issue
number
002
may–july
2010
the inflight magazine of air uganda part of the asante issue number 002 may–july 2010
your complimentary copy
A WORLD AWAY FROM THE CITY
Just 15 Kilometres from Kampala and 35 Kilometres from Entebbe, on the shores of lake victoria, rests a resort of ultimate beauty, tranquility and peace. This newest addition to the Serena family is the perfect resort to unwind and escape the stresses of city life.
The central lounge and reception
The rooms and suites
Maisha Mind Body and Spirit Spa
The pool and garden view
LAKE VICTORIA SERENA RE SO RT
PO Box 37761, Kampala, Uganda, Lweza-Kigo road, Off Entebbe road or Call +256 41 7121000, Fax +256 41 7121550 e-mail: lakevictoria@serena.co.ug
EDITORIAL
Welcome Aboard! It is my pleasure to thank you for making Air Uganda your airline of choice. My job as Airport Services Agent is to make sure your airport check-in and boarding experience is smooth, exceptional and reliable at Entebbe International Airport.
Our ground handling customer service is dedicated to providing: •
Friendly and efficient customer service from all our airport staff.
•
Professional team members that can assist you through the airport processes.
•
Assistance with how you can benefit from your Celestars Frequent Flyer
Programme.
•
On-time, unrivalled performance. We are proud of our punctuality record (for the
first quarter of 2010 Air Uganda achieved an average of 90 per cent on-time
punctuality across the network).
Occasionally you may experience an inconvenience or delay that is usually out of our control, such as bad weather, which can impair aircraft fuelling, boarding of passengers and loading catering. Even when a delay is unavoidable, we seek to minimise customer inconvenience. As part of our fleet plan, Air Uganda acquired a second Bombardier CRJ regional jet in February 2010 enabling more flexibility inflight scheduling and network expansion. The new 50-seater CRJ enabled us to introduce daily flights to Kigali in line with our business plan. In December last year, with our sister airlines, Air Mali and Air Burkina (all members of Group Celestair) we launched the Celestars Frequent Flyer Programme which rewards our frequent travellers with ‘free miles’ that can be redeemed for flights, extra baggage allowance and upgrades on our two-class MD87 aircraft. This programme has become increasingly popular with our regular business travellers. Registration for Celestars can be done on our website (www.air-uganda.com) and is very easy to manage online. With our flexibility of up to 30-minute check-in before flight departure, we encourage our passengers to sleep or work longer but still always arrive on time for check-in. Check-in counters close 30 minutes prior to departure to enable enough time for the remaining preflight documentation procedures that are required for a safe and on-time flight departure. On behalf of Airport customer services and the entire team at Air Uganda, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support that has allowed Air Uganda to grow and provide you with an improved range of services and destinations. So, sit back, relax and allow our friendly, caring cabin attendants to serve you while you read more about Air Uganda! Enjoy our latest edition of the in-flight magazine which you are welcome to take home and share with your friends.
We look forward to serving you again.
Ms JOYCE KABASIITA Airport Customer Services Agent, Entebbe.
CONTENTS issue
number
002
may–july
5 UGANDA IS TRULY THE PEARL OF AFRICA
2010
Uganda offers the visitor unparalled dramatic landscapes, a profusion of wildlife and unique experiences.
the inflight magazine of air uganda part of the asante issue number 002 may–july 2010
12
ANOTHER KENYA
16
WHAT’S NEW ON THE WATERFRONT
20
COFFEE FROM AGES PAST
22
CARVED DOORS THE KENYA COAST’S LIVING HISTORY
24
MOUNT ELGON A REAL WILDERNESS ADVENTURE
28
SLEEP? EASY!
30
THE SHOEBILL
Discover some magical parts of Kenya, away from the usual tourist tracks.
Things are changing in historic Dar es Salaam with modern developments moving alongside the older buildings.
It is coffee’s social aspect that makes it so important and unique in Zanzibari culture. your complimentary copy
Cover picture: Casting net for fishing on Lake Victoria.
A stroll through the alleyways of Mombasa’s old town reveals exquisitely carved wooden doors.
A spectacular ancient volcano, flanked by a natural wilderness that will thrill the adventurous.
How 95% of those suffering from trouble sleeping can be helped without resorting to prescription medicines.
Uganda is arguably the most alluring country in Africa to birdwatchers.
REGULARS 1
33
Editorial by Cabin Crew Manager
Some sound dietary advice for good health and a long life.
34
SUPERFOODS
Book World
36
WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT
38
ACROSS AFRICA WITH A CAMERA
Successful people give you results. Others will give you their rationale.
47
Air Uganda Flight Schedule
48
Healthy Travelling
49
Route Map
50
Offices
51
Tips for the Traveller
52
Crossword Puzzle & Sudoku
Follow the journey of one of the first wildlife photographers, Cherry Kearton, on an epic trek nearly 100 years ago.
41
MEXICO WELCOMES UGANDA TO THE 9TH WORLD WILDERNESS CONGRESS
Conservationists are working tirelessly to rescue wild areas from being damaged to serve human needs.
44
HERE BE ELEPHANTS
Some weighty advice on where to get the best sightings of everyone’s favourite animal.
WELCOME ABOARD
Publishers:
5
12
Editorial Director:
Rukhsana Haq
Editor:
Roger Barnard
Editorial Assistant: Senior Designer: Design Assistant:
20
16
Camerapix Magazines Ltd
Cecilia Gaitho Sam Kimani Fatima Janmohamed
Production Manager:
Azra Chaudhry, U.K
Production Assistant:
Rose Judah
Editorial Board:
Rukhsana Haq Jenifer B. Musiime Desire Barugahare
ASANTE meaning ‘Thank you’ in Kiswahili is published quarterly for Air Uganda by Camerapix Magazines Limited
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24
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P.O.Box 45048,00100 GPO Nairobi, Kenya Telephone: +254 (20) 4448923/4/5 Fax: +254 (20) 4448818 or 4441021 E-mail: creative@camerapix.co.ke Editorial and Advertising Office: Camerapix Magazines (UK) Limited 32 Friars Walk, Southgate, London, N14 5LP
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Tel: +44 (20) 8361 2942 Mobile: +44 79411 21458 E-mail: camerapixuk@btinternet.com Correspondance on editorial and advertising matters may be sent to either of the above addresses. Printed in Nairobi.
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©2010 CAMERAPIX MAGAZINES LTD All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the publisher. All photographs by Camerapix unless otherwise indicated.
country focus: Uganda
Uganda is Truly the
Pearl of Africa Uganda, the warm heart of Africa, offers the visitor unparalleled
dramatic landscapes, a profusion of wildlife and unique experiences, Asante reports. This picture: Lake Mutanda is a small freshwater lake with several islands, located in Kisoro district. It is nestled in the foothills of the Virunga Mountain Range at an
Photos Š Camerapix Publishers/David Pluth
altitude of 1,800 metres (5,900 feet).
>> may – july 2010 | air uganda | 5
country focus: Uganda
Uganda, the warm heart of Africa, offers the visitor unparalleled dramatic landscapes, a profusion of wildlife and unique experiences.
U
ganda, once the ‘Pearl of Africa’ has cast off the layers of its grim past and
Above:
now stands proudly lustrous. After a decade of peace the land is flourishing, the
Despite the constant building,
towns and cities bustling with trade and activity, the economy expanding and the
Kampala remains green and inviting.
people as welcoming as always. Straddling the Equator in the heart of Africa, Uganda is blessed with an abundance
Opposite top left:
of natural assets. The size of Britain and lying between the two clefts of the Rift Valley,
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, home
Uganda’s terrain ranges from snow-capped mountains to lake-filled valleys, from extinct
to over half the world’s estimated
volcanoes to highland plateaux. The country’s varied beauty is breathtaking.
600 mountain gorillas.
Nicknamed the Breadbasket of Africa, Uganda is one of the most fertile countries on the continent. It receives more than 2,000 millimetres (78 inches) of annual rain feeding
Opposite top right:
streams, rivers and lakes which cover 25 per cent of its surface. The resulting vegetation
Endangered mountain gorilla.
– tropical rain forests, savannah scrub and Afro-alpine flora are host to an awe-inspiring variety of wildlife including the threatened gorilla. All of this rich heritage is being jealously
Right:
guarded by the current government to retain its splendour for everyone’s enjoyment today
Beautiful joyous children of Uganda.
and in the future. Some of Uganda’s features are outstanding. The country boasts the second largest fresh water lake in the world, Lake Victoria, where the boundaries of Uganda, Tanzania
6 | air uganda | may – july 2010
country focus: Uganda
and Kenya converge and the River Nile starts its 6,400 kilometres (3,977 mile) journey to the Mediterranean. Close to Lake Albert in the west, the Nile waters are thrust through a 6-metre (20-foot) gash in the rocks producing the awesome spectacle of Murchison Falls plummeting 42 metres (138 feet). The force of the river, harnessed by the Owen’s Falls Dam near its source at Jinja, provides the country with its major electricity supply and much of its earnings; both Tanzania and Kenya also benefit from this hydroelectricity scheme. Other commercially exploitable assets include rich sources of minerals and metals such as phosphates, graphite, magnesite, dolomite and limestone, copper and gold, and – potentially – oil in the Rift Valley. With stability restored, the people are able to reap rewards from the country’s natural gifts and exploit their native entrepreneurial skills. Eighty seven per cent of the country’s GDP. The major cash crops include coffee, cotton, tea, tobacco and maize. The natural fertility and abundant rainfall allow farmers to produce two or even three crops a year. Future developments look to other horticultural products such as vegetables and flowers for export to Europe and the Middle East. Diversity of the land is reflected in the diversity of the people. Although there are four major groups, Bantu, Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic and Sudanic comprising over 33 ethnic groups, speaking over 40 languages, the people are united in their efforts to restore Uganda to its previous posterity.
>>
Diversity of the land is reflected in the diversity of the people may – july 2010 | air uganda | 7
country focus: Uganda
Left: Casting net for fishing on Lake Victoria. Right: The thundering Murchison Falls, where the mighty Nile is funnelled through a 7-metre (23-foot) cleft in the rocks.
Most visitors, of course, are attracted to this distinct country by its game parks, its majestic mountains and lush landscapes >>
Uganda has a rich history dating back 500,000 years when,
In the late 1700s Arab and European traders of cloth, utensils
according to fossil evidence, early humans inhabited the western
and guns, in exchange for ivory and slaves, were closely followed
Rift Valley. The Bantus have an agricultural heritage; by 5,000 BC
by Muslim and Christian missionaries, explorers such as Grant and
Bantu groups living in the west, south and east of modern Uganda
Speke, and finally European colonialists. After innumerable political
tilled the land and smelted iron, later adopting south-east Asia
squabbles amongst the colonial powers, Uganda eventually became
crops such as yams and bananas today’s staple food crops for the
a British Protectorate in 1894.
average family. Pastoral immigrants from the Ethiopian region intermarried with
The financially-stretched British resorted to indirect rule, relying on Bugandan agents to administer the rest of Uganda.
the agricultural Bantus and established pastoral aristocracies in
This administrative legacy still has political repercussions for
western and central Uganda. Nilotic nomadic groups migrated
modern Uganda and resentments have reverberated throughout
from the north by the first millennium AD and eventually
this century, causing much bloodshed. Ethnic hostilities even
established the dynasty of Bunyoro.
threatened the birth of independent Uganda which eventually
For centuries the various groups have traversed the Ugandan
occurred in 1962.
plateaux, merging and clashing and establishing new groups and
After the terrifying times of President Milton Obote and Idi
languages. Out of these diverse groups developed several states
Amin, the current political situation has a healthy broad-based
or kingdoms: in the west and centre the original Bachwezi empire,
government drawn from all political parties and groupings.
later superseded by the centralised kingdoms of Bunyoro and
The government aims to achieve a more equal distribution of
Nkore which in turn became dominated by the more cohesive and
power through its new constitution. And it is this new political
liberal kingdom of Buganda. Buganda continued to dominate until
climate which has secured peace for the country and restored
colonisation in the late 1800s.
optimism and energy to the people.
8 | air uganda | may – july 2010
country focus: Uganda
Kampala, like legendary Rome, was built on seven. The original hill on which British explorer and adventurer, Captain Frederick Lord Lugard, built a fort and administrative post, is now known as Old Kampala Hill. The fort still stands and although the government offices have moved to Nakasero Hill, now the city centre, it is one of the main tourist attractions of the city. Other places of interest to visitors include the prestigious Makere University – the first in East Africa; the National Museum housing several cultural, ethnological and musical collections; the imposing Parliament Buildings; Nommo Art Gallery dedicated to local artists; the ancient Bugandan Kasubi Tombs; the macabre Martyrs’ Shrine and other religious centres including the Bahai Temple unique in Africa. Kampala is one of the most pleasant cities to walk around. Not only is it safe from muggings and pestering but the pleasant climate and temperature, enhanced by cool lake breezes and the green landscaped streets make it a delightful place to meander in. It may rain most days, but the wettest and possibly less pleasant months are February to April and October to December. The visitor is spoilt for choice when it comes to hotels, restaurants and cafes. Local and international cuisine are on offer as is accommodation to suit every one’s taste and pocket. Almost every week new hotels, apartments and places for refreshment open their doors, making Kampala a dynamic, energizing city. Most visitors, of course, are attracted to this distinct country by its game parks, its majestic mountains and lush landscapes. On arrival, visitors are impressed by the modern, efficient
A trip to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in the south-west is a
Entebbe Airport run on international standards. It has been greatly
unique experience for even the most sophisticated world traveller.
renovated and expanded since the dramatic days of the Entebbe
It is there that over half the world’s estimated 600 gorillas live on
raid when Israeli troops liberated the PLO-hijacked French plane.
the brink of extinction. The park is contiguous with Rwanda’s Parc
Entebbe is only half-an-hour’s lakeside drive from the thriving
National des Volcans – made famous by the film Gorillas in the Mist
capital, Kampala, also on the shores of Lake Victoria. The capital
and infamous by the murder of conservationist Dian Fossey – and
was once the site of a Bugandan palace where the royal impala
Zaire’s Parc National des Virugas. But due to the civil strife in both
grazed. From this picturesque tradition the city derived its name:
these countries, gorilla viewing is more practical from the
Kasozi ka Impala or Hill of Antelopes. But rather than one hill,
Ugandan side.
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may2010 – july 2010 air uganda may – july | air | uganda | 9| 1
country focus: Uganda
Uganda enjoys a variety of watersports like whitewater rafting (Far left) and bunjee jumping (Left).
>>
To protect these rare creatures viewing is strictly limited.
these magnificent parks has unique features and ecosystems:
Only small parties of adults are escorted through the forest to
Semuliki enjoys hot springs, averaging temperatures of 106ºC
the most recent viewing site.
(223ºF), providing a specialised micro-habitat for such strange
From there on the ranger tracks the gorillas until, if lucky, the
creatures as the lung fish which inhabit the mud pools. Toto
party comes upon the gentle giants quietly munching, grooming
Game Reserve encompasses much of Semuliki Forest with its
or socialising. Most visitors are mesmerised by these near-
lakeshore flats, swamps, dramatic forested escarpments and
human creatures; but tight rules govern visitors’ behaviour
wooded streams. Kibale National Park is the wettest of the
to both parties’ benefit. Although the primates have been
parks offering a unique moist evergreen forest habitat hosting a
‘habituated’ to humans, aggression is possible and an attack by a
profusion of primates and diverse wildlife. But the priceless jewel
210 kilogrammes (460 pounds) silverback male is a formidable
of them all is Rwenzori Mountains National Park or ‘Mountains
prospect. Visitors must remain quietly at a distance, making no
of the Moon’. It is a land of mists and mysterious rock and ice
sudden movements. Flash photography is forbidden so 800 or
formations, weird overgrown vegetation, and the echoing, eerie
1200 ASA film is recommended to record these black-coated
screeches of the nocturnal hyrax. Such are the opportunities of
creatures in their shady habitat.
this park, it takes a minimum of six or seven days to savour its
Regulations also insist that visitors are healthy for two reasons. Firstly trekking through the highland forest is physically demanding
splendours. Apart from rewarding game watching and healthful trekking
and requires both strength and stamina. Secondly their genetic
in the photogenic landscapes of the western highlands, there is
closeness makes the gorillas susceptible to human disease – a
golfing at Fort Portal and swimming or fishing in Lake Saka, a
disease that could swiftly wipe out their remaining number.
crater lake eight kilometres from the town.
But apart from these singular creatures, Mgahinga Gorilla
Less well-known tourist sites include Lake Victoria’s 84 Sese
National Park is home to another rare primate, the golden
Islands, unspoilt refuges of tranquillity and hospitality. Untouched
monkey and endangered mammals such as leopard, elephant
by civil strife, and off the usual tourist tracks, the people are
and several cat species. Twelve endemic bird groups inhabit the
warm and welcoming and the islands safe to explore on foot.
park including the handsome francolin, the Rwenzori turaco and
Alternatively the local fishermen offer opportunities for impromptu
stripe-breasted tit.
boat trips around the islands, or bicycles are available for hire on
Visitors may also be tempted by guided hikes and climbs through the park or a trip to the Garama Cave, once home to Iron age communities. Nearby Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – containing one of the largest natural forests in East Africa including six square
the main island of Buggala. Many of the islands are uninhabited and the untouched forest and verdant vegetation are bursting with wildlife, colourful birds and butterflies. But no matter which part of Uganda toured, the mode of
kilometres of bamboo – offers another rare opportunity to view
travel or the time of year, the visitor will be amazed by the
the gorillas but the dense undergrowth makes the trekking more
spectacular landscapes, the warmth of the people and the
challenging and is not to be undertaken by the faint-hearted.
diversity of wildlife.
However the rich ecosystem makes the effort worthwhile.
Most will agree that little appears to have changed since the
Other much-visited destinations including the lush, forested
1900s when Winston Churchill exclaimed in My African Journey.
western highlands fringed by the ‘Mountains of the Moon’. The
‘For magnificence, for variety of form and colour, for profusion of
area boasts three lakes named after British Queen Victoria’s
brilliant life – plant, bird, insect, reptile, beast – for vast scale .
sons, four national parks and several forest reserves. Each of
‘Uganda is truly the pearl of Africa.’
10 | air uganda | may – july 2010
country focus: Uganda
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may – july 2010 | air uganda | 11
destination: Kenya
Another
Glenn A. Baker investigates some magical parts of Kenya, away from the usual tourist tracks.
T
he Samburu were faultlessly accommodating. They parted ranks, admitted me with a smile and refrained from visibly laughing as I performed their vertical dance with all the
grace and skill of a drunken sailor. My intrusion didn’t faze them for a moment. That afternoon
they had been hurling themselves skywards – with regular mass perambulation to vary the pace – for long enough to have entered into something approaching the sort of euphoric trance that I believe is fruitfully called upon by African marathon runners. I locked into the rhythm of their chant with my own, threw my head back and managed a good two or three leaps before I became painfully aware of how my kneebone is connected to my thighbone. I would be aware of it for some days. Living above the equator in the Great Rift Valley and Northern Frontier areas of Kenya, where the northern desert merges into the foothills of Mt. Kenya, the Samburu are cousins of the better-known Maasai warriors from the south, and though they
a working cattle station and a luxury lodge of seven rooms.
don’t appear on quite as many postcards, book jackets, films,
From the decks, balconies and dining verandahs of the lodge
photographs and paintings, are no less striking. Tall,
are views that sweep dramatically down 300 metres and out
straight-backed, proud, strong and handsome, these cattle
over a compelling terrain of open red oat grass plains, acacia
herders and hunters have a highly-regarded position in a country
scrub, and a two-river system supporting 50 species of wildlife
of 30 languages, said to have the greatest diversity on the
and – one of the largest biodiversities after the Serengeti/Mara
continent. They enlisted with British forces in World War II and are now well represented in Kenya’s
ecosystem – 250 bird species. The same size as the Ngorongoro Crater and larger than many of Kenya’s principal game parks, Loisaba is high enough for a
armed forces and police. For Peter Cadot they, and the Laikipia
year-round temperate climate which actively encourages a wide
Maasai people, are an essential
range of adventure activities – game drives, camel trekking, horse
component of his Loisaba Wilderness
riding, rafting, mountain biking, climbing, hiking, bird watching
private game ranch of 150 square
and, with the aid of five-passenger Squirrel helicopters, trout
kilometres, a short plane hop from Nanyuki in Mount Kenya
deserts, and morning hilltop breakfasts. Promising that “mind,
National Park. A white
body and soul will surely be invigorated”, the Cadots welcome
Kenyan of long heritage in
their wanderers back to the pleasant garden complex of the lodge
the former British colony,
each evening with such enticements as a health spa, swimming
Peter and his family have
pool, tennis courts, fine meals, and a large well-cushioned lounge
carved out a remarkable retreat on the edge of the Laikipia Plateau escarpment; one that incorporates
12 | air uganda | may – july 2010
fishing on Mount Kenya, trips to Lake Turkana and the northern
with open fires and an intriguing library. Formerly the home of Count Ancelotto, it’s hard to understand why he left. The Cadots’ engaging 18-year-old daughter, Chala, and local tribesman Tom Ledapus – recently shorn of his long plaited and beaded hair on the occasion of his marriage – provided the
a wildlife
introduction to the Samburu village where my lower limbs were
conservancy,
given such unexpected exercise. Somewhat less demanding was
destination: Kenya
teeming herds and endless grassy plains of the Maasai Mara, just as many are venturing further afield, to the more rugged north and to the more specialised lodges and refuges. The overriding desire is privacy, personal experiences, cultural interaction and the possibility of delving into an Africa beyond just the roar of a lion or the grunt of a hippo. An hour or so away by light aircraft, low over mountains, desert, lush and dramatic Rift Valley formations and some Colonial-era plantations and farms that really do look as if they have been painted on the lid of a chocolate box, is another treasured hideaway being inexorably discovered by a larger slice of the tourism flow. The Meru National Park, also in the Northern Frontier District,
Photo © Camerapix Publishers/Karl Ammann
has an immediate claim to your recognition. It was in this
The Samburu are cousins of the better-known Maasai warriors
oft-neglected corner of the extensive and admirable Kenyan reserve system that George and Joy Adamson raised and then set free Elsa, the lioness of Born Free book, film and song fame, followed by the cheetah Pippa of The Spotted Sphinx fame. In fact, the private retreat Elsa’s Kopje – Meru’s equivalent to Loisaba – atop Mughwango Hill was the site of the Adamson’s first base of operations, Elsa’s Camp. The diverse and often dramatic 870 square kilometres of Meru, behind the Nyambeni Hills, attracts considerable praise. Leaf through guide books and you come upon enough comments – “One of Africa’s most beautiful national parks”, “One of Kenya’s, and the world’s, best parks” and “Unspoilt wilderness that instills the feeling of real Africa” – to lead to an inescapable conclusion. Here the terrain is not only wild but the beasts in residence are less accustomed to the human species. When sighted through the baobab trees or doum and raphia palms they seem somehow
the excursion with Peter to Loisaba’s two sets of increasingly
more special and rewarding than the jaded lion who urinates on
renowned Star Beds.
your back tyre and falls asleep on a track rut. Not that they don’t
The original set are tucked away in kopje of rocks above the
present themselves – a rather strident young elephant challenged
vast Kiboko waterhole in one of the eastern valleys. The newer
me for road space as I was making my way to a hippo wallow in
Koija set are some eight kilometres further south, on the banks
the Rojewero River, one of the 13 that cross the park.
of the Ewaso N’giro River. Reached by a suspended footbridge
With habitats ranging from dry bush to forest, swamps to
from the opposite bank, these part-thatched roof, A-frame
grasslands, near-desert savannah to acacia groves, river to
buildings with net-covered four-poster wheeled beds (that are
mountain, waterfall to sudden rocky outcrop, Meru takes on the
placed beneath the stars each night) are cantilevered over the
appearance of a number of parks. It boasts some distinctive and
fast flowing river below.
rare game, such as the reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, lesser
The Koija Star Beds are a joint venture with local villages,
kudu, the gerenuk and the palm nut vulture. When the clouds
whose red-garbed warriors not only stand guard over their
clear in the early morning and late afternoon the views of Mt.
esteemed guests at night, warning off any big cats, elephants
Kenya can add a spectacular dimension to the visual panorama
and rare wild dogs which may have wandered off course, but also
of the day. The attraction is equally strong to both the guests of
prepare their meals and maintain their sleeping platforms.
the park’s lodges and those who buy a ticket from the gatehouse
Call it eco-tourism, call it cultural tourism, Loisaba Wilderness represents a new front in African adventure, one gaining greater and greater momentum. In the wake of Redford and Streep in
and take advantage of the excellent network of roads to meander about in a hire car. Adamson had a deft touch in establishing a camp and the
Out Of Africa two decades ago visitors swarmed across the main
builders of Elsa’s Kopje have since taken every advantage of
game parks of Kenya, surrounded by ‘The Big 5’ and by almost as
the prime position he staked out to integrate a classy retreat
many Big 4s (as in 4-wheel-drive vehicles). Today the swarms are
that fits seamlessly into the rock face and takes every possible
fewer and, while many safari visitors still make a beeline for the
advantage of views over Mughwango Plains. In a reclining chair
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 13
>>
Photo © Camerapix Publishers/Karl Ammann
destination: Kenya
>> with a drink in hand, the setting sun on
Top:
The Kenya experience will always, rightly, include the migration
the distant Nyambeni Hills sears into the
The Samburu in
hordes in the Maasai Mara, the pink flamingo flocks by Lake
consciousness. A number of the rooms
their habitat –
Nakuru, the Mt. Kilimanjaro view from the game-laden Amboseli
are works of art in themselves, built into
the lowlands.
National Park, the 19th century ambience of Old Mombasa Town
and around natural rock formations, like
and the aquatic wonders of the Lamu Archipelago. But increasingly
sumptuous caves. Only when the maid
Right:
it is coming to embrace the more private splendours of retreats
lowers the screens in the evening while
Maasai Mara,
such as Loisaba Wilderness and Elsa’s Kopje.
you are off swapping day’s tales in the
famous for its
lodge bar, dining room or outdoor setting,
annual migration
do you attain any sense that you are in a
of Zebra,
‘hotel room’.
Thomson’s
Like Loisaba, there is a strong eco-
gazelle and
tourism ethic at play in the establishment
wild beest; a
and operation of Elsa’s Kopje. Also a
migration so
part of the Classic Safari Camps of Africa
immense it is
group, this is again ‘small and special’
called the Great
with just nine unique rooms built with
Migration.
materials from all corners of Kenya and and evocative African design. Low, yellow lighting allows the lodge to blend into its environment; a strategy so successful that I learned over breakfast that a buffalo had wandered through the kitchen and dining area while I was slumbering in my comfy ‘cave’. The same approach is used on night game drives, with infra-red light revealing a multitude of undisturbed nocturnal creatures.
14 | air uganda | may – july 2010
Photo © Camerapix Publishers/David Pluth
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destination: Dar es Salaam
I
n the misty Indian Ocean dawn, there’s something timeless
Early risers in the 100-year-old Azania Front Lutheran church
about the scene along the Kivukoni Front that overlooks one
are warming up with harmonised hymn-singing for the first daily
of Africa’s finest harbours. At this hour, away from the main
service, their voices mingling with the call to prayer from the
build-ups of traffic into the city centre, there are still more
mosques around Indira Ghandi Street. Seabirds and pied crows
cyclists and pedestrians than jostling taxis, cars and buses, and
raucously settling disputes over whatever has washed up on the
it’s still possible to imagine what this famous waterfront must
beach overnight complete the dawn chorus.
have looked like in the days when dhows ruled the waves of
Purists maintain that ‘Peaceful Harbour’ is a mistranslation
the Swahili coast. Here and there between the coconut palms
of Dar es Salaam, which in fact means ‘House of Peace’. But
fishing boats can be glimpsed setting out for the morning catch.
whichever you prefer, the illusion of peaceful timelessness
What’s New on
The Waterfront Things are changing in historic Dar es Salaam, with modern developments moving in alongside the older buildings. Kate Nivison went to investigate and found that
Photo © Kate Nivison
Dar has not lost its soul.
16 | air uganda | may – july 2010
Photo © Wikipedia
destination: Dar es Salaam
This is East Africa’s second largest port, and the third fastest growing city in the continent doesn’t last long. This is East Africa’s second largest port,
such as St.Joseph’s Cathedral and the minarets of mosques
and the third fastest growing city on the continent. As the sun
are being dwarfed by much taller structures. Fortunately, some
comes up, colours brighten and looming, bulky shapes become
of these older buildings with their shady verandas, overhanging
clearer. The wake from a huge container ship is rocking a tiny
balconies and wooden shutters have been restored in a nick of
motorboat, and the Kigamboni ferry, already half-way across to
time, so that the general aspect is still one where the old and
the far shore, seems intent on beating an in-bound oil tanker to
the new rub along together in a pleasing mix of styles. Possibly
its berth.
there will also be some much needed renovation work on the
The recently opened and very impressive Port Control Tower
place where families would walk, play and enjoy the sea breezes
the sun – its construction being an indication of the way the
that are a relief when the humidity is high.
port has grown in the last 10 years. A new container terminal
Above:
steps leading down to the beach itself, which was once a popular
near the local ferry terminal is one of the first buildings to catch
There are still plenty of large spreading trees beneath whose
and storage facilities on the southern curve of the harbour
shade informal markets spring up all along the Kivukoni Front
have eased the congestion which once prevented the port from
from the local ferry terminal right round to the Zanzibar ferry
reaching its potential. In fact in broad daylight, it’s clear that
terminal. Between these two bustling hubs are the fruit and
many other tall buildings with a look that is more Dubai than
vegetable sellers, and lads selling roasted maize cobs or Chinese
Dar have sprung up along the waterfront as well as in the town
CDs and watches. Occasionally a coconut vendor will stop by
centre and suburbs. The theme is blue – and the bluer the sky
on his bike and use his machete to crack open his wares on
the better they look. Some are hotels such as the Kilimanjaro
the kerbstones. Beyond the local ferry terminal is the main fish
Kempinski with its famous views of the harbour and gardens full
market – a boisterous place from which all kinds of interesting
of tropical blooms. Others are banks, including the twin towers
seafood soon makes its way onto the ‘bend-down’ pitches lining
of the Bank of Tanzania, or expensive apartment blocks.
the waterfront when the afternoon catch comes in. Yells and
One of the most eye-catching of the new-comers to the scene
laughter from haggling housewives and mini-bus drivers add
A panoramic
is the gleaming Utumishi building. Non-Kiswahili speakers could
to the atmosphere, and cooking smells get more pungent and
view of the Dar
mistake it for a swanky Japanese car company headquarters,
enticing. The restaurants round the terminals attract whole
es Salaam city.
but in fact Utumishi stands for the Public Service Commission –
families in search of a cool drink and nyama choma, the hefty
a newly formed government body that combines the civil service,
traditional (usually beef) barbeque, before the ferry leaves in the
Left:
local government and education offices under one roof. Dar
usual last minute burst of chaos – or the sun goes down.
The city is
may no longer be the capital – it officially lost that role in the
Walk past the fish market onto Ocean Road, and it’s easy to
situated on a
1970s to the more centrally situated town of Dodoma – but
see why this hook-shaped northern peninsula which catches the
massive natural
many important institutions remain, even though the National
trade winds and sea breezes was considered a suitable location
harbour on the
Assembly moved to Dodoma in 1996.
for State House, prestigious hospitals, fine villas and the golf
Eastern Indian
Until the turn of the new century there were few buildings
course. It’s also on the way to a further peninsula, Msasani, long
Ocean coast
higher than a palm tree, including the High Court and Post
noted as a place of escape from the heat of the city. The Dar
of Africa, with
Office. Brick-red tiles the colour of the Lutheran Church spire,
es Salaam Yacht Club is here, tucked into a sheltered bay, and
sandy beaches
or older pan roofing used to dominate the waterfront skyline,
together with the nearby Slipway, it’s a venue for the sailing and
in some areas.
but these are dwindling now, while the spires of other churches
watersports crowd. At The Slipway there is good shopping and
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 17
>>
destination: Dar es Salaam
>> waterside eating, and the whole of the Msasani peninsula is known for the laid-back style of its luxury hotels. With names like White Sands, Oyster Bay, Beachcomber and Mediterraneo, they look as good as they sound, and offer not just superior rooms, chalets and apartment accommodation, but fine dining for non-residents and access to private beaches. Activities such as water-skiing, canoeing, sail-boarding and kite-surfing are growing in popularity, especially at weekends, and a new beach access road is nearly finished. If conditions aren’t quite right for your chosen sport in one place, it’s easy to find somewhere else where they will be nearperfect. Offshore are some of the best coral reef structures on Africa’s Indian Ocean coast, incorporated in a marine park. Trips are available from the hotels or other agencies to idyllic Mbudia island for snorkelling and scuba diving. On Bongoyo island, camping is allowed for a fee. Naturally, the marine park is protected from fishing, but there are plenty more fish in the sea, and lots of them will finish up in delicious sauces, or served as part of the Photo © Kate Nivison
increasingly popular trend to ‘fusion’ dishes in the restaurants of the peninsula. When it comes to eating out, the whole city, and not just the waterfront zone, has seen a boom in interesting possibilities. To underline the international atmosphere, there are 16 Indian restaurants listed in the city guide, half a dozen Chinese, and the same number of coffee shops and fast food outlets. The rest of the scoreboard looks like Italy with seven, Japan with four, and Thailand and Korea with two. Then it’s one each for Portugal, Mexico, Lebanon and Malaysia. ‘Multi-cuisine’ and ‘Continental’ account for at least 40 more listings, so no one’s going to feel left out. As for shopping, it depends on what you want – an authentic Tanzanian experience, or something that feels like every big city anywhere. For local colour and souvenirs, there is always Kariakoo, said to be the largest covered market in Africa, where haggling is
the norm, and no one takes no for an answer. It can be quite
Above:
hectic, and a few Kiswahili phrases are a great help, but while
Dar offers a
there are still markets like this, Dar is in no danger of losing its
range of exciting
soul to the developers.
recreational
That’s not to say that new ventures aren’t welcome. One in
opportunities;
particular, the Mlimani City Mall, has generated a lot of interest
swimming,
since its opening in November 2008. This is Tanzania’s first
snorkeling, fishing
fully-enclosed air-conditioned shopping centre, with a lot more
and sailing head
besides. It is the result of a US$ 80 million investment by a
the list of active
Botswana group, and the city is very proud of it. As well as
sports.
all the usual names – Shoprite, Game, Truworths and Vodaphone and many
Left:
smaller enterprises, there is also an office
Ferry terminal
park, a hotel and upmarket residential
bustle below
properties.
the Port
Indian music extravaganzas, art exhibitions showing both national and international works, hotel wine-tasting festivals, new cultural centres and galleries with expert Makonde carvings, Maasai beadwork and Tinga Tinga painting – there’s always something to see and do in Dar. And in the magic hour before the sun goes Photo © Kate Nivison
down behind the waterfront, when the cool ocean breeze lowers the humidity and wafts the smell of spicy cooking to your window, you might just get a hint of why they called it the House of Peace.
18 | air uganda | may – july 2010
Control Tower.
Photo Š Christopher J. Varady
feature
Coffee
From Ages Past Christopher J. Varady looks into coffee drinking in Zanzibar, and finds that little has changed over the centuries.
W
ith a robust trading and cultural connection reaching into antiquity, coffee is perhaps one of the main products and cultural
elements which links Zanzibar to the Middle East. The Arabica coffee grown on the islands has been traded for centuries, since the time when dhows plied the East African coast, aided by the monsoon winds. In fact, the Swahili name for coffee, kahawa, is obviously reflective of the shared trade in this precious commodity between African and Arab peoples. The age of the dhow and empires spanning the East African coast have long passed into history. However, the art of coffee preparation and drinking is, to this
20 | air uganda | may – july 2010
feature
The Arabica coffee grown on the islands has been traded for centuries origins coffee. With African-electronica fusion music playing in the background, it’s easy to imagine scenes of old Stone Town in the steam swirling up from a cup of this unique coffee.
Left:
But perhaps it is coffee’s social aspect that makes it so
It is coffee’s
important and unique in Zanzibari culture. Coffee is a drink not
social aspect
to be drunk alone, but rather is a connector between people and
that makes it
a tool for leisure time. In Zanzibar, the bazara (a cement bench
so important
which is part of the exterior of most homes) is everywhere in
and unique
Stone Town. Flanking the ornate wooden doors of the houses,
in Zanzibari
the bazaras served as a way to receive guests and serve them
culture.
coffee, without compromising the intimacy of the home’s interior which was so valued in early Islamic cultures. Since its historical
Right:
beginnings, the residents of Stone Town sat on the bazaras
To preserve the
outside their homes to socialise in the breezes which blow on
fresh taste of
the Indian Ocean shore in the mornings and evenings. Playing a
the bean, coffee
game of bao or cards with coffee is ubiquitious in Stone Town’s
must be stored
constricted alleys. Bazaras and coffee link the home to the
properly.
community. In Stone Town today, this way of life is just as alive and potent as it was in the days of the Sultans and dhows.
Bottom Right: Photo © Christopher J. Varady
Coffee served scalding hot with a maximum dose of caffein and abundant indigenous spices and tastes. day, virtually identical in Zanzibar as it is in Jeddah or Cairo. Interestingly enough, it serves the same purpose as well. Coffee, like Swahili cuisine, makes use of the abundant spices and tastes which are indigenous to the islands. Preparation involves traditional methods which rely on adding the grounds to boiling water and flavouring the coffee with cardamom, cinnamon, or ginger. The coffee is served scalding hot in small porcelain cups with a maximum dose of caffeine. Don’t look for milk to be added, as this is not the Europeanised version of the drink. Coffee here is strong, black, and spicy. Neither is sugar ever added: coffee is only sweetened with kasata (a dry sugarreserved for Arabic special occasions). Zanzibar’s two best coffee houses, Msumbi Coffee House and the Zanzibar Coffee House, both serve coffee according to professional standards. They are as serious about their coffee as the best wine connoisseurs. Both use only local beans, which are roasted and ground on the premises. The intimate setting of both coffee houses lends itself to savouring this true-to-its-
Photo © Christopher J. Varady
and-coconut based desert) or halua (a jelly-like treat traditionally
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 21
feature
Carved Doors
The Kenya Coast’s Living History The Kenya coast is a favourite international holiday destination with its magnificent coastline, spectacular bird sites and stunning marine life. However, it also has one of the most powerful remnants of history in Africa, says Jagruti Asher.
I
n its quest to control trade routes across the oceans, resulting in violent wars between the Arabs and the Portuguese during the 15th and 16th centuries, and later as
a significant trading centre, dealing in ivory, gold, species and slaves, the Kenyan Coast became a combination of cultures of Bantu, Persian, Arab and Indian traders, that produced unique architectural structures, particularly the elaborately carved doors and verandahs. A stroll through the alleyways of Mombasa’s old town reveals a variety of exquisitely carved wooden doors that stand infront of many homes, a functional part of history that can be found in many places along the Coast.
22 | air uganda | may – july 2010
feature
Mombasa has around 200 of these doors and Lamu over 350 Left:
These beautiful doors in ancient times reflected the status
These doors have carved designs of geometric patterns with
Beautiful carved
and way of life of the owners, as well as their attribution of style
variable images. Many have Islamic verses protecting the
doors; it is
and identity of the craftsmanship of the carvers.
home. These are the most sought-after doors by antique
believed that
Judging from their features, such as the complexity of the
collectors. The Omani style doors introduced by the Mazrui and the
the carvers’
designs and their great height and size, they were probably
immaculate
made tall as a form of protection (probably due to wars) and
El-busaidy Arabs are distinctive in their appearance and
styles expressed
wide enough to allow animal carts to pass through into the
decoration. “They are delicately carved with floral patterns with
their mythology,
yards of the houses. These massive doors would also have been
motifs of lotus flowers, rosettes and date palm designs
legends and
the main opening of the house, leading to a courtyard and to a
decorated heavily with iron studs and rivets giving a rich look”.
folklore on
series of patios leading in turn to many rooms.
wood.
Peculiarly enough, these doors at one time did not have any
The Gujerati style doors were introduced by the Indian settlers in the 1840s. They have the unique feature of being built with
provision for being locked from the outside as perhaps they
shutters for the sake of security for many of the premises
would have been manned at all times.
belonged to traders who owned shops. They are carved at the
Midway up the doors, the elegant door-knockers are secured for the familiar hodi, hodi knock. An interesting feature of these impenetrable entrances was that they were often double doors hinged with iron spikes plunged into the walls to hold them in place. Because of their great weight they must have required a team
lintel and in the middle part of the doors. They are thought initially to have been brought directly from India, but were later made locally. The most extraordinary of all the doors are the Siu doors. The decoration of these comprise floral carvings filled with lime and red paint. The door structure has a thick frame with carved
of men to open and close the main doors. This necessitated the
support and huge abstracts of lotus flowers on the doors. It is
addition of a much smaller door opening – basically a cut-out in
believed that this style was influenced by the arrival of Indian
the main door – to allow one person at a time to enter or leave
traders who settled at Siu by the late 14th century. These doors
the house.
are very rarely found today and can be seen preserved at the
The tradition of these carved doors on the Coast started with the arrival of sea traders from India, Oman and Zanzibar and
Lamu Museum. The most unusual doors, owing to their structural design, are
the skills of carving the doors probably originated around the
the Lamu style doors. These doors are decorated only at the
Persian Gulf and spread to India and the nearby countries. It
centre post with geometric designs. They are named Lamu style
is believed that the carvers’ immaculate styles expressed their
as they are believed to have originated in Lamu stone town in
mythology, legends and folklore on wood.
the 18th century.
According to Mr.Kassim Omar, the Acting Principal Architect
Kijumwa style doors are named after Ahmed Kijumwa, who
of Mombasa Old Town Conservation Office, “the beauty of these
carved them between 1890 - 1920. These doors are heavily
doors has enchanted the local people as well as the tourists,”
carved with attractive and decorative designs. There are only
but he also notes that “these doors are also gradually fading
around 16 of these doors found at the Coast.
away as when owners renovate their houses, they opt not to
The contemporary Swabu style doors, are said to be designed
retain the doors. Some of the doors need urgent restoration
by Ali Swabu. These doors are attractive with styles of flowery
and repairs.”
motifs such as sunflowers, rosettes, palm leaves and other
“These doors are made of hardwood such as the African Mahogany teak, locally known as Mbamba Kofi. “Mombasa
decorations. The doors that have a vague appearance and variation in
has around 200 of these doors and Lamu over 350,” explains
patterns, as opposed to the traditional Swahili doors, are called
Mr.Kassim. In all he notes that “many styles of carved doors
the contemporary door styles. These are mostly the work of
are predominantly found in Lamu,” one of the oldest preserved
amateur carvers.
towns in Kenya. The carved doors are distinguished by style, eight of which
Because of the complexity and intricacy of this art, the traditional beauty of carved doors is gradually disappearing
are generally found on the Coast. The Bajuni style doors are the
due to the lack of transfer of skills from the old to the younger
oldest, dating back to the 12th century AD. The earliest doors
generation. Fortunately, the Mombasa Old Town Conservation
of this kind are to be found in Siu, a village in Pate Island.
office is involved in preserving these pieces of art for posterity.
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 23
feature
Mount Elgon
A Real Wilderness Adventure Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda is a spectacular ancient volcano, flanked by a natural wilderness that will thrill the
Photos © Camerapix
.
adventurous. Trekking to the top of the 4,321-metre peak is a testing but rewarding challenge, as Reto Kuster reports.
R ‘
ose’s last chance’ or ‘Rose’s first chance’ reads the
an iron ladder. In the past, swinging branches were not always
sign, depending on whether you are viewing it as
that reliable.
you head to or from Mount Elgon. For us, it was our
Had we known what awaited us on the first day, we probably
last chance to taste Rose’s fabulous omelettes at her cheap
wouldn’t have started. Facing the steep ridges in Budadiri, we
lodgings in Budadiri before we were met by Aron, our guide,
thought it would take us two days to cross them. But towards
along with James and Alex, the two porters.
the end of day one we found ourselves sitting exhausted and
Budadiri, a lovely settlement amidst spectacular mountain
thirsty in high grass, having already passed the green walls,
scenery at 1,250 metres, is the terminus for public transport
and with worse to come. The trail continued up steep terrain,
in the form of overcrowded minibuses or matatus plying the
the ground made all the more slippery by rain. James and
route from Mbale, the main town in eastern Uganda. It is the
Aron preferred going barefoot while carrying 20 kilogrammes
starting point for treks up Mount Elgon, and the last place to
plus their own cooking equipment on their backs. In the late
buy foodstuffs. We stocked up on rice, eggs, salt, sugar, and
afternoon, having climbed a total of more than 1,800 metres,
plantains, and headed towards the mountain.
we reached Sasa river camp at a height of just over 3,000
Once past the village the trail became steep, passing
metres. The bamboo forest growing around the camp seemed
through plantations of the local Bugisu people. Maize,
impenetrable, but it was pierced by a small path used by locals
plantains, coffee, peas, beans, and potatoes grow in
to obtain forest products long before the first visitors arrived.
abundance, and cattle rearing is also popular. “The soil is
Mount Elgon was gazetted as a national park in 1993, having
very fertile, and farmers sell their produce all over Uganda”,
been a forestry reserve since 1938, and it is the forth – largest
commented James while picking some passionfruit. We took
national park in Uganda at 1,145 square kilometers. The
a last sip of water before conquering the ‘wall of death’, once
mountain provides clear water for a fast-growing population of
Elgon’s most dangerous spot. The passage along a series of
more than seven million people. It is also a water catchment
steep cliffs has been made a lot easier with the installation of
area for major lakes and rivers in both Uganda and Kenya.
24 | air uganda | may – july 2010
feature
Mount Elgon has the largest surface area of any extinct volcano in the world perfectly harmless. Other creatures are rarely seen, though there are beautiful beetles, butterflies, and other insects in abundance. Mud cave camp, at 3,500 metres, is the base for exploring the peaks.
Left:
The night was cold and rainy, but as
Rock bluff near
we set off early in the morning the sky
Mount Elgon
was bright and blue. Giant lobelias,
dominates the
endemic to Mounts Elgon and Kenya,
surrounding
are common at this altitude. As we
landscape.
approached Jackson’s pool, a shy duiker antelope fled in surprise.
Right:
I had wondered before why Elgon
The town of
was dubbed the ‘mountain of illusion’.
Mbale, where
With the sudden change in weather
the Mount Elgon
conditions, it became apparent why
National Park
many explorers lost their way and lost
headquaters is
their illusions, too. Gaining height all the
located.
time, we continued in cold rain, walking Increased agricultural activities, however, are endangering the
over rocks barely covered in moss. Every time we thought
park’s fragile ecosystem. There are other conflicts, too, which
we had made it, an even higher peak appeared through the
have yet to be resolved: “we used to collect honey and medical
mist. I stopped counting the ups and downs as I continued
plants deep in the forest”, said Aron. “But in a national park,
my almost robot-like progress, interrupted only by one short
you can’t just pick any plant
halt for chocolate and tea. The weather made me think of
you want.”
dismal European days, but the scenery was still terrific. Finally,
Early explorer, Henry Morton Stanley was, in 1875, the first person to bring news of Mount Elgon to the outside world. In 1890 Frederick Jackson, a British explorer, climbed to the
a wooden plate reading ‘Wagagai Summit 4,321 metres’ indicated the highest point. Tired, we looked down. Strong wind and rainy weather did not encourage a long break at
caldera accompanied by 400 men. He reached what is known
the top, so we soon started the descent. Just as we reached our
today as Jackson Summit, at a height of 4,161 metres. There
camp, a rainstorm pounded down. March to October is the rainy
is an array of peaks looking similarly high and it was only in the
season, but “the mountain doesn’t care about seasons. It can be
20th century that Wagagai was found to be the highest point
wet at any time”, James put it while warming up at the campfire.
at 4,321 metres. Covering some 4,000 square kilometres, Mount Elgon has
The next morning was freezing cold, and since the last volcanic eruption on Elgon happened about 10 million years ago, there
the largest surface area of any extinct volcano in the world,
was no hope of warming up the natural way. Park Ranger, David
and geologists believe that this broad base indicates that Elgon
accompanied us until the end of the trek. “Sometimes, buffaloes
may once have been higher than Mount Kilimanjaro. To locals,
roam the area in search of salt,” he said, an AK-47 gun over his
the mountain is known as Masaba, after the legendary father
shoulder, “and then there are poachers who try to kill them.” A few
of the Bugisu tribe living on its slopes. Wagagai, the highest
years back, when Uganda was suffering badly after the years of
peak, is named after Masaba’s wife in that legend.
civil war, Mount Elgon was a favourite smuggling route for goods
Climbing mount Elgon is still a real wilderness adventure in a
from Kenya. Nowadays, the economy has caught up and smuggling
seldom-visited area. We spotted three chameleons, perfectly
has stopped. “It no longer makes sense to carry the stuff over the
camouflaged creatures. Several species inhabit the forests of
mountain”, explains David.
the mountain, even at 3,000 metres. Locals fear chameleons and believe they bring bad luck, although these reptiles are
The trail passes through wide plains and a swampy area covered with red orchids. Colobus monkeys watched our
>>
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 25
feature
Left: The beautiful Sipi Falls,on the way to Mount Elgon. Below: Elephant in Mount Elgon, but they are still rarely seen by hikers.
Mount Elgon is still a secret among East Africa’s trekking destinations >> passage from the treetops as we neared Piswa Patrol hut. On the ground, other creatures caught our attention: army ants roamed in long procession of thousands, protected by big individuals with powerful jaws capable of delivering a painful bite. “They will eat everything in their way, and there is nothing you can do to stop them”, warned our guide, removing an army ant from his foot. Tourism is still a low-key affair on the mountain of illusion, and all porters and guides work part-time, making their main income as farmers. Still, visitor numbers grow, and Aron is confident that one day locals may gain more from ecotourism. In the shadow of famous Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon is still a secret among East Africa’s trekking destinations. There are no souvenir shops, no pestering touts, just pure nature during the five-day circuit. Easily reached from the capital Kampala, with no special equipment needed and away from the mass tourism track, Elgon has huge potential as an ecotourism destination.
26 | air uganda | may – july 2010
healthy living
SLEEP?
EASY! By Walter Glaser
O
ne of the most common problems that people seek my
home a bad school report, they could have made a mistake at
help for is insomnia. While this is due to neurological or
work, or scratched the car. There are a million causes that can
physical causes in a tiny percentage of my clients, 95
unleash worry gremlins. And worry, in turn, releases chemicals
per cent of those suffering from trouble sleeping can be helped
into the brain that get the heart and mind racing, pushing the
without resorting to prescription medicines. Why? Because
chances of a good night’s sleep into the background. You are
most of the people who suffer from this problem do so for an
no doubt aware that worry gremlins do their most destructive
unexpected reason – they try too hard to go to sleep and worry
work at night. Your brain is in ‘top gear’ and the anxiety takes
too much if they have difficulty in doing so.
on an importance that is wholly out of proportion to the greater scheme of things. If you allow it to take control, it will not only
WORRY-CAUSED INSOMNIA Start by analysing your insomnia and clearly identifying
ruin your sleep, but you will certainly feel much worse for fear in the morning.
whether it is caused by worry. Is your inability to sleep caused
So tackle the problem head on! Confront that gremlin! Think
by a specific problem that keeps cropping up, or is it just that
about what you are worrying about and consciously ask yourself
however hard you try, you just cannot go to sleep? Let’s tackle
to define this. Then get out of bed, take a sheet of paper, and
the first assumption – that your insomnia is problem-related.
write out exactly what it is that you can’t stop thinking about.
A large proportion of clients report that when they can’t
Leave the paper and a pencil on your bedside table, and make
sleep the cause is a specific worry. They may have argued with
a conscious decision to deal with the problem after breakfast,
a friend or partner and be angry, their child may have brought
saying to yourself that you will put it aside until then.
28 | air uganda | may – july 2010
healthy living
The chances are that you will find an amazing thing
that, with every breath, you breathe in relaxation and breath out
happening. Your subconscious mind will act like the search-
tension. As you do this for a minute or two, you may observe
engine on your computer, and when you wake up the best way
that you are feeling far more relaxed than you have been for
to solve the problem may have worked its way to the surface
a quite a while, are very much at peace. You can feel your
of your mind. Many clients who have followed this advice have
breathing slow down and this is because your heart rate will
reported that, once they have written down the problem, they
have dropped and the same will have happened to your blood
have woken up in the morning, – or even in the middle of the
pressure. If you stayed in this mode all night without going to
night – knowing exactly what to do. If that happens, write down
sleep, you will get all the rest that your brain and body needs.
your thoughts and you will have no problem going back to sleep.
Many of my clients go to sleep very easily and naturally at
But letting the gremlins take control of your conscious mind
this point, and if you do this also, that’s fine. But if you are still
at the time when you should be sleeping will only send it into a
awake after five or 10 minutes of going into alpha, here is a
frenzy of counter-productive activity. So deliberately identifying
technique that those who have tried it, swear by.
and then setting the problem aside is the first, and very important, step. Once you have done this, you are at the same level as the person whose insomnia is not caused by worry, and in both cases you can now move to the next step.
THIS WILL DO IT! The method technique that will solve the problem involves being totally counter-cyclical! Say to yourself that you do NOT want to go to sleep for the moment because you want to try
DON’T TRY TOO HARD TO GO TO SLEEP Some time ago I spoke to a friend – a successful doctor specialising in sleep disorders who told me about some interesting research he had been doing for many years. In the
an experiment. But know this! What I am about to suggest is probably one of the hardest tasks you could possibly set for your mind. As you lie there, concentrate on the last thing you did before
process he had, many years ago spoken to a famous brain
going to bed the night before, i.e. 24 hours ago. And remember
surgeon who had worked with head-wound sufferers in the First
in detailed terms – not in generalities. What did you do? You
World War.
may have cleaned your teeth, or had a glass of water. Replay
During the shelling and trench warfare the surgeon had
the last thing in your mind, and then work backwards from that.
patched up soldiers suffering from head and brain injuries. In
Did you get undressed? If so, in what sequence? Did you watch
some cases this damage had affected patients so severely that
television? If so, try and replay the sequence of the show, but
they were never able to sleep again. The surgeon had always
remember that everything has to be played BACKWARDS in
believed that total lack of sleep would cause the patients to
your mind. Remember the end of it first and work backwards
die, but this was not generally the case. Those patients who
to the beginning. If you ate a meal, start by remembering the
could not sleep and got no rest usually did die. But the ones
dessert in detail and finish with the soup or appetiser.
who were able to rest and go into a state of alpha where the
Don’t for a moment think this is easy to do. It’s a real mind-
brainwaves and heart rate reduces noticeably (as in yoga,
bender! And what you will find happening is that, after a few
hypnosis or medication) often lived out their full life-spans. He
minutes, your mind is going to object. You’ve made it work too
concluded that it was rest, and not sleep, that the brain really
hard and its tired. Your subconscious will take over, decide that
needed.
it all too hard, and you will drift off to sleep.
I find that once my clients understand and accept the fact
Don’t allow your mind to move on to any other thoughts. It is
that it is rest rather than sleep that is essential for their well
the backwards - thinking game or nothing! And it works. Should
being, it brings about a profound change and takes away the
you wake up an hour or two later, the challenge is to go back to
fear of insomnia. They no longer ‘try too hard’ and if they
the point in the memory game where you fell asleep and keep
follow my suggestions their results are generally a spectacular
working backward from there. Very shortly you’ll be back in
improvement.
dreamland.
The next move is to get your mind into the ‘alpha’ mode so
And that’s it. Most of my clients tell me this works as well
that you can completely relax and put your brain into ‘low gear’,
as for them as it has always done for me. I haven’t had to
thus allowing it to slow down into the comfort zone.
take a sleeping pill for ages. One client, who does a lot of
Close your eyes and concentrate on the back of your eyelids.
intercontinental flying and had really bad insomnia found that a
Most people, after they have done this for a few moments,
single melatonin tablet (a non-prescription, anti-jet-lag medication
start to see a pattern that looks a little like a black background
available from health food shops and pharmacies) also helps
with dots and shapes slowly drifting across it. If you can’t see
greatly if his mind is really racing, but most people don’t need to
this, it doesn’t matter either, but it you can, concentrate on
take anything at all.
that random pattern. Then focus on your breathing. Visualise
Sleep well!
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 29
nature & wildlife
The Shoebill Text and images from Peter Holthusen.
U
the Sudanese Nile, it was among the last African birds of
because it offers easy access to numerous bird-rich habitats that
alluded to by early European explorers to the Sudan, who wrote
are often very difficult to reach elsewhere on the continent.
of a “camel-sized flying creature” known by the local Arabs as
ganda is arguably the most alluring country in Africa to
Although the Shoebills distribution ranges as far north as
birdwatchers, not only because of the unusually high number of species recorded within its borders, but also
comparable size to be introduced to science. It was, however,
Sir Frederick Jackson (1860-1929), a former Governor of the Uganda Protectorate and keen ornithologist once described the country as a “hidden Eden ... and wonderland of birds”. He
abu markub, which means ‘Father of the Shoe’, a reference to the bird’s distinctive bill. First described by the eminent English naturalist John
was right, as no other country in Africa can match Uganda’s
Gould (1804-1881), he named it ‘Balaeniceps rex’, “the most
amazing diversity of habitats and this richness is reflected in the
extraordinary bird I have ever seen for many years”, words that
remarkable 1008 recorded bird species that include the rare
doubtless echo through many people’s minds when they have
Shoebill stork – arguably one of Africa’s most sought-after birds. A
their first encounter with the species.
great sportsman and explorer, Jackson devoted all his spare time
Gould knew he had something truly exceptional, for he had
to studying natural history and was founder and President of the
seen the collection of birds shot by Mansfield Parkyn, Esquire of
Uganda and East Africa Natural History Society. As a collector, he
Nottingham, on the banks of the Upper White Nile in 1850, and
donated many specimens of the Shoebill to The Natural History
later the live specimens collected there by the British Consul in
Museum in London.
Khartoum, John Petherick, who created a sensation at London
This avian curiosity is now very often the main motivational factor
Zoo by sending them several Shoebills in 1862. Gould’s name
behind the many ornithological tours to Uganda, who will charter
for the species means ‘King Whalehead’, and for most of its life
dug-out canoes and head into the papyrus swamps in search of the
as a mysterious, monstrous, almost mythical inhabitant of the
one bird which epitomizes Uganda – the enigmatic Shoebill, a huge
impenetrable marshes of the Upper Nile and its tributaries, it
and somewhat prehistoric-looking relative of the pelican.
has gone by the English name of ‘Whale-headed Stork’.
30 | air uganda | may – july 2010
nature & wildlife
Uganda is arguably the most alluring country in Africa to birdwatchers The Shoebill and the Hammerkop (Scopus umbretta) are the
The strike, when it comes, is spectacular in its speed and
‘missing links’ that connect pelicans and storks, and including
power, the massive bird flapping and pouncing downward to
the pelican lineage in the Ciconiiformes order expresses this
grasp the passing prey in its inescapable mandibles. The sharp,
more adequately than other taxonomic treatments do.
upcurving edges of the bill and hooked-over tooth gripping,
So far, two fossil relatives of the Shoebill have been
crushing and piercing in one decisive moment. Partially
described: ‘Goliathia’ from the early Oligocene period of Egypt
nocturnal and sluggish, the Shoebill supplements its diet by
and ‘Paludavis’ from the early Miocene of the same country.
probing the mud for nutrients with its bill. They also fly with their
It has been suggested that the enigmatic African fossil bird
heads and necks folded back.
‘Eremopezus’ was a relative too, but the evidence for that is very
As the breeding season approaches usually in the months
spurious indeed. All that is known of the latter species is that
of April to June, the male and female start engaging in a bill
it was a very large, probably flightless bird with a flexible foot,
clacking courtship display prior to mating. The birds are solitary
allowing it to handle either vegetation or live prey.
nesters, laying one to three oval, whitish eggs over the course
Long in the leg and broad in the wing, standing well over a
of two to three days in a large, flat nest built amidst swamp
metre high and dressed entirely in dull, slate-grey plumage,
grasses or sedges, usually on the ground in remote areas.
the Shoebill is dominated by its feeding apparatus, a huge and
These eggs are incubated primarily by the female for 40-50
powerful appendage ending in a ferocious nail-like hook-tipped
days until they hatch, while being fed at intervals during the day
bill that grows to more than 20 centimetres, the largest among
by the male. The silvery brown chicks remain helpless for some
all living bird species. Seemingly aggressive and primitive in
time, the young birds being dependant on the skilful hunting of
appearance, the bird has caused taxonomists constant vexation
their parents. In common with several other members of the
and bafflement over its affinities. Gould thought it was allied to
stork family, a nesting Shoebill will stop the eggs and chicks
the pelicans, but it has characteristics that place it close both
from overheating in hot weather by filling its ample bill with
to storks and to herons.
water and sluicing the nest. Usually only one nestling survives,
Shoebills occur throughout the swamps and marshes of Sub-Saharan Africa, but in their stronghold in Uganda they seem
possibly as a result of sibling rivalry or external predation. The African population is estimated at between 5,000 and
to prefer floating vegetation or ‘sudd’, formed notably, though
8,000 individuals, the majority of which live in Uganda, Tanzania
not exclusively, by papyrus. They generally keep to the more open
and Sudan. Estimating its numbers has proved very difficult,
areas, avoiding dense stands of pure papyrus and tall grass,
however. This and other evidence suggests that the Shoebill
which obstruct its take-off. Sluggish and largely solitary, they
probably survives well enough in its marshland habitat in these
will often utilise channels widened or even opened by roaming
countries, in addition to Zaire, Zambia and parts of the Democratic
Hippos and Elephants. The Shoebill consumes up to half its body
Republic of Congo. Records from other countries are few and
weight in food daily. It tends to hunt in water that is shallow
seem generally to refer to vagrants (the bird soars to great
and poorly oxygenated, preying on fish, frogs, reptiles, such as
heights and clearly possesses good dispersive abilities), although
young crocodiles, insects, small mammals and birds, usually by
there is also a chance a small population breeds in Malawi, where
ambush, standing motionless on banks or floating vegetation.
local people in the Liwonde National Park have a name for the
African lungfish are especially favoured. At the beginning of
species. Smaller (and probably non-
the dry season, the lungfish takes the precaution of burrowing
viable) resident populations
into the mud at the bottom, wrapping its tail around its head and
inhabit Rwanda’s
secreting slime. If and when the swamp is baked dry, it will be
Akagera National
able to survive in a state of suspended animation, obtaining all
Park, the Baro River
the oxygen it requires by absorbing it through a pair of finger-
floodplain in south-
shaped projections from its gut. The Shoebill prevents many of
western Ethiopia and
them getting to this stage. As it wades slowly through the water,
possibly Burundi and
clogged with vegetation, it holds its huge bill vertically downwards
the Central African
so that it can focus both its eyes on the water. If it spots a
Republic.
lungfish lurking on the mud at the bottom or feels it with its feet,
In their
it lurches forward with its whole body and plunges its bill into
Ugandan
the water. Using its wings as arms, it pushes itself upright again
stronghold,
with a foot-long lungfish wriggling in its great beak.
Shoebills >>
nature & wildlife
>> are mainly seen in the Mabamba Swamp near Entebbe on the shores of Lake Victoria, the banks of the Nile River in the Murchison Falls National Park, the Ishasha sector and Lake Kikorongo in the Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Kyoga and the southern fringe of Lake Albert that adjoins the Semliki Wildlife Reserve. More difficult to quantify is the threat posed by the international animal trade, which is restricted by the Shoebill’s inclusion on CITES Appendix II and by the legal protection afforded to the bird by Uganda and other countries in its range. Nevertheless, the Shoebill is still in high demand by the zoo trade and appears unable to breed successfully in captivity, which places a very high price-tag on wild individuals captured for sale – at US $10,000 to $15,000; it is the world’s most expensive bird. One can only hope that a recent proposal to upgrade the Shoebill to CITES Appendix I will soon render all such trade illegal under international law, although it would perhaps be naive to think it would eliminate the trade entirely. All the same, this is a bird the African Red Data Book lists as ‘Of Special Concern’, owing to swamp drainage and general
Left:
disturbance and modification of its habitat.
The Shoebill
Whatever its status, the Shoebill is one of the truly great
is a very large
African species and the survival of the bird is paramount
stork-like bird. It
considering the increasing number of dedicated ornithologists as
derives its name
well as the novice birdwatchers who travel to Uganda to get a
from its massive
glimpse of this rare and bizarre bird.
shoe-shaped bill.
The Onyx Jewellers has been established for over 35 years and has earned the reputation as one of Kenya’s most prominent retailers of fine jewellery, precious and semi-precious gemstones namely Tanzanites, Tsavorites and Diamonds as well as exquisite handcrafted sculptures and carvings. Boasting a range of jewellery that is as diverse as its client base, our shops have over the years, been frequently visited by various heads of state, dignitaries and other high-profile personalities who have all enjoyed the Onyx shopping experience and regularly commission pieces that today serve as a continued testament to our commitment to, aesthetic designs, expert craftsmanship and attention to detail. The Onyx Jewellers remains dedicated to creating exquisite and delicately designed pieces of fine jewellery that would suit any occasion. Today these prestigious jewels and more are available from our shops at the Nairobi Hilton Hotel, at our fine jewellery gallery located in Nairobi’s ABC Place on Waiyaki Way and at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. If you would like to make an appointment or to visit any of our shops please contact us on;
+ 254 (0)733 786 117/118/119 or email: info@onyxjewellers.com
We look forward to seeing you!
32 | air uganda | may – july 2010
book world
Books‘R’Us
Featuring two large-format hardback coffee table books, portraying a journey through Uganda, acting as a stimulus to tourism, as well as being the ideal souvenirs of a visit.
A Gallery of East Africa Birds Size: 280 mm length 280 mm width Pages: 136 printed 4/4 with full colour illustrations Cost: USD 39.00
‘Birds stun our senses with the beauty of their perfection, whether soaring on the wing or seen in the hand, when every detail can be marvelled at, and it is this that the paintings in this book strive to capture. But there is something more: each bird has its own charcter, every species its own charcteristics. The achievement of this book is that the words and paintings combine powerfully to bring this to the fore.’ Jonathan Scott
Field Guide to the Amphibians Size: 120 mm length 170 mm width Pages: 230 printed 4/4 with full colour illustrations Cost: USD 24.00
At last, a book that will allow you to identify most of the amphibians found in the world famous biodiversity hotspots of the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and Kenya. This guide allows both the English and the Swahili reader to identify and obtain natural history and conservation information for the 122 species of amphibians found in the hotspots. In addition, the book provides important background information on habitat types and presents a historical perspective for those not familiar with the area and its fauna.
For more information contact: Books ’R’ Us LTD, | P.O. Box 45048, 00100 G.P.O. Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 (20) 4448923 / 4 / 5 | Fax: +254 (20) 444 8818 or 4441021 Email: sales@camerapix.co.ke www.camerapixpublishers.com
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 33
healthy living
Superfoods
The way to good health Dietician and Sports Nutritionist, Deepshikha Agarwal, offers some sound dietary advice for good health and a long life.
I
magine a superfood – not a drug – powerful enough to help
which may help to reduce the osteoporosis risk. In fact Soy
lower our LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, reduce the risk of
isoflavones have an oestrogen-like effect which helps to control
heart disease and cancer and, for an added bonus, enhance
menopausal symptoms, and thus acts as a boon to women going
our looks without getting bankrupt. Did I mention that there
through the pre-menopausal phase. It helps to minimise hot
are no side effects? Guess what? These life-altering not-so-
flushes and vaginal dryness in women. Several studies have
expensive, natural super foods are available right now in your
indicated that a regular intake of soy foods may help to prevent
local supermarket. Superfoods are a group of wholesome foods
hormone related cancers such as breast cancer, prostate cancer
that are a pack of essential nutrients. They’re particularly low in
and colon cancer. Soy is also a good source of lecithin and vitamin
calories, help us to keep healthy, give us more energy and help us
E. These natural antioxidants prevent oxidation of LDL
to look fantastic and fit. Medical professionals have researched
cholesterol, leading to a reduced risk of any heart
and found that that superfoods also provide protection against
disease. It can easily be included in our daily diet
various diseases, and promote a healthy lifestyle now and for the
by adding it in salads, vegetable curries, chapatis/
future. The antioxidants found in these products are a class of
breads, dessert like cakes or can be had as soya milk.
vitamins, minerals and enzymes that may help eliminate chemically active oxygen molecules thought to contribute to aging and
Dark Greens
chronic ailments such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s
Green leafy vegetables are considered to be the major contributor
disease.We just need to plan a healthy diet consisting of enough
of vitamins and minerals in the diet. Dark green vegetables such
amounts of superfoods that will help us maintain our weight, fight
as kale, amaranth, collard greens, spinach, broccoli, asparagus
disease, and live longer. Here are some of the superfoods which
etc. are packed with vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and other
can be very easily included in a daily diet.
phytonutrients. