Travelsmart – Issue12

Your free fastjet magazine

Bongo Stars Sky’s the limit for young hopefuls Page 18

Page 26

SELOUS

The last wilderness frontier

Page 40

AFRICAN RUGBY

Is Africa ready to convert?

Issue 12

October - December 2015

Explore something new Kombi Nation Tours is ready to take you on an adventure

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CONTENTS Issue 12 | October - December 2015

REGULAR FEATURES

SPECIAL FEATURES

USEFUL INFORMATION

3 WELCOME ON BOARD

14 ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

12 FASTJET COMPETITION

A message from fastjet’s General Manager

8 FASTJET NEWS 13 HALL OF FAME 53 LOOK INSIDE

Chaminuka Lodge

55 FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Ama Khofi

57 CAR REVIEW

Volvo XC90

59 TECH REVIEW

GoPro HERO 4 Session

61 LATEST RELEASES

What’s new in your bookshop and cinema

Legends of cinema and music thrill visitors

22 VW SAFARIS

It’s the kombination that counts…

Guess the destination

62 TRAVEL INFORMATION 64 THE FASTJET NETWORK

26 SELOUS

travelsmart

28 JOHANNESBURG

Published by

The last wilderness frontier Which Jo’burg are you?

33 FESTIVALS

From fire-eaters to hot vocalists…

36 PUKU CHARGER

Man behind the brand

40 RUGBY

Is Africa ready to convert?

Smart Thinking

Smart Shopping

Smart Travel

LAND & MARINE PUBLICATIONS LTD 1 Kings Court, Newcomen Way Severalls Business Park, Colchester Essex CO4 9RA, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Email: publishing@landmarine.com www.landmarine.com ADVERTISING: Catherine O’Callaghan, Sales Manager Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Cell: +44 (0)7769 110343 (WhatsApp) Email: travelsmart@landmarine.org

on behalf of

43 GIRAFFE

18 COVER STORY

When in love, don’t stick your neck out…

44 MOKOOMBA

BONGO STAR SEARCH

From childhood friends to one of Africa’s most popular fusion bands

Sky’s the limit for ‘Bongo’ hopefuls

50 SCAM ALERT

48 UNIVERSITY

A rough guide on how to survive Look out for rogue agents

fastjet Tanzania Head Office 2nd floor, Ten West Office, 10 Vingunguti Nyerere Road, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Call Centre: +255 784 108 900 Email: info@fastjet.com www.fastjet.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

Cover (and picture right) courtesy of OGS Studios

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FROM THE CONTROL TOWER A message from General Manager Jimmy Kibati

WELCOME ON BOARD KARIBU KWENYE NDEGE YETU WELKOM AAN BOORD Karibu ndani ya ndege yetu ya fastjet, ndege yenye gharama nafuu barani Afrika kwa ajili ya wasafiri waerevu fastjet imekuwa ikifanya kazi kwa zaidi ya miaka miwili na imebeba abiria zaidi ya milioni 1.5 katika mtandao wetu, tunafurahi kuwa tumepiga hatua kubwa kufanikisha lengo letu la kuwa ndege yenye gharama nafuu zaidi Afrika.

Ukuaji wa mtandao fastjet imetoa ratiba mpya ya safari kuanzia 14 Septemba mpaka Januari 2016, ambayo ina nyongeza ya safari muhimu kwenye utendaji wake.Kutoka tarehe moja Ndege ya Dar es Salaam kwenda Johannesburg ambayo ilikwenda mara tatu kwa wiki itaanza operesheni za kwenda kila siku kuongeza unafuu na uhusiano bora kwa wateja wetu. Pia Ndege yetu ya Dar es Salaam kwenda Lusaka na Harare itakwenda kila siku. Njia Mpya ya kutoka Dar es Salaam kwenda Lilongwe ambayo ilienda mara mbili sasa itaenda mara 4 kwa wiki, pia Njia ya Mwanza na Kilimanjaro imeonyesha kupata ongezeko kubwa ili kuwapa uwanja mpana zaidi wateja wanaopenda kuruka ndani ya Afrika na fastjet. Tumefanya ongezeko la ndege zetu kutoka ndege Tatu aina ya Airbus 319

More connections offer flexibility and choice Welcome on board fastjet, the low-cost airline in Africa for smart travellers. fastjet has been operating for over two years now and has carried more than 1.5 million passengers across our network.

We are making big steps forward to realise our aim of becoming the most successful pan-African low-cost airline.

Network growth fastjet has released its winter flying programme, effective to January 2016, featuring several significant additions to its operation. The Dar es Salaam flight to Johannesburg moved from three flights a week to a daily operation and makes connections to our domestic

Did you know?

This year is the 20th anniversary of the A319’s maiden flight in August 1995

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mpaka ndege Sita aina ya Airbus 319 ili kusaidia ukuaji wa mtandao wa fastjet.

Tunafuraha ya kutangaza ufunguzi wa ofisi yetu mpya ya mauzo ya ticket za fastjet mjini Lusaka.

Ambayo iko katika eneo la InterContinental Hotel, Haile Selassie Ave. Tunakukaribisha kukutana na timu yetu ya mauzo - Tepa, Machenje na Prudence –ili uweze kupanga safari yako na kampuni yetu ya fastjet.

Zifuatazo ni baadhi ya bidhaa mpya za ziada ambazo unaweza kupata kupitia tovuti yetu wakati unaponunua tiketi yako: • Kushikilia nauli yako - nauli zetu za chini zimeonekana kua na uhitaji mkubwa na zinaisha mapema sana! Sasa tumekurahisishia zaidi ili uweze kupata nauli ya gharama nafuu. Kwa Dola 5 sasa unaweza kushikilia nauli yako kwa kipindi cha muda fulani.

• Ndoo ya Samaki - ili kuokoa muda, tunakushauri ununue ndoo yako ya samaki kabla ya kufika kiwanja cha ndege ambapo itagharimu dola 15, wakati ungeweza kununua kwa dola 6 tu!

Iwapo utafanya manunuzi kabla ya kufika kiwanja cha ndege.

Usisahau ya kwamba wateja wetu wanashauriwa kufanya maandalizi ya safari mapema ili kupata bei za chini. Na pia Ratiba hii mpya itakuwezesha upangaji wa safari yako kaitika kipindi cha krimasi. Ingia katika tovuti yetu ya www.fastjet.com au piga number 0784 108 900 iliuweze kufanya booking kwa ajili ya kipindi cha krismasi Ahsante kwa kuchagua fastjet na ni matumaini yetu ya kwamba unafurahi kusafiri na ndege yetu ya fastjet.

Jimmy Kibati

destinations easy. Our flight linking Dar es Salaam with both Lusaka and Harare moved to a daily programme as well. fastjet’s newest route, from Dar es Salaam to Lilongwe, doubled from two to four flights a week; and both Mwanza and Kilimanjaro saw significant increases, giving you even more flexibility and choice in flying Africa with fastjet. We have doubled our fleet to six Airbus 319 aircraft to support the growth of the network.

We are also pleased to announce the opening of our exclusive fastjet sales office in Lusaka, based at the InterContinental Hotel, Haile Selassie Ave. Come down and meet the sales team – Tepa, Machenje and Prudence – and book your next great trip with fastjet.

Here are some of the new extra products you can book via our website as you book your flights: • Hold my fare – Our lowest fares are in high demand and selling out quicker than ever.

We’ve made it easier for you to secure the cheapest fares. For just US$ 5 you can now hold your fare for a certain period of time.

• Fish buckets – Pre-booked fish buckets save customers time and money. Fish will cost US$ 15 if paid at the airport, while pre-booked fish costs only US$ 6.

Don’t forget that smart fastjetters know to book early to get the best deals on flights. With the winter schedule going live, you can already secure your Christmas break. You get the best deals for Christmas when you book now at fastjet.com or call +255 784 108 900.

We hope you enjoy your flight with fastjet.

We are also pleased to announce the opening of our exclusive fastjet sales office in Lusaka

JIMMY’S ADVICE A reminder that booking early gives you access to the lowest available fares. Book directly with fastjet at www.fastjet.com, our call centre (+255 784 108 900) paying through mobile money (M-Pesa and Tigo Pesa) or at our listed ticketing offices and registered agents. Addresses can be found on our website: www.fastjet.com.

Jimmy Kibati General Manager Fastjet Airlines Ltd (Tanzania)

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05 More local and international flights

FASTJET FLEET EXPANSION We have signed an operating lease with SMBC Aviation Capital Ltd for an Airbus A319 – the fifth aircraft in our fleet.

We have also signed a letter of intent for the purchase of an Airbus A319. The aircraft is expected to be operational by the end of September 2015 and will be the first in our Zambia fleet.

The addition of this owned aircraft by the end of September will double the size of our fleet to six.

01 fastjet call centre You can contact our call centre on +255 784 108 900 to book your tickets. Just call us between 06.00 and 22.00 and a sales representative will be happy to assist with your travel requests.

02 More passengers – and on time We have carried a record number of passengers this year, with a total of 520,000 up to 31 August, surpassing the same period last year by 350,000 passengers.

Punctuality for the year remains excellent, with 95 per cent of flights arriving on time.

DID YOU KNOW ?

With each additional aircraft, up to 1,000 more seats per day are made available to our customers. Based on our 75 per cent load factor, each aircraft in our fleet is projected to carry about 275,000 passengers a year.

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03 Easy ways to buy tickets Booking online? Here are your three payment options: 1. The best option is mobile money – After selecting this option you’ll need to fill in the exact reference number and pay immediately to ensure you receive your ticket.

2. By Visa or credit card – Simply select this option online and secure your ticket.

3. Need to pay cash? – Select ‘hold my fare’ and reserve your booking for a US$ 5 fee and visit an official fastjet shop to pay.

If you need help at any point in the booking process, get in touch with our call centre on +255 784 108 900

04 ‘Hold my fare’ Our lowest fares are in high demand and selling out quicker than ever. We’ve made it easier for you to secure the lowest fares. For just US$ 5 you can ‘hold your fare’ for up to 72 hours until you are certain of your travel plans.

Our just-released winter flying programme (effective up to January 2016) features several significant additions to our operation. Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg moves from three flights a week to a daily operation while the flight linking Dar es Salaam with both Lusaka and Harare also moves up to daily.

Our newest route from Dar es Salaam to Lilongwe doubles from two to four flights a week. In terms of local flights we now offer up to five daily flights from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza; up to four daily flights linking Dar and Kilimanjaro; two daily flights from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya; and daily flights between Kilimanjaro and Mwanza.

To see our full schedule, visit our destinations page at fastjet.com.

06 New sales shop Come down to our new shop at the InterContinental Hotel, Haile Selassie Ave, Lusaka, where our sales team – Tepa, Machenja and Prudence – will help you book your next great trip with fastjet. We’re open Monday to Friday, 09.00 to 17.00 and Saturday, 09.00 to 13.00. Closed on Sundays. We can’t wait to meet you soon.

07 New cabin crew Our team is getting stronger. fastjet welcomed 12 new cabin crew members into the team. Have a look around: they may serve you on today’s flight.

DID YOU KNOW ?

You can read travelsmart anytime by subscribing for FREE at: www.fastjet.com/ travelsmart-inflight-magazine

08 Name our plane Our fourth A319 aircraft has been named Cecil the Lion in memory of the late famous African lion.

See if you can spot our aircraft.

10 New captain welcomed Naushad Chaaker has been appointed as captain of our A319 aircraft. Such a command upgrade is a great achievement.

Well done, Naushad. We hope he enjoys his future flights with fastjet. Listen out for his captain announcements.

COMPETITION TIME

To be in with a chance of winning this issue’s prize, take a look at Page 12.

09 Smiles of relief for rural patients

11 Olympic qualifier We have the great honour of flying both the male and female Tanzanian hockey teams from Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg on the 19 October to play the Africa Olympic Qualifier.

This is an opportunity to show our full support to the Women’s Hockey National Team, an initiative that works with young, disadvantaged women by empowering them through sport. Both teams have worked exceptionally hard to reach this prestigious point and we are delighted to help them achieve their dreams.

This project is supported by the NGO COPE in collaboration with the Tanzania Hockey Association and with the support of NMB Bank the main sponsor for the trip to South Africa.

For information visit www.hockeytanzania.com, facebook.com/hockeytanzania or www.cope.it

The misery of toothache and chronic dental problems has been greatly eased for millions of Tanzanians thanks to the efforts of a charity organisation based in Mwanza on the shore of Lake Victoria.

The dental charity Bridge2Aid was founded in 1904. Thanks to the training it provides for rural-based health officers, there is now access to emergency dental treatment even for people in remote areas of Tanzania. It means safe tooth extractions and pain relief for those who might suffer for months or even years with debilitating symptoms.

“Few if any people in rural Tanzania have access to a dentist,” says Mark Topley, chief executive of Bridge2Aid. “Tanzania is one of the world’s poorest countries, with a ratio of one dentist to around 100,000 people – that’s a huge imbalance.”

Even if they can find a dentist, most rural Tanzanians can’t afford one, says Mark. About 90 per cent of patients seen by Bridge2Aid will have suffered for more than a year, often in severe dental pain.

“So they either pull out teeth themselves –or they pay for someone untrained or a traditional healer to do it, sometimes with disastrous results.”

To date, Bridge2Aid has directly provided free treatment for some 31,000 people in remote areas. The charity estimates that a further 3.5 million people have gained access to treatment as a direct result of the training given to local health workers.

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URU DIAMONDS

Guess the destination

COMPETITION

Do you fancy winning a Nyasi Bracelet from URU Diamonds?

Simply guess the destination with the riddle below and send your answer, name and contact details via text message to +255 766 074 500 and we’ll pick a winner through a prize draw. Good luck!Â

Here you are in the warm heart of Africa. A country that captivates with geographical diversity, brimming with areas of extreme natural beauty. Sit by the lake of stars, listening to the melody from the gospel choirs carried over on the breeze from the village behind the trees. Or explore the dramatic peaks of Mount Mulanje, and watch the mist roll over the forest below. You could first fly here, our sixth international destination, on 27 July. Still left wondering? Check out our blog for more clues at www.fastjet.com/blog

FilmFestival

Zanzibar International Film Festival

Legends of cinema and music thrill visitors

Š Peter Bennett

Founded nearly two decades ago, ZIFF has played host to an impressive collection of celebrities, filmmakers and musicians from all over the world

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© Peter Bennett

© Peter Bennett

T

here’s nothing better than an excellent film. Except, perhaps, for a festival dedicated to excellent films in one of Africa’s most beautiful locations.

Of course, we are talking about the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF).

Zanzibar’s annual festival of film turned 18 this year. But despite coming of age, ZIFF’s ascent into adulthood did not affect the innocent and playful spirit of an event that has become a staple in the African arts calendar.

Founded nearly two decades ago, and having grown to become one of Africa’s biggest film and music events, ZIFF has played host to an impressive collection of celebrities, film-makers and musicians from all over the world. Bringing Zanzibar’s history as a trade port into the 21st century, every year ZIFF unites people and cultures in celebration of film, music and the arts.

2015 event The theme for this year’s celebrations was ‘Waves and Visions of Hope’, with many films depicting tales of forgiveness, reconciliation and identity.

In previous years, famous names such as Danny Glover and Mario van Peebles have been honoured as chief guests, and this year’s festival saw South Africa’s Leleti Khumalo and Dorothy Masuka in attendance. In addition, ZIFF 2015 welcomed some 40 film-makers from as far away as Canada, the United States, Denmark, Germany, Italy, India and even Vietnam – a reminder of what an exciting and important event it is in the cultural calendar of Africa. Alongside the international names were some of Africa’s finest film-makers. They hold a special place at ZIFF, with a particular focus on those involved with Tanzanian ‘Bongo Movies’.

The attractiveness of Zanzibar is one of the factors that draws film-makers and guests to events across the archipelago. Stone Town itself is one of the most memorable film venues as the nightly main feature

Celebration Fun-packed festival of film

is screened at the Old Fort Amphitheatre.

ZIFF is about more than film, however, with a range of music, photography and workshops during the eight-day festival. Every evening hundreds of local people and tourists fill the Old Fort Amphitheatre and then the Mambo Club next door to enjoy performances by international stars and local artists.

Concert

Stone Town The historical home of ZIFF

Each evening, after the main film feature, there is an impressive concert. This year saw a special performance by the legendary bassist Moussa Diallo, preceded by a screening of the biopic ‘Sound Tracks of Life – Moussa Diallo on Bass’. To have Diallo and the filmmaker Helle Toft introducing the film and then to see Diallo perform live was a unique opportunity and one of the festival’s highlights.

The legendary South African singer Dorothy Masuka also performed at ZIFF after an absence of over 20 years. Masuka lived and performed in East Africa while in exile from South © Rashde Fidigo Africa during the

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FilmFestival apartheid regime. She enraptured the crowd with her still fluent Swahili.

ZIFF also celebrates the music and traditions of the Dhow Countries with a range of traditional Zanzibari music and dance throughout the week. The Dhow Countries Music Academy, well known for preserving and performing traditional styles of Zanzibari music such as Taarab, Ngomi and Beni, took centre stage with stars such as Vanessa Mdee, Damian Soul, Sultan King, Barnaba, Antique, Christian Bella and Luanga Choba.

Tradition The opening weekend of ZIFF features a great local tradition, the annual Dhow Race. About a dozen traditional dhows set off from Stone Town’s beachfront, cheered on by hundreds of spectators. Dhows play an integral part in the film festival, and the dhow sail is the official emblem, raised at the start of the festival and lowered at the end.

The closing night of ZIFF 2015 was

a moving celebration of local legend Bi Kidude as the Swahili version of ‘I Shot Bi Kidude’ premiered. The film

by Andy Jones is a sequel to ‘As Old As My Tongue’ that was filmed nearly a decade ago. With Andy Jones and many of Kidude’s close friends on stage after the film, the evening was a fitting tribute to the woman who has come to represent Zanzibari music and culture to so many people. ZIFF 2015 also awarded prizes to top films from around the world at a closing ceremony at the Old Fort in Stone Town.

Following the success of this year’s event, the Zanzibar International Film Festival has already announced the theme and dates for 2016. The event, to be called ‘This Journey of Ours: Ndiyo hii Safari Yetu’, will take place from 9 to 16 July, so start planning your trip to this special event.

ZIFF 2015 AWARDS Zuku Bongo Movie Awards People’s Choice Award – ‘Mr Kadamanja’ Best Film in Sound – ‘Samaki Mchangani’ Best Cinematography – ‘Daddy’s Wedding’ Best Actress – Jokate Mwegelo in ‘Mikono Salama’ Best Actor – Adam Kuambiana in ‘Mr Kadamanja’ Best Director – Honeymoon Mohamed, ‘Daddy’s Wedding’ Best Feature Film – ‘Kutakapokucha’ European African Film Festival Award Best African Film – ‘WAZI FM’

EAC – EAFN Awards Best East African Film (Feature) – ‘Going Bongo’ Best East African Film (Documentary) – ‘Shadow Fighters’ Best East African Film (Short) – ‘Angles Of My Face’

Signis Awards And the winner is...

Celebrating the best in film, music and arts

Commendation – ‘Eye of the Cyclone’ Signis East African Talent Award – ‘WAZI FM’ Signis Award – ‘Life Is Waiting: Referendum and Resistance in Western Sahara’

Ousmane Sembene Awards Special Mention – Uthando and ‘Liberté Emprisonnée’ Sembene Awards – ‘Houkak’, ‘Kwaku’ and ‘Soko Sonko’

ZIFF Awards Bi Kidude Award (Chairman’s Award) – ‘Price of Love’ Lifetime Achievement Award – Bi. Fatma Alloo and Hassan Mitawi Special Jury Prize – ‘Every Day is a Small Life’ Best Documentary – ‘Papa Machete’ Best Short/Animation – ‘Soko Sonko’ Best East African Film Talent – ‘Strength of a Woman ‘ Silver Dhow Award – ‘Simshar’ Golden Dhow Award – ‘WAZI FM’ Pics above © Peter Bennett

For more information visit: www.ziff.or.tz

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BongoStar

SKY’S THE LIMIT

FOR ‘BONGO’ HOPEFULS

Tanzania’s most popular TV talent show is back – and it’s better than ever

B

ongo Star Search has become one of the country’s most watched television programmes, attracting over 3 million viewers each week.

The show, which is the brainchild of Rita Paulsen, gives young Tanzanian hopefuls a chance to sing and impress a panel of judges.

From the thousands who attend the opening auditions, 20 top contestants are chosen. They go on to battle it out in the TV studio by singing on screen with a live band.

The huge popularity of ‘Bongo Star Search’ is clear to see. The ITV show has enjoyed seven successful seasons and is now one of the three most watched TV shows in Tanzania.

The programme is also broadcast in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia, becoming the country’s

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CHANGING LIVES ‘Travelsmart’ takes a look at some of the past contestants: Paschal Cassian used to sell boiled eggs at bus stands in Mwanza. Since winning Series 3, however, he has built his own house, released a gospel album and toured neighbouring countries to promote his music.

Sarafina Mushindo represented East Africa in Los Angeles when she featured in the ‘Oh Africa’ 2010 World Cup song alongside superstars Akon and Keri Hilson.

Favourite Week by week, ‘Bongo Star Search’ follows the contestants’ progress, with the audience selecting their favourite via an SMS poll. The top five then sing in a grand finale to decide who wins the prize of TZS 50 million.

By Kate Wingar All pictures courtesy of OGS Studios

Hopeful One of the thousands of young contestants

Baby Madaha is the most successful ‘Bongo Star Search’ contestant so far. As well as recording an album and releasing music videos, Baby Madaha has starred in ‘Bongo’ movies, appeared as a special guest in various shows and concerts and acted as a judge in a TV talent show.

MEET THE JUDGES The judges Left to right: Joachim Kimaryo, Rita Paulsen and Salama Jabir

most successful talent show.

‘Bongo Star Search’ first aired in 2006 and saw 2,500 young people audition from Dar es Salaam. In 2007 the auditions were extended to six regions in Tanzania and Zanzibar and 6,000 youngsters entered. In 2009 some 8,000 hopefuls from 10 regions took part; and 2012 saw more than 10,000 contestants from eight regions.

Exposure It’s a substantial prize – enough money to allow the winner to make a real difference to his or her life.

At the same time, contestants gain valuable TV exposure from the show, opening up all kinds of opportunities and acting as a springboard for the careers of so many young people.

Think you’ve got what it takes?

See you at the auditions next year.

Bongo Star Search One of the country’s biggest and most exciting programmes

As the founder of ‘Bongo Star Search’ and managing director of Benchmark 360, Rita Paulsen is one of the most respected names in the media industry. She has been nominated by various publications as one of ‘Tanzania’s 50 Most Powerful Women’. Rita is a popular commentator, career counsellor, motivator and a role model on the show.

Salama Jabir is one of the most popular TV celebrities in Tanzania.

Having started her career as a radio presenter on East Africa Radio, she made the change to television in 2005 with the music-based show ‘Planet Bongo’. Her no-nonsense approach catapulted her to high ratings and huge popularity. Salama debuted on the very first 2006 ‘Bongo Star Search’ season and has become well known for her hardline decisions to axe or retain talent on the show.

Joachim Kimaryo, known as Master J, founded MJ Records in 1996. From humble beginnings in a modest 20 ft container in his father’s backyard, MJ records has

become one of Tanzania’s leading record labels. Master J is recognised as a pioneer of Bongo Flava music – a distinctive, predominantly hip hop sound that has taken Tanzania by storm. As a producer, Master J has worked with many East African artists including Wagosi wa Kaya, Fid Q, Lady Jay Dee, AY, Wakilisha and Dully Sykes.

What do the judges think?

Q. How did you come up with the idea of Bongo Star Search?

Rita Paulsen: I have always wanted to empower youths and change people’s lives whilst entertaining Tanzania with a new reality TV show. I figured, if it can be done elsewhere in the world, it can be done in Tanzania. I kept postponing the project as sponsors were not convinced, but in 2006, without any sponsorship, myself and my team launched ‘Bongo Star Search’.

Q. What is the main aim of the show?

Rita: Benchmark strives to make a difference to many lives, especially the young people of Tanzania. There

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Advertisement

BongoStar is a lot of unfound talent simply because of a lack of exposure and funds for promotion. Through the ‘Bongo Star Search’ resources, we aim to expose and promote our country’s talent.

Q. Did you think the show would be so popular?

Rita: Not at all! It’s very overwhelming to see how the show has been accepted and loved by so many over the years. Even from the launch of the first-ever show in Dar in 2006, we had a huge turnout. I literally freaked out.

Q. Do contestants ever surprise you?

Rita: All the time! Most of them enter the competition very shy and timid, but as time passes they shine and become stars. When you look back on their journey, it’s amazing.

Master J: Yes, this year a contestant had me on the floor after singing the famous Tanzanian folk song ‘Maua Mazuri Yapendeza’. I don’t think that song can showcase someone’s ability to sing.

Salama Jabir: Yes, and we see some gifted people and just think, how is this kid not a star yet?

Q. How have the auditions been this year?

Master J: I think we’ve seen some of the best auditions we’ve ever had.

Salama: We were a bit surprised with Dar es Salaam, though. I guess we expected too much from the city.

Rita: The turnout was really good and it seems that the contestants now know what we are looking for.

We have also received great support from our main sponsor, Salama Condoms.

Q. Where do you find the talent mostly?

Salama: It depends, but Mwanza never disappoints.

Rita: In the major cities such as Dar es Salaam or Mwanza.

Master J: In my view, Arusha or Mwanza.

Q. Do you guess who the winner will be? And have you ever been right?

Rita: No, I really can’t guess. The contestants constantly change and develop, so it’s always a surprise.

Salama: I’m always right! I know this year’s winner won’t be from Dar es Salaam, though.

Master J: I try to guess, but I have never got it right.

Q. What do you enjoy most about being a judge?

Master J: The show allows me to give back by creating opportunities for artists that don’t have the means to fulfil their dreams. It’s fun to be around Rita, Salama and the whole production crew. I love the atmosphere on set.

Flying fastjet Bongo Star Search judges travelled to the auditions in style with fastjet

Salama: Everything – the early mornings, the auditions, the anticipation of how many people will turn up, and hanging out with the chief judge [Rita] and Master J. Rita: Standing up for contestants and they turn out to be really good.

The competition between myself and the other judges is also exciting.

It’s so much fun being on the show, especially when you know you are helping to change someone’s life.

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Kombi

How a passion for ‘alternative’ transport led to a novel safari company

IT’S THE KOMBINATION THAT COUNTS… As an icon of ‘free spirit’ travel, the Volkswagen Camper – aka Bulli, Kombi, Microbus or Transporter – is absolutely where it’s at in terms of automotive chic. No other vehicle on the planet has been revived with so much passion. So how clever of Kombi Nation Tours in Uganda to offer its clients a chance to hit the hippie trail once more.

By John Tavner All pictures courtesy of Kombi Nation Tours

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hat is it about the VW Camper that makes adventure-seekers want to hop aboard and head for the nearest desert highway or safari trail?

Almost from the moment the first Volkswagen ‘Type 2’ van rolled off the production line in Wolfsburg in 1949 – in response to market demand and some inspired sketches by a Dutch importer – the vehicle has found a place in the hearts of dedicated travellers around the world.

What other choice of transport could there be for Kombi Nation Tours, the adventure travel company set up in 2011 by two young British men, Steven Cresswell and William Boase. It was after a memorable tour of Uganda they made on a 100 cc motorcycle in 2009 that Steve and Will were inspired to

share their adventure with others.

The obvious way to do this was to start their own travel company – but how to transport their clients in numbers without losing that ‘stand out from the crowd’ factor that is such a key part of the appeal of motorcycling?

Both men had a fondness for the Kombi – as the Camper is known in many parts of the world – and its quirky yet practical design seemed to fit the image they were trying to put across of an ‘alternative’ safari holiday in which novelty has precedence over luxury and the lively surroundings of a vintage Volkswagen are more fun than the anonymity of a modern SUV. Today, Kombi Nation Tours – with its head office in Kisimenti, Kampala – operates safaris and tours all over Uganda using a fleet of three beautifully restored Kombis. There are opportunities to track the Big Five

on the savannah as well as trekking ancient rainforests to seek out chimpanzees and mountain gorillas.

“The company aims to fit in as much of the country and as many experiences as it possibly can into each trip, while keeping the price at an affordable level,” said Rachel Landman, who joined Steve and Will on the board of directors in 2013.

Ideal Her colleague Will said: “We decided to use Kombis because they seemed the ideal choice for taking things slow and enjoying the journey as much as the destination – and they’re gorgeous,” he added.

There is a limit to what even the tough little Volkswagens can cope with, however. Destinations such as Kidepo Valley National Park, for example, are too wild and remote for Kombis, so the company now uses more modern 4×4 vehicles to

Adventure Take to the road in an iconic Kombi

negotiate this kind of terrain. These newer vehicles – which have the added benefit of air conditioning – are also used alongside the Kombis on less challenging trips.

So who chooses to go on these ‘alternative’ safaris? “We have a mixture,” said Rachel. “In terms of nationality we mostly host Americans, British, German, Dutch, Irish, Australian and Canadian. In terms of profiling, it’s mostly backpackers and volunteers who are already residents of East Africa from the above-mentioned countries. And then we have a few nostalgic types

‘The aim is to fit in as much of the country and as many experiences as it possibly can into each trip’

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THE VAN MAN Fred Seruwo, the company’s mechanic and chief driver-guide, has been working on Camper vans since he was a boy, having learned his trade from his father, Gerrard Mukasa, who was himself a Volkswagen mechanic.

With his deep knowledge of the vehicle and its moving parts, Fred was able to bring all three of the company’s vehicles – Piglet, Betty and The Dude – back to life.

Many of the old Kombis in Uganda were formerly used as matatus or taxis until their owners could no longer keep them going.

Intriguingly, Piglet had originally been used as an ambulance by St Luke’s Hospital in Pakwach, north-west Uganda, before later becoming a matatu and, finally, a source of spare parts.

Fred clearly loves the challenge of taking an ugly duckling of an old VW and turning it into a swan. In a ‘CNN Travel’ interview, he said: “I hear about a place where a Kombi can be found, get money, buy that Kombi in any condition. I tow that Kombi to my working place. The next morning I start my task of finding out why that Kombi was abandoned. I always check the engine first. Now that I know what I have to fix on the engine, I set out to look for spare parts. It’s always hard to find parts, but I know where to go and who to ask for any part that I might need. After fixing the engine, I check the brakes, sometimes replacing rubbers, cylinders and others. I now have a braking Kombi with a fine engine.

“The next step is working on the body of the Kombi. I’m not good at body works, but I know good guys out there that can help me.

After choosing the colour, spraying works begin. That normally takes two weeks. The Kombi is now looking very nice. My next step is to fix the inside part of it. This includes chairs, panels, music, you name it.

Kombi Nation An unusual but fun choice for exploring Uganda

reliving their days in the 1970s, which is a lot of fun. We’d like more of these types.”

Unusual The company would like to attract Ugandan customers, too, but it seems that those with the disposable income prefer to go trekking in their own vehicles. “And, to be honest, they find the Kombis an unusual choice,” said Rachel.

Ugandans, on the other hand, are very much involved in the operational side of the venture.

The company has four Ugandan

members of staff – a tour consultant and three driver-guides – and it employs many others indirectly, for example by always hiring local guides in the parks and reserves.

One of the key members of the Kombi Nation Tours team is ‘wonder mechanic’ Fred Seruwo, who joined the team in 2011. He originally tracked down and restored each of the company’s Kombis and now keeps them serviced and ready for the trail, as well as driving them in his role as chief driver-guide.

“The Kombi is now ready for road testing. This means that I have to drive it for over 700 km.

When I get back then we have a nice Kombi.”

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Selous

The last

WILDERNESS FRONTIER Spectacular Selous Game Reserve offers a glimpse of Africa as it used to be No sign of human life intruded; no smoke of fires; no homing goatherd. This was Africa as it used to be and soon will be no longer: lonely, magnificent and alive with secrets. Away stretches the world, for ever, as it seems, into the sunset, fresh from the hand of God. Elspeth Huxley

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he spectacular Selous Game Reserve in south-east Tanzania is the largest of its kind in Africa, covering more than five per cent of Tanzania’s total area. A Unesco World Heritage Site, it is four times the size of the Serengeti, home to a third of Tanzania’s wildlife and provides a sanctuary for the world’s largest elephant concentration.

And yet, despite its unique collection of animals such as lion, buffalo, hippo and crocodile, this magnificent ecosystem remains virtually untouched by man. Located in a remote and littlevisited part of the country, it offers the visitor a unique opportunity to see Africa the way the early explorers found it – pristine, alive with game, empty of tourists and utterly awe-inspiring.

By Jane Barsby

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VAST CANVAS The Selous is painted on a vast canvas and offers sanctuary to an equally vast number of animals. Across its endless expanse of classic African ‘miombo’ bush wander a million large animals, half a million of which are antelopes. It also shelters the largest buffalo concentration in Africa (over 110,000), over half of Tanzania’s elephants (57,000) and most of its black rhinos. This remarkable ecosystem is also estimated to contain Africa’s largest population of Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, common waterbuck and Roosevelt’s sable.

WHAT TO DO AND SEE The Selous is unique among Tanzania’s wilderness areas because it is a game reserve, not a national park, which means that activities such as boating, fishing, walking and camping safaris are permitted. More controversially, large parts of the south of the reserve – 90 per cent of the total – are reserved for professional game hunting.

FISH THAT WALKS The Rufiji River is home to two of East Africa’s most remarkable freshwater fish.

The tigerfish, renowned as the ‘doberman of the deep’, is a voracious predator with blade-like teeth; and the vundu is a catfish that grows to enormous size (regularly over 45 kg) and breathes by means of its branchial organ while migrating from one landlocked pool to another, dragging itself along on its pectoral fins.

SELOUS SENSATIONS Stiegler’s Gorge is one of the reserve’s most striking features. A 100 metre deep, 100 metre wide canyon, it channels the churning brown confluence of the Great Ruaha and Rufiji rivers and marks the place where a hunter by the name of Stiegler was killed by an elephant in 1907.

Maji Moto Hot Springs are in the Beho Beho region of the reserve, close to the grave of Selous. The hot springs make an ideal picnic and bathing spot.

ARENA OF WAR In the 19th century the Selous was famous for the great slave and ivory caravans that passed through it, some comprising over 1,000 men.

Selous was opened in 1905 by the Germans as a hunting preserve. Hundreds of white hunters from Europe and the United States came in search of game trophies. German and British forces clashed here during the First World War, most famously when the British found the German battleship ‘Königsberg’ hiding in the Rufiji Delta. In 1982 the reserve was declared a World Heritage Site.

Palm Trees Bright blue waters of Lake Manze

FREDERICK COURTENEY SELOUS

HUNTING DOGS

FACT FILE

The Selous Game Reserve was named in honour of Frederick Courteney Selous, who died there in 1917. A British explorer, officer, hunter, gentleman, sportsman and conservationist, Selous (1851 to 1917) was famous for his African exploits and inspired Sir H. Rider Haggard to create the fictional character Allan Quatermain. Although he was 64 years old when the First World War broke out, Selous rejoined the British Army and died fighting on the bank of the Rufiji River, where his grave can still be found.

In the past the Selous was considered unsuitable for human habitation, owing to the tsetse fly. Today, although the tsetse has been brought largely under control, the reserve’s long isolation from mankind has resulted in its providing shelter for 30 per cent of Africa’s hunting dogs. Critically endangered (on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature), the dogs are usually hard to see. A number of packs have been monitored around the reserve’s lodges and camps, however, and expeditions to view them often prove successful.

Area: 50,000 sq km around Rufiji and Great Ruaha rivers.

Location: South-east Tanzania, south of Mikumi National Park.

Wildlife: 400 species including 57 species of large animal.

Visitors can expect to see lion, leopard, cheetah, African wildcat, genet cat, caracal, civet cat, hunting dog jackal, hyena, mongoose, elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, waterbuck, reedbuck, kudu, impala, hartebeest, wildebeest, eland, duiker, warthog, black rhinoceros, hyrax, yellow baboon, black-and-white colobus monkey, vervet monkey, aardvark, spring hare, crested porcupine, hippopotamus, Nile crocodile.

Birds: 440 species recorded.

When to go: The most pleasant time to visit the Selous is in the cool season, generally between the end of June and the end of October, or during the dry spell in January and February. The long rains from then until May can make roads inaccessible.

Getting there: Selous is not easily accessible by land, involving a drive of at least eight hours over rough roads.

The easiest and most pleasant way to travel there is by air.

Eagle eye Selous has more than 440 recorded bird species

REMARKABLE RUFIJI It’s not until you fly over the Rufiji River that you appreciate the extent to which it dominates the reserve. An enormous braid of sparkling chocolate-brown water, endlessly intertwined, the Rufiji River Delta connects the Great Ruaha River with the Rufiji River.

The resultant mighty body of water winds through the reserve, sometimes crashing through vast canyons, sometimes bordered only by huge sandbanks, until it eventually empties into the Indian Ocean. Varying in width from 45 metres to half a kilometre, the Rufiji offers sanctuary to huge numbers of hippo and crocodile, which bask and wallow on its muddy brown banks. It also offers the best chance of viewing the reserve’s goliath heron, open-billed stork, hammerkop, secretary bird and sunbirds.

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WhichJo’burg

By Iga Motylska

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No matter who you are or how you prefer to travel, Johannesburg is a lucky bag of experiences that will entice any kind of traveller and have them returning time and again.

Family fun Bouncing off the walls

THE ADVENTURER If bungee jumping, SCAD (suspended catch air device) diving, swinging, abseiling, rock climbing and paintballing are high up on your ‘must do’ list, then head straight from the airport to Orlando Towers in Soweto. For your next adrenalin fix, take a road trip to the Magaliesberg Mountains for rock climbing or hiking in this ancient mountain range. Don’t forget your hiking shoes – and your camera, as you will probably spot some wildlife along the way. Give the Mountain Club of South Africa a ring to see if they have any upcoming trips planned that you could join.

THE FAMILY

C/O Chris Hani Road and Dynamo Street, Orlando East, Soweto Tel: 071-674-4343 Email: info@orlandotowers.co.za

Take your children to Bounce Inc – an indoor trampoline playground where they can quite literally bounce off the walls. It has over 100 interconnected trampolines and what has become known as The Great Wall of Jozi. You can play slam dunk and dodgeball and there are even sessions for junior jumpers. Then let the kids swing from tree to tree in a harness at any of the four treetop obstacle courses at Acrobanch.

Each once has zip lines, swing bridges, Acro bungee and Tarzan swings. Lastly, journey back in time to the days of roller skating with a visit to the Rolling Cherry rink. There’s a karaoke room, too, if you need a break from all that exercise.

Mountain Club of South Africa

Bounce Inc

Orlando Towers

Tel: (011) 807-1310 Email: admin@jhb.mcsa.org.za

Waterfall Lifestyle Centre, c/o Woodmead Drive and Maxwell Drive, Midrand Tel: (011) 011-517-2500 www.bounceinc.co.za

Acrobranch James and Ethel Grey Park, Melrose Tel: 078-438-7463 www.acrobranch.co.za

Rolling Cherry Adrenaline rush At Orlando Towers in Soweto

Ariel Empire House, 7 Sivewright Avenue, Johannesburg Tel: 079-247-2331 Find Rolling Cherry on Facebook

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THE BUSINESS PERSON Just because you’re in Johannesburg for business, you don’t have to stay indoors between meetings. The Radisson Blu Hotel is ideal for business travellers. It is centrally located opposite the Gautrain underground station and only a few steps from Sandton City Mall. While most if not all business hotels in the Sandton and Rosebank areas have free business lounges for their guests, it’s good to get out. Here are our top three coffices: The relaxed atmosphere at Bean There can’t be beaten and there’s an adjoining conference room. The restaurant Warm & Glad is a personal favourite for its vintage decor and lively buzz. For a formal environment and superfast Wi-Fi go to Lacuna Bistro at the Maslow Hotel. Later, seal that business deal over dinner at the Signature Restaurant.

Radisson Blu Hotel C/O Rivonia Road and West Street, Sandton Tel: (011) 286-1000 www.radissonblu.com/ hotel-johannesburg

Bean There 44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark Tel: 087-310-3100 Email: admin@beanthere. co.za

Warm & Glad 357 Jan Smuts, Craighall Park Tel: (011) 781-0455 www.warmandglad.com

Lacuna Bistro C/O Rivonia Road and Grayston Drive, Sandton Tel: (011) 226-4600 www.suninternational.com/maslow

Signature Restaurant Shop U13, Morningside Shopping Centre, Outspan Road, Sandton Tel: 087 940 3880 www.signaturerestaurant.co.za

WhichJo’burg

Wits Art Museum Embrace your inner art critic

THE HISTORY AND HERITAGE FANATIC If you’ve read Nelson Mandela’s ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ (or at least plan to do so – it’s rather a long book) then visit the Apartheid Museum for insights into the country’s history. And before Mandela there was Mahatma Gandhi, who lived in South Africa for 21 years and used non-violent protest to speak out against racial discrimination. A stay at his former residence, Satyagraha House – now a guesthouse and museum – will take you back to that time before the First World War. Meanwhile, the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation runs weekly tours of the city’s historical sites. These aren’t your typical ‘cookie-cutter trips’. In fact, you’ll probably meet many local people who are rediscovering their own city.

Apartheid Museum Northern Park Way and Gold Reef City Tel: (011) 309-4700 www.apartheidmuseum.org

Satyagraha House 15 Pint Road, Orchards Tel: (011) 485-5928 Email: reservations@satyagrahahouse.co.za www.satyagrahahouse.co.za

Johannesburg Heritage Foundation Tel: (011) 482-3349 Email: mail@joburgheritage.co.za www.joburgheritage.co.za Jo’burg

THE ARTS AFICIONADO The South African State Theatre in the capital city, Pretoria (also known as Tshwane), hosts performances ranging from ballet recitals to international drama productions, musicals, cultural festivals and even comedy shows. It’s the place to go for a taste of South Africa’s vibrant performing arts scene. Meanwhile, the Wits (University of the Witwatersrand) Arts Museum hosts an extraordinary collection of contemporary and historical African art from southern, central and western Africa.

On any visit you will find permanent exhibitions alongside international ones. And if you appreciate fine art, the continent’s oldest commercial art gallery, Everard Read Gallery, should be on your ‘must see’ list.

Everard Read Gallery 6 Jellicoe Ave, Johannesburg Tel: (011) 788-4805 www.everard-read.co.za

South African State Theatre 301 Church Street, Pretoria Tel: (012) 392-4000 www.statetheatre.co.za

Wits Arts Museum 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein Tel: (011) 717-1365 www.wits.ac.za/wam

Plenty of choice for the business traveller

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Festivals

It’s always festival time

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tuck for something to do? Or looking to try something new? Fastjet has got you covered with 12 month’s supply of interesting and unique East African festivals. From poetry, fashion, dance and art to comedy, crafts, circus acts and popular music – East Africa has it all. Have a look and decide which of these ‘must see’ festivals takes your creative fancy each year.

Full Moon Party

Bongwe’s Big Bush

Every month Experiencing a Full Moon Party should be on everyone’s bucket list. With great music, a fantastic atmosphere and a guaranteed all-night party, it’s no wonder people flock from around the world and cross continents to take part in such events. But there’s no need to travel too far from home, as East Africa now has a Full Moon Party to rival even that of Thailand’s. At the event in the Kendwa Rocks Hotel in Zanzibar every month, partygoers can watch acrobats and fire-eaters. This is one definitely not to be missed.

April Despite being one of Africa’s youngest festivals, the Big Bush has never been short in numbers. Thousands of people travel from across Zambia to experience this spectacular annual three-day music event. This year saw live performances by Zambian artists Cactus Agony, Salma Skye, Maureen Lilanda and Tritonix as well as South Africa’s Gangs of Ballet and Shadowclub. You need stamina to fully appreciate Bongwe’s Big Bush as the DJs take over and festival-goers dance until the early hours.

www.kendwarocks.com

www.bongwesafaris.com

Credit: Zaian

FROM FIRE-EATERS TO HOT VOCALISTS…

AfrikaBurn April AfrikaBurn, which takes place in the Tankwa Karoo in South Africa, is one of the most interesting and colourful events on the continent. It’s particularly popular among photographers eager to capture a great shot. Now in its eighth year, the quirky festival showcases selfexpression in the form of artworks, costumes, mobile art vehicles, themed camps and artistic performances, all created and organised by the participants themselves.

Unlike most commercial music festivals, AfrikaBurn is not sponsored and nothing is bought or sold on site. In another event twist, some of the artworks are burned at the end of the festival.

www.afrikaburn.com

HIFA April and May Each year, the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) draws one of the largest and broadest audiences, not just from Zimbabwe but around the world. HIFA showcases the best of local, regional and international arts and culture. The comprehensive festival programme is sure to keep you entertained with African theatre, dance, music, circus, comedy, crafts, fashion and various workshops all available to enjoy.

And at just $12 a ticket, you can’t go wrong.

www.hifa.co.zw

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Festivals

MTN Bushfire

Bayimba

Lake of Stars

Vic Falls Carnival

May Backlit by fiery mountain sunsets across acres of pristine farmland, Swaziland’s three-day Bushfire festival embraces music, dance, art, theatre, poetry and circus performers. Now in its 10th year, MTN Bushfire draws an array of talent and over 20,000 tourists from around the world. The festival mantra ‘Bring Your Fire’ represents the event’s celebration of creative expression and promotion of social responsibility.

September Bayimba International Festival of the Arts has become one of the most exciting events on the Ugandan social calendar. The eighth edition took place from 18 to 20 September this year at the National Theatre in Kampala. With a large number of stages and curated artistic spaces each year, the festival highlights a mix of established and emerging artists from Uganda and East Africa.

September Arguably Malawi’s crown jewel, the Lake of Stars festival is set on the shore of Lake Malawi. From humble beginnings since its inception in 2003 at Chintheche Inn, Lake of Stars has grown to become a high profile dance, fashion, poetry and music event. Spread across three days and three stages, the festival’s line-up always features a wealth of talent and headlining acts. The 2015 event attracted two of Africa’s hottest acts: South Africa’s Toya Delazy and Zimbabwe’s Mokoomba.

December Celebrate the New Year in style at one of Africa’s greatest attractions. The annual Vic Falls Carnival takes place over three days at the end of December and features a mix of local and international artists, DJs and party-goers.

One of the best things about the festival is the train party on the 29th, where guests are transported to a national park to dance the night away.

In addition, there are nightly celebrations across a variety of venues and fun-filled activities throughout the day to keep guests entertained.

www.lakeofstars.org

www.vicfallscarnival.com

www.bush-fire.com

www.bayimba.org

Bushfire festival embraces music, dance, art, theatre, poetry and circus performers fastjet.com

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PukuCharger

MAN BEHIND THE BRAND

A

‘A “eureka” moment came when a neighbour lent me a portable charger. I was shocked that I was unaware of these devices’ 36

travelsmart

Meck Khalfan The brains behind the Puku charger

s one of last year’s most successful fashion accessories, the Puku charger is definitely something to rave about.

But how did it take off so spectacularly? Fastjet speaks to Meck Khalfan, the man behind the brand.

Q. Have you always been interested in business?

A. Yes, I was born into a very entrepreneurial family. My mum comes from the Chagga tribe so our lives revolved around family business ventures.

After graduating from Ilboru High School, I started purchasing bags of dagaa [fish] from Lake Victoria and selling them to companies that made food for chickens in Dar es Salaam. I was then accepted to the University of Dar es Salaam in 1999 and I quickly turned my dorm room into a popular mini clothing store, selling goods from Bangkok and China at discounted prices.

PUKU POWER PACK IS JUST SO PUKKA… There are always those times when you wish you had just a little more power to finish that phone call, complete that email or surf the web a bit longer.

And then the dreaded power alert flashes and your phone goes dark.

To combat this problem, many manufacturers offer portable chargers, power banks, power packs or juice packs that can be used to recharge devices on the move.

The Puku charger delivers not only power but also panache in a stylish

and sleek design that has captured the hearts of the fashion-conscious tech lover.

These aesthetically pleasing and iconic units have a matt soft-touch finish and come in a range of vibrant colours: purple, turquoise, red, lime green, blue and cool grey.

In fact, the Puku has become a must-have fashion accessory for many. Launched at New York Fashion Week in 2013, it was the event’s most requested item.

There are many power packs on the market already, so what makes

the Puku special? While the Puku brand is focused on designing chic, innovative, high quality portable chargers, the current range also stands up to the test on a technical level.

The Puka charger offers a powerful 8,000 mAh – enough juice to recharge the average smart phone up to five times. This equates to around 1,150 hours of standby time, 56 hours of talk time and 150 hours of media play time.

The Puka costs US$ 99 (on www. amazon.com). And although there are plenty of cheaper, smaller options for mobile power packs, the Puku is hard to beat for sheer elegance. www.gotpuku.com

Q. How did you come up with the idea for Puku?

A. It was the week of 29 October 2012.

Hurricane Sandy hit New York, creating massive power cuts and leaving most people unable to charge their phones. A ‘eureka’ moment came when a neighbour lent me a portable charger. I was shocked that I was unaware of these devices, which could be so essential for our modern,

Puku The ultimate fashion accessory?

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INSPIRING I CAPTIVATING I INFORMATIVE Multi-platform publishing and design services

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PukuCharger

‘Puku has been a story of turning hardship into an opportunity and the power of team effort’ fast-paced lives. I was also surprised to find that most of the portable chargers on the market were of poor quality and design.

I knew then that these devices needed to be reinvented. My first step was to find partners who shared the same vision.

Q. Did you need investors?

A. Yes, our first investor was my wife, Ninon Marapachi, who helped us get off the ground and find a design team to create our company name, brand and product designs.

From there we funded the business by raising over US$ 100,000 through business partners, family and friends.

Q. What constraints did you face?

A. Finding the right business partners to commit their time and resources was the biggest challenge. I reached out to over 20 people before getting the first serious partner who believed in the

idea. The second constraint was capital. You need money to design, build, launch, market and sell your product.

Q. What are the pros and cons of running a business?

A. Hearing a customer compliment your product is very fulfilling.

Also, the life lessons that you get from running a business make you a much better person. Building a successful company is really hard and if you aren’t passionate you will not last long..

Q. Are you surprised by the success of Puku?

A. We realised that we had become quite successful when different parts of the world started calling or visiting our New York office to buy Puku chargers. I give a lot of credit to the amazing and talented people that make up the Puku family. Puku has been a story of turning hardship into an opportunity and the power of team effort to bring an amazing product and brand to life.

Q. Are you working on any other projects?

A. Puku is my number one priority right now. Before the end of this year, expect to see Puku partnerships with big global brands. We are also planning to bring out ‘smart’ power packs. Concerning other projects, unrelated to Puku, I’m working on something truly revolutionary but I cannot share the details.

Q. What advice would you give to would-be entrepreneurs?

A. For something to exist in this world, first it has to exist in someone’s imagination and then it has to be executed. Find at least one partner who shares your vision to start a business. This will make your journey much easier than doing it alone. The world is full of things that need to be improved or changed.

Give yourself that responsibility to change the world. Don’t be afraid to fail – and have fun.

Double the fun Never be without battery power again

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Luke Schmidt / Shutterstock.com

AfricanRugby

IS AFRICA READY TO CONVERT? Only two African nations qualified for this year’s Rugby World Cup tournament in England. Yet many countries across Africa play rugby and have national teams. How can they raise their game so that more African teams qualify next time? Gary Gimson reports.

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his September the eighth Rugby World Cup (RWC) kicked off in England as 20 of the sport’s top teams joined battle in what was expected to be a fiercely contested tournament.

But, of the sides participating in the RWC, only two were from Africa: South Africa (Springboks) and Namibia (Welwitschias). South Africa (ranked fourth) has won the event twice before and began as one of the pre-tournament favourites. Namibia is 20th in the World Rugby rankings

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travelsmart

and, say commentators, has little chance of progressing beyond the group stage.

Yet South Africa and Namibia are not the only rugby-playing nations on the continent. Prior to the RWC tournament there were 102 nations ranked in the World Rugby table and this list doesn’t make entirely happy reading for followers of the sport from Africa.

After South Africa and Namibia the rankings are as follows: Zimbabwe (27), Kenya (28), Tunisia (40),

Ready for action South Africa’s Brian Habana

Madagascar (41), Uganda (48), Senegal (50), Côte d Ivoire (51), Botswana (63), Nigeria (75), Zambia (80), Mauritius (87), Swaziland (90), Morocco (94) and Cameroon (97).

To put things in perspective, Cameroon is ranked lower than Niue Island (a Pacific micro nation with fewer than 2,000 people) while Africa compares unfavourably with tiny Tonga (population just 105,000), which is impressively ranked 11th and above every African team except the Springboks.

Encourage So what can be done to promote and encourage rugby across the African continent and put it on a par with nations in the South Pacific?

We spoke to Lola Barthès of Rugby Afrique, one of the six regional associations within World Rugby.

For a start, Lola thinks African nations are poised to do better.

“Kenya was very close last year in qualifying and they will knock on the door for the 2019 RWC in Japan,” she says. “Morocco, if they manage to come back at the same level they were in the past, will be competitive; and Zimbabwe, of course, was a close call in 2015 and they only lost in Russia in the repechage.”

But given South Africa’s obvious and massive superiority, it has been difficult to hold a meaningful continent-wide rugby competition along the lines of the Africa Cup of Nations in football.

Nevertheless, an Africa Cup is held each year and is organised by Rugby Afrique. The tournament was first held in 2000 and has been played under a variety of names.

It is played on a divisional basis related to skill levels.

The confederation was officially launched in Tunis. The inaugural

members were Tunisia, Morocco, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Kenya, Seychelles and Madagascar.

A meeting was later held with a view to integrating South Africa into the confederation. Then the first competitions organised by Rugby Afrique acted as qualifiers for the Rugby World Cups of 1995 and 1999.

Rugby Afrique further developed as an organisation between 1995 and 2000 when Rugby Europe, in agreement with World Rugby, refocused its attention wholly on Europe, leaving the confederation to develop the game on the African continent.

Then, from 2000, it organised a continent-wide competition: the Africa Cup. This competition was extended when a Second Division was created in 2001 and this division plays for the Rugby Africa Trophy, while a Third Division competes for the Rugby Africa Development Trophy. These three competitions take place, with some exceptions, every year. The months of June, July and August are particularly intense.

bwe, Madagascar, Tunisia, Morocco, Nigeria and Senegal meet in Johannesburg on 14 and 15 November for the 2015 Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens Championship. These 12 teams will battle it out for an automatic spot in Rio, with the next three teams

So what can be done to promote and encourage rugby across the African continent and put it on par with nations in the South Pacific?

Rugby Afrique Promoting rugby across the continent

going on to the final qualification tournament, for which a date and venue had not been set at the time of writing. South Africa has already qualified via a different global event.

But Lola cautions against putting too much emphasis at being top dog at sevens: “Playing only sevens, even if you are successful, doesn’t bring a full recognition to the union.

Today our main product is still

Members Rugby Afrique now has 39 members, of whom 20 are full or associate members of World Rugby while 16 are involved only in the competitions organised by Rugby Afrique; and there are three new countries working with Rugby Africa. In 2016 African nations will set out on the long road to qualifying for the 2019 RWC. Meanwhile, in a parallel development, Botswana, Mauritius, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia and DRC met each other in Kigali for the pre-qualifications to the rugby sevens that will feature for the first time in the more limited version of the game at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Mauritius, Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, Zambia, Zimba-

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AfricanRugby

Rugby Afrique is a confederation and the governing body for those African nations which practise XVs rugby, sevens and women’s rugby. The organisation is headed by president, Abdelaziz Bougja, and nine members of an executive committee – all of whom are based in Africa.

Get noticed. Get visible. Get on board!

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Then potentially so are 200,000+ fastjet passengers each issue The most effective form of print advertising: in-flight magazines E-version also available to 500,000+ fastjet Facebook followers as well as on the fastjet website: www.facebook.com/fastjet & www.fastjet.com Don’t forget to book your advertisement to promote your company, brand, products or services Generous discounts available for series bookings To advertise please contact: Email: travelsmart@landmarine.org Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 / +44 (0)7769 110343 (WhatsApp) Skype: catherine-landmarine 42

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Going for the try Breaking through the defence

fifteen-a-side rugby and if you want to progress at the international level, you must show good results with the fifteens. A couple of years ago Kenya was focused on sevens, but today they are trying to compete in both sevens and fifteens. Unions must find a balance between the two forms of the game and even if the XVs Rugby World Cup is one of the top sports events, the sevens circuit and next year the Olympics will push the sevens and will make it very popular.”

And let’s not forget that Africa’s women were also due to go through a similar process in Johannesburg at the end of September, with 10

‘Playing only sevens, even if you are successful, doesn’t bring a full recognition to the union’ national teams slugging it out for a sevens ticket to Brazil. The women’s game also needs to decide whether it should be fifteens or sevens.

All in all, in whatever form, rugby across Africa is on the rise. Let’s see how the continent’s sevens teams perform in Rio before we see if more fifteen-a-side African teams can qualify for the 2019 RWC in Japan.

Giraffe

Turning heads With a broken heart and a broken neck

WHEN IN LOVE,

DON’T STICK YOUR NECK OUT… It can grow up to two metres long, it’s used to woo females and it’s vital for survival. That’s right – it’s a giraffe’s neck.

But what if the unthinkable happens and it breaks? Usually there is no happy ending. Medical help is limited in the national parks and there’s an abundance of predators waiting to pounce.

Zigzag For one lucky giraffe in the Serengeti National Park, however, all was not lost when he suffered a broken neck a few years ago. The incident left him with an extraordinary zigzag shape to the neck. The unnamed giraffe was seen by a guide and the striking appearance of this animal has been turning heads all over the world. Yet, amazingly, he has survived in the wild without medical attention for about five years.

Apparently, the giraffe had suffered the unfortunate injury while battling it out with another male to win a female giraffe

in a ritual known as ‘necking’. Such injuries from necking are said to be rare, and if any damage is caused, the recipient rarely survives. But this giraffe was very lucky and it has not stopped him living a relatively normal life. While he can no longer reach the taller branches of the acacia tree that forms a large part of a giraffe’s diet, the lower branches are well within reach, which is probably why he has survived so long without help. Females typically have shorter necks than males, so the lower branches are vital for them, too.

After all the heartache – not to say neck ache – we are just happy to see him surviving in the wild. We can only assume he lost out to the other giraffe he was fighting, so he didn’t get the girl.

Let’s hope he meets a new one while grazing on those lower branches. fastjet.com

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Mokoomba

QUOTE

MOKOOMBA From childhood friends to one of Africa’s most popular fusion bands

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imbabwe’s latest music prodigy has hit the big time since winning the Music Crossroads InterRegional Festival competition in Malawi in 2008.

Having toured over 40 countries worldwide, Mokoomba is fast becoming a name to recognise in the music industry. The fusion band – which combines traditional Tonga and pan-African music with rap, ska, soukous and Afro-Cuban influences – has won numerous awards, played for audiences at an array of festivals and concerts and even performed on a 13-date

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UK tour. And now they’re hitting the United States. So what next for Mokoomba? Kate Wingar speaks to bass player Abundance Mutori.

Q. How did the band start?

A. We were all childhood friends in Chinotimba Township in Victoria Falls. We were in the same neighbourhood and went to the same schools, so the band evolved from just playing around together.

Q. How would you describe Mokoomba’s music?

A. We call our music Afro-fusion which is a combination of our Tonga and Luvale traditional rhythms with

a variety of vibes such as ska, soukous, Afro-beat and Afro-Latin music to create our own sound. In other words, our music is very much like us – we love and respect our roots and where we come from, but we are also interested in the best of what is happening in Africa and beyond today.

Q. What was your first big break?

A. It was definitely winning the Music Crossroads InterRegional Competition. The win gave us a chance to record our first CD, ‘Kweseka’, and to tour Europe for the first time. We do not have an official start date as such but by 2008 we had become a professional group.

Q. You have had a lot of success.

What do you put that down to?

A. Our modest success has

PageTitle

Makoomba Award-winning band and lifelong friends

emanated from hard work and dedication. We haven’t taken anything for granted in our career. We believe you are only as good as your last gig, and every performance matters. We have also been fortunate to have had such strong support from our family, fans and management.

Q. What has been your career highlight so far?

A. We’ve had some amazing moments – playing with and on the same stage as some of Africa’s greatest musicians including Baaba Maal, Salif Keita and Hugh Masekela.

Winning the Songlines Newcomer of the Year Award 2013 in London was also very special.

Q. Is it fun to work with your friends every day?

A. In many ways we are more than just friends. After all these years, we are family. There is little we don’t know about each other as we have grown up together. There are few people who share as many memories as we do, so there are a lot of in-jokes as well as appreciation for each other’s talents.

Q. Who’s the messiest and naughtiest?

A. Boys will be boys, is all I can say.

I think when we’re on tour we are all front runners for the messiest award.

The naughtiest is Ndaba Coster. Even though he sits on the drums in the background, he’s always joking and coming up with pretty good imitations of people we know, and no one is spared.

MOKOOMBA – WHO’S WHO DONALD MOYO

MATHIAS MUZAZA

Instrument: Keyboard Height: 1 m 78 cm Favourite song: ‘Dery’ by Salif Keita Fashion style: Urban meets African hipster Hobby: Watching soccer Childhood role model: Bhundu Boys (Zimbabwean band) Can’t live without: WhatsApp Special talent: Cooking

Role: Lead singer Height: 1 m 76 cm Favourite song: ‘Kum Kanda’ by Mokoomba Fashion style: None Hobby: Socialising Childhood role model: Alfred Mjimba Can’t live without: Music Special talent: Making faces

NDABA COSTER MOYO

MITI MUGANDE

Instrument: Drums Height: 1 m 75 cm Favourite song: ‘Oujuelegba’ by Wizkid Fashion style: Street Hobby: Socialising Childhood role model: Alfred Mjimba (Zimbabwean musician) Can’t live without: Internet Special talent: Party DJ

Instrument: Percussion Height: 1 m 80 cm Favourite song: ‘Handinete’ by Victor Kunonga Fashion style: Street Hobby: Recording music Childhood role model: Alfred Mjimba Can’t live without: Phone Special talent: Dancing

TRUST SAMENDE Instrument: Lead guitar Height: 1 m 87 cm Favourite song: ‘Kontana’ remix by Youssou N’Dour Fashion style: Urban meets African hipster Hobby: Eating Childhood role model: Peter Ndlovu (legendary Zimbabwean footballer) Can’t live without: Guitar Special talent: Playing guitar. People love it.

ABUNDANCE MUTORI Instrument: Bass Height: 1 m 76 cm Favourite song: ‘Kalaboncoro’ by Richard Bona Fashion style: Urban meets African hipster Hobby: Watching movies Childhood role model: My father Can’t live without: Internet Special talent: Dancing

Mokoomba Q. You’ve toured in many countries.

Where’s your favourite place to play?

A. The greatest place for us to play is in our home town of Victoria Falls. It’s always special to come back there and play for people who followed and supported us in the early days. Overall, we have been very lucky to have such welcoming audiences everywhere we played, particularly in the most unusual places where we least expected it.

We were overwhelmed by one of the warmest receptions we received in Ulan-Ude, Buryatia, Russia.

Q. How did it feel to open the Harare International Festival of the Arts?

A. It was a big honour and responsibility for us to open HIFA 2015. Our concert was designed to set the tone for the festival so we felt under a lot of pressure. We were also collaborating for the first time with a large number of different performers. It was challenging but we all worked hard, which was worth it as we got an incredible reception.

Q. What’s to come for Mokoomba?

A. Lots and lots is the short answer. We are still a ‘young’ band so we are aiming to have a long career.

We have several new recordings in the pipeline and will be performing in Zimbabwe and around Africa until

the end of the year. We will also be preparing for our 2016 international tour.

Q. Would you like to say anything to your fans?

A. Thank you so much for your continued support, it really gives us inspiration and strength. We are eternally grateful.

‘We have been very lucky to have such welcoming audiences everywhere we played, particularly in the most unusual places where we least expected it’

Fantastic fusion Taking pan-African music around the world

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University

What’s the best thing about university?

THE PEOPLE YOU MEET… If you’ve left for university, or thinking about applying in the future, the whole thing can seem quite daunting, with a brand-new experience lurking just around the corner. With this in mind, ‘Travelsmart’ has put together a rough guide on how to survive university.

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Study hard But don’t forget to have fun

2. WORK HARD, PARTY HARD The main reason for going to university is to learn and to get a good degree. But it’s not the only reason. When people say university was the best time of their lives, we all know they’re not talking about that excellent speech their human rights professor gave one miserable Wednesday morning. They’re talking about the fun times, the parties, the drinking, the dancing. We’re not saying studying isn’t important – it is actually really important – but it’s good to have a balance between working hard and playing hard.

Don’t end up with daily hangovers so bad that you can’t get out of bed until you want to start drinking again, however. Balance is key, and when you have that figured out, it will be plain sailing from then on.

Now, where’s that beer?

3. MANAGE YOUR MONEY 1. TALK TO PEOPLE Whether you’re in university accommodation or living elsewhere, you will come into contact with many different people, most of whom you have never met before but may possibly see again. University is a good way to make new friends, so don’t be afraid to talk to anyone and everyone. Even if you’re shy, don’t be. After all, no one knows – or cares – if you fell over in that club the other night, or used to have braces and a backpack and weren’t one of the cool kids at school.

Just be yourself. People often say the friends you make at university are the friends who will be there for life.

If you’re moving away from the family home, it may be the first time you have had to be properly in charge of your own finances. This, coupled with new friends and a new social life, can lead to lots of money spent on drinks and dining out, and not so much spent on books and bills. While having a money plan may sound like a boring idea, it can really help to plan how much you need to spend on important things like rent, bills and food, so you’re not left broke at the end of the month. Nobody wants to have to ask their parents for a loan and explain that you can’t afford to buy rice for dinner because you had a few too many beers the night before. Make a plan. Stick to it. Thank us later.

4. LEARN TO COOK If you already know how to make the best nyama choma, then you can skip this one. Otherwise, pay close attention. If you’re living away from home and don’t have an unlimited budget, chances are you will have to cook for yourself. We all love going out for a tasty meal every now and again, and when you’ve had a busy day of studying – perhaps while nursing a hangover – the temptation to grab some chicken and fries is too real. But now is the time to perfect your own culinary expertise and have a go at creating your favourite dishes at home. If you’re living with new people, too, cooking together is a great way to learn new things, or pick up some tips, or even teach other people your skills.

5. ENJOY IT! University is a unique experience, and can give you amazing friends, memories and laughter. So be yourself, have fun, and enjoy the journey!

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RogueAgents

SCAM ALERT Beware of bogus travel agents selling fastjet tickets at inflated prices

By Sakina Nanabhai

W

e want to alert readers about scammers who have cheated our valued travellers by selling them fastjet tickets for much higher prices than our actual rates.

Please read this article carefully and beware of rogue travel agents who claim to be fastjet agents but in reality are not associated with our company in any way.

At fastjet we take pride in offering travel to destinations within and outside Tanzania at the best rates.

However, being one of the most popular airlines in Africa can attract scammers and con artists who prey on our customers by purchasing air tickets at the cheapest rates on-line

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and selling them on for more than double the price.

Travelsmart’s Sakina Nanabhai contacted Jai Gilbert, head of marketing at fastjet, to find out more about this fraud.

Scam Jai told Travelsmart: “There are individuals in Tanzania who are setting themselves up as fastjet travel agents and selling tickets, even though they have no experience of the airline or travel industry or the qualifications required to operate in it. They are purchasing fastjet tickets via the fastjet website and selling on to the unknowing customer after hiking up the prices, charging many times the true value of the fares we charge on our website.”

Jai said fastjet customers had been facing trust issues with the airlines.

She said this affected the company’s credibility and brand reputation, which it had worked so hard to build over the past three years.

“This has led to some of our customers being dissatisfied with fastjet as they do not yet know that they have been scammed by these operators,” said Jai. “Customers end up thinking we are overcharging them and that we are being untruthful about our advertised fares and are not delivering against our business model as a low-cost airline.”

In response to customers’

complaints, fastjet is committed to making sure the scammers are unable to fool any other valued customers.

The company has sought government help and is working with the Minister of Transport and Tourism.

“We are well aware of a government-sanctioned trade association that seeks to professionalise the travel

‘The Real Deal strategy is simply a registered network of approved travel agents’

BEST PRICE = OFFICIAL AGENTS Look for our REAL DEAL SEAL

QUOTE

Ticket office Legitimate shops are listed on our website

HOW TO AVOID SCAMMERS Avoid scammers with these useful tips:

The Real Deal Book directly through www.fastjet.com

agent industry,” said Jai. “We are working hand in hand with this organisation to both expose the problem and deal with the perpetrators.”

Apart from seeking help from the government, fastjet is working hard internally as well by developing newer strategies to catch the predators and take legal action against them. “We are enhancing our website to prevent agents from changing the ticket prices,” said Jai. “We are also tracking, monitoring and blocking illegal agents from our website. Apart from that, we are launching a price guarantee that says that if customers find a fastjet fare anywhere that is higher than our advertised website fares, we promise to refund the difference.”

Building trust In order to legitimise the fastjet agents as the ‘real’ agents to put your trust in, fastjet has introduced the Real Deal strategy. “The Real

Deal strategy is simply a registered network of approved travel agents,” Jai explained. “These agents have been vetted by us and have signed a contract to deliver a high standard of customer satisfaction and they have agreed prices that they can charge customers. Each agent is required to secure a financial up-front bond which they use to purchase tickets in advance before selling to the customer. This demonstrates their commitment to working in partnership with us and ensures their financial stability.”

So how do you tell a Real Deal agent from the scammers? “We have provided these registered agents with official Real Deal signage and badges,” said Jai. “We have deliberately made them difficult to fake so that customers can be assured they are our registered agents. The list of registered agents is stored at: www.fastjet.com/ tanzania-travel-agents.”

• Book directly through our website to get the best prices on domestic and international routes. Visit www.fastjet.com • Ring our agents directly via our call centre. Tel: +255 784 108 900 between 06:00 and 22:00 local time.

• Legitimate shops selling fastjet tickets are listed on our website. Visit www. fastjet.com/tz/en/contact/ fastjet to see where our shops are located.

• Ask for our terms and conditions if you suspect you are not booking through a reputable agent.

• Ask for the Real Deal branding when booking through an agent.

• Check the price of your ticket using the Manage Booking option at www.fastjet.com/contact

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LOOK INSIDE

Chaminuka Lodge

By Gary Gimson

WILDLIFE AND SUNDOWNERS – 20 minutes from Lusaka airport

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irport hotels are usually dreary creations, built for single-night guests in need of little more than a comfortable bed and hot shower and somehow lacking any genuine warmth or cheeriness.

It’s not often, in my experience, that an airport’s nearest hotel departs from this description. Yet this is indeed the case in Lusaka, where just 20 minutes’ drive from Kenneth Kaunda International Airport you can spend the night at Chaminuka Lodge, a property set in 10,000 rolling acres with real wildlife to match.

In fact, there are believed to be 72 animal species in the reserve and throughout the year as many as 300 bird species, including a few that are endemic to Zambia.

One of the delights of staying at Chaminuka is to enjoy a glass of something while watching the sun go down over the lake and listening to the sounds of the bush. You don’t get this staying in town.

Chaminuka is famed for its African art and the property is adorned with examples of contemporary paintings and sculpture, the result of over 50 years of collecting by the Sardanis family which own the lodge.

Don’t expect anonymous international-type airport fare, either. Lunch by the pool is usually a barbecue or a buffet and the cuisine eclectic with French, Greek (naturally), Italian, Lebanese and Oriental

Tasteful African styles and contemporary sculptures

influences. Some of these same influences are in evidence in the evenings, except that Zambian game is on the menu and there are a few Indian and Portuguese flourishes.

So why stay in an anodyne airport hotel when you can stay somewhere like Chaminuka? Why indeed?

Traditional The lodge sits on a hill overlooking man-made Lake Chitoka and comprises 30 air conditioned suites, all cleverly decorated in a range of traditional African styles. There are also four tastefully appointed villas.

One of the delights of staying at Chaminuka is to enjoy a glass of something while watching the sun go down over the lake fastjet.com

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT Ama Khofi

By Grace Nyondo

A monarch among cafés

LONG LIVE THE KING!

Lilongwe isn’t known for its extravagant restaurants or diverse coffee shops. But there’s a notable exception in the shape of Ama Khofi – the capital’s king of cafés.

M

any visitors struggle to find somewhere a little different to eat lunch in Malawi’s capital. But Ama Khofi – one of Lilongwe’s better kept secrets – is sure to change that.

Located on Presidential Way and set within the beautiful Four Seasons Nursery gardens, Ama Khofi is an idyllic place for a quiet drink, a midday snack or a meal.

Fondly referred to by regulars as Ama K, the café has a menu ranging from speciality coffees to light lunches, tantalizing burgers, vegetarian dishes and decadent desserts. The chicken noodles and chicken pita wrap are the

most popular dishes, but I would recommend one of Ama K’s salads with ingredients sourced from the surrounding gardens. These organic salads are topped with either juicy strips of chicken or tender fillet steak with an oriental dressing.

Home-made Another best-seller is the café’s famous home-made iced tea, a ‘must try’ for visitors to Lilongwe. Travellers from as far away as the USA make Ama Khofi their first stop from the airport, just for the tea, while many coffee lovers rate the Ama Frappé.

There is plenty to delight those with a sweet tooth. The melt-in-

Relax Enjoy great food in a picturesque setting

your-mouth mocha caramel cake, light and wonderfully moist, is not to be missed. After all, a naughty cake always goes down well after a light, healthy lunch. And if I don’t have you drooling already, the picturesque setting of Ama Khofi is a clincher.

Ama Khofi offers a wonderful outdoor ambience in which family, friends and business diners can relax and unwind over good fresh food.

Visitors are surrounded by trees and flowers while they enjoy consistently delicious and well presented food.

As for the service, the staff of Ama K are second to none.

With lunches ranging in price from MWK 3,400 to 5,400 (US$ 7 to 12), this is not the cheapest café in town. But Ama Khofi does offer the diners of Lilongwe a unique ambience together with an unforgettable eating experience.

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CAR REVIEW Volvo XC90

By Gary Gimson All pictures © Volvo Car Group

QUOTE

REVAMPED SUV IS A WORTHY SUCCESSOR

W

hen Volvo launched the original XC90 back in 2002 it got rave views and the waiting list was soon stretching metaphorically around the block.

Big and chunky, this was Volvo’s first effort at building an SUV. The XC90 also spawned a smaller sibling in the shape of the XC60.

Fast forward 13 years to 2015 and Volvo is now Chinese-owned instead of Swedish and the company has finally come up with a replacement for its original and much-admired XC90. But is it any good and a worthy successor to the original?

Styling At first sight, the new XC90 looks boxier and somehow less sleek (if a lumbering 4x4 can ever look sleek).

In this regard, Volvo seems to have given the XC90 the same kind treat-

ment that Ford meted out to its Kuga model. The front is completely different, but the rear has retained some of the unique styling of its predecessor.

The vehicle is certainly longer and taller and sits lower on the road than the old model. Engines are 2.0 litre, four-cylinder Drive-E powertrains fitted with Volvo’s eight-speed transmission. Favourite among East African buyers, there is also a choice of two petrol engines: a 320 HP T6, producing 400 nm of torque, and a turbocharged 254 HP T5, producing 350 nm of torque. The two diesel options are a twin turbo 225 HP D5 producing 470 nm of torque and a turbocharged 190 HP D4 producing 400 nm of torque.

Top of the range will be the XC90 Twin Engine – the obligatory plug-in hybrid with a petrol engine up front and an electric motor shoehorned

Volvo XC90 A credible effort

into the rear. Using the electric motor only, the XC90 has a range of just 40 km. As with other hybrids, it’s unlikely that we are going to see these in East Africa any time soon.

For me, the new Volvo XC90 is a credible effort. It offers a go-anywhere capability, but doesn’t quite cut it head-to-head with obvious rivals like the Range Rover and Toyota Land Cruiser.

Would I have one in preference?

Let me think about it.

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TECH REVIEW

GoPro HERO 4 Session

By Robert Deaves ymgerman / Shutterstock.com

Small is beautiful,

BUT CUBED IS COOL recent releases. The GoPro HERO 4 Session, in black or silver, is the smallest, lightest and most convenient camera yet produced. It is also the first to be produced in a cuboid shape. At 50 per cent smaller and 40 per cent lighter than its predecessors, it is also the most wearable tech item the company has produced.

Alfonso de Tomas / Shutterstock.com

G

oPro has dominated the realm of professional quality high-definition waterproof action cameras since the California-based company released its ground-breaking GoPro 35 mm HERO in 2004.

But the future was digital and two years later the GoPro HERO 1 was launched. The rest is history, with more than 12 models produced since 2004.

The internet is now littered with amateur GoPro video clips, generally of extreme sports, and it is estimated that around 6,000 new GoPro videos are uploaded to YouTube each day.

GoPro’s latest offering is a small but significant departure from

Smooth The HERO 4 Session captures high resolution 1440p30 and 1080p60 video that is both sharp and lifelike, while the high frame rate enables exceptionally smooth slow-motion playback. It also captures stills up to 8 MP, with time lapse options

from 0.5 to 60 seconds. As you’d expect from a GoPro, versatility is as standard as reliability. Operation is simplicity itself – one button to start and stop – but the camera is also packed with features such as auto low light mode, extra wide angle, tagging while recording, Protune for professional productions, remote control through the GoPro app, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and free GoPro Studio software.

Another departure for the HERO 4 Session is its integral waterproof housing, making it both rugged and convenient to use. It is also designed to work seamlessly with the wide range of existing mounts and accessories to give more mounting options than ever.

With retail prices from US$ 400, there is a much smaller departure in price from the existing ‘full-sized’ models, but for those following the company slogan ‘Be a Hero’ its small size comes into its own when jumping off tall buildings, surfing huge waves or skiing down a challenging piste. Is there a hero in you?

GoPro HERO4 Small but perfectly formed

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Valentin Valkov / Shutterstock.com

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LATEST RELEASES

What’s new in your bookshop and cinema

BLOCKBUSTERS

SPECTRE Starring: Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Christoph Waltz Director: Sam Mendes Genre: Action, Adventure Bond is back for another adventure, and this time, he is sent on a trail to uncover a sinister organisation.

A cryptic message from his past leads him to a confrontation with SPECTRE and he must unravel the deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind the shadowy organisation.

007 soon discovers the only way to do this is to protect the daughter of one of his enemies. Meanwhile, M is battling political forces to keep the Secret Service in operation after the destruction of its headquarters.

BOOKWORM

PAN

THE EDIBLE ATLAS:

Starring: Levi Miller, Garrett Hedlind, Hugh Jackman Director: Joe Wright Genre: Family, Fantasy

Around the World in ThirtyNine Cuisines

By Mina Holland

This new take on the classic fairy tale delves into Peter Pan’s past, before he became the boy who would never grow up. The young Peter was living a harsh life in an orphanage before a magical flying ship arrives to take him to Neverland. All is not well, however, as he gets taken prisoner by pirate Blackbeard and he must team up with James Hook (before he lost his hand) and Tiger Lily to defeat the evil pirate and bring peace to Neverland.

Need some inspiration for dinner tonight? Mina Holland’s informative cook book takes the reader on a journey through her travelling and tasting adventures and celebrates the love of food all over the world.

From Normandy in France to Sichuan in China to California in the United States, Mina offers both recipes and personal thoughts on the 39 types of cuisine. The recipes are clear and easy to follow and the history and importance of the foods in their regions make it that bit more interesting than your standard cookbook.

WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY BESIDE OURSELVES

By Karen Joy Fowler Shortlisted for the acclaimed Man Booker Prize 2014, Karen Joy Fowler’s novel centres on Rose, a college student who has decided not to tell anyone anything about her family. Her mysterious family life is revealed slowly and carefully. She used to have a brother and sister but now she is an only child. Her sister Fern was a unique character.

Her mother had a breakdown when Rose was five. Rose’s memories are blurry, but she tells her story wittily and grippingly, with an excellent twist you won’t see coming.

Not flying? View travelsmart anytime, anywhere Visit: fastjet.com/travelsmart-inflight-magazine

Subscribe for FREE and receive each issue direct to your inbox

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20kg

20kg

80kg

20kg

$6 R 78 Tsh 13,200 ZMW 51 Ush 24,000 MWK 3,600

$15 R195 Tsh 33,000 ZMW 128 Ush 60,000 MWK 9,000

$80 R1,040 Tsh 176,000 ZMW 680 Ush 320,000 MWK 48,000

$15 R 195 Tsh 33,000 ZMW 128 Ush 60,000 MWK 9,000

TRAVEL INFORMATION TEJTS AF

20kg $30 Pre-paid R 390 Tsh 66,000 20kg ZMW 255 $6 Ush 120,000 R 78 MWK 18,000 Tsh 13,200

Domestic Paid at airport 20kg

ZMW 51 Ush 24,000 MWK 3,600

$15 R 195 Tsh 33,000 ZMW 128 Ush 60,000 MWK 9,000

FASTJETTER’S TOP TIPS

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Here are a few tips to help you make the most of our great prices and extra services.

1234 5678 8765 4321 Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg

CREDIT CARD 1234 5678 8765 4321 Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg

01 BOOKING Remember: secirp egaggaB

Baggage prices* • Book at fastjet.com or via our call centre +255 784 108 900 to pay at the c i t s e m o D Domestic International lowest prices.

Pre-paid - Pre paid Paid at airport Paid airport diap erP - •yt hBook gierF astrearly diato pat -eget rP the Freighty opria tPre-paid aasdipossible aP best price.

20kg 80kg 20kg gk08 gk0220kg gk20kg 02 •

You can book your ticket & pay later with $6 $15 $80fastjet ticket $15 time limits. $30 08$ 51$ R 78 6$R195 R1,040 R 195 R 390 040,1•R For a small fee 591 RTshyou 8Tsh 7 R33,000 your flight 13,200 can change Tsh 176,000 Tsh 33,000 Tsh 66,000 up to 6 hours before departure.

000,671 hsT 000,33 hZMW sT 51 002ZMW ,31 hsT128 ZMW 680 ZMW 128 ZMW 255 Ush 320,000 Ush 60,000 Ush 120,000 086 WMZ 821 WUsh MZ 24,000 15Ush WM60,000 Z •

You can pre-book your favourite seat.

MWK 3,600 MWK 9,000 MWK 48,000 MWK 9,000 MWK 18,000 000,023 hsU 000,06 hsU 000,42 hsU 000,84 KWM 000,9 KWM 006,3 KWM • You can book car parking and car rental through our website.

FASTJETTER’S TOP TIPS

estic

02 BAGGAGE CREDIT CARD

Remember:

1234 5678 8765 4321 Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg

DRAC TIDERC

FASTJETTER’S TOP TIPS

• To pre-book your hold luggage to get the best price. Passengers can check-in a maximum of 1 bag (20 kg) on domestic flights and a maximum of 2 bags (40 kg) on international flights.

CREDIT CARD • Every ticket allows you to take 1 piece of hand luggage on board for Dar es Salaam to free. Your hand luggage must be no bigger than 56 x 45 x 25 cm. See the Johannesburg illustration to the right for further guidance.

• Passengers travelling from South Africa may bring one item of hand luggage at a maximum weight of 7 kg. prices* •Baggage Passengers wanting to carry more baggage weight on flights may purchase in advance ‘Freighty’ 80 kg of luggage for $80 1 3 2D 78S8s76e5 r4a 4 a56la 12 3a ot m grubsennahoJ

1234 5678 8765 4321

International

t airport 0kg

Freighty - Pre paid BaggagePre-paid prices* CREDIT CARD

1234 5678 8765 4321 Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg

Pre-paid

$15 R 195 33,000 MW 128 60,000 K 9,000

20kg

80kg Domestic 20kg $6 R 78 Tsh 13,200 ZMW 51 Ush 24,000 MWK 3,600

Paid airport $80 at DRAC TIDERC 20kg R1,040

Freighty - Pre $15paid

1 3 2D 78S8s76e5 r4a 4 a56la 12 3a ot m

nnahoJ grubse$15 Tsh 176,000 R 195 ZMW 680 Tsh 33,000 ZMW 128 Ush 320,000 Ush 60,000 MWK 9,000 MWK 48,000

* Subject to change due to currency fluctuation.

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80kgR195

$80 33,000 Tsh R1,040 ZMW 128 Tsh 176,000 ZMW 680 Ush 60,000 Ush 320,000 MWK 48,0009,000 MWK

Paid at airport International 20kg Pre-paid

Paid at airport $30 R39020kg $15 $30 Tsh 66,000 R195 R390 ZMW Tsh 25566,000 Tsh 33,000 ZMW 128 ZMW 255 Ush 120,000 Ush 60,000 Ush 120,000 MWK 9,000 MWK 18,000 MWK 18,000 20kg

03 CHECK-IN Remember: • To have already checked in 40 minutes before the departure time.

• To bring the credit card you booked your flight with. A photocopy of the credit card will also suffice.

• In the unlikely event of a long delay or cancellation, fastjet will put you on the next available flight or refund your ticket in full.

04 ON-BOARD Remember: • We offer food and beverages on board all our flights for an additional fee.

CREDIT CARD 1234 5678 8765 4321 Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg

International Freighty - Pre paid

Pre-paid

Paid at airport

80kg

20kg

20kg

$80 R1,040 Tsh 176,000 ZMW 680 Ush 320,000 MWK 48,000

$15 R 195 Tsh 33,000 ZMW 128 Ush 60,000 MWK 9,000

$30 R 390 Tsh 66,000 ZMW 255 Ush 120,000 MWK 18,000

VISA INFORMATION 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.

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

Tanzanian visas 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, 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.

• 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.

South African visas Visitors’ visas are a requirement for many travellers entering South Africa on a temporary basis. The purpose of visit can be for either business or leisure but is restricted to 90 days or less when using a visitor’s visa. For longer trips a different type of visa is required and information regarding this can be obtained from the Department of Home Affairs.

The visa application must be produced on arrival and visitors are restricted to the activities given as the reason for travel during the visa application process.

For a smooth trip, ensure that visas are applied for before departure as they are not issued on arrival in South Africa.

Moreover, the visa must be fixed to a passport and shown to immigration upon landing. Visa applications do not need to be submitted in person but can be submitted on behalf of the traveller, for example, by a travel agent.

Non-South African nationals travelling to South Africa must provide evidence of an onward ticket (return ticket). Buses and train tickets are not accepted. If travelling with children under 18 a long form birth certificate in English language is required for each child as of 1 June, 2015 There are other visa requirements that must be adhered to for entry into South Africa: • A valid passport needs to be produced which must not expire for at least 30 days after the duration of the intended visit

• Any other gazetted entry point.

• At least two full, unused pages left in the passport

• From Tanzania High Commissions or embassies abroad.

• Travellers also require a completed application for visa form

For more information on Tanzanian diplomatic missions visit: www.tanzania.go.tz

• A yellow fever vaccination certificate if over one year of age and travelling from a yellow fever belt country

• Documentation confirming the purpose of stay • Two colour passport photographs • A return or onward ticket is also a necessity There is a fee associated with obtaining a visa, this fee can change often but can be checked by contacting the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa. For this and further information on visa requirements for entering South Africa visit www.home-affairs.gov.za

FLEET INFORMATION Airbus A319 – Quick facts Length:............................................ 33.84 m / 111 ft Height:..................................... 11.76 m / 38 ft 7 in Wingspan:........................... 34.1 m / 111 ft 11 in Maximum capacity:........................ 156 seats Cabin length:........................... 23.78 m / 78 ft Range:........................... 6,850 km / 3,700 Nm Maximum speed:.......................... Mach 0.82 Number of aircraft:.............................................. 6

Greener flights through innovative design fastjet operates a fleet of A319 jets manufactured by Airbus as part of the A320 family of aircraft. Identical to the A320 except in length, the A319 is a single aisle twin-engine jet designed to carry up to 156 passengers. These highly efficient aircraft have a low environmental impact. Moreover, comfort has been improved for the smaller jet and the state-of-the-art A319 has a wide single-aisle fuselage, which gives a generous seat width, thus helping to maintain the high level of comfort that modern air travellers have come to expect.

fastjet.com

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THE FASTJET NETWORK

Lilongwe

Discover our routes FASTJET CONTACTS CALL CENTRE: +255 784 108 900 To book tickets or for any customer service enquiries.

fastjet Ten West ticketing & reservations office Ten West Office, Ground floor, 10 Vingunguti, Nyerere Road, Dar es Salaam

fastjet Tanzania & Dar es Salaam ticketing & reservations office Samora Tower, Shop No 1, Ground floor, opposite the NHC House, Samora Avenue

Tel: +255 784 108 900 Email: sales.tanzania@fastjet.com

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Mwanza Hotel, Kenyatta Road

Tel: +255 784 108 900

Tel: +255 784 108 900

South Africa

fastjet Julius Nyerere International Airport Tel: +255 784 108 900

fastjet South Africa Reservations Office

fastjet Arusha ticketing & reservations office Corridor Springs Hotel, Ground floor, Ingira Road

Tel: +255 784 108 900

Tanzania

Mwanza Town Office

Mbeya Airport at Songwe Tel: +255 784 108 900 Moshi Office

Holiday House, 156 Bram Fischer Drive, Randburg, 2194

Tel: +27 11 289 8090 Email: sales.southafrica@fastjet. com and customer.southafrica@ fastjet.com

Zambia c/o InterContinental Hotel, Haile Selassie Ave, Lusaka

Kaunda Street, Opposite Kilimanjaro Crane Hotel

Tel: +260 971 683 891

Tel: +255 784 108 900

Zimbabwe

Mwanza Airport Tel: +255 784 108 900

c/o Star Travel, 180 Fife Avenue, Harare

Tel: + 263 864 455 66 77

Malawi Lilongwe 441 Chilanga Drive, Area 10, Lilongwe

Tel: + 265 179 4666

Lilongwe Airport Tel: + 265 170 0555

Uganda Entebbe Airport Kampala Road, Entebbe

Tel: +256 750 080 190

Travelcare Lugogo Mall Kampala

Tel: +256 750 080 190

Simba Travel 8 Colville Street Kampala

Tel: +256 750 080 190