Spring 2017
Contents: Travel Industry News World Heritage Sites Africa’s Top Lodging Open Africa to Africans Cruising African Cuisine
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In This Issue…
5 Publisher’s Message
Features
7 Travel Industry News 12 New Seychelles Resort 18 Total Solar Eclipse 24 Getting Two Passport
25 World Heritage Sites 30 The Diamond Safari 38 Shoul You Bring Kids on a Safari 40 Get a Passport in 24 Hours 42 Best Safari Lodges and Camps 44 World’s Oldest Library Library to Reopen 46 Get These Travel Apps 49 Global Entry or PreCheck Might be Free 3 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
50 Protect Your Passport 52 Travel Africa Where to Go, What to Do 58 Hotels Embrace Keyless Entry 64 A Lost Continent Found 66 Will Smith Bungee Jumps 68 Cruises on the Zambezi 72 I’m Black and I Travel 80 Golf Africa
Culture
84 African Cuisine Zambezi Region Recipies
Connec ng the USA to West Africa and Beyond
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From the Publisher...
T Earl “Skip” Cooper, II - Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Black Business News Group Sarah Harris - Associate Editor Narishima Osei - Production Manager Sarah Harris - Graphics La Sandra Stratton - Content Administrator Lion Communications - Layout/Typesetting Black Business News Group P.O. Box 43159 Los Angeles, CA USA 90043 1-323-291-7819 info@blackbusinessnews.net www.blackbusinessnews.net View the publication at: https://issuu.com/blackbusinessnews
Featured Destinations... Republic of Namibia Republic of Angola Republic of Zambia Republic of Scychelles Republic of Mozambique Republic of South Africa United Republic of Tanzania Republic of Botswana Republic of Kenya Kingdom of Morocco Republic of Mauritius
ravel for fun or business has become a challenging proposition with the ascension of the new Administration for the USA. Politics not with standing, the traveller must now be armed with all of the documentation and information possibile. We have featured several articles on passports and travel tools Earl “Skip” Cooper, II in this issue of Travel Africa Publisher/Editor-in-Chief to help you create a protective Black Business News Group shield to be able to leave and reenter the USA with as little disruption as possible. In these times, tourism itself becomes a political statement. Even if we have some reservations about some in the world community, we really don’t want to live the closed border lifestyle. We want to travel freely around the world for business and pleasure. And, just a reminder - All Travel Is Business. The Black Business News Travel Africa is, we hope, an inticing invitation to all of our readers to travel to Africa and for you to see the amazing people, the wildlife, the landscapes, the history and the pleasure resorts, etc. When you know for yourself, no one or no regime can close the borders of your mind. No one or no regime can wantonly misdirect your thinking and understanding. Travel for fun, travel for business, travel for freedom. Thanks for reading our publication and let us know what you think.
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Travel Industry News GBTA Convention 2017
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BTA Convention is the world’s largest business travel event. Over 7,000 business travel professionals from around the world will be gathering in Boston this year for stateof-the-art education, exclusive networking opportunities and news on the latest innovations in the industry. GBTA Convention 2017 marks the 49th edition of The Business Travel Event of the Year® and our theme this year, Convergence, was developed to address the latest trends, issues and guidelines that have emerged as the business travel industry has evolved. For participation information and registration visit: http://convention. gbta.org/Register.
July 15 – 19, 2017 Boston Convention & Exhibition Center Boston, MA http://convention.gbta.org/
United Partners with TSA
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nited Airlines has become the latest big U.S. carrier to say it’s teaming up with the Transportation Security Administration to speed up the screening process. United says its collaboration with the TSA will bring automated
security screening lanes to several of its busiest hub airports, starting with Newark Liberty by this fall. Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles also will get the modernized checkpoints. The primary advantage for travelers is that the lanes work for carry-on bags like cafeteria conveyor belts that carry away dirty dishes. Up to five travelers at a time can place their belongings in bins to be screened, so faster travelers aren’t slowed down by people with more belongings as they move to metal-detectors or full-body scanners. Another advantage is that the conveyor brings empty bins back to the start of the line automatically, so that staffers don’t need to retrieve bins and carry them around. For better security, the bins are marked with electronic tags linked to each traveler, and each bin is photographed. The so-called “automated” lanes reduce screening times by about 30% as compared to standard checkpoint setups, TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger told USA TODAY last week. They’re already in place at a number of overseas airports, but are new to the USA. Neffenger said up to 60 automated screening lanes will be installed at large airports by the end of the year. United will team up with the TSA to establish TSA Precheck enrollment centers at “convenient locations,” including a temporary location at Chicago’s landmark Willis Tower. www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/ todayinthesky/2016/07/20/unitedlatest-partner-tsa-speedier-securitylanes/87330954/
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in Tourism Product Development’
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he World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ethiopia are jointly organizing the UNWTO Regional Workshop for Africa: ‘Keys to Success in Tourism Product Development’, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the kind invitation of the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The 2-day regional workshop on keys to success in tourism product development is open to the local tourism stakeholders in Ethiopia and participants from the region. Sustainable and competitive tourism product portfolios require an adequate policy and effective institutional framework which must enable an integrated approach and public private partnerships all through the tourism value chain. The regional workshop aims at: • Establishing the key factors that determine the success of Tourism Product Development; • Diversification of opportunities; • Empowerment of the policymakers to have the capacity, knowledge and skills to develop and implement an effective tourism product development. At the end of the workshop, participants will have a rich foundation to create a platform for dialogue amongst African destinations and stakeholders, improve performance of the tourism sector and further enable them to explore key principles of sustainable tourism product development in Africa whilst see Travel Industry News on page 8
Travel Industry News from page 7
taking into consideration the main objectives of the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. http://africa.unwto.org/news/2016-06-27/ unwto-regional-workshop-africa-keyssuccess-tourism-product-development
Lufthansa Offers TSA PreCheck Privileges
If you’re TSA PreCheck and do any international traveling on a foreign airline, you’re probably used to that sinking feeling that comes at the airport checkpoint—yep, your TSA PreCheck membership means nothing. Make that most foreign airlines. Recently, Lufthansa became the first European flag carrier to extend PreCheck privileges to its passengers, who will now get that coveted “TSA PreCheck” on their boarding passes if they belong—another good reason to pay the $85 fee for a five-year membership—and will be able to
pass through PreCheck lanes at airport security checkpoints around the U.S. without removing their shoes, laptops, or jackets. The only other foreign carrier outside of North America to give this perk to fliers, so far, is Etihad Airways. www.cntraveler.com/story/lufthansais-first-european-airline-to-offer-tsaprecheck-privileges?mbid=nl_090916_Da ily&CNDID=38890654&spMailingID=9489 520&spUserID=MTQ5NTc0OTAyMDYxS0 &spJobID=1000742548&spReportId=MTA wMDc0MjU0OAS2
World’s Busiest Airport
Now, according to the Airports Council International’s 2015 World Airport Traffic Report (www.aci.aero/Data-Centre/MonthlyTraffic-Data/Worldwide-Airport-TrafficSummary), we can officially say
that Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International is the busiest passenger airport in the world. According to the report, more than 101 million passengers passed through the airport in 2015,
an increase of 5.5% over 2014. That the Atlanta airport would take top honors is not altogether that surprising—it has held the title for 18 years in a row. Why? Chalk it up to location, location, location: Within a two-hour flight of 80% of the U.S. population of more than 300 million people, Atlanta serves as a major connecting hub and port of entry into North America. Beijing Capital International Airport, which saw 89.9 million passengers in 2015, took second place in the rankings. The airport to watch? Dubai International, which saw its total passenger traffic grow by 10.7% over 2014, and which came in third place. (Dubai International Airport is also the world’s busiest in terms of international passengers.) http://www.cntraveler.com/story/this-is-thebusiest-airport-in-the-world?mbid=nl_021617_ Intel&CNDID=38890654&spMailingID=104469 84&spUserID=MTQ5NTc0OTAyMDYxS0&spJ obID=1101324164&spReportId=MTEwMTMyN DE2NAS2
http://wildafricacream.blogspot.com
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www.goway.com/trip/africa-and-middle-east/cape-cairo-journey-lifetime
www.airnamibia.com.na
Monrovia, Liberia www.rljkendejaresort.com
First-class amenities catering to international leisure travelers. For the business minded traveler, the RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas offers full service business amenities along with meeting and function space for business and personal events. Amenities include ocean front beach, pool, spa, dining room, and relaxing bar.
SAFARI SUPREME
The Finest in Safari Travel Enjoy an adventure of a lifetime. Bring a friend, share a memory.
Sign up with: Julien Dothard P.O. Box 1736, Hollywood, CA 90078 E-mail: dothard@sbcglobal.net Phone: 1-818-419-8639 11 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Four Seasons to Operate Another Seychelles Resort By Danny King
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our Seasons will take over the Desroches Island Resort in the Seychelles, and the resort will reopen in late 2017 after extensive renovations. The Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island will have 40 beach suites (each with a private plunge pool) and 11 villa residences. The property, which is a 35-minute flight from the Seychelles’ capital of Mahe, features about 9 miles of beaches on the Indian Ocean as well as coconut groves. Upon reopening, the resort will offer water activities
such as diving, snorkeling and fishing as well as land sports like cycling and hiking. Desroches Island Resort, which opened in 1985, will become Four Seasons’ second resort. The 67unit Four Seasons Private Residences Seychelles opened in 2009.
Four Seasons Private Residences Seychelles Welcome to Four Seasons Private Residences Seychelles. Surrounded by the clear azure sea, caressed by gentle winds, lies the unspoiled islands that make up the Seychelles archipelago. Among powder-fine beaches lies island-rustic yet luxurious
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Four Seasons real estate. In balmy temperatures, you can coast across the water in your own sailing boat, tour a former sugar plantation and fall asleep under the stars. Enjoy once-ina-lifetime views of the see page 14
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Four Seasons Private Residences Indian Ocean from your spacious and secluded hilltop retreat.
Available for you to own is the sophisticated and renowned service of Four Seasons. Welcome to life at its best. ď ‘ www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/
Four-Seasons-to-operate-another-Seychellesresort?cid=eltrMtgNews http://www.fourseasons.com/content/ fourseasons_residences/en/private_ residences/seychelles/
Two Beautiful Beaches
Pansy Island, Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique
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s reported in the daily Condé Nast Traveler news brief of September 4, 2016, two of the 20 most beautiful beaches in the world may be found in Africa, the Sychelles and Mozambique. Anse Lazio (#4 on the list), on the northwest tip of Praslin island, is known widely as the most beautiful beach in the Seychelles and is by far the most photographed. It’s no wonder: The beach is long and broad with velvety sand and shocking blue water, and it’s fringed with swaying palms and leafy takamaka trees. To add to the drama, it’s also framed by enormous granite boulders on either side. Pansy Island, in the Bazaruto Archipelago, of
Mozambique is #3 on the list. A group of six islands that remain under the radar, despite their increasing popularity among those in the know (divers especially). Only four are inhabited, with Pansy Island being but a sandbar on which resorts like the Anantara (http:// bazaruto.anantara.com) can arrange for private lunch excursions. Known collectively as “The Pearl of the Indian Ocean” Bazaruto is most easily reached by air from Johannesburg to Vilanculos, and then onward by small aircraft or boat. Written by David Jefferys http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-02-24/top-10-mostbeautiful-island-beaches-hawaii-australia?mbid=nl_090416_Daily &CNDID=38890654&spMailingID=9462449&spUserID=MTQ5NT c0OTAyMDYxS0&spJobID=1000308486&spReportId=MTAwMD MwODQ4NgS2
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Anse Lazio, Praslin island, Sedhelles
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Make Your Plans Now to View 2017’s and 2019’s Total Solar Eclipse in Africa
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n February 26, 2017 the Annual Total Solar Eclipse will be visible from several nations on Africa’s West Coast, Central and Southern nations. The total eclipse will be visible in the Republic of Angola, portions of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Zambia (see the deep tan swirl on the map). The lighter tan swirls on the map indicate partial eclipse viewing areas. A New Moon will completely block out the Sun for a few minutes, throwing about a 70-mile Moonshadow across the land. Stand anywhere under that shadow and you get to glimpse totality, when everything goes pitch black and—if there are clear skies—you can see a “hole in the sky.” Around the Moon, the Sun’s mesmerizing corona is visible, creating what looks like ice-white ribbons billowing in the wind. You can usually see arches of red light—super-heated plasma that are about the size of Earth— twisting from the surface. It’s hypnotizing, especially through any cheap binoculars. The experience lasts a little over 2 minutes. Totality will make you shiver, it will make you cry, and it will make you beg for more. That’s why you need to book your trip now, because legions of eclipse-chasers from around the world will be reserving prime viewing sites as early as possible. So if experiencing this type of natural wonder is up your alley, begin now seeking tour information or start prepartions for your self-planned mission. You need to make a plan. When it comes to picking a location, clear skies should be
on the top of your eclipse list, so consult weather predictions. Also, consult eclipse viewing safety sites on the Internet for guidelines on protecting your eyes. There is a difference in viewing techniques for full and partial eclipses. Namibia, Anglola’s neighbor to the South, is home to several lodges designated as Dark Sky Reserves by the International Dark-Sky Association. Consider the &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge (www.andbeyond. com/sossusvlei-desert-lodge) as a possible viewing destination. If you select Zambia as your viewing nation include that tour to Victoria Falls (Musi-O-Tunya) and north Zimbabwe. For Angola incude some deep sea fishing out in the Atlantic in your itenerarary. Be prepared to offer greetings and lite conversation in Portuguese. Going to DRC, proactice your French and in Zambia you will be comfortable conversing in English. A Prenumbral Lunar eclipse will take place on February 10th and 11th of 2017. It may be viewed all across the African continent. Why go on this solar eclipse trip now? The next Annual Solar Eclipse will occur on December 26, 2019. Editied and compiled using two articles and seeral websites: www.travelandleisure.com/tripideas/space-astronomy/total-solareclipse-america www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/ solar/2017-february-26 www.andbeyond.com/sossusvleidesert-lodge
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Note: Percentage values (%) r depends on location. Visibility i
Up to 40% of the Sun is covered More than 90% of the Sun is covered Area seeing the total solar eclipse.
relate to moon coverage of the Sun and is weather permitting. Excellent Service
&Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
&Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge Includes Telescope for your private viewing
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PHGMEETINGS.COM
PLANNING RESOURCES FOR THE WORLD’S MOST EXCEPTIONAL MEETINGS HOTELS. Preferred Hotel Group brings together over 700 individual meeting places. From breathtaking resort retreats to smart, city center hotels and boutique incentive experiences, find a unique solution to match every need. Explore the entire collection, find essential resources, access offers, and submit your RFP at PHGMeetings.com. Visit PHGMeetings.com to view properties in Cape Town, South Africa and Marrakech, Morocco.
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How to Get Two Passports by Katherine LaGrave The State Department typically limits citizens to one valid U.S. passport at a time. Yet there are exceptions.
