti, presented a dynamic collection of Indian-inspired clothes ranging from the ultimate in red carpet elegance to the most subtly evocative of lounge and beachwear.

Simply cut and superlatively styled, her cropped kaftans look as good with jeans as they do with silk capris, while her accessories are pure Bollywood bravura.

Email: shashimediratta@gmail.com

Inspirationally designed and impeccably made, the Bush Princess collection uses hides sourced from the African plains, beadwork

by Maasai women and recycled metal fittings produced by artisans working in one of Africa’s largest slums to create a collection with the style of Paris, the feel of Milan and the evocative lure of the African savannah. Presented in the muted colours of the bush, the Bush Princess bags look as good in Chelsea as they do in Tsavo.

And now there’s a range of leather waistcoats, cotton shirts and tailored jackets to go with them.

Contact: www.bushprincess.com

Drop of a Hat Chloe Mitchell showed a couture millinery collection with an African edge, with hand-made hats ranging from those sublimely frivolous and tantalizingly tiny cocktail hats made so fashionable by the Duchess of Cambridge to the practical yet always sexy felt fedoras preferred by supermodels. Best of all was her Maasai skullcap with beaded fringe. All her hats can be supplied with their own classically presented bush-print hatboxes.

Contact: www.dropofahat.me

Mia Kora Hand-printed scarves and shawls with a real difference. Each scarf is a piece of art in its own right, taken from the collection of artist Priya Shah, who offers an alternative ‘take’ on Africa. Choose from Indian Ocean, Afro-Alpine, heritage or wilderness-inspired designs, all translated into a range of visually impressive yet softly wearable wraps. Alternatively, join the worldwide movement to protect Africa’s elephants by wearing one of Priya’s iconic ‘in memory of’ depictions of one of the many elephants cruelly slaughtered for their ivory.

Contact: www.miakora.com

The crème de la crème of East African designers met the Who’s Who of high society

Pink Savannah Bright, brave and cleverly coolcontemporary, Pink Savannah’s accessories work as well with a simple T-shirt and jeans as they do with the staple little black dress.

Africa-inspired, their necklaces, bangles, earrings and belts draw on the iconic shapes and primary colours of the Maasai and blend them with inspiration from the Swahili coast. Fun to wear, yet eco-attuned, all the pieces are hand-made in Nairobi. Best of the collection is a multi-tiered necklace that fuses rainbow fabric and delicate chain-work to create a stylish scarf that the denizens of the Hollywood red carpets would die for.

Contact: www.thepinksavannah.com

FASHIONISTA  The place to be for Nairobi’s trendiest

For further information about the high tea event or anything else happening at Zen Garden email: info@zengarden.co.ke

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Why short-stay luxury is all the rage

By Joan Wandegi

L

uxury short-stay accommodation has taken Kenya’s real estate industry by storm.

Considered a novelty only 15 years ago, these outstanding properties have now become a premium choice for people who want the convenience and comfort of a five-star hotel, but with total privacy.

At every turn, in any of Nairobi’s lush suburbs, you will see attractive buildings with bold colours and architecture that speak of this contemporary take on luxury living. The Palacina Suites near State House are very much in the forefront of Kenya’s luxury apartment scene. The concept here was to allow guests to relax as they would in their own home by offering an intimate ambience together with hospitable services.

Warm neutral tones, classy furnishings and inspired meals are what Palacina is all about.

Heri Heights Serviced Apartments, close to the

Serviced apartments

HERI HEIGHTS  Luxury living made easy

renowned Arboretum Park, have also been making their mark in luxury living. For the past decade they have been catering to the needs of business clients as well as those looking for comfortable short-stay accommodation. Recently renovated, the apartments are tastefully furnished with a well equipped kitchen, dining area, lounge and a classy working area with high speed Wi-Fi internet access. Guests can relax in the swimming pool, gym and steam rooms, while the Sandalwood Boardroom is popular with business clients. Guests can also enjoy poolside barbecues or dine at the establishment’s signature restaurant, the Palm Café, where all meals are prepared from locally sourced ingredients. The deck of the restaurant, overlooking the manicured lawns, is popular with both resident and walk-in guests for sundowners.

Cosmopolitan As Nairobi continues to make its mark as the cosmopolitan business hub of East Africa, the choice of where to stay is growing. The suburbs are linked into the new road network, so it’s easy to escape from the city’s bustle.

The Bedelle, in the leafy suburb of Runda, caters mostly for business clients. This boutique hotel has redefined luxury accommodation. Each one of the seven en-suite rooms has its own unique furnishings

and identity, with large showers and baths, artistic signature amenities and the kind of personalised service that some other hotels overlook. The business facilities are set up for intimate groups; while the swimming pool area, with its tasteful furniture, ensures relaxation and offers a great option for outdoor dining.

No luxury is spared when targeting those who want a home away from home in the region’s fastestgrowing city – as demonstrated by the significant investment going into each property. It is a clear indication of the direction that short-stay accommo-

No luxury is spared when targeting those who want a home away from home in the region’s fastest-growing city dation in Nairobi is taking. This is a lucrative option for investors as well as a preferred living option for visitors to the city.

The location of most serviced apartments as well as other short-stay accommodation is very pleasant and within easy reach of amenities such as restaurants and entertainment spots. Transport can be readily organised by the property of choice. www.fly-SAX.com

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IT’S ON THE CARDS

The need-to-k on business canow readout rd etiquette

By Jane Barsb y

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Business Cards

P

aper is dead; books have been superseded

by Kindles, newspapers arrive by virtual paperboy, forms are downloaded, carbon paper went out with the ark and it’s the dream of every self-respecting office to be paperless.

And yet there is one bit of paper that the world still can’t bear to part with: the business card.

The E-card came and the E-card went, but nobody really liked it; and with good reason. Where’s the fun in being presented with a bit of blank plastic and having to take it away and stick it in your computer before being able to determine the real status of the person you’ve just met?

None whatsoever.

And that’s because the mutual presentation of ‘cards’, the fingering and pocketing of same, represents the true climax of the modern-day business mating dance. And it has to be done properly.

Delivery Timing is crucial. Either the card is slapped down with careless aplomb and studious avoidance of eye contact at the start of the meeting; or delivery is postponed until the dance is done. Ideally, however, the card should be caringly proffered accompanied by a warm handshake and meaningful eye contact.

And, a bit like saying ‘I love you’, immediate card reciprocation is expected.

Seems clear enough?

And so it is. But, as with most human interactions, there are complications, the most serious of which is the metaphysical ‘transference’ of the personality of the presenter onto the substance of the card.

And this can be very revealing.

Those with delusions of grandeur, for instance, may assign to themselves lengthy and/

or vague ‘titles’. The very young tend to present themselves using a font so small that only other young people can read it, while the socially upwardly mobile like to use a script so convoluted as to be decipherable only by others on the same path. The vain cannot help but flaunt an image of themselves, the flamboyant toy with holographic motifs and gaudily coloured Perspex, and the insecure display as many major corporate logos as will almost entirely conceal their own presence. There are also those who believe that the type of card used and the method of ink application selected (engraved, offset litho, thermo-graphed) will influence the manner in which their card is received.

Much of this dates back to a time when ‘calling cards’ were used as social signals and had nothing whatsoever to do with ‘trade’.

Elegant 18th-century ladies would spend a morning ‘calling’ and leaving cards at the homes of those they knew but did not have time for, or those they did not know but wanted to be found time for. Fashionable behaviour dictated that the calling card be engraved (by hand on a traditional printing press), and presented (on a silver salver) to its recipient only by a member of staff. Thereafter it would either be disdainfully binned or delightedly displayed in a prominent position.

Some things never change.

those not in a position to present a card can often be seen going through an elaborate routine of pocket patting and wallet searching before announcing that they have either left their cards at the office or they are being reprinted.

The mutual presentation of ‘cards’, the fingering and pocketing of same, represents the true climax of the modern-day business mating dance

Treasured These days, calling cards have been largely replaced by business cards, which are still either treasured or trashed. Indeed, some are even placed in small books made especially for this purpose – and the fatter the book, or so would seem to be implied, the greater one’s acquaintance. Meanwhile,

And here arises a quirky little aspect of our otherwise technologically correct lives, which is that while most of us print out just about every bit of paper we require to exist, we rarely print our own business cards.

Why? Because we like them to come crisply cut, sharp-cornered, smooth to the touch and wrapped in brown paper. And we can’t achieve that kind of card chic on a desktop printer. As to what makes the really stylish card, it helps to know that the well-dressed business card is oblong (8 x 5 cm) and is traditionally printed on white or ivory 250 gsm card (printers speak of ‘board’ rather than ‘card’).

It should also be noted that the use of coloured card, holographic ‘decal’ card or any other such alternative card is frowned upon.

The ecologically correct should, of course, present only on recycled card (which clearly states that it is recycled card). Other tips include the fact that when using business titles, less is more, and that all printers are economical with the truth when it comes to delivery dates.

Finally, in the event that the details given on a business card change, the prudent presenter will elect to reprint rather than biro over, pencil in, or otherwise deface. www.fly-SAX.com

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Smart Fellas

Smartest way home for

By Joan Wandegi

I

t’s no secret that Kenyans love having fun. Any notion that dancing should be restricted to a weekend evening just doesn’t apply in this country. The pulse of Nairobi’s vibrant nightlife is a magnet for anyone who enjoys an evening of frivolity and fun. And, of course, there are all those delicious signature cocktails, ice-cold beers and shots so colourful they would make a rainbow feel shy.

So when the AlcoBlow breath tester was introduced, it generated plenty of comment on street corners, in living rooms and on social media about how this new hurdle could be cleared, so that party lovers could go on dancing to the disco beat without having to worry about the journey home.

Little did they know that, behind the scenes, innovative wheels were turning and a useful new kind of service provider had emerged to deliver the ideal solution.

Smart Fellas Step forward, Smart Fellas: a membership-based chauffeur service, open at strategic times of the day and dedicated to getting late-night gallivanters and their cars safely home. Once the client has joined the service – easily done by visiting the Smart Fellas website – the personal chauffeur service is 30

offered at rates that will not break the bank. And it definitely is a smart solution to the problem of getting home after a night out.

Conveniently based in the Nairobi suburb of Hurlingham, the service covers a wide area including the central business district, Limuru, Ngong, Kiserian and Kitengela. In view of the alarming number of deaths in Nairobi as a result of drink driving, it’s no surprise that this new service has been widely welcomed. Many revellers now have the relevant contact numbers on Speed Dial.

The pulse of Nairobi’s vibrant nightlife is a magnet for anyone who enjoys an evening of frivolity and fun The Smart Fellas team also has a call centre to ensure that requests do not go unanswered. The service employs 20 chauffeurs and is available between 5 pm and 2 am each evening. Members can choose from various tailor-made Smart Choice packages with a range of mileage allowances. Frequent users have access to benefits such as

a special rate for more than one member of the same household.

Another service launched recently in Nairobi that has made life easier for late-night revellers is the online taxi service Uber, which connects users by way of an app that can be accessed through the subscriber’s smartphone. Previously launched in five other African cities – Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Lagos and Cairo – the Uber service has been welcomed in Nairobi with enthusiasm.

Registration requires slightly

SMART FELLAS  In 2014 Smart Fellas began a partnership with East African Breweries Ltd to tackle drink driving, a major problem in the city. Officiating at the launch was the Hon. Lee Kinyanjui, chairman of the National Road Safety Trust.

He was joined by Francis Meja (National Transport & Safety Authority), Eric Kiniti (EABL) and Kenneth Thimba (Smart Fellas).

more involvement. While downloading the free app is simple enough, it is important to note that registration will require a link to the subscriber’s debit or credit card.

Taxi Others, of course, will always argue that your local taxi service is the one to rely on; and many of the traditional taxi operators have raised their game in the light of recent competition. Strategically parked outside your favourite watering hole or entertainment

spot, the local cabbies can be relied on to drive inebriated patrons home with all the accuracy of a natural GPS system – possibly because they have made the journey so many times before.

Without a doubt, taxi is a very convenient way to get around. In addition to the local cab, there are plenty of official services such as Jatco Radio Call, Kenatco Taxis or Jimcab. If you’re not well versed in the art of negotiating prices, Nairobi style, then these services are highly recommended. www.fly-SAX.com

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Hemingways spa

Putting a new

By Jane Barsby

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T

here was a time when nobody had heard of hot stone massages.

When the idea of an Indian head massage might have suggested some arcane form of torture. And when the mention of a visit to a spa retreat might have conjured up visions of sulphurous pools, vile-tasting water and Victorian ladies in voluminous

bathing dresses looming like hippos out of the steam.

But those days are gone.

These days, if your hotel doesn’t offer a full menu of treatments designed to ‘enhance your senses and rejuvenate your body’ you will find yourself wondering why not. And if the website doesn’t display images of beautiful creatures with blissed-out expres-

sions and precisely perched spinal pebbles, you may be so disoriented as to doubt the plumbing.

Because, like most marketing must-haves, the concept of the hotel spa has been so overexposed as to need its own course of rejuvenation.

And at the renowned and much talked-of Hemingways hotel in Nairobi, it has had just that.

HEMINGWAYS  A spa with serious style

TREATMENT ROOM  From hot stones to hot gossip www.fly-SAX.com

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Hemingways spa

Here, within the walls of the dedicated spa, which overlooks the swimming pool, and is exquisitely presented in ‘Balinese palace meets Turkish harem’ grandeur, you can have a hot stone massage or any other massage you care to mention. But you can also be scrubbed in French-Polynesian black sand, swaddled in marine mud or soothed by cryotherapeutic ice crystals; and almost every part of your anatomy can be pummelled into perfection and presented to Hollywood red carpet standard.

And there’s more…

Because at the Hemingways spa they have moved out of hot stones and into hot gossip. You can, for example, bespeak a private room with a spacious terrace overlooking the pool, invite your closest friends along and indulge in a communal pampering session during which you can discuss the hot topics of the day while being served chilled champagne cocktails and canapés (or herb tea and blueberry muffins).

You can hold a baby shower, or you can hold a hen party. And, should you so desire, you and your guests can spend the whole day luxuriating by the pool, lunching, strolling or perhaps taking a gentle trot around the bridle paths of the exclusive suburb of Karen.

As for the males, it has been known for gentlemen to hold board meetings while having their manicures done or to discuss marketing strategies with the gurus of their advertising agencies while communally indulging in a traditional wet shave (all steaming hot towels, white foam, and pump-up chairs) accompanied by fat cigars and fulsome brandy.

If, however, the idea of communal cosseting doesn’t appeal and you prefer to keep it strictly one-on-one, you might like to consider one of the other concepts offered at the Hemingways spa. Beware, however,

FACE TIME  Get ready for the red carpet

because it’s seductive.

Here, you can bespeak a private room with a marble bathroom and drifts of towels; select a series of treatments (massages, scrubs, body wraps or what you will); choose your preferred room aromas, music, lighting and refreshments (total carte blanche applies); and then retreat into this scented Shangri La with the one person you like best in the world.

And when the treatments are done and your bodies are sloughed, your muscles soothed and your senses suitably enhanced – and when the cocktails have been sipped and the oysters have slipped down your throat – the door to your retreat can be locked and you can be left to your own devices for as long as you like.

You can hold a baby shower, or you can hold a hen party. And, should you so desire, you and your guests can spend the whole day luxuriating by the pool

Gracious!

Now that has got to be better than hot rocks, hasn’t it?

MORE INFORMATION  Hemingways is located at Mbagathi Ridge in Karen, Nairobi. For further details: Tel: +254 20 2295013 www.hemingways-nairobi.com Reservations are always required.

www.fly-SAX.com

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Car Review

Land Rover Discovery Sport

A Disco in town is worth two in the bush

By Gary Gimson

36

DISCO FEVER  Introducing the Land Rover Discovery Sport

W

hen I bought my first Land Rover Discovery back in the early 1990s I was thrilled to drive what seemed like an impressive and indestructible vehicle. I also liked the seven seats and enjoyed a driving position that made me (or so I thought) master of all I surveyed.

But when I look back, here was a lumpy 4x4 with little in the way of subtlety, producing an asth-

So please welcome the new Land Rover Discovery Sport (DS).

Gone is the brutal profile of bygone Discos and this has been replaced by something that looks remarkably like an older brother to the manufacturer’s now defunct and slightly more svelte Freelander range – although the car also borrows design themes from other current Land Rover models.

To kick things off in Kenya, Land Rover is offering a range of four-

Being a Land Rover, superb offroad performance comes as standard; in fact, it is pretty much written into the marque’s DNA matic 105 PS (believe or not) from a less-than-refined 2.5 litre diesel engine and with little in the way of cornering ability.

Transformed I find it amazing how technology moves on, seemingly unnoticed, and how, within a generation, SUVs have been effortlessly transformed from less-than-nimble tanks into surprisingly sprightly performers.

cylinder turbocharged petrol and turbo-diesel engines with stop/start technology. Petrol derivatives use an all-alloy Si4 2.0 litre engine with 240 PS. The 2.2 litre turbo-diesel is available in either 150 PS TD4 or 190 PS SD4 specification, with both the TD4 and SD4 producing the same 420 Nm of torque.

The punchy 2.2 SD4 model comes with a nine-speed automatic or six-speed manual www.fly-SAX.com

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This car has few if any real direct competitors in what is described as the premium compact SUV market

gearbox and offers a meaty 190 PS translating into a 0 to 100 kph acceleration time of about 8.5 seconds – not bad for a lessthan-aerodynamic 4x4. Using the vehicle’s eco mode fuel-saving option, owners can expect a 15 per cent improvement on the old Freelander’s consumption figures.

Land Rover says a smaller and more fuel-efficient eD4 turbodiesel model is also on its way later this year with mightily impressive CO2 figures of 119 g/km – admittedly not of any real interest to us in Kenya, but vital for sales in European markets obsessed with carbon emissions.

Nairobi’s Jaguar Land Rover dealer Sanjiv Shah told ‘540’: “We will have both the petrol and diesel engines available for our market.

We will have at least nine variants to give the potential customer a choice between the two different engines and spec levels.”

Sanjiv added: “We see the Disco Sport as a compact Discovery, much the same as the hugely

successful Range Rover Sport (RRS) complements the Range Rover.

The RRS created a huge following for those who wanted the Range Rover experience, but in a more compact package.”

For those who love to be bombarded with data, there’s an all-new eight-inch touch screen infotainment system with intuitive controls and heightened connectivity plus a Head Up Display that projects key driving data onto the windscreen.

Off-Road Being a Land Rover, superb off-road performance comes as standard; in fact, it is pretty much written into the marque’s DNA. The new model has a variety of all-terrain technology including Terrain Response® and Wade Sensing™ (this Disco can travel through water up to 600 mm deep without a snorkel) as well as Active Driveline, which switches seamlessly between two- and four-wheel drive, plus a series of other features.

NEW MODEL  Punchy and powerful with a superb performance

All very well, but when can we expect to see the new DS in Kenya? It’s understood that the first consignment of DS models was expected to arrive in Mombasa between mid April and mid May. At first sight, there are several 4x4s out there which might be seen as rivals to the DS; but when you sit down and actually compare specs, versatility, comfort, market positioning and all the virtues a Land Rover undoubtedly has to offer, then this car has few if any real direct competitors in what is described as the premium compact SUV market.

It remains to be seen, however, whether the new DS is really man enough for all that Kenya can throw at. Perhaps, when the truth is told, this new Land Rover is a mere soft-roader for townies (and there’s nothing wrong with that) rather than a hairy-chested, export strength, go-anywhere SUV designed for those weekends in the bush that its sister Discovery and Range Rover models handle so well. www.fly-SAX.com

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Food for Thought

Shehnai Restaurant

By Kate Wingar

A menu full of eastern promise…

T

he food scene in Mombasa has been something to shout about for a while now. The foodies of Kenya have been making the most of the city’s great restaurants and unique eating places; and among those at the top of your ‘to try’ list must be the Shehnai Restaurant.

Located on Maungano Street and named after the Indian musical instrument – which looks a bit like an oboe – the Shehnai promises to evoke the old spice route that linked India with the east coast of Africa. This traditional Indian restaurant boasts a variety of distinctive spices and flavours that will truly tickle your palate.

Shehnai, which was opened in 1984 by Zulfikar (Zul) Harunani, has been managed by his nephew, Mehboob Harunani, since 1996.

The two men have created a menu that caters for all tastes. The boneless, buttery mutton Korai dish is perfect for those who can’t handle spice, while the Malai Tima is cooked with oriental flavours and has more of a kick. For veggies, I would recommend a succulent dish of

grilled fresh prawns cooked in cream and topped with almonds. But I have to say, the dish I could eat all day long would be the signature sweetcorn special (created by Mehboob himself). The creamy coconut sauce, with a ‘heat’ strength similar to a Korma, is coupled with crunchy sweetcorn. And even though I’m a meat lover, I didn’t feel as though I was missing it.

The owners of this charming restaurant, decorated with highbacked wooden chairs and intricately designed tablecloths, celebrated their 30th anniversary in February 2014.

So how has this family-run restaurant managed to thrive in such a competitive Mombasa market?

Personal It’s the attention to detail and personal touches that really make this restaurant stand out in the culinary crowd. From the cumin seeds in the poppadoms and the handmade fresh juices to the excellent service and attentive staff (all of whom have worked at Shehnai for a minimum of 12 years), Shehnai has built up a very respectable

SHENAI  Personal, authentic and charming

reputation, not just in Mombasa but right along the coast.

Africans have adopted the taste of Indian cuisine and the people of Mombasa are no different. And although Mehboob and his uncle faced many preconceived ideas that Indian food was too hot, the duo have found a niche in the market for this rich fare.

Even though parking is a problem, the Shehnai is constantly packed with regular diners and businessmen entertaining clients during the week and families at the weekend. Lunch is the busiest time, so be sure to book in advance.

The Shehnai promises to evoke the old spice route that linked India with the east coast of Africa The menu offered by this restaurant is not to be confused with the Gujarati food found in western India. The Shehnai Restaurant is the only north Indian eatery in Mombasa. The tandoori specialist restaurant promises a romantic cultural food journey without ever having to leave Mombasa.

For more information, please visit: www.restaurantshehnai.com www.fly-SAX.com

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Look Inside

Jacaranda Nairobi Hotel

STAY CENTRAL

By Kate Wingar

– and keep in great shape

T

he Jacaranda in Westlands in one of those Nairobi hotels that are constantly busy, attracting a continuous stream of guests – and the reasons aren’t difficult to find.

With Westlands, the United Nations Office and the national parliament buildings within easy reach and Kenyatta International Airport only 21 km away, the prime location of the Jacaranda sets it apart from other business hotels.

Not only that, but the Jacaranda has excellent health club and spa facilities to get you feeling relaxed and fit after a busy day in the capital.

One of the longest-established and best-known hotels in Nairobi, the Jacaranda began as a training base for staff of the Italian oil company Agip in the 1950s. By the 1960s it had become a 42-room motel. Over the next 40 years it was transformed and developed by various local and foreign hotel operators, changing its name to Quality Inn, Landmark Hotel and Sheraton Four Points.

Upgrade In 2003 the hotel changed its name to Jacaranda and underwent an upgrade and expansion. In more recent times, its owners have met the demands of its many business

The hotel’s landscaped gardens and outdoor swimming pool make it the perfect retreat after a long day in Nairobi’s traffic

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MAKE A SPLASH  The perfect pool to unwind in

guests by building 48 new executive suites and converting one wing to cater for business travellers.

Today, guests have a choice of 128 en-suite rooms, furnished with Edwardian-style wooden furniture and equipped with a flat-screen TV, a seating area and either a garden view or a pool view. The Wariara Conference Centre can accommodate up to 250 delegates, while the Pal Acacia and Jacaranda rooms can hold up to 40 people and the two boardrooms each have a capacity of 18 people.

The Jacaranda is the perfect venue for business and leisure guests looking for accommodation in a convenient location at an

affordable price. It is no more than a 10-minute walk from the Sarit Centre and the Oval, which would take twice as long to reach by car. This is not a super-luxury hotel, but it makes up for any shortcomings with excellent service and a willing staff.

The hotel’s landscaped gardens and outdoor swimming pool make it the perfect retreat after a long day in Nairobi’s traffic. The tempting buffet breakfast will set you up for the day; and you can also enjoy a delicious set lunch and a candle-lit dinner, à la carte, served until 10 pm. You’ll find most sports fans at the pool restaurant and bar, which has a satellite TV with an array of sports channels. But for those looking to escape stress, don’t worry, there’s something for you, too.

spa specialises in aromatherapy massages and relaxing facials.

Although small, this chic city spa is definitely worth a visit.

The health club, comprising a spa, a gym and a studio, is one of Nairobi’s most popular. Located in a new building next to the hotel, Jacaranda’s gym is equipped to meet all your sporting needs; and with 18 encouraging members of staff, there’s no reason not to acquire that summer beach body.

Over the years, the Jacaranda has been known as Nairobi’s business hotel; and while I don’t think that is likely to change much, its hospitality and health club have the potential to attract travellers of all

kinds, from safari and conference groups to newlyweds, couples and families. As a business hotel, the Jacaranda proudly stands its ground against the best in Nairobi.

DRINKS OR DUMBELLS?  Two perfect endings to busy Nairobi days

Mind, body and soul One of Nairobi’s top spas, the Jacaranda Spa is devoted to enhancing well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and soul.

With four therapists and four treatment rooms, including a room for couples, the

The health club, comprising a spa, a gym and a studio, is one of Nairobi’s most popular www.fly-SAX.com

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44

City Guide

Mombasa

Kenya’s second city has its own special charm

K

enya’s main (and for the time being only) port city of Mombasa is full of charm. Less hurried than the nation’s capital but still busy enough to have the same kind of rush-hour jams, Mombasa is different.

It’s different because its past is nothing like that of Nairobi.

Mombasa has a long and rich history stretching back hundreds of years and best illustrated by Fort Jesus, now a Unesco World Heritage site.

This is a city inextricably bound up with the history of Kiswahili culture and this is reflected in its narrow alleys, its colourful markets and its distinctive Arab quarter.

WHERE TO EAT Tamarind: Probably Mombasa’s best restaurant with wonderful views to the city across the entrance to Tudor Creek. Specialises in seafood and can be pricey.

Dining on the Tamarind Dhow is a further and romantic option.

Shehnai: Located on Maungano Street, this is without doubt the best place for Indian cuisine in Mombasa.

Galaxy: A Chinese restaurant on Mama Ngina Drive with fine ocean views. Busy, but serves really classy Chinese food.

WHERE TO STAY It’s rather odd but Mombasa has few city centre hotels.

There are, perhaps, two from which to choose. For this reason, many visitors opt to stay outside the city in either Nyali or Bamburi, where the choice of accommodation is so much greater.

In town it’s a toss-up between the Royal Court – simple, good food at the rooftop restaurant, affordable and well positioned – and the equally well located Castle Royal, which can be noisy but is a rather nice place for lunch.

Nyali: We recommend the Pride Inn, which is clean and basic; the Best Western Creekside; or, for a bit more class, the Tamarind (mentioned above) has apartments for rent. The Kahama is another one to consider.

Bamburi: Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort, Severin Sea Lodge and further from town the Serena Beach Resort. The rest, of which there are many, are much of a muchness. They all involve a trek into Mombasa each day but are perfect for weekends and days off.

WHAT TO DO Fort Jesus: No first-time visit to Mombasa is complete without a trip to see Fort Jesus – a Unesco World Heritage Site overlooking Tudor Creek and located next to the venerable Mombasa Club Tusks: There are also the muchphotographed giant tusks that straddle Moi Avenue –erected somewhat bizarrely in 1956 to commemorate a long since forgotten five-week visit by the UK’s Princess Margaret (Queen Elizabeth’s late sister).

Arab Quarter: The narrow streets of Mombasa’s old Arab quarter are a colourful maze of shops selling an amazing variety of everyday and other items and worth an afternoon of anyone’s time.

www.fly-SAX.com

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Tech Review

Apple Watch

What do you mean, you want to know the time?

PREMIUM ď ł The Apple Watch Edition

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W

henever Apple releases a new product onto the market, it is accompanied by much fanfare and speculation. The new Apple Watch, released on 24 April, is no exception. Many of its competitors have already brought out their own smart watches, so perhaps it was only a matter of time before Apple followed suit.

But, of course, time is probably the last feature that would lead anyone to buy a smart watch. It comes under the heading of ‘wearable tech’ and offers a huge range of features, some of which you probably didn’t know you needed.

It will take some clever marketing to convince many buyers that the Apple Watch is as indispensable as the iPod, iPhone and iPad. According to Apple, the Apple Watch combines highly accurate timekeeping with “an intimate and immediate communication device and a groundbreaking health and fitness companion”.

Apple Watch keeps time to within 50 milliseconds of UTC, the universal time standard. It can be personalised with watch faces ranging from the traditional analogue dial to an informationrich modular face, or beautifully animated butterflies and jellyfish on the ‘motion’ face.

Apple Watch also includes specialised functions on the face such as sunrise and sunset, upcoming calendar events and daily activity level. Swipe up from the watch face for customisable information such as the weather forecast, current location on a map and the music now playing.

The Retina display with ‘Force Touch’ senses the difference between a tap and a press, while the all-new ‘Taptic Engine’ delivers a gentle tap on the wearer’s wrist whenever a notification or message is received.

Apple Watch also offers most of the functionality you’d expect from a phone such as sending messages, reading email and answering calls to your iPhone right from your wrist.

With ‘Digital Touch’, wearers can send a sketch, a tap or even the rhythm of their own heartbeat.

Apple Watch also incorporates Apple Pay, so paying for coffee got even easier.

Apple Watch also incorporates many of the features seen in smartbands, monitoring physical activity and providing feedback on, for example, calories burned. It includes an accelerometer, a built-in heart rate sensor, GPS and Wi-Fi. An activity app on your iPhone collects activity and workout data from Apple Watch for viewing in greater detail. In fact, the watch largely works in tandem with an iPhone.

Battery life is always a concern for modern technology. Apple Watch offers up to 18 hours of

TAKE YOUR TIME  Three distinct models to choose from

stainless steel case with a choice of three leather straps, a stainless steel link bracelet and Milanese loop, and a black or white Sport Band.

The Apple Watch Edition (with prices starting at £8,000) is the premium model, with cases made of custom rose or extra hardened yellow 18-carat gold alloy and a choice of uniquely designed straps and bands.

COMPETITORS  For Apple aficionados there is no competition, of course; but here are three potential competitors:

As a fashion accessory, the Apple Watch comes with a plethora of options

Samsung Galaxy Gear: Android-based smart watch that serves as a companion for other Galaxy devices operating under Android 4.3. Includes a camera and costs US$ 420.

charge, which in theory should last all day. Charging is via Apple’s own MagSafe technology with an inductive charging point that simply snaps into place.

Sony SmartWatch: This can be paired with any Android NFC device by simply touching devices. It costs about US$ 185.

The watch features a compass and GPS and can be used as a remote phone.

Options As a fashion accessory, the Apple Watch comes with a plethora of options. It is available in two sizes, 38 mm and 42 mm, and in three versions: Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition.

The Apple Watch Sport (from £299 to £339 including VAT) has a lightweight anodised aluminium case and a sports band in five colours. The Apple Watch (from £479 to £949 including VAT) has a

The Pebble: Able to connect to both Android and iPhone devices, this watch has a black-and-white e-paper display and costs US$ 220. The Pebble has the longest battery life of the three, quoted at five to seven days, and is said to be fully waterproof rather than just water resistant.

www.fly-SAX.com

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Latest Releases

Blockbusters

THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Director: Joss Whedon Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi The ultimate superhero team – including Iron Man, Captain America and The Hulk – reunite, complete with new recruits Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, to take on a new super villain: Ultron. Designed by Tony Stark (aka Ironman) to be a peacekeeping robot, Ultron turns evil and decides that humans are actually the enemy and he plans to erase them from Earth. The Avengers must fight together against Ultron to save the planet.

MUST-SEE-MOVIE

Book Worm THANK YOU, MADAGASCAR: THE CONSERVATION DIARIES OF ALISON JOLLY

By Alison Jolly Pioneering primatologist and conservationist Alison Jolly spent many years researching the spectacular wildlife of Madagascar and now her eyewitness account of the island has been published, covering its people, its environment and the conservation efforts that have taken place on the island. Over 90 per cent of Madagascar’s wildlife can be found nowhere else in the world, so the island is one of the best places to observe biodiversity and conservation. Alison Jolly explores the conflicting views of Madagascar. Is it a heritage for the whole world? A legacy of the forest dwellers’ ancestors? Or an economic resource to be pillaged for short-term gain?

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GO SET A WATCHMAN

By Harper Lee The author of the iconic ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ returns 55 years after the publication of the original bestseller with a much-anticipated sequel to her first novel’s events. The tale is set 20 years later, in the 1950s, as Scout, now living in New York, returns to Maycomb to visit her father, Atticus. Returning to her birthplace, Scout is forced to grapple with issues both personal and political as she tries to understand her father’s attitudes towards society. Written in the 1950s but discovered only last year, Harper Lee’s second novel is sure to be popular with fans of her original novel as well as those who have never read it.

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD Director: Thomas Vinterberg Starring: Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Juno Temple, Michael Sheen, Tom Sturridge Genre: Drama Thomas Hardy’s timeless novel gets a revamp courtesy of director Thomas Vinterberg.

In rural England in the 19th century, Bathsheba Everdene is a young, independent woman determined to make her own way in a male-dominated society.

After inheriting her uncle’s farm, Bathsheba soon finds herself being romantically pursued by three very different men; Gabriel Oak is a sheep farmer, William Boldwood is a wealthy landowner and Sergeant Troy is a charismatic soldier. They all have very different personalities and benefits, but will Bathsheba find true happiness with any of her suitors?

MINIONS Director: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin Starring: Sandra Bullock, John Hamm Genre: Comedy, Family Even if you have not seen the original ‘Despicable Me’ film, there is a good chance you will recognise these lovable yellow minions, who finally get to star in their own blockbuster film. Set in the 1960s, a long time before they meet Gru, the Minions find themselves without a master. Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob set out on an adventure from Antarctica to a villain convention in America to find a new master. At the convention, they meet Scarlett Overkill (Bullock), who is plotting to become the first female super villain and take over the world with her husband Herb (Hamm).

JURASSIC WORLD PITCH PERFECT 2 Director: Elizabeth Banks Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Elizabeth Banks Genre: Comedy, Music The Barden Bellas, an ‘a cappella’ singing group, set out to win an a competition that no American choir has ever won before. After Fat Amy’s unfortunate wardrobe malfunction at an event to celebrate the United States President’s birthday, the Bellas attempt to regain their reputation as an accomplished choir at the World Championships, taking on European champions Das Sound Machine. Who will come out on top? Will the Bellas be able to save their reputation?

Director: Colin Trevorrow Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard Genre: Action, Sci-Fi More than two decades have passed since Jurassic Park first opened its doors and it seems that a fully functioning dinosaur theme park is finally in operation on Isla Nublar, off Costa Rica. This new park has state-of-the-art security to avoid a repetition of the events of 22 years ago; but visitor numbers have been declining. In a bid to reverse this trend, the geneticists create a new attraction in the form of a hybrid dinosaur known as Indominus Rex. But then the creature breaks loose and rampages through the park, killing everything in its path. The staff must it – but how?

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The Fly-SAX Aircraft Fleet

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This underlines the fact that Fly-SAX is a ‘green airline’ that cares for the environment.

The crew and engineering team are professionally trained and certified to ICAO standards.

CRJ 200ER  Type: Twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 50 passengers

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FOKKER F28  Type: Short range jet airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 67 passengers

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JOMO KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Mezzanine Floor, Tuskys Building (Opposite Masinde Muliro Gardens) Tel: +254 701 305 305; +254 728 305 305 Email: bookings@fly-sax.com

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Travel Information

Travel Information VISA INFORMATION 

KENYAN VISAS

Most 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.

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.

However, East African member states have their own visa requirements for various nationals.

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.

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.

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.

HEALTH  Vaccination requirements for international travellers

• 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.

• No cholera vaccination certificates are required of travellers coming from all over the world.

• Home and work telephone numbers.

• 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.

Standard Visa fees payable by cash to the High Commission of Kenya.

• 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.

Please fill out the form correctly and enclose the photographs and payment to avoid delay and disappointment.

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

UGANDA VISAS The easiest way of getting a visa to Uganda is by purchasing it at the entry point, Entebbe Airport or any border station. This is very possible for tourists coming into Uganda. All you need to do is pay US$50, fill in the application form with passport dates and information. The visa issued is valid for 90 days.

You can also get a visa by applying online if you a citizen of the following countries, USA, UK, South Africa, Russia, Japan, Italy, India, Germany, France, Denmark, China, Canada, and Belgium.

All you need to do is to download the application from the embassy website of your country of origin.

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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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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 • 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

SOMALIA VISAS

Fees: • Multiple entry: US$250 (six months)/US$400 (one year) • Single entry for countries with common boarder with South Sudan: US$50 • Single entry for other African countries: US$100 • Single entry for European and US citizens: US$100

Processing period: Two working days

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.

To enter Somalia, a passport valid for six months is required by most foreign nationals.

Visas to Somalia are not valid in Somaliland.

Visitors to Somalia should register in Addis Ababa with the embassy representing their country, or with their embassy or high commission in Nairobi.

Sea and air ports are under the control of the local government meaning there may be differences in exact requirements.

COMOROS VISAS All visitors need a visa to enter the Union des Comoros.

Visas are available on arrival in Grande Comoro. These cost €7 for up to 45 days and €11 for 90 days. Visas must be bought at the immigration offices in Moroni. Passengers arriving after the close of business on Friday and leaving before the following Monday will be issued with a free two-day weekend visa on arrival.

Types and cost: •

Single-entry tourist visitor visa: US$50; multiple-entry business visa: US$100.

• These visas are issued by the Somali Embassy in Nairobi, but are only valid for Mogadishi-based government-controlled parts of Somalia.

Validity: • Visas are valid for six months from the date of issue.

• Somalia is now effectively treated as three different areas for visas.

Contact Somaliland Missions for visas for Somaliland and the Ministry of Information, Culture & Tourism for visas for Puntland.

For the rest of Somalia, contact the Somali embassies in Ethiopia or Kenya.

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Kids’ Corner

Kids’

CORNER ARTY JOKES

ARTISTS

Q. What is a pirate’s favourite subject?

Can you find the artists listed here in the letter grid on the right?

M W E T M U R T

WORDSEARCH

A. Arrrrrrrrt.

Q. What did the artist draw before he went to bed?

Tip: Some words are going backwards!

PICASSO WARHOL VAN GOGH MONET DALI

A. The curtains.

Q. Where does a cow hang his paintings?

A. In a moooseum.

DA VINCI MANET MATISSE K AHLO

A A O E

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L A D

T R T N K O M A I

H G O G N A V

S O V M J H N S

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Q. Why was the artist afraid he might go to jail?

A. Because he’d been framed.

ART-AGRAMS 1.

2.

3.

PIERA NT VA N SCA L E RYG A L

4.

5.

6.

FARME TAP I N S H R U B LO C O U R S

(Answers) 1. Painter 2. Canvas 3. Gallery 4. Frame 5. Paintbrush 6. Colours

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Q. What do you call a painting by a cat?

A. A paw-trait.

Q. Which painting is never happy?

A. The Moaning Lisa.