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anting to see the world is a wonderful sentiment, but having a passport in order to do so is something of a necessity. But passports (and the rules, restrictions, and exceptions surrounding them) can be confusing enough. For those who travel often and are not completely disincentivized by what can be a timely bureaucratic process, however, there are a few reasons you may want to try and get two U.S. passports. Why You Need One Give yourself flexibility. If you travel often and are heading to a country that requires a visa before you enter, it can be tricky to manage both current travel and future trips abroad when you have to send your passport away for requisite visas. By keeping a duplicate passport book, travelers or professionals needing to obtain multiple visas (think journalists or executives of multi-national corporations) are able to submit one book for processing while maintaining the other for travel. Executives of multi-national corporations) are able to submit one book for processing while maintaining the other for travel. Get access. One of the most underreported elements of travel seems to be that coming into— or coming home from—politically
sensitive countries can pose some problems at customs, often involving significant questioning. Another access-related passport pain point? Certain stamps can make it more difficult to enter other countries: a stamp from Israel, for example, will make it extremely difficult—or even impossible—to enter countries including Algeria, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates. How to Apply In order to apply for a second, valid passport, you need a few things: A completed DS-82 or DS-11 form, along with a letter explaining the specific reasons you need a second passport (see above) and statement agreeing to immediately report the loss of either passport to Passport Services or the nearest U.S. embassy, consulate, or consular agency. With the letter and form, you’ll also (somewhat 24 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
ironically) need to submit your previously issued, valid, undamaged passport, two identical passport photos, and payment for passport fees. Even with all of the supporting materials, each passport request is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and many applications are not approved. What You Should Know The validity of a second passport is typically two years and cannot be extended, which means that a duplicate passport might not be worth all of the effort unless you’re actually going to use it. Hoping to save yourself some hassle and money in the process? Consider a passport card instead, which still enables you to maintain international travel between visa applications. http://www.cntraveler.com/ stories/2016-03-04/how-to-get-twopassports?mbid=nl_110116_Daily&CNDI D=38890654&spMailingID=9799371&spU serID=MTQ5NTc0OTAyMDYxS0&spJobI D=1040087966&spReportId=MTA0MDA4 Nzk2NgS2
WORLD HERITAGE SITE
These sites, Sanganeb Marine National Park, Dungonab Bay, and Mukkawar Island Marine National Park, Sudan, in the sea north of Sudan are notable for both their rare plant and animal life, which includes red coral, ďŹ sh, turtles, and sharks. Dungonab Bay in particular is a habitat for dugongs, an endangered mammal similar to manatees. http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2016-07-19/unesco-newest-worldheritage-sites/19 http://whc.unesco.org/en/list 25 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
WORLD HERITAGE SITE
The Gebel Barkal is a 324-foot flat-topped mountain that has been sacred since it was deemed holy by Egyptians in 1500 B.C., and its still holy to Muslims who continue to visit it today. Here you’ll also find sacred tombs, pyramids, temples and palaces that date as far back as 900 B.C., and span over a 37-mile stretch on the bank of the Nile. www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/travel-dining/news/g8263/worldheritage-sites/ http://whc.unesco.org/en/list
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WORLD HERITAGE SITE
This sandstone mountain range in Ennedi Massif, Chad is home to one of the world’s ďŹ nest and most comprehensive examples of rock art and carvings. http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2016-07-19/unesco-newest-worldheritage-sites/5 http://whc.unesco.org/en/list
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Suddenly Considering Travel Insurance? You’re Not Alone.
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
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f the attacks in Nice, Brussels, Nairobi and Paris have you thinking about travel insurance, you’re not alone. Industry experts say that consumer interest in terrorism and trip cancellation coverage has spiked after each attack. “Since Brussels, really, we’ve seen that number growing and growing,” said Rachael Taft, a spokeswoman for Squaremouth.com, a travel insurance comparison site. “So it’s definitely top of mind.” After the attacks in Paris and Brussels, Squaremouth.com saw more travelers purchasing trip cancellation policies and searching specifically for terrorism coverage. The company said that the number of customers searching for terrorism coverage increased by an average of 167% in the month after each of the attacks. Also in the month after each attack, Squaremouth.com’s trip cancellation sales were 19% higher than in the same period the previous year. “Unfortunately as a result of activity like this, we do see a slight uptick in people that are interested in travel insurance; it makes them think of risk,” said John Cook, the founder of QuoteWright.com, a travel insurance comparison and shopping site. “We just hate to see events like this happen.” Despite increased interest, travelers won’t be facing rate hikes. “Rates don’t fluctuate due to events,” Ms. Taft said. “Travel insurance rates are heavily regulated.” So are the policies. Mr. Cook said that insurance policies will not suddenly change because of attacks. “You’re not going to see changes in policy language next week, or next month, or three months from now,” he said.
Today, many travel insurance policies include coverage for terrorism. Ever since the attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11, that has been fairly standard, Ms. Taft said. Companies such as Squaremouth.com even have tabs on their websites so that travelers can search for policies with coverage for terrorism. At QuoteWright.com, consumers can compare such rates, or call to speak with an insurance agent about which policy may best suit them. Keep in mind that policies that include terrorism coverage have fine print that experts advise travelers to read carefully. “Most travel insurance policies cover terrorism in very narrowly defined ways,” Mr. Cook said. This is particularly so when it comes to canceling or interrupting a trip already in progress. For example, he said, a policy may say that a terrorist event must have occurred within 30 days before your scheduled departure date. And a policy may exclude coverage for a terrorist attack if one has already occurred in the same place within a certain time period. Christina Tunnah, the regional manager for the Americas for World Nomads, a travel insurance company, said the two major factors that determine whether you have a claim are when you bought the insurance, and how exactly your travels were affected during a terrorist event. For instance, a road closure in the aftermath of an attack that causes you to miss your flight would likely be covered. (When attacks happen, travel insurance companies often post alerts on their websites to help answer consumer questions, and to let them know if an event has, in fact, been officially declared a terrorist attack, which may be required to pursue a claim.) That said, policy rules are not necessarily hard and fast. “Always, always call,” Ms. Tunnah advises travelers who have purchased insurance and are uncertain whether their trip is covered. In some cases the policy you have may say you’re not covered if you cancel a trip to a place that has just suffered an attack — but the insurer may be flexible. “Traditionally insurance doesn’t cover fear,” Ms. Tunnah said, “Yet there are some practicalities that might cause a travel insurance company to make an exception. It’s always very case by case.” She and others in the travel insurance industry point out that travelers are still more likely to die from a disease or, say, from being hit by lightning, than from a terrorist attack. “My advice that I’ve told clients is travel on,” Mr. Cook said. “If you don’t travel, then you’re actually accomplishing what the terrorists want to do.”. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/24/travel/travelinsurance-europe-terrorism.html?_r=1
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Delta Makes Industry-First Move Linking Corporate Meetings with Business Travel
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hen it comes to meeting travel, a simple booking process and flexible pricing are essential. To help Corporate Travel Managers plan and price meeting travel for their company, Delta is proud to introduce Delta Edge™ Meetings, the newest addition to the Delta Edge suite of services*. Delta Edge Meetings is designed specifically for Corporate Travel Managers to integrate with their Delta Corporate Sales Agreement (CSA). With Delta Edge Meetings, Corporate Travel Managers will be able to easily manage their meetings with full visibility into travel with Delta. Beginning August 1, 2016, Delta Edge Meetings will begin rolling out in phases to corporate accounts. The program will provide a number of benefits, including: Outstanding Flexibility: Delta Edge Meetings gives Corporate Travel Managers the flexibility to use
the pricing that provides the most value, ensuring their companies receive the better of Delta Edge Meetings discounts or CSA discounts for meeting travel. Desired Simplicity: After meetings are registered with Delta via the online registration form, meeting travel can be booked via the same channels used for their day-to-day business travel under the CSA. Valuable Benefits: Delta Edge benefits* are now connected to meeting travel, including Corporate Priority benefits like Priority Boarding and access to Preferred Seats for travelers, and the ability for Corporate Travel Managers to use Edge Points for meetings bookings. Plus, Corporate Travel Managers have the option to receive reporting and additional financial incentives. For additional details on Delta Edge Meetings, please contact your Delta Sales Account Executive. https://pro.delta.com/content/agency/global/en/news/newsarchive/2016/july-2016/delta-makes-industry-first-movelinking-corporate-meetings-with-.html
*Delta Edge program benefits (including Operational Performance Commitment, SkyPartner Performance+ and Corporate Priority) are available to select accounts that have U.S. point of sale discounts as part of their Corporate Sales Agreement and an assigned U.S. account manager. Some benefits like Corporate Priority are only eligible on flights that are both Delta marketed and operated. Terms apply and are available at delta. com/edge.
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The Diamond Safari
For the couple who has everything (except a con ict-free diamond).
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ooking for the ultimate proposal idea or a memorable trip to celebrate a relationship milestone? How about going on a diamond safari—a bucketlist jewel-hunting experience culminating in selecting your own rough stone to be cut, polished, and set into a piece of custom jewelry. Ellerman House (www.cntraveler. co m/ hot els/ cap e-to wn/e lle rmanhouse) and Benguela Diamonds
have teamed up to create just that—a once-in-a-lifetime journey tracing the lifespan of the precious gemstone from inception to polish to engagement ring. Launched in September 2016, the custom diamond safari
originates in Cape Town where guests board a charter flight to Port Nolloth, on South Africa’s west coast. After breakfast in a luxurious villa on the coast between the port and McDoogles Bay, guests have the option to join Benguela’s dive masters underwater (PADI Open Water 1 certificate required). Nondivers stay dry on board the boat waiting for the divers to return with seabed gravel, which is sorted using a vibrating pan system— that way, heavier stones, including garnets and diamonds, are separated from the rest. “Mining our own diamonds give us a very exclusive niche in a market where traceability has become
extremely important,” says veteran diamond diver and Benguela Diamonds founder Wynand Hendrikse. “This not only certifies the origin of our diamonds, but is also a guarantee of fair working conditions in our concession.” The company maintains a private ocean concession and also owns and operates its own cutting works and goldsmith. A lunch of fresh line-caught fish or west coast crayfish is served back on land—prepared by your private villa chef, of course—followed by an afternoon of gemstone sorting with experts from the Benguela team, plus an in-depth tutorial on diamond grading. Guests have the opportunity to select a rough diamond to be cut, polished, and set into a piece of custom jewelry—which will be completed and certified within three Diamond Grading
Benguela Dive Master 30 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Ellerman House
working days—before flying back to Cape Town aboard a private charter for Ellerman’s signature Dom Perignon Experience—a guided Champagne pairing and culinary program exclusive to
the hotel. The Ellerman and Benguela diamond safari launched in September 2016 priced at R215,000 (about $14,750) for up to six guests. It includes road transfers, return air transfers on a private plane, and all food and beverages—but does not include the purchase price of a diamond, 31 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
or designing and manufacturing the custom jewelry. www.cntraveler.com/ stories/2016-08-11/this-diamondsafari-is-the-ultimate-proposalidea?mbid=nl_081316_Daily&CNDID =38890654&spMailingID=9352562&s pUserID=MTQ5NTc0OTAyMDYxS0& spJobID=981081792&spReportId=OT gxMDgxNzkyS0
The “PowerEgg” May Be the Most Travel-Friendly Drone Yet By Sebastian Modak
PowerEgg looks a little different from other drones.
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aybe you want the selfie to beat all selfies, taken from the heights of Mount Kilimanjaro; or perhaps it’s the iconic bird’s-eye view of Hong Kong’s skyline as seen from Victoria Peak that you’re after. As drones have transitioned from the stuff of military and surveillance opps to the basements of hobbyists and aviation geeks,
they’re increasingly considered a must-pack tool for casual and professional travel photographers. But you know robots—they can be a real hassle to take on the road. They’re heavy and unwieldy—and the X-shaped quadrocopters that currently dominate the industry don’t exactly make for a tidy packing experience. Until there was...the PowerEgg. 32 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
It’s a new, unconventionally shaped drone (hint: it’s in the name) from Beijing-based PowerVision Robotics that seeks to disrupt the rapidly growing consumer drone market. The PowerEgg was available for pre-sale in 2016 and after seeing it in-flight, we’d venture to say it’s the most travelfriendly drone out there right now. Its design means it can slip into
a carry-on, without you worrying about an important component snapping off as you toss your bag into a cab or the overhead bin. Those curves in no way disrupt its stability, but they do slow it down a bit: Its max speed is 13 meters per second compared to the popular DJI Phantom 4’s 20 mps, but unless you’re trying your hand at drone-racing—yes, it’s a thing—that shouldn’t deter you. This is a drone for the casual flier, looking for quality footage from its
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the commercial market—and the first time you see that robotic knowhow at work is when the PowerEgg takes off. After pulling out the four propellers from the main egg body, the drone levitates with the touch of a button, the sleek landing gear folding back into the egg and adding that extra “Hey, I’m a robot!” flare. A built-in GPS system (that all competitive drones have these days) means it knows where it is outside, but an added Vision Positioning S y s t e m uses ground recognition and sonar technology so you can fly it indoors, t o o — s a y, around a warehouse or large concert hall—without crashing straight into the ceiling. Another f e a t u r e setting it apart from other drones is in the controller mechanisms. That is, it comes with two: the conventional two-handed r e m o t e c o n t r o l Closed, the PowerEgg looks more like a futuristic (think: Xbox controller) football than a drone. Courtesy PowerVision and the PowerEgg 4K camera, but also a user-friendly Maestro, a gesture-based, oneexperience. handed controller that allows you PowerVision is primarily a to take off or land by pressing a robotics company—until now, single button and control the drone they have mostly stuck to building by simply moving your hand (like 33 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
the Wii remote). The 4K camera mounted with a three-axis gimbal at the base of the egg allows for a 360-degree panoramic view, without getting pesky landing gear in your shots, and various automated modes— controlled with a smartphone or tablet—make it easy to get the footage you want, while still using the Maestro controller to fly the drone. Some serious droneheads may get turned off by the limitations of the Maestro, namely its lack of manual control over the camera and the somewhat clunky camera switches for the two-handed controller, but the flip-side is that your kid—you know, the one you’ve been swatting away from your more complicated drone—can get involved in your next majestic videography adventure. At the end of the day, it’s this accessibility that PowerEgg really hits home. The egg is ready to fly pretty much right out of the box and its automated features mean you won’t be afraid of wrecking it on your first foray or when you take it on your next vacation. This thing is smart: If it hits its 23 minutes of flight time and is running low on battery it will fly back home and land on its own; if you take off, and then have a phone call, the egg will hover in place until you’re ready to tell it what to do next. Plus, who doesn’t want to feel like a Jedi, waving your hand in the air and watching a robot follow? The PowerEgg is available for pre-order today for $1,288, with shipments beginning in midOctober. http://www.cntraveler.com/ story/the-poweregg-may-bethe-most-travel-friendly-droneyet?mbid=nl_082516_Intel& CNDID=38890654&spMailingID=9 413415&spUserID=MTQ5NTc0OT AyMDYxS0&spJobID=982072636 &spReportId=OTgyMDcyNjM2S0
Stay connected when traveling to your next meeting or event with Delta and the Delta Meeting Network! Visit www.Delta.com/meetings
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elta is now offering h i g h - s p e e d Internet access on all trans-Atlantic flights between the United States and the UK, mainland Europe, Israel and West Africa. Delta’s Wi-Fi is provided by Gogo and powered by high-speed, Ku-Band satellite technology and is available on up to 83 daily round-trip flights to and from 27 European cities, in addition to Tel Aviv, Israel; Accra, Ghana; Lagos, Nigeria; and Dakar, Senegal. Customers can also enjoy free access to Delta Studio, an in-flight streaming service, which allows them to view entertainment TV options direct to their mobile devices in addition to the airline’s existing on-demand entertainment. With international satellite-based Wi-Fi now installed on Delta’s wide-body fleet, the airline operates the world’s largest Wi-Fi equipped fleet, giving customers more options to stay connected in-flight. Enjoy your flight!
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Water Front Cafe to Check Out, When You’re in Zanzibar By Elizabeth Stamp
The Rock, Zanzibar
Check the tide schedule before heading to the Rock Restaurant, which is accessible by foot only during low tide. (Boats shuttle dinners to and from land at other times.) Set in a former fisherman’s post off the southern coast of Zanzibar, Tanzania, the 12-table restaurant specializes in fresh seafood paired with panoramic vistas. © Tuul and Bruno Morandi / Alamy http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-07-08/the-worlds-most-spectacular-waterfront-restaurants-st-barts-venicemiami?mbid=nl_022017_Daily&CNDID=38890654&spMailingID=10469995&spUserID=MTQ5NTc0OTAyMDYxS0&spJobI D=1101632996&spReportId=MTEwMTYzMjk5NgS2
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Wellness Retreat, Try South Africa By Elizabeth Stamp
Bushmans Kloof, Clanwilliam, South Africa
Located on 18,500 acres of wide open plains at the foot of the Cederberg Mountains, Bushmans Kloof isn’t wanting for extraordinary surroundings. In fact, the resort has enough impressive credentials to make your head spin: The natural heritage site on which it sits is home to more than 150 kinds of birds, 750 species of plants, and 35 species of mammals; and its nook-and-cranny caves are the canvases for over 130 unique rock art sites, some as old as 10,000 years, allowing you to conveniently check your ‘nature,’ ‘history,’ and ‘art’ boxes all in a single go. The spa isn’t too shabby, either: Book a couples massage in the riverside gazebo, preferably while the sun is setting over the nearby Boontjes River. http://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/the-best-wellness-retreats-in-the-world/15
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Should You Bring Kids on an African Safari? By Judy Koutsky From best ages to perfect accommodations, here’s everything you need to know about bringing children on a safari.
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s a mom to two young and very-high energy boys, I often wonder when is the ideal age to take them for a visit. Is Africa a good vacation for kids? “We sell so many family and multi-generation trips to Africa for a reason,” says Daniel Saperstein, co-owner of Hippo Creek Safaris and Condé Nast Traveler travel specialist. “There is something so unique about safari, the closeness of the animals, the amazing people met along the way, and the beauty of the continent.” He notes that an African sojourn is often the “best trip ever taken as a family,” according to the feedback he gets from his clients. Here, what you need to know if you’re planning on taking your kids to this amazing continent.
Q: What’s the earliest age I can bring my kids on safari? Each camp and safari tour company has their own rules on ages, but often this is flexible. “Eight years old is a good age,” says Saperstein. “By this age, the children can engage with the guide
or someone from a local village, and a trip such as this can really have a lasting impression from these kinds of interactions.” Also, kids eight and older tend to behave better out on game drives and back at the lodge.
Q: What about preschool-age kids? “Some camps take infants and toddlers, however, remember the flights are long,” says Linda Friedman, CEO of Custom Safaris and a Condé Nast Traveler travel specialist. It’s not just a matter of what to do with young kids, but how they will adjust to long international flights, the time difference, and early morning wake-up times. You know your kid, but often waiting until a child is a little older makes a better experience for everyone.
Q: Do all camps accept kids? No. You need to check with specific camps to see what their policy is on kids. Some camps in Botswana, Friedman notes, allow kids ages six to 12 to attend game drives at the lodge manager’s discretion. She also notes that nature walks and mokoro (canoe) activities are limited to those over the age of 16. While children younger than six cannot participate in lodge activities, child minders (aka babysitters) can be arranged during activities and at meal times at an additional cost. “Just make sure the tour operator or camp that you pick is flexible in terms of a daily schedule,” says Friendman. “When traveling with kids, you want the option of sleeping a little later or switching around the meal times.”
Q: What about an activeadventure safari trip? A gorilla trek in Uganda (www. cntraveler.com/stories/2015-07-08/ up-close-with-ugandas-wild-gorillas) is a great idea if you’re traveling with teens, as participants need to be 15 years old. There are 38 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
also other activities beyond just the gorillas, including horseback riding, visiting local schools, meeting native Pygmies, and of course adding a few days of safari. It’s a transformative experience for teenagers and the type of thing that can lead to a lifetime of [interest in] conservation.
Q. I don’t want to give my kids anti-malaria pills—where can we go that’s low-risk for the disease? There are a few game reserves in South Africa that are perfectly suited. “The Madikwe Reserve (www.cntraveler.com/hotels/southafrica/madikwe-game-reserve/ madikwe-safari-lodge) has wonderful
and varied game viewing as well as camps that cater to families,” says Saperstein. Also, he notes, Tswalu (www.cntraveler.com/hotels/kuruman/ tswalu-kalahari) is one of the largest
private game reserves in Africa— it’s malaria-free and has fantastic activities for children, including Southern Skies stargazing and daytime meerkat tracking.
Q: If I want my kids exposed to local cultures and traditions, where should I go? Kenya and Tanzania. “Your kids will meet people dressed in their traditional shukas (robes) with beads often from head to toe.
They are not dressing up for tourists, but actually live their daily lives dressed in this fashion,” says Saperstein. You can visit authentic Masai villages, talk to locals and often visit a school or clinic to learn more about daily life here.
Q: Where’s the best place to go if my child is obsessed with lions? “The Masai Mara (www. cntraveler.com/stories/2013-11-05/ masai-training-tourism-kenya-bushadventure) in Kenya is fantastic for lion sightings” says Saperstein. (Evidence: The BBC documentary series Big Cat Diary has filmed there for many years.) If you want to go to South Africa, there are some amazing private gave reserves there as well: Sabi Sand (www.
accommodations should I book? “Go for properties that have family units, two bedrooms, and most importantly, two bathrooms,” says Saperstein. Why? Game drives start early, so you will all be up at dawn. Having more than one toilet and shower is a lot more necessary will speed the gettingready process up.
Q: What about combining safari with other things? “Combining safari with the beach,
cntraveler.com/hotels/south-africa/ sabi-sand-game-reserve/singita-sabisand--south-africa), Thornybush (www.cntraveler.com/hotels/krugernationa l-pa rk/t horn ybush-gamelodge), Madikwe, and Timbavati (www.cntraveler.com/hotels/timbavatiprivate-nature -reserve/makan yiprivate-gamelodge). “Big cat
sightings are a regular occurrence at those parks,” says Saperstein.
Q. What types of
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like Zanzibar, in Tanzania isn’t hard beause you can easily get from one place to another,” says Saperstein. For South Africa, he recommends combing safari with Cape Town (www.cntraveler.com/ destinations/cape-town-south-africa)
which can include fun things for both kids and parents, like penguin tours, Table Mountain hikes, and vineyard visits. http://www.sidaidesigns.com info@sidaidesigns.com
By Katherine LaGrave
C
ommon knowledge dictates that getting a passport takes time and a good bit of paperwork: According to the State Department, routine processing takes four to six weeks, and expedited processing two to four weeks—and it’s all even more of a hassle if you’re applying for the first time. Got a trip to Mozambique on Friday, and no passport to show for it? Worry not: You can actually get a passport in 24 hours. One of the most common approaches to getting a passport quickly in the face of impending international travel is through a Regional Passport Agency, which accepts appointments if you are traveling internationally in less than two weeks or need to obtain a foreign visa within four weeks. Though there are 27 Regional Passport Agencies across the country, most are located in major cities and often require an appointment. And while insiders have told Condé Nast Traveler that these agencies are sometimes able to process passports in one to two days, depending on proof of “immediate” international travel, it can be a time-consuming process that requires the physical presence of the passport holder-to-be. (According to the State Department, getting an expedited passport at an agency takes eight days.) This is where third party passport expeditors come in: For a fee, users fill out and ship paperwork and requisite documentation to a registered third party allowed to submit expedited passport applications on behalf of customers. They then hand deliver the information to a state agency and return a passport to the customer within 24 hours— think of it as a butler service, but for your passport. Fastport Passport (https://fastportpassport.com), established in 2003, is one such company approved for partnering with agents at Regional Passport Agencies. Though Fastport founder and president Steven Fox tells Condé Nast Traveler that the majority of clients don’t need as much of a rush job, Fastport does turn around passports in 24 hours (or less) through existing relationships with airlines and bus carriers to ultimately take the hassle out of the whole equation for the consumer: “The passport process can be stressful enough, and it’s often worse when you need your passport fast,” says Fox of Fastport,
which processes more than 100,000 U.S. passports, international visas, and international driving permits annually. “We can help prevent common mistakes that will cause your application to be delayed or rejected— we are your advocate to help make sure you have your passport on time for your trip.” It’s worth noting that courier companies do not operate as part of the U.S. Department of State, and that the government says there are ways to get a passport just as quickly through a state agency. Got a question about a passport expeditor you’re considering? Contact the Better Business Bureau and local/regional/state Chambers of Commerce, which may be helpful resources. www.cntraveler.com/story/how-to-get-a-passport-in24-hours?mbid=nl_083116_Daily&CNDID=38890654 &spMailingID=9445645&spUserID=MTQ5NTc0OTAy MDYxS0&spJobID=1000005767&spReportId=MTAw MDAwNTc2NwS2
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By Katherine LaGrave
As you ready yourself for world travel, here’s how to avoid any snags. f you’re traveling outside of the U.S., for the most part you need a passport in order to be able to do so. Getting one of those little blue booklets can sometimes be a hassle, however, and takes a bit of planning: There’s the six-month expiration rule to consider, as well as the current longer-than-usual processing times. With this in mind, say officials, it’s important applicants interested in getting a new passport (or renewing an older one) give themselves ample time to do so. Here, some other reasons your passport application may hit a roadblock—and what you can do about it.
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Say cheese Looking good in a passport photo is one thing), but trying to look so good you potentially break the passport photo rules is another. Given that unacceptable passport photos are the primary reason passport applications get held up, it pays to know what will (and won’t) pass muster. Here are some of the most common ways passport photos are deemed ineligible: They were taken more than six months ago, are on a background that’s other than plain white or off-white, or feature headphones or wireless devices. Both eyes must be open, and smiles—yes, they’re allowed—should be “natural.” Glasses, though currently allowed in photos, will be forbidden starting November 1, 2016, so it’s better to be safe than sorry, and swap those frames for some contacts.
Financial flubs Paying for your passport the wrong way—or submitting the wrong amount—leads to many a delay. Writing a check or money order? Ensure it’s made out to the Department of State. At present, an adult application fee will cost $110, with an additional $25 processing fee. Passport cards cost $30, with an additional $25 processing fee, and a passport book and passport card costs $140, with an additional processing fee of $25. Expediting a passport will cost you more, as will paying to get a passport in—why not?—24 hours.
Legal reasons Trouble with the law, or just behind on a few payments? You may find that getting a passport is not as much of a breeze as you once thought it was. Convicted felons will need to first check with their parole officers to ensure they are actually able to apply for a passport; if you owe child support of $2,500 or more you’ll need to settle your finances with your respective state before being eligible for a passport. (This information can take between to and three weeks to process, so if you have outstanding payments, plan ahead.) If you’ve been summoned to court, too, your application may take a bit longer to process.
Messy photocopies Surprisingly, the good old photocopier is to blame when it comes to many denied applications: Make sure the photocopies of your documents used to apply are on white, 8 1/2 x 11-inch standard paper and not double-sided. Shrinking the image size—say, a photocopy of your expired passport—is a no-go, but enlarging is acceptable. Photocopies should also be clear and legible, and should not have anything else written on the pages.
Fraudulent means Safe to say that relatively few people look to forge or tamper with their passports, but it bears mentioning that passports will be denied if applicants are found to have found to have previously obtained a passport through “fraudulent” means, or altered their passport in ways unsuitable to the government. Other reasons, including discrepancies in your signature or the obvious, leaving-information-off-ofyour-required-DS-11 form, can also lead to hiccups or even flat-out denials in the application process. Unsure if you’re ticking all of the boxes? Try the U.S. Department of State’s checklist (https://travel.state.gov/ content/passports/en/passports/apply.html). www.cntraveler.com/story/the-main-reasons-your-passportapplication-will-be-denied?mbid=nl_101116_Daily&CNDID =38890654&spMailingID=9671986&spUserID=MTQ5NTc0 OTAyMDYxS0&spJobID=1020865987&spReportId=MTAy MDg2NTk4NwS2
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Condé Nast Daily Traveller offers this Slide Show of the
Best Safari Lodges and Camps in Africa. You Be The Judge. Enjoy. Black Business News - Travel Africa www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-07-08/the-best-safari-lodges-and-camps-inafrica?mbid=nl_091516_Daily&CNDID=38890654&spMailingID=9525527&spUserID=MTQ5NTc0O TAyMDYxS0&spJobID=1001285544&spReportId=MTAwMTI4NTU0NAS2
andB
Greystoke Mahale, Tanzania
Dum
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Beyond Kichwa Tembo, Kenya
Mara Plains, Kenya
ma Tau, Botswana
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Th World ’ Oldes Liary I Reopenin By Sebastian Modak
Khizanat al-Qarawiyyin, the oldest library in the world, is in the final stages of a three-year restoration and will be reopening soon.
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ez, Morocco, is a bucket-list mainstay for lovers of history, culture, and art—and soon, there may be yet another reason to make the trip. Khizanat al-Qarawiyyin, thought to be the oldest library in the world, will be re-opening in the coming months after three years of restoration. The library has had a long history, and was originally opened in 859 C.E. as a mosque, built by Fatima Al-Fihri, who used the inheritance from her merchant father’s coffers to fund what continues to be a center of learning and scholarship today. In 2012, with the library’s vast collection of religious texts and philosophical treatises decaying in the Moroccan heat, the Moroccan Ministry of Culture began a full restoration of the space, led by the Canadian-Moroccan
architect Aziza Chaouni. When it reopens, the library will retain much of its ancient splendor, but with a few 21st century upgrades including solar panels, a new gutter system, humidity controls, and air conditioning to control the climate that over the years was damaging the building itself—and the 4,000 ancient manuscripts it contains. A state-of-the-art laboratory has been added to the premises as well, where a full time staff will preserve and digitize the texts, and upgraded computerized security systems will replace the lock-and-key doors that housed some of the library’s most valuable pieces. (Although,
it’s not like the ancient method wasn’t thorough. According to the Guardian, some of the most valuable manuscripts, including a ninthcentury Koran written in ornate Kufic calligraphy, were housed for centuries behind an iron door with four locks each corresponding to a key held by a 44 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
different person. For the door to be opened all four key-keepers had to be present.) While the under-the-hood upgrades are crucial to the survival of the artifacts contained within, the most drastic change to the facility may still be a ‘What if?’ According to Town & Country, the library’s architects are lobbying for just one wing to be open to the public when it reopens: Prior to the restoration, the entire building was accessible only to researchers and scholars by appointment, and authorities are yet to decide whether to keep it that way. The summer of 2016 had been the original target date for the library’s reopening, but as that has passed by, a new date has not been announced. According to the Guardian, however, Chaouni and team are shooting for it to be ready before 2017. Since it’s never too early to start planning that cultural pilgrimage, here’s hoping they
decide to at least allow us a glimpse of the treasures contained within Khizanat al-Qarawiyyin. www.cntraveler.com/story/the-worlds-oldest-libraryis-reopening?mbid=nl_092316_Daily&CNDID=3889 0654&spMailingID=9571532&spUserID=MTQ5NTc0 OTAyMDYxS0&spJobID=1001916631&spReportId= MTAwMTkxNjYzMQS2
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10 Free (or Cheap) Travel Apps Worth Downloading By Lucas Peterson
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fter a week of downloading and trying out various travel and navigation apps, I reached an unfortunate conclusion: Most of them are worthless — clunky, buggy, seemingly desultory efforts by developers rushing a poor product to market. There are a few, though, that provide elegant solutions to some of travel’s more common complications, doing what a good app should do: make life easier. Here are seven free travel apps that are worth your time, and three that are worth your money.
FREE Hotspot Shield VPN A VPN, or virtual private network, can be used to bolster online security as well as to access resources that might otherwise be off-limits. I’ve found it particularly useful when I’m in countries that block certain websites. When I was in Bulgaria, for instance, the ticket resale website StubHub is blocked, as is Southwest Airlines. Why, I have no idea, but I had a Southwest reservation that I needed to manage. Using the VPN, I could circumvent the block by connecting with a server in a country that doesn’t have those restrictions. It’s not 100% reliable, and there are ads; you’ll get better service and faster load times with a VPN that you pay for. (Hotspot Shield VPN does have an “Elite” option, with faster servers and no ads, that costs $29.99 per year.) Memrise Are you going to become fluent in French before your trip to Paris? Of course not, but that doesn’t mean you can’t commit a few choice phrases to memory. Memrise, developed by the memory champ Ed Cooke and Greg Detre, a Princeton neuroscientist, makes learning languages fun and strangely addictive through its mix of flashcards and audiovisual games. Users of the free app can choose from among dozens of language courses, some of which are better thoughtout than others. The romance languages, including French and Spanish, are all very good. There’s also an entertaining option called “The Partial Polyglot,” which teaches you a few choice words and phrases in multiple languages. (Memrise offers a “Pro” option,
with more features, for $59.99 per year.) Avast Photo Space Many of us have faced the predicament of running out of room on our phones and have been forced to choose pictures to delete. Avast Photo Space is a new app that aims to eliminate this quandary by connecting to Dropbox or a Google Drive account and uploading the original, high-res photos for safekeeping. You’re left with a smallersized, lower-resolution copy of the picture on your phone. While Avast worked well for me — I was able to upload 100 photos and free up almost 200MB of space on my phone — there are complaints that the app is slow and buggy. An update was introduced on June 25 that clears up some of these issues, but you may want to wait another release or two before investing your time (and photos) in the app. Flight Stats Despite their popularity, you don’t ever need to pay for a flight status app. You can easily Google the information, and if you really need an app to do it for you, FlightStats is the only one you need. The last time I used it, it nailed the time of my flight’s departure, almost down to the minute. FlightStats allows you to search by flight number, airport and
route, and provides basic on-the-ground information at your departure and destination cities. Units Plus The interface is a little simplistic, but this is the best free currency and units converter that I’ve used. While the app is open, it downloads currency exchange rates every 15 minutes, keeping it
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remarkably up-to-date. It will also convert weight, volume, area, distance and nearly anything else you can think of. There is an ad-free version available for $2.99. 5 Every Day It’s a situation we all find ourselves in from time to time: You just want to be told where to go and what to do. Claire Evans and Jona Bechtolt of the indie band Yacht created an app that curates a list of five off-the-beaten path events, restaurants and activities in Los Angeles every day of the year. You’ll get suggestions for theatrical productions, hikes, a Chuck Klosterman reading or dive bars you didn’t know about. The app is simple and intuitive, and mines the city’s events calendar for interesting goings-on. 5 Every Day is free, but allows for the unlimited “fave-ing” of events (that is, saving them for later) for an additional $1.99. It’s Los Angelesonly for now, but hopefully will expand to other cities. Mobile Passport This app from Customs and Border Protection does away with the annoyance of that long customs form you get before arriving in the United States — you keep your passport information and answer all the customs questions on this app. Once you land, you submit your e-form to customs — no more paper slips (you will have to do this every time you reenter the United States, however). Best of all, you get to skip the line and use a dedicated mobile passport lane — at least at the airports where this is in place (about a dozen locations right now, including Kennedy, Newark Liberty and Chicago O’Hare, with plans for expansion).
PAID Touchnote If you’re no good at remembering to send postcards when you’re traveling, this app will do nearly all the work for you. Select any picture from your camera roll, and Touchnote will turn it into a postcard and mail it to any location in the world with a working
postal service. You can add a personalized message on the back, just as you would on an actual postcard. It’s not perfect — a matte finish option would be nice — but that’s a minor complaint. It’s not as exciting as getting a stamp from a foreign country, but if you don’t have time to find a post office, or want to send a customized postcard, this app will do the trick. $1.50 to $2.99 per card. Packing Pro Do you like to get organized? Like, really organized? Then Packing Pro is the app for you. It breaks down your pre-trip routine in such a granular way it’s almost impossible to forget anything. Lists for clothes, accessories, medical needs and toiletries are all available, as well as the ability to set priorities, organize and even photograph clothing and other items you need to bring (or purchase before you leave). Lists can be reused, making it easy to get a solid travel organization regime down pat. $2.99. Human Resource Machine If you’re anything like me, you occasionally need a puzzle game to get you through a particularly arduous flight or bus trip. Human Resource Machine is perfect for those who like logic puzzles — the game is essentially set up as a series of cartoony programming challenges, and you have to create progressively more complicated lines of “code” to complete them. This is not a spaced-out, Candy Crush-like game, mind you — it demands brainpower. $4.99 in the App store. www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/travel/budget-travel-apps. html?t=head&_r=0
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Why You Shouldn’t Throw Away Your Boarding Pass by Katherine LaGrave
J
ust as passports reveal more than they appear to, so do boarding passes. Sure, your name, seat assignment, seat class, and requisite flight information are there in plain sight, but you may want to think twice before snapping a photo of the paper document and posting it on social media—or throwing it away the moment you get off a flight.
Here’s why: Should someone get access to the barcode printed on airline boarding passes, security bloggers have noted that others may be able to discover more about you, your future travel plans, and potentially, your frequent flier account by using sites like these to break apart the barcode. Once they have your confirmation number number and can log in, subsequent options and information are made available— and once they are, someone could even change your seat, cancel
any future flights, and even reset your airline account PIN number. A recent attempt on our end, using a discarded boarding pass, revealed (among other things) the traveler’s name and Passenger Name Record, the code used for finding and tweaking a reservation. Oftentimes, that code is already printed on the boarding pass itself—no barcode needed. The odds of someone actually doing this are, of course, relatively unlikely, and it’s hard to believe anyone would hack your account 48 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
only to swap your aisle seat for a middle. Still, it pays to be careful, which means that you should think twice before posting—and save your paper tickets for the shredder. www.cntraveler.com/ stories/2016-08-02/why-youshouldnt-throw-away-yourboarding-pass?mbid=nl_101016_ Daily&CNDID=38890654&spMaili ngID=9664943&spUserID=MTQ5 NTc0OTAyMDYxS0&spJobID=102 0779489&spReportId=MTAyMDc3 OTQ4OQS2
How to Get TSA PreCheck or Global Entry For FREE!
of $95) so I would not get a card solely for the Global Entry or TSA Pre fee reimbursement. Some of these cards offer additional airline
by Patti, The Travel Sisters
A
few years ago, I applied and was approved for Global Entry. Although I’ve found Global Entry (which also includes TSA Precheck) well worth the $100 application fee, when it is time to renew I plan to get Global Entry for free. There are a couple of ways to get Global Entry or TSA Precheck for free – charge the fee to certain credit or charge cards or be an elite member of certain programs.
Credit/ Charge Cards That Reimburse TSA Precheck or Global Entry Fees: Several credit cards and charge cards provide a reimbursement of the Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fees (the application fee for Global Entry is $100 and the fee for TSA Precheck is $85). It is important to note that although NEXUS and SENTRI include TSA Precheck and Global Entry benefits, the fees for NEXUS or SENTRI are NOT reimbursed by these cards. Below is the list of cards that currently reimburse Global Entry or TSA Precheck fees as a statement credit: • Barclay AAdvantage Aviator Silver World Elite MasterCard (Global Entry only) • Citi Prestige Card • Citi /AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard • Platinum Card from American
• • • • • •
Express Business Platinum Card from American Express OPEN Centurion Card from American Express American Express Corporate Gold Card American Express Corporate Platinum Card U.S. Bank FlexPerks® Gold American Express® Card Chase Sapphire Reserve
The free Global Entry/TSA Pre benefit appears as a statement credit after that card is used to pay for the Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee. The benefit, however, can only be used once every 5 years (4 years for Chase Sapphire Reserve) and only for either Global Entry or TSA Precheck – not both. These cards reimburse TSA Precheck or Global Entry fees as part of their annual travel fee credit benefit: • Expedia+ Voyager Card from Citi • Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card (Global Entry only; must call to request the statement credit) If you have any of these cards, make sure you take advantage of the fee credit. If you are considering applying for one of these cards, do so before applying for or renewing your Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check. Most of these cards charge high annual fees (one exception is the Expedia+ Voyager Card with an annual fee 49 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
fee credits which may offset the high annual fee but it depends on whether those are of use to you personally. More specific information regarding the reimbursement of Global Entry or TSA Precheck fees can be found in the terms and conditions for each card. Additional Ways to Get Free Global Entry or TSA Precheck: • Delta Airlines Platinum and Diamond Medallion members receive free Global Entry vouchers as part of Choice Benefits • Orbitz Rewards Platinum members receive free TSA Precheck (but not free Global Entry) • SPG members that reach 50 eligible nights in a calendar year receive free TSA Precheck (but not free Global Entry) as one of their perks As I don’t envision ever being an elite member of Delta, SPG or Orbitz Rewards, when it is time to renew my Global Entry I plan to do so for free by having one the credit cards that will reimburse me for Global Entry. If you want to apply for Global Entry or TSA Precheck but the cost is too high, you might want to consider if it is worth it getting one of these credit cards first. http://thetravelsisters.com/howto-get-tsa-precheck-or-globalentry-for-free/
4 Ways People Steal Your Passport By Katherine LaGrave Sometimes, a bump, nudge, or distraction is all it takes.
T
he stolen passport market is huge: There are more than 40 million passports listed as missing on a database created by Interpol in 2002, and according to the U.S. Department of State, more than 300,000 American passports are lost or stolen in
where we actually need to produce it: checking in at a hotel overseas. Be wary of putting it to the left or right of you as you shuffle for your confirmation number or booking details, as someone could come along and create a distraction—think returning a key, or asking a question—and slip away with your document. Instead, place your passport on the counter in front of you, and immediately return it to its secure location after it is passed back to you.
THE SPILL
I
t sounds slightly out of a Charlie Chaplin movie: seemingly innocent passers-by "spilling" anything from ice cream to juice on people they pass. Yet there are worldwide reports of such instances, wherein a distraction is created, and in the process of aiding and cleaning the hapless victim, the "spillers"—or their associates—lift a passport. If you have the misfortune of being spilled on, refuse attendance and instead, avoid contact with the offender by quickly walking away. the U.S. each year. And given that these are the most common ways thieves have been known to pilfer a passport, it pays to be aware.
THE SET-DOWN
I
t's easy enough to make a mistake with your documents when traveling—after all, how natural is it to put your passport on the table at a restaurant as you pull out a chair, or rest it on top of your suitcase as you check the departure board at an airport? I've done it, and I'm guessing you have, too. But take your eye off the document for a moment, and you open yourself up to the possibility of someone bumping your table (or bag) as a distraction—and walking away with your passport. Another one of the most common places for thieves to grab a passport is in a place
THE POCKET It's obvious, sure, but one of the easiest ways for people to snatch your passport is if it's carried in your pockets: All it takes is a crowded train and a nudge—or a coat that's been draped over the back of a chair, and a sleight of hand. If you need to carry your passport with you, look for a flat money belt, which can be worn around your waist and neck and concealed under your clothing. If you're in the market for something a bit more comfortable, try a travel wallet or passport cover. Both conceal your passport (and nationality), and the travel wallet also has room for other valuables, including credit cards and emergency cash. Avoid carrying your passport and spending money together if you can, as taking out cash will alert potential thieves.
50 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Duolingo App Now Lets You Learn a New Language With Family and Friends By Lilit Marcus ‘ Language Clubs’ feature launched.
D
uolingo, the free app that helps you learn new languages on your phone, released a new feature worth checking out if you’re going to be traveling abroad this year: Duolingo Language Clubs. Built on the idea that trying something new is easier and more fun in a group setting (workout classes versus running alone on a treadmill, for example), you can now connect your own Duolingo account to those of your friends or family members. This means that if you’re trying to learn Italian ahead of that big family trip to the Amalfi coast this summer and don’t want to spend your vacation using up battery life on Google Translate, this is the perfect way to get started—while challenging Dad at the same time. And evidence shows that lots of people want to learn a second or third language as a New Year’s resolution: During the last week of 2015, more people googled “learn language” than they did “get fit.” “Learning a language is an inherently social experience,” Luis von Ahn, Duolingo’s CEO and cofounder, said in a statement. “One of the hardest things about learning a language is staying motivated,
THE AUTHORITIES
I
n countries around the world, you'll most often be asked to produce your original passport at hotels and airports, or when crossing borders. Travelers have also reported instances in which policemen, plain-clothed or uniformed, approach them and ask to see their passports. Sometimes, the officials are actually as they say they are—numerous countries have plain-clothed officers asking for passports in order to catch illegal immigrants—but it's better to be safe than sorry. Signs that it probably isn't a scam: everyone else in your surrounding area is also being
and we believe this new feature will draw friends and family together around a common goal to help our users hit their goals more quickly.” Here’s how to get started Head to Duolingo’s website or download their app for iPhone or Android. (If you already use the app, make sure you’re updated to the latest version.) Choose from one of the languages they offer—German, Danish, Japanese, and Hebrew are among the 20+ available, although the most popular is Spanish. From there, you can create a new club or join an existing one, provided you know your friends’ usernames. Soon, you’ll start getting a l e r t s about not only your progress but how the others are doing—if you see that Aunt Beth is working on her Italian ten more minutes a day than you are, there’s nothing like the familial competitive spirit to get yourself ready to memorize more vocabulary words. In bocca al lupo! www.cntraveler.com/story/duolingo-app-nowlets-you-learn-a-new-language-with-family-andfriends?mbid=nl_010517_Intel&CNDID=38890654&spMail ingID=10172308&spUserID=MTQ5NTc0OTAyMDYxS0&sp JobID=1080374015&spReportId=MTA4MDM3NDAxNQS2
checked, security badges and patches are visible on the officer's uniform, and officials are not asking for anything but photo ID. If you feel you are being singled out and are still uncomfortable, agree to show your passport in the nearest police station or hotel lobby, where you can confirm with a clerk who speaks the native language. www.cntraveler.com/stories/2016-08-15/4-wayspeople-steal-your-passport?mbid=nl_081616_Daily& CNDID=38890654&spMailingID=9366600&spUserID =MTQ5NTc0OTAyMDYxS0&spJobID=981338755&sp ReportId=OTgxMzM4NzU1S0
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Travel Africa
Where To Go, What To Do Algeria
Tamanrasset Camel Trekking Sahara Dune Skiing The Turquoise Coast CAPITAL: Algiers www.algerie-tourisme.dz
Angola
Fort Sao Miguel Slave Depot Calandula Waterfalls
Kindia Cloth Market, Guinea
Okavango Delta Central Kalahari Game Reserve Transfrontier Park (Kgalafadi National Park) CAPITAL: Gaborone www.botswanatourism.co.bw
Burkina Faso
International Arts and Crafts Fair, Oct-Nov Ranch de Nazinga game reserve Mare aux Hippopotames CAPITAL: Ouagadougou www.ontb.bf
Burundi
Chutes de la Kagera Waterfall Lake Tanganyika Craftwares Village at Giheta CAPITAL: Bujumbura Palmeirinhas Beach CAPITAL: Luanda www.angola.org
Benin
Lake Village of Ganvie Nakoue Lagoon Pendjari National Park CAPITAL: Porto-Novo www.benintourisme.com
Botswana
www.burunditourisme.com
Cameroon Mandera Mountains (hiking, climbing) Bouba Ndjidah National Park Festival National des Arts et de la Culture (FENAC) in December
CAPITAL: Yaoundé www.cameroun-infotourisme.com
Cape Verde
Baia das Gatas Festival Scuba Diving and Snorkelling at Boa Vista UNESCO world heritage old fort site at Cidade Velha CAPITAL: Praia Ministry of Tourism, Praia, Santiago: +238 615 697
Central African Republic Boali Waterfalls Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park Lobaye Region CAPITAL: Bangui ministere_tourisme@yahoo.fr
Chad
Camel racing in the Tibesti Mountains Galawa Beach on Grande Comore Lake Chad CAPITAL: N’Djamena Office du Tourisme, Tel: 01 45 53 36 75
The Comoros
Climb Mount Karthala (active volcano) Nzwani Island Hot Sulphur Springs at Lac Salé CAPITAL: Moroni Comoros National Tourist Board Office, Tel: 269 73 3044
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Frère Gillet Botanic Gardens world-famous rare orchids Ruwenzori Range Virunga National Park CAPITAL: Kinshasa Ministère des Affaires Foncières, Environment et Tourisme, Tel: (+243) 8802093.
Côte D Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, Yamoussoukro Mount Tonkoui (mountain climb) Comoë National Park CAPITAL: Yamoussoukro Bushman Rock Paintings, Lesotho 52 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
www.tourisme.gouv.ci
Ranch de Nazinga Game Reserve, Burkina Faso
CAPITAL: Conakry www.ontguinee.com
Guinea-Bissau
Bijagos Archipelago Cantanhez Natural Park Museum of African Artefacts CAPITAL: Bissau www.guineabissautourism.com
Kenya
Mount Kenya National Park Tsavo West National Park Watamu-Malindi Marine Park CAPITAL: Nairobi www.magicalkenya.com
Lesotho Djibouti
Gulf of Tadjoura (snorkling/ diving) Lake Abbé Lake Assal (windsurf on wheels) CAPITAL: Djibouti www.office-tourisme.dj
Egypt (Kemet) Nile River Cruise, Aswan Temple of Ranses II, Abu Simbel Alexandria CAPITAL: Cairo www.tourism.misrnet.gov.eg
Equatorial Guinea Arena Blanca Pico Malabo Volcano (mountain climbing) Cascades of Moca
CAPITAL: Malabo www.embarege-londres.org
Eritrea Dahlak Archipelago Tour of Eritrea (bicycle race) Akordat CAPITAL: Asmara eritreantourism@tse.com.er
Ethiopia
CAPITAL: Addis Ababa
Bushmen Rock Paintings Ski Lesotho Highlands (www. afriski.co.za) Sehlabathebe National Park CAPITAL: Maseru
www.tourismethiopia.org
www.ltdc.org.ls
Gabon
Liberia
Addis Ababa TOTAL Great Ethiopian Race
Cathedral of St Michael in Libreville Lopé-Okanda Reserve National Park (gorilla) M’Bigou (gold mines/crafts)
CAPITAL: Libreville www.legabon.org
The Gambia
Deep Sea Fishing, Atlantic Ocean Exhibition of the slave trade at Albreda and Jufureh Makasutu Culture Forest CAPITAL: Banjul www.visitthegambia.gm
Ghana
Cape Coast Castle Slave Fortress Mount Afadjato and Togbo Falls (Volta Region) Kakum Nature Reserve (treetop walkway and stay in a tree house) CAPITAL: Accra
Rock Hewn Churches of Lalibela
www.touringghana.com
(New Jerusalem) Home of the Queen of Sheba, Axum African Union Headquarters,
Guinea
Kindia (cloth market) Kinkon Falls Îles de Los 53 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Sapo National Park Kendeja National Cultural Center Firestone Rubber Plantation CAPITAL: Monrovia www.micat.gov.lr
Libya
Akakus Mountains (prehistoric rock art) Ubari Lakes (dune surfing) Leptis Magna (tribute to African Roman Emperor Septimus Severus) CAPITAL: Tripoli www.libyan-tourism.org
Madagascar
Fianarantsoa (Capital of Wine) Montagne d’Arbre National Park Queen’s Palace CAPITAL: Antananarivo www.madagascar-tourisme.com
Malawi
Lake Malawi Marine Park Nyika National Park Liwonde National Park CAPITAL: Lilongwe www.malawitourism.com
Travel Africa
Mali
Where To Go, What To Do
Festival in the Desert Timbuctou La Boucle de Baoule National Park CAPITAL: Bamako www.le-mali.com/omatho/index.htm
Mauritania
Parc National du Banc d’Arguin Chinguetti, a holy city of Islam Oualata CAPITAL: Nouakchott
www.visitmorocco.com
Mozambique
Maputo Elephant Park Gorongosa National Park Bazaruto Archipelago CAPITAL: Maputo www.futur.org.mz/index-en.html
Namibia
Mahongo Game Reserve Etosha National Park Skeleton Coast CAPITAL: Windhoek www.namibiatourism.com.na
www.tourisme.mr
Niger
Mauritius
Agadez ‘W’ National Park Igouloulef CAPITAL: Algiers
Black River Gorges National Park Ile aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve Rodrigues Island CAPITAL: Port Louis www.mauritius.net
Morocco
Todra and Dades Gorges Talassemtane National Park Essaouira CAPITAL: Rabat
www.niger-tourisme.com
Nigeria
Cross River National Park Emir’s Palace, Kano Benin City CAPITAL: Lagos www.tourism.gov.ng
Republic of the Congo Loufoulakari Falls
Loango (main embarkation port for slaves) Congo Rapids CAPITAL: Brazzaville Direction Generale du Tourisme et des Loisirs, Tel: 830 953
Reunion
Piton des Neiges Plaine d’Affouches Le Voile de la Mariée (The Bride’s Veil) CAPITAL: Saint-Denis ot.saint-pierre@wanadoo.fr
Rwanda
Cards From Africa, Kigali Parc National des Volcans Gorilla Trek Nyungwe Forest Canopy Walk CAPITAL: Kigali www.rwandatourism.com/
São Tomé & Principe
Bom Bom Island Deep Sea Fishing Humpback Whale Watching Agua Izé Plantation CAPITAL: São Tomé www.saotome.st
Senegal African Renaissance Monument Retba (Pink) Lake Maison des Enclaves (House of Slaves), Goree Island
CAPITAL: Dakar sentouroffice@aol.com
Igouloulef Mountains, Niger
Seychelles
Marlin Fishing in Denis St Anne Marine National Park Aldabra CAPITAL: Victoria www.seychelles.travel
Sierra Leone
Outamba-Kilimi National Park Freetown Peninsula Bunce Island, Slave Trading Station CAPITAL: Freetown www.welcometosierraleone.org
Somalia
Hargeisa National Park Neolithic Paintings Las Geel Indian Ocean Coastal 54 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Travel Africa
Where To Go, What To Do Beaches CAPITAL: Mogadishu www.somali-gov.info/Tourism/index. html
Somaliland
Boma National Park Nimule National Park Nile River CAPITAL: Juba www.goss.org
Hargeisa National Park Neolithic Paintings Las Geel Indian Ocean Coastal Beaches CAPITAL: Hargiesa
Sudan
www.somalilandgov.com (Ministry of Tourism & Culture 252-225-7917)
www.sudan-tourism.gov.sd/english/ index.php
South Africa Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory & Dialogue, Johannesburg Great White Shark Festival, Cape Town/Gansbaai The Elephant Coast, Zulu Kingdom
CAPITAL: Johannesburg www.whitesharkfestival.org www.nelsonmandela.org www.zulu.org.za www.southafrica.net
South Sudan
Port Sudan, The Red Sea Gemmeiza Tourist Village Pyramids of Meroe CAPITAL: Khartoum
Swaziland
Mkhaya Game Reserve Phophomyane Nature Reserve Usutu River (white-water rafting) CAPITAL: Mbabane www.welcometoswaziland.com
Tanzania
Bagamoyo Slave Trail Katavi Plains National Park Ngorongoro Crater
Stone Town, Zanzibar CAPITAL: Dodoma http://tanzaniatouristboard.com/
Togo Koutammakou (World Heritage Site)
Whale Watching, Gulf of Benin Fosse aux Lions (Lions’ Den) National Park CAPITAL: Lomé www.togo-tourisme.com
Tunisia
Desert Trekking from Douz Matmata (Star Wars film site) Sidi Bou Saïd CAPITAL: Tunis www.tourismtunisia.com
Uganda
Mountains of the Moon (Mount Rwenzori National Park) Bwindi National Park (view gorilla) Source of the Nile,Owen Falls Dam, Jinja CAPITAL: Kampala http://visituganda.com/index.php
Western Sahara City of El-Aaiún Dakhla (surfing) CAPITAL: El-Aaiún
dajla47@hotmail.com
Zambia Walking Safari, South Luangwa National Park Musi oa Tunya (Victoria Falls), Livingstone
Zambezi White Water Rafting CAPITAL: Lusaka www.zambiatourism.com
Zimbabwe
Great Zimbabwe Lake Kariba Chizarira National Park CAPITAL: Harare www.zimbabwetourism.co.zw Sources: www.worldtravelguide.net/africa www.internationaltouristboards.com www.worldtourismdirectory.com/directory/africa/index.html
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Africa Travel Resources Hotels Embrace Keyless Entry by Nancy Trejos
H
otel companies are starting to conclude that guestroom key cards are no longer the key to customer satisfaction. The largest hotel companies in
by announcing that the program will go global, beginning at properties in Singapore, then expanding to other countries next year. Since the program’s launch, Hilton says
is in the process of purchasing Starwood, began testing mobile key at select properties last year. Mobile Key is available at 17 Marriott Hotels and across the new Moxy brand in the USA. Additional rollouts, including international properties, are planned for this year. Choice Hotels has a keyless entry pilot program going on
Hilton Worldwide is expanding its keyless entry program. (Photo: Hilton Worldwide) the world are experimenting with technology that allows guests to use their smartphones to open the doors to their rooms, bypassing the front desk upon arrival. Many of the hotels require guests to become members of their loyalty programs in order to use keyless entry. The functionality is also tied to mobile check-in on the hotel’s app. “Digital key is revolutionary,” says Joshua Sloser, vice president of digital product innovation at Hilton Worldwide. “It improves their stay and it improves their arrival.” Hilton marked the one-year anniversary of Digital Key recently
Digital Key has opened 2 million doors at 400 hotels in the U.S. Starwood Hotels and Resorts first began piloting its SPG Keyless program at 10 hotels in November 2014. Since then, keyless entry has been available at Starwood lifestyle brands including Aloft, Element and W. The program is now in place at 172 properties, and more than 350,000 members have registered. Earlier this summer, the company announced that it will expand the program to select Le Meridien, Westin, Sheraton and Four Points properties around the world. Marriott International, which 58 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
at the Cambria Hotel and Suites in Rockville, MD. And InterContinental Hotels Group is also piloting keyless entry at select properties. Even smaller boutique or lifestyle hotel chains are going keyless. Arlo Hotels, a new brand of hotels launching this fall in New York City, has plans to offer guests keyless entry shortly after its opening. The first two properties, Arlo Hudson Square and Arlo NoMad, will integrate the technology in an effort to enhance the guest experience and drive efficiency. Hotel executives say keyless
entry solves a major complaint among frequent travelers: having to stand in line to collect their keys. But guests will still have the option of interacting with employees if they prefer. “We want to give our guests the choice and control,” Sloser says. To that end, Hilton and other hotel companies are combining keyless entry with other functionalities on their mobile apps. For instance, Hilton HHonors members who use digital check-in can select their exact rooms though interactive digital floor plans. Hilton has also partnered with Google maps to allow guests to determine what kind of view they will get from a particular room. Hilton says that digital check-in with room selection is used more than 1 million times per month. Hotel companies say they will continue to improve on their programs. For instance, Starwood and Hilton both plan on letting multiple guests staying in the same room use their smartphones as keys, rather than the one loyalty program member who reserves
the room. Hilton will also include a feature to let guests have real-time chats with the property to make requests. To some extent, the hotel companies are trying to appeal to younger travelers, particularly Millennials in their 20s and early 30s who tend to be more techsavvy. Carlson Rezidor is offering keyless entry at its new Radisson RED brand through its mobile app. The brand is “aimed at the ageless Millennial-minded guest,” says spokesman Ben Gardeen. Guests can also browse the hotel’s OUIbar + KTCHN menu, place an order and pay through the app. The app also allows travelers to request hotel services, such as extra pillows or towels. A chat feature lets them connect with other guests to get local nightlife recommendations or share a ride to the airport. “The brand recognizes that the modern traveler wants to be in control of how they interact with hotels and customize the experience using their device,”
Gardeen says. While hotels are embracing the idea, some say it’s not necessarily a good fit for all travelers. “While we are finding that mobile keys are helpful for some guests, they’re not the solution for all,” says Jeff Bzdawka, senior vice president of global hotel operations for Hyatt Hotels. “In fact, we know that mobile keys aren’t ideal for traveling families, particularly with young ones prone to dropping phones in the pool.” Hyatt is piloting mobile keys at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco and the Hyatt Regency Bellevue. But the company is also experimenting with other ideas such as Wi-Fi enabled airport shuttles that allow printing keys en route, permanent RFID keys for frequent guests and functionality that allows travelers to print their keys at a terminal with a QR code from the Hyatt app. www.usatoday.com/story/travel/ roadwarriorvoices/2016/08/15/ hotels-mobile-keys-keylessentry/88625622/?t=head
The Best Tools for Tracking Travel Deals, Based on the Kind of Traveler you are By Jonnelle Marte
G
oing on vacation is fantastic. The act of planning one, however, can be far less glamorous. Finding a good deal on a flight during travel dates that actually work for your schedule is only half the battle. Pairing those flights with a hotel and activities that fit your budget adds another challenge. But there are newsletters, apps and travel websites that can help make the process a little easier. We looked at a few tools you may want to consider, based on the kind of traveler you are.
I’m game for going anywhere, just get me a really cheap flight. If you’re down to be spontaneous or just aren’t sure where to go, travel newsletters that alert you to cheap flights can be a place to start. Scott’s Cheap Flights is a newsletter that alerts people to cheap flights as they’re discovered, focusing mostly on international trips. It was launched eight months ago by Scott Keyes, who became a travel expert after booking several trips using rewards points and airline miles. Unlike other newsletters that compile multiple deals, Keyes, who searches for many of the deals himself with the help of a partner, sends one for each sale, including recommendations for how quickly people should book. About a quarter of the deals Keyes sends out each month are mistake flights, meaning prices are much lower than what the airline
intended. Recently, for instance, he found a $285 round-trip flight from San Francisco to New Zealand that he says normally costs about $1,100. Many of the flights are out of major cities with large international airports, such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, and users can’t specify which airports they want to follow. Scott’s Cheap Flights has a free version, but people who pay for a premium subscription, which costs about $29 a year, receive more alerts and are notified about deals before the free subscribers. Another free newsletter to consider is a one offered by Airfarewatchdog.com. The alerts sent to travelers are a combination of discounts found through automated searches and deals curated by a staff of travel experts, says George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com. Consumers can sign up to hear about cheap flights leaving from the airports they fly out of regularly, tracking as many as 10 airports. People can rule out airlines they don’t like and can choose how often they want to receive the alerts — daily, weekly or every couple of days. The website also lets people know about travel date restrictions and other fees they might have to pay. Unlike more conventional flight comparison tools that help people track the cost of flying a particular route, these newsletters can draw attention to trips that travelers might not already have on their radar, Hobica says. Some of the
deals are also time sensitive, and rates can increase substantially over the next several minutes or hours.
I know where I want to go, but am flexible on timing. Already know where you want to go but haven’t figured out the best time to go? The fare calendar on Fly.com can help travelers determine when a particular flight might be most affordable. The calendar is similar to the tools offered by some airlines that show travelers how fares might change if they left a few days earlier or delayed their trips to later in the week. But the Fly.com calendar aggregates flights for multiple airlines and shows how prices are expected to change over the next several months. CheapAir.com has a similar “flexible dates” tool that lists cheap flights over the next several months for particular routes. Kayak.com also shows people how the cost of flights might change, but only by looking a few days before and after.
I need a hotel last-minute, but still want a good deal. Sometimes, the travel tickets are booked but you still haven’t found a place to crash. The booking app HotelTonight caters to people who have every other part of their trip set but need a hotel at the last minute. Travelers can use the app to sort through hotels available near them to be booked that night or up to a week away. A rTecent search for hotels in San Francisco showed rooms available the next day for discounts of 15% to more than 30% off normal rates. As The Washington Post has reported, the app may appeal to people who weren’t planning to stay at hotels during their trip but changed their minds or had other plans fall through at the last-minute.
I want the complete package. Those travelers who really want
60 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
to take the work out of planning can buy a pre-set vacation package that includes both flight and hotel, and maybe fun excursions, but usually limits when the trip can take place. For instance, websites like LivingSocial, Groupon and Travelzoo list discounts on travel packages that are restricted to specific dates. One package promoted on Groupon.com recently listed prices starting at $449 per person for airfare and a fournight hotel stay at an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, compared to normal prices starting at $629 per person. But the rates only applied for travel on select dates between April and August and flights needed to depart from one of the cities on the list, including Baltimore, Miami, Newark and others.
I want to do the planning, but need help. Those people who want to choose where they go and when
can plan their own trips, but they don’t have to start from scratch. A new tool from Google called Destinations comes up with various combinations of hotels and flights within a person’s price point. Travelers need to do a Google search on their phones for the name of the place they want to visit, followed by the word “destinations,” no app required. People who know they want to do certain activities, like skiing or surfing, but aren’t sure exactly what cities are best can add those keywords to the search. For example, the top results from a search for “Thailand destinations beach” turned up resorts in Ko Samui, one of Thailand’s largest islands, and Pattaya, a town on Thailand’s eastern Gulf coast. Users can see the estimated cost of visiting each place, about $1,300 per person for a six-night stay, and swipe right to see how the cost is expected to change over the next several months.
The tool also recommends certain travel dates that Google projects will offer the best value, but travelers can also research other factors they may influence their decision. For instance, they can scroll down to see when that destination is most popular, what the weather should be like at that time of year and what the average cost of a hotel and flight is expected to be over the next several months. Users can also change the number of travelers going on the trip, the number of stops they prefer for the flight and the hotel class. These are only some of the tools available for saving on travel. Keep in mind that many of these websites offer multiple services that can cater to all kinds of travelers. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ news/get-there/wp/2016/04/26/thebest-tools-for-tracking-travel-dealsbased-on-the-kind-of-traveler-youare/?t=head
www.travel-42.com
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Editorial
We Must Open up Africa to Africans if we Really Want to Boost Growth By Evans Wadongo
T
he African Development Bank just launched the Africa Visa Openness Report 2016, and it highlights a huge problem: as Africans, we cannot move easily between our countries. On average, Africans need visas to travel to 55% of other African countries and can only get visas on arrival in 25% of other countries. This means they can only travel to 20% of the countries without a visa. Even though countries such as Seychelles, Mauritius, Rwanda, Ghana and Kenya have tried to reduce visa restrictions, other countries are not reciprocating. This revelation is in sharp contrast to the African Union’s goal to introduce an African passport and abolish visa requirements for all African citizens in all African countries by 2018. What is really appalling is that it is easier for Europeans or Americans to travel within Africa than for many Africans themselves. In 2015, holders of a United States of America passport, for example, could travel to 172 countries and territories visa-free or with visa on arrival, including at least 20 African countries. Ultimately, the visa restrictions mean that African countries are losing out. One of the benefits of free movement of people that visa restrictions inhibit is increased tourism. Tourism contributes to
one in every 11 jobs and 9% of gross domestic product worldwide. With high youth unemployment, improved tourism could create thousands of jobs and help reduce inequality. More visitors mean more hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, and a growth in transport and entertainment sectors. The impact could be felt in both urban areas and rural areas. Currently, according to the Africa Tourism Monitor report, while Africa accounts for about 15% of the world population, it receives only about 3% of world tourism receipts and 5% of tourist arrivals. The report further says that visa requirements imply missed economic opportunities for intraregional trade, and the local service economy (such as cross-country medical services or education). Visa policies are among the most important governmental formalities negatively influencing international tourism. This is not just about nonAfricans visiting our continent. As the new generation of middle class is ushered into Africa, spending on holidays and shopping is increasing, but African countries may not fully benefit. Many of my friends opt to travel to Europe for holidays and shopping as opposed to other African countries. They cite as major reasons the ease of travelling in the Schengen area, which allows a visitor access to 26 countries within Europe, with 62 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
DATA: African D one visa. Combined with the costeffective and easy interconnectivity through rail, air and road transport, it is no surprise that Europe receives the highest number of tourists globally. Businesses beyond tourism are affected, too. As an entrepreneur, when choosing a new country to venture into, I consider the openness and ease of doing business, with free movement of labor, goods and services as key indicators. I’m not alone. The ongoing integration in the East African Community has seen many businesses that were initially based in one country expand into the others. For instance, a number of Kenyan based banks have expanded into Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan because of the
Development Bank, Quartz | qz.com improved ease of doing business within the region. According to the paper Economics and Emigration: Trillion-Dollar Bills on the Sidewalk? open borders could lead to a one-time boost in world gross domestic product by about 50-150%. Hence, African countries should strive to make the dreams of the founders of the then Organization of African unity (OAU) true by allowing Africans to move easily and encourage intra Africa trade and investments. Easier movement could also help the unemployment rates. I have often found European or Chinese ‘expatriates’ doing jobs that could be done by highly skilled Africans, some of whom lack opportunities in their home countries, if only they
could more easily move between countries for work. Movement of people can also be a driver of technological change and a fresh source of entrepreneurs. Much innovation comes from the work of teams of people who have different perspectives and experiences. This can also make countries within Africa to be more attractive to foreign direct investment. While some have argued that strict travel regulations, including visa requirements, are necessary for security purposes, there has been no direct link showing how free movement of people has perpetuated terrorism. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has been on the forefront saying that a few bad elements should not be used to restrict millions of good citizens 63 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
who want to travel for leisure or business. Political executive editor of the Telegraph James Kirkup recently argued too that “Simply, all the border checks in the world will not keep us safe. Passport controls can’t stop the spread of ideas, and it is ideas, not people, that are the essence of the terrorism that has just killed so many in Paris and Beirut and Baghdad.” I agree. Ultimately, there are many more reasons to remove visa restrictions for Africans traveling in Africa than keeping them. I hope that by 2018, that truly is a reality. http://qz.com/632658/we-mustopen-up-africa-to-africans-if-wereally-want-to-boost-growth/
Scientists Have Discovered a Lost Continent Under Mauritius By Ken Jennings
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he Republic of Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean about 550 miles east of Madagascar. It’s perhaps best known for being the home of the flightless dodo bird—at least until the Portuguese and the Dutch hunted it to extinction in the seventeenth century. But the island’s history actually goes back billions of years before that, announced scientists last week. One of the smallest nations on earth, it turns out, is also its very own continent. Or at least it was.
zircon crystals that were billions of years older than the island itself. How was this possible? The researchers proposed that Mauritius is located atop an ancient continent that sunk beneath the Indian Ocean tens of million of years ago.
You’ll weigh slightly more than usual on Mauritius.
Mauritius is a holiday destination beloved for its breathtaking waterfalls and azure lagoons, all ringed by one hundred miles of perfect white sand beaches. When Mark Twain visited in 1896, one citizen told him, “Mauritius was made first and then heaven... heaven was copied after Mauritius.” Like most islands, it’s relatively young, having been formed by volcanic activity about eight million years ago.
Scientists already knew that many areas of the Indian Ocean basin had stronger gravitational fields than others, and Mauritius was one of those mysterious spots. One possible explanation: a sunken continent on the seafloor, making the earth’s crust thicker there and therefore more massive. Recent study results, published in Nature Communications by some of the same geologists, demonstrate that the zircon crystals found on Mauritius, which are similar to that found in continental granite, could not have been deposited there by wind or waves, but definitely bubbled up in the lava that formed the island.
Finding Atlantis in the wrong ocean.
It’s millions of years too late to book a trip to “Mauritia.”
In 2013, a team of European and South African geologists published research showing that the island’s rock actually contained
The eastern part of the supercontinent of Gondwanaland
Mauritius is the original tropical paradise, locals say.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Gondwana) broke apart 120 64 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Mauri us
Ge y
millions of years ago, with India moving north from East Africa to open up the Indian Ocean. Scientists now believe that it left behind a trail of now-vanished “microcontinents” stretching north from Madagascar, one of which was the newly discovered Mauritia (https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Mauritia_(microcontinent). That means an island roughly the size of Jacksonville, Florida can now say
Gondwanaland
that it’s its very own continent, sort of. But the rest of vast Mauritia is as dead as the dodo, lost beneath the waves of the Indian Ocean. http://www.cntraveler.com/story/ scientists-have-discovereda-lost-continent-undermauritius?mbid=nl_020617_Daily&C NDID=38890654&spMailingID=10377 848&spUserID=MTQ5NTc0OTAyMDY xS0&spJobID=1100515353&spReport Id=MTEwMDUxNTM1MwS2 65 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Will Smith Takes Bungee Jump Off Of Victoria Falls Bridge By Ken Jennings
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ill Smith is no longer a Fresh Prince. It’s hard to believe the beloved ‘90s sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel Air debuted 27 years ago - until you see this photo of Smith looking exactly like James Avery’s Uncle Phil. Smith, 48, is actually older now than Avery was when he initially took on the Uncle Phil role. The image is actually a screenshot from a video Smith shared of himself bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge over the Zambezi River. View the video using the link below or visit YouTube. com - https://youtu.be/ M50BGpMaAQ4.
Will Smith’s Bungee Jump Selfie
Your Turn? www.torontosun. com/2017/03/14/ photo-of-will-smithbungee-jumping-makeshim-look-exactly-like-unclephil-from-fresh-prince
Victoria Falls Bridge, Zimbabwe 66 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
67 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River Don’t miss this
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he Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River is a definite must on any trip to Victoria Falls. Relax with a Sundowner and snacks as you gaze out onto the banks of the river. Have your camera ready to capture one of the most amazing sunsets in Africa. You’ll be sure to spot wildlife animals as they come down to the river for a drink after a hot day in the Zambezi National Park (Zimbabwe) or the Mosi-oaTunya National Park (Zambia). Sightings of elephant, giraffe and other resident game are common. There’s always an abundance of hippos and crocodiles.
Birdlife is superb and the Fisheagles will usually fill the scene with their calls. Cruises are available daily on request for breakfast, lunch, sunset and dinner and last for approximately 2 to 3 hours. Transfers from hotels in both Livingstone and Vic Falls town are included. (*Park Fees excluded applicable in Zimbabwe) Sunset cruises Zimbabwe side per person*: • Sundowner cruises - US$45 • Ra-Ikane sunset cruise - US$75
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•
Sunset luxury cruise - Zambezi Royal US$67 (advance bookings essential) Sunset cruises Zambian side per person*: • Lady Livingstone/African Queen sundowner cruise US$75 • River safari lunch or sunset US$100 Lodges further upstream the Zambezi in both Zimbabwe and Zambia offer Sundowner Cruises
as part of the deal. These upper cruises tend to be quieter affairs than the revelling crowds on a few of the big party boats downstream. Whatever sparks your interest...they’re all great fun! www.victoriafalls.net/explore-victoria-falls/victoriafalls/river-cruises.aspx#.WMqSeIWcFMs *Prices will vary due to exchange rates, etc.
69 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
West Africa Airways Inc. is a low-cost airfare Passenger airline offering air charter airline services along with our Partners in Aviation and the fleet of B767-300 Extended Range aircraft. The company was formed in 2004 when it reached an agreement with some of the countries in West Africa, to begin flight operations from Thurgood Marshall BaltimoreWashington International Airport, (BWI) USA.Fax: (775) 882-6818 E-mail: info@westafricaairways.com Website: www.westafricaairways.com Destinations: Roberts Field International Airport, Liberia (ROB); Dekar Yoff International Airport, Senegal (DKR); Kotoka International Airport, Ghana (ACC)
www.gov.rw
Black Cultural Travel Made Easy http://soulofamerica.com/international-guides.phtml 70 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Be in touch Be in tune Be independent
Nes n
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Kuramo Waters, Victoria Island, Lagos | Nigeria Phone: +234 1 277 2700 | Fax: +234 1 270 4071 E-mail: reservation@ekohotels.com | info@ekohotels.com Website: www.ekohotels.com 71 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
I’m Black and I Travel! …on the radar! Greg Gross @imblacknitravel
“Togo to be West African Hub for Ethiopian Airlines”
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n East African airline is making moves to turn one of Africa’s smallest and least-known countries into a major gateway to West Africa. More than a dozen nations — and a lot of international travelers — could benefit. When folks ask me where to go for their first taste of Africa, I often recommend West Africa. Not only does it have a bit of everything in terms of natural beauty, vibrant cultures and friendly people, but its geography means you can reach the region on flights of fewer than ten hours. But if you want to fly from the US
and then back. South African Airways and Nigeria’s Arik Air have had this region pretty much to themselves, in competition with European carriers, but their footprint in West Africa doesn’t always allow much flexibility for the traveler. Now, Ethiopian Airlines, which already flies to more African destinations than any other carrier, is turning Lomé, the capital of Togo, to become its West African hub. That could make travel within
© Illuminativisual | Dreamstime.com – Ethiopian Airlines Photo to West African destinations, or fly between West African countries, you have limited options. Especially if you want to use African airlines. How bad can it be? Across Africa, when people want to fly to neighboring countries, they often find it easier to fly to Europe first
West Africa a lot easier, and make Togo a much bigger destination for international tourists. (NOTE: Togo isn’t just one of Africa’s smallest nations on a map of the Mother Continent. At just over 6 million, the country’s entire population is roughly equal to that 72 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
of Rio de Janeiro.) At the heart of this plan is Ethiopian’s affiliate airline ASKY, based in Togo, and the Boeing 737-800. The 737-800 is a stretched version of the original 737, which first flew in the late 1960s. You see them just about everywhere. Reliable, cheap to operate, no frills. It’s the Greyhound bus of the airline industry. And these new -800 models have longer range, pushing 3,100 miles fully loaded. On this side of the Atlantic, that’s enough to get you from JFK to LAX with fuel to spare. But from Lomé, it puts the whole of West Africa — 14 countries — within easy reach. Meanwhile, Ethiopian also plans to make Lomé the destination for new international flights from Newark (EWR) and is already flying from there from São Paulo, Brazil. An Ethiopian Air hub in West Africa should make it easier for
people to travel within the region. For international travelers, that makes reaching West Africa faster and likely cheaper. What makes me think it will be cheaper than flying to West Africa via Europe? Well, Ethiopian already offers round-trip flights from LAX to the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, for less than $900. On brand-new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, at that. Add to that to the rest of Ethiopian’s Africa route map, plus the fact that Ethiopian is the only African airline that connect the Mother Continent to both US coasts, and a continent full of great travel destinations comes into sharper focus. Greg Gross is the Publisher/Sr. Editor of “I’m Black and I Travel!,” and the owner of the Trips by Greg travel agency, specializing in cultural and heritage travel worldwide. http://tripsbygreg.com/prod/ibit/gowest-ethiopian/
Lomé, Togo, West Africa
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Made For Walking - CH Zambia Safari Boots The Vintage Shoe Company http://blog.vintageshoecompany.com/index.php/2012/08/cool-hunting-vintage-shoe-company-safari-boot
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Djibouti Palace Kempinski Experience the extraordinary... www.kempinski.com/en/djibouti
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Vacations in Africa Take Your Pick!! www.africantravelinc.com
Under Kenyan Skies 8 days from $7,595 per person This Kenyan journey focuses on prime wildlife regions and presents an unparalleled opportunity to delve deeper into the culture of the Maasai and Samburu tribes while exploring their homeland.
Kenya Panorama 2017 10 days from $5,475* per person
Last Minute Summer Family Getaways “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” Mark Twain
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here is no better feeling than seeing your child’s face light up with joy after seeing an elephant for the very first time or watching them learn how to track wildlife with a Maasai Warrior. This summer, embark on a journey of discovery with your loved ones. With our custom itineraries, African Travel, Inc. makes summer travel easy and rewarding for the whole family. Each of these safaris have been handcrafted by our Safari Specialists to appeal to every member of the family. We are passionate about helping you introduce your family to the wonder that is Africa. Join us this summer — space is limited and filling up fast. Let the whole family be enchanted by our once-in-a-lifetime safaris. Contact our Safari Specialists to help craft the ultimate safari for you.
Join this classic overland safari visiting Kenya’s most popular game parks and private conservancies, rich in wildlife, magnificent scenery and captivating culture
Spectacular South Africa 10 days from $5,395* per person Experience South Africa’s unique highlights and premier destinations while indulging in sublime luxury and comfort. Round off your city stay with an exhilarating safari experience at the renowned Kruger National Park. Keep your camera poised and ready to capture the endless array of exotic wildlife.
Marine and Wildlife Encounter 10 days from $5,545 per person Take in breathtaking views of Cape Town, then journey to the marine and wildlife kingdoms of Grootbos Nature Reserve and Shamwari Game Reserve.
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78 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Golf Africa
www.golfworldmap.com/africa/#9.622414142924805,17.05078125,3
Botswana Gaborone Golf Club at the Gaborone Sun Hotel Phakalane Golf Estate Hotel Resort www.phakalane.com
Egypt Alexandria Sporting Club, Alexandria Cascades at Soma Bay Golf and Country Club www.residencedescascades.com
Dreamland Golf & Tennis Resort, Cairo www.dreamlandgolf.com
Golf City, Cairo Katemeya Heights Golf & Tennis Resort, Cairo www.katameyaheights.com
Madinat Makadi Golf Course, Madinat Makadi
Mena House Golf Course
www.madinatmakadigolf.com
Mena House Oberoi Golf Course, Cairo www.oberoihotels.com/oberoi_menahouse/index.asp
Mirage City Golf Club, Cairo www.golf.jwmarriottcairo.com/golf
Steigenberger Al Dau Beach Hotel, Hurghada www.steigenbergeraldaubeach.com
Kenya Karen Country Club, Nairobi Kiambu Golf Club, Kiambu Leisure Lodge Beach & Golf Resort, Mombasa Muthaiga Golf Club, Nairobi Nyali Golf & Country Club, Mombasa www.nyaligolf.co.ke
Railway Golf Club, Nairobi Royal Nairobi Golf Club, Nairobi e Golf Park at the Jockey Club of Kenya, Nairobi Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club, Nairobi www.windsorgolfresort.com
Mauritius Ile aux Cherfs, Trou d’Eau Douce Le Paradis Hotel & Golf Club, Le Morne Peninsula www.paradis-hotel.com
Legend Golf Course, Poste de Flacq www.bellemareplagehotel.com
Links Golf Course, Poste de Flacq www.princemaurice.com
One&Only Le Saint Géran Golf Course, Poste de Flacq http://lesaintgeran.oneandonlyresorts. com
Shandrani Golf Club, Blue Bay www.shandrani-hotel.com
Troux aux Biches Golf Club, Troux aux Biches www.trouauxbiches-hotel.com
Morocco Anfa Royal Golf Club, Casablanca Cabo Negro Royal Golf Club, Tetouan Royal Golf of Dar es Salam, Rabat 80 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
www.royalgolfdaressalam.com/english/index.cfm
Club Med les Dunes, Agadir El Jadida Royal Golf Club, El Jadida Fes Royal Golf Club, Fes Marrakech Royal Golf Club, Marrakech Meknes Royal Golf Club, Meknes Mohammedia Royal Golf Club, Mohammedia Settat University Royal Golf Club, Settat Tangier Royal Golf Club, Tangier
Nambia Keetmanshoop Golf Course, Keetmanshoop Okahandja Golf Club, Okahandja www.okahandja.net/sport/default.html
Orandjemund Golf Club, Oranjemund Rossmund Golf Course, Swakopmund Tsumeb Golf Club, Tsumeb Walvis Bay Golf Course, Walvis Bay
Golf Africa
www.golfworldmap.com/africa/#9.622414142924805,17.05078125,3 from Golf Africa page 80
Windhoek Country Club Resort, Windhoek www.windhoek.co.za
Nigeria IBB Golf Course, Abuja IITA Golf Club, Ibadan Ikeja Golf Club, Lagos www.ikejagolfclub.org
Reunion Golf du Bassin Blue, St Gilles les Hauts Golf Club de Bourbon, Etang
MD_1821_DAKAR_OVERVIEW
www.champagnesportsresort.com
Sierra Leone
Clovelly Country Club, Cape Town
Freetown Golf Club, Freetown
South Africa Akasia Golf Clue, Pretoria www.akasiacountryclub.co.za
Atlantic Beach Golf Club, Cape Town www.atlanticbeachgolfclub.co.za/ capetown/index.asp
Bellville Golf Club, Cape Town www.bellvillegolf.co.za
Benoni Country Club,
www.clovelly.za.net
Crown Mines Golf Club, Johannesburg www.g-i.co.za/clubs/?c=274
Darling Golf Club, Darling www.darlingtourism.co.za/sportdetail. htm#golfclub
De Zalze Winelands Golf Estate, Stellenbosch www.golfdezalze.com
Devonvale Golf & Wine Estate, Stellenbosch www.devonvale.co.za
Durban Country Club, Durban
Lost Palace Golf Course South Africa
www.dcclub.co.za
Durbanville Golf Club, Durbanville www.durbanvillegolfclub.co.za
East London Golf Course, East London www.elgc.co.za
Emfuleni Golf Estate, Vanderbijlpark www.emfulenigolfestate.com
Fancourt Hotel & Country Club Estate, George www.fancourt.co.za
Gary Player Country Club Golf Course, Sun City www.suninternational.com/Destinations/Resorts/Golf/Pages/Golf.aspx
Sale les Bains www.golf-bourbon.com/spip/spip. php?lang=en
Club du Colorado, La Montagne
Senegal Golf de Saly, Mbour www.golfsaly.com/intro/presentation_fr.htm
Golf International du Technopôle, Dakar Le Méridien President Resort & Golf Club, Dakar www.starwoodhotels.com/ lemeridien/property/overview/index. html?propertyID=1821&EM=VTY_
Johannesburg
George Golf Club, George
www.benonicountryclub.co.za/pro/ Default.aspx
www.georgegolfclub.co.za
Germiston Golf Club, Germiston
Blair Atholl, Fourways
www.germistongolf.com
www.blairatholl.co.za
Glendower Golf Course, Johannesburg
Blue Valley Golf & Country Estate, Olifantsfontein
www.glendower.co.za
www.bluevalley.co.za
Hermanus Golf Club, Hermanus
Bryanston Country Club, Bryanston
www.hgc.co.za
www.bryanstoncc.co.za
www.houghton.co.za
Centurion Country Club, Centurion
Humewood Golf Club, Port Elizabeth
www.centurioncountryclub.co.za
www.humewoodgolf.co.za
Champagne Sports Resort, Winterton 81 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Houghton Golf Club, Houghton
see Golf Africa on page 82
from Golf Africa page 81
e Country Club Johannesburg, Rivonia www.ccj.co.za
Killarney Country Club, Johannesburg www.killarneycountryclub.co.za
Kingswood Golf Estate, George www.kingswood.co.za
Kleinmond Golf Club, Kleinmond www.kleinmondgolfclub.co.za
Kloof Country Club, Kloof www.kloofcountryclub.co.za
Knysna Golf Club, Knysna www.knysnagolfclub.com
Koro Creek Bushveld Golf Estate, Nylstroom www.korocreek.com
Langebaan County Estate Golf & Leisure, Langebaan www.langebaanestate.co.za
Leopard Creek Country Club, Malelane www.leopardcreek.co.za
Lost City, Sun City www.suninternational.com/ Destinations/Resorts/Golf/Pages/Golf.
aspx
Plettenberg Bay
Malmesbury Golf Club, Malmesbury
www.plettgolf.co.za
www.malmesburygolfclub.co.za
www.ptacc.co.za
Metropolitan Golf Course, Cape Town
Randpark Golf Club, Randburg
www.metropolitangolfclub.co.za
Reading Country Club, Alberton
Milnerton Golf Club, Cape Town
www.readingcc.co.za
www.milnertongolfclub.co.za
River Club Golf & Conference Center, Cape Town
Modderfontein Golf Club, Modderfontein www.mgclub.co.za
Monks Cowl Coutry Club & Lodge, Winterton www.monkscowl.co.za
Mossel Bay Golf Club, Mossel Bay
Pretoria Country Club, Pretoria
www.randpark.co.za
http://riverclub.co.za
Riviera on Vaal Country Club, Vereenigning www.rovcountryclub.co.za
Royal Cape Golf Club, Cape Town www.royalcapegolf.co.za
www.mosselbaygolfclub.co.za
Royal Durban Golf Club, Durban
Mowbray Golf Club, Cape Town
www.royaldurban.co.za
www.mowbraygolfclub.co.za
Paarl Golf Course, Paarl
San Lameer Country Club, Margate
www.paarlgolfclub.co.za
www.sanlameer.co.za
Pearl Valley Signature Golf Estate and Spa, Cape Winelands
Scottburgh Golf Club, Scottburgh
www.pearlvalley.co.za
www.scottburghgolf.co.za
Pecanwood Golf & Country Club, Hartbeesportt
Selbourne Golf Estate, Pennington
www.pecanwoodgolf.co.za
www.selborne.com
Plettenberg Bay Country Club,
Silver Lakes Golf & Country
82 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Golf Africa
www.golfworldmap.com/africa/#9.622414142924805,17.05078125,3 Stellenbosch www.steenberggolfclub.co.za/ Framework/index.asp
Umdoni Golf Course, Pennington www.umdonipark.com
Umhlali Country Club, Umhlali www.umhlalicountryclub.co.za
Westlake Golf Club, Cape Town www.westlakegolfclub.co.za
Wingate Park Country Club, Pretoria www.wingateparkcountryclub. co.za
Swaziland Royal Swazi Spa Country Club www.suninternational.com/ Destinations/Resorts/RoyalSwaziSpaValley/FacilitiesActivities/Pages/Golf.aspx
The Gambia Fajara Club, Fajara www.smiles.gm/fajara.htm
Tunisia Djerba Golf Club, Midoun www.djerbagolf.com
El Kantaoui Golf
Course, Port El Kantaoui www.portelkantaoui.com.tn/ golf
Flamingo Golf Course, Monastir www.golfflamingo.com/english/flamingo.htm
Golf Citrus, Hammamet from Golf Africa page 82
Club, Pretoria www.silverlakes.co.za
Somerset West Golf Club, Somerset West www.somersetwestgolfclub.co.za
St Francis Bay Golf Club, St
Francis Bay www.stfrancisgolf.co.za
St Francis Links, St Francis Bay www.stfrancislinks.com
Steenberg Golf Club, Cape Town www.steenberggolfclub.co.za/Framework/index.asp
Stellenbosch Golf Club, 83 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
www.golfcitrus.com
Palm Links Golf Course, Monastir www.golf-palmlinks.com/english/ presentation.htm
Tabarka Golf Course, Tabarka www.tabarkagolf.com/en/index.htm
Yasmine Golf Course, Mannamet www.golfyasmine.com/en/index.php
African Cuisine!
Zambezi Region Recipes
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hether Bungee Jumping, river cruising, game watching, curio shopping or just plan relaxing to the roar of Muse-O-Tunya Falls, you are still going to want to eat something refreshing and tasty. Here are a few Zambezi River region recipes that will help you relive that Africa adverture right at homw.
Galinha a Zambeziana (Chicken Zambezia)
Ingredients: 4 pounds chicken pieces Piripiri sauce 1 cup butter Directions: Marinate (soak) the chicken pieces in piripiri sauce for at least two hours. (If you have time for them to marinate longer, cover and refrigerate.) When you’re ready to cook, melt a cup of butter and add it to the marinade. Use this mixture to coat chicken while it cooks. Either broil the chicken or grill it over a charcoal fire. To broil, lay pieces on a rack over a pan deep enough to catch the grease that will drip down. Cook 10-15 minutes on each side, basting several times with the sauce. When chicken is tender, serve with a fresh batch of piripiri sauce, made as before, but heated for five minutes before being passed around. http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/ recs/283/Galinha_a_Zambeziana_ Chicken_Zambezia50304.shtml
Piripiri Sauce
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons red hot chile paste or 10 red hot chiles, such as Thai chiles
Piripiri
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 5 chopped garlic cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup olive oil or peanut oil Directions: • Add the chile paste, lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, garlic, and salt into a food processor. Blend on high until the ingredients are a smooth consistency. • Once the sauce begins to get smooth, drizzle in the oil slowly while the machine is running. • Once the oil is all incorporated, put the sauce in a glass jar and let stand at room temperature for up to a day. • Serve the piri piri sauce with fried, grilled, or broiled seafood. And remember: a little goes a long way! (Add too much sauce and your tastes buds just may learn the hard way.) Cook’s Notes: It is important the chiles you use are red in order to yield the proper color of piri piri. If you are using fresh red chiles, chop them roughly. If you really want to make this authentic, find yourself the tiny “bird’s eye” chiles, which are very, very hot. Any hot chile 84 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
will do, though. If marinating meat, such as chicken, with piri piri sauce, be sure to let it sit for about an hour so it can properly absorb into the meat. Piri piri sauce can be stored in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to one month. And since a little goes a long way, that means you can experiment trying new dishes that use the sauce.
Traditional Milk Tart* Pastry Ingredients: 180 g flour 90 g butter 2 level tablespoons castor sugar 1 egg 1 tablespoon cold water Filling Ingredients: 625 ml milk (full cream) 1 stick cinnamon 1 cardamom pod 60 ml (or 4 heaped Tablespoons) flour 75 ml (or 5 Tablespoons) white sugar Pinch salt 25 ml butter 3 eggs, separated 2 ml vanilla essence Ground cinnamon mixed with a little sugar
Royal Zambezi Lodge Directions: 1. PASTRY: To make the pastry, sift flour onto a clean cold surface. Make a hole in the middle and in it add the butter, sugar and egg. Using fingers of one hand, work these three ingredients together until blended. Draw in the flour with a palette knife and continue working lightly, adding a few drops of cold water as necessary to form a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. 2. After the dough has chilled sufficiently, place on a lightly floured surface, and roll out to fit a 23 cm pie dish. Always roll from the centre of the pastry outwards. Fold the dough over your rolling pin and gently transfer to the pie dish. Trim any overhanging pastry to the edge of the dish and use for other tasty treats. Cover the base with a circle of greaseproof paper and weight with dried beans. 3. Bake at 180° C for 10 minutes. Then remove paper and beans. 4. FILLING: To make the filling, scald 500 ml milk along with the cinnamon
stick and cardamom pod in a heavy-based saucepan. Mix flour, sugar and salt to a paste with the remaining 125 ml milk. Stir in the hot milk, then return to the saucepan and cook until thick, over a low heat, stirring constantly. When thick and smooth, remove from the heat and add the butter. Leave to cool. Remove cinnamon stick and cardamom pod and then beat in the egg yolks, using a wooden spoon. Add vanilla essence. Whisk egg whites and fold in. 5. Pour the filling into the pastry shell and bake in a 180° C oven for 25 to 30 minutes, you may feel you need an extra 5 minutes, depending on your oven. 6. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar.
– 48 hours. This is a recommendation only and if you are too hungry to wait ignore this. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Mix the garlic with the lemon juice, chili paste, olive oil and ½ tsp Braaied Red Claw With Lemon, Chilli and Garlic Aioli salt and stir. Place purged Red Claw in freezer / cooler box for 20 minutes until they no longer move, but are not frozen. Using a decent size knife, push the tip in where the head (thorax) meets the body and quickly cut through the head. Turn the Red Claw around and cut through the tail, thus cutting the animal in half. Rinse the halves and remove alimentary canal and any shell fragments and pat dry with a paper towel. Remove large claws and place to one side. Bring a medium size pot of water to the boil, add ½ tsp salt. Place claws into boiling water for two minutes, remove and then plunge them into cool water, before allowing them to stand for a couple of minutes. Serve as snacks. Crank up the braai plate; place the
h ps://zambezimagic. dstv.com/cooking-withsiba-bridget-masingas-recipe/
Braaied Red Claw
Braaied Red Claw (Crayfish) With Lemon, Chilli & Garlic Aioli
Ingredients: 2 dozen good size Red Claw ½ cup lemon juice ½ cup chili paste ½ cup olive oil 10 garlic cloves 1 tsp table salt Directions: In an ideal situation purge the Red Claw by leaving them in a keep net over the side of the houseboat for 24 85 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Red Claw flesh side down on the hot grill for two minutes before turning. They should be slightly underdone as will continue to cook with the residual heat. Once turned, drizzle the garlic/ lemon/olive oil mixture over the flesh side and allow to cook for a further two - three minutes. Serve with ice cold white wine or half a dozen beers. [Serves 4]
African Roast Pumpkin slices see African Cuisine on page 86
African Cuisine from page 85
Ingredients: 10 slices pumpkin peel left on, cut about 1/2 inch thick 2 teaspoons butter, heaped, per slice 2 teaspoons brown sugar, per slice 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon per slice (or more) salt Directions: • Pre-heat the oven to 160 deg C. • Wash the pumpkin. Slice and remove seeds • Arrange the slices in an oven dish, overlapping slightly • Rub butter over the slices (2 teaspoons per slice) • Sprinkle over brown sugar • Sprinkle with cinnamon then salt • Bake for 45 mins. until the Roast Pumpkin Slices
pumpkin peel is soft and sugar melted Serves 4
Zambezi Mud This rich fudge tasting pudding is named after the famous River in Africa Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups (15 oz can) Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk ¼ tsp salt 2 cups water 3 squares (3 oz) unsweetened chocolate 3 Tbsp cornstarch 1 tsp vanilla extract Directions: In top of double boiler, blend together Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk, salt & 1 ½ cups of
the water. Add chocolate, cook over boiling water, stirring until chocolate melts. Gradually stir remaining ½ cup water into cornstarch, keeping mixture smooth, add gradually to milk mixture while stirring rapidly. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in vanilla extract. Turn into six ½ cup serving dishes. Refrigerate. When completely chilled serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Serves 6
Guava-glazed Pork Chops Yield: 2-4 servings Notes: If you can’t find fresh guavas, canned will be a good substitute. Otherwise the juice of another tropical fruit like pineapple, or a wild hibiscus syrup, would work well with this recipe. Ingredients: 1 cup guava syrup 1 red onion, neatly chopped 1 large clove garlic, neatly chopped 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 2 tablespoons soya sauce 2 tablespoons sweet sherry 1 large handful Thai basil, chopped + 1 tablespoon and a sprig for garnish 1 tablespoon coconut oil 4 pork chops Directions: Mix together all the listed ingredients, except the last two, in a medium bowl and divide in half (for the marinade and the glaze). Set aside and refrigerate one half in a sealed container to be used at a later stage. Put the pork chops and the remaining half of the marinade in a ziploc bag, making sure the chops are well covered. Leave in the refrigerator for at least four hours, or preferably overnight, turning the bag over from time-to-time. When ready to cook the pork chops, remove from the refrigerator and bring them down to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 200/400 degrees. In a small bowl whisk together 2 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cut up vegetables of your choice into bite-sized pieces, 86 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
making sure they are uniform in order to cook evenly. (I used what we had available in our garden at the time, which included beetroot, green and red okra, sweet potatoes, aubergines, onions and garlic, all mixed together with a handful of chopped fresh oregano.) Spread the vegetables out onto a baking tray, pour over the olive oil mixture, making sure everything is well-coated. Place on the middle rack in the oven, and cook until softened and browned, tossing the vegetables from time-to-time, about 40-45 minutes.
Guava-glazed Port Chops
Heat the coconut oil in a cast iron skillet, or heavy-based frying pan, over a high heat. Remove the chops from the marinade, and flash-fry them to seal the meat and brown the fat, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Add the leftover marinade and the remaining half of the unused glaze to the skillet and bring to a roiling boil for about 3-5 minutes. Turn down the heat and simmer until the glaze has reduced by about a third, and thickened to a consistency that will coat the back of a spoon. Return the pork chops to the skillet and cook in the glaze for a further 4 minutes. Sprinkle freshly chopped Thai basil over the chops, and serve immediately on top of a pile of roasted vegetables. savannabel.com/2016/03/12/guavaglazed-pork-chops-with-homegrownroasted-vegetables/
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The KARIDERM products for hair care, body care and facial care are made from certified organic shea butter, offering all the benefits of this African green treasure. Rich in nutritious fatty acids and regenerating vitamins, KARIDERM’s shea butter nourishes and balances the skin, giving a superior level of protection, revitalization and hydration.
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ENJOY!! The many beers, wines and liquors of Africa. On the continent and in the U.S.A. 88 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
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A new series of 12 online videos offer exporters another tool in learning about the technical aspects of exporting and dealing with the intricacies of trade rules and paperwork. In these videos, viewers see Trade Information Center (TIC) trade specialists, explaining how to fill out a NAFTA Certificate of Origin. The presenters in the videos all do customerfacing work for their Department of Commerce agencies and, thus, are intimately familiar with the subject matter of each video. The 12 export training videos are available on the Web at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/aes/ exporttraining/videos. Each video runs about three or four minutes and can be viewed online or downloaded for off-line viewing. For additional sources of export counseling, contact the Trade Information Center at 1-800-USA-TRAD(E) (1-800-872-8723); www. export.gov.
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ASSIST THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH SUDAN Sudan Sunrise
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Help Build Schools in the South Sundan www.sudansunrise.org
outh Sudan is the most underdeveloped region of the world today. 85% of the population in South Sudan is illiterate. Only about 7% of teachers in the south have any professional training, and it is not uncommon to visit a school where the teachers themselves have not been educated beyond fourth grade. Some 1.5 million children who should be in school are not, due to lack of schools. The majority of schools that do exist consist of a chalkboard under a tree. Read about the camapign and contribute to the program to build over 41 schools at www.sudansunrise.org.
Southern Sudan Literacy Project (SSLP)
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Build a Primary School • www.thehopealliance.org/?q=node/77
he Southern Sudan Literacy Project (SSLP) is designed to build a Primary school in Dongchak Payam, Duk County, Southern Sudan. Solomon Awan, who was one of the “Lost Boys from Sudan,” now lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. He desires to help the village he is from, Duk Padiet. Villagers are just now returning after so many years of war and genocide. During the Spring of 2008, Solomon traveled back to his home village where he was reunited with his mother and sister. He met with the village community and agreed that the education of their children is the most critical need. We hope to finish building the school before the 2011 rainy season. To further this goal, SSLP has partnered with Hope Alliance, allowing our donors the benefit of a tax deduction. Please help SSLP accomplish this worthwhile project: send donations to The Hope Alliance (www.thehopealliance.org) For further information please contact: solomonawan@ yahoo.com. 90 | blackbusinessnews/TRAVEL | Spring 2017
Sailing July 22 - 29, 2017 from Miami onboard the Carnival Glory. We begin our 26th sailing of Festival at Sea with a beach day at Half Moon Cay. This private island has some of the best sand and surf in the Bahamas. Choose from a number of different water sports and activities or just enjoy the beach and BBQ … either way it’s a great way to start your cruise! Next up is the port of Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas … the undisputed capitol of duty free shopping in the Caribbean. St. Thomas is also home to Coral World Ocean Park where you can experience the thrill of exploring the ocean like a diver including hands-on interactions with sharks, turtles and sea lions without the need for specialized training. Old San Juan … our favorite “city” in the Caribbean is our third stop. We port a few short blocks from the center of this lively and historic hub of Puerto Rico where you can soak in the beautiful views, architecture, art, music, dance and the popular artisan craft market … a great place to pick up souvenirs. Next we’re off to the Turks and Caicos islands where the 14 acre Grand Turk Cruise Center offers a beachfront, cabanas, swimming pools and the world’s largest Margaritaville … a tropical spot for food and adult beverages. In between ports however, is when Festival at Sea really comes to life! Top name entertainers grace the showroom stage. Our own DJ’s bring the party to a variety of clubs and decks onboard. Activities such as Speed Dating, Renewal of Vows and our Bid Whist Tournament of Champions are just waiting for you to sign up. We have dance classes galore plus performances by our very own passengers in our AfricanAmerican Idol Show. Theme nights such as our African Attire evening and costume deck party keep the camaraderie flowing throughout the week. Come join us for our renown brand of “Cruising with an African-American Twist”. Festival at Sea. Once you go ... then you know.
Blue World Travel Corporation
351 California Street, Suite 950, San Francisco, CA 94104 Telephone: 1-800-466-2719 Facsimile: 1-415-882-9985 E-mail: fas@blueworldtravel.com Website: www.festivalatsea.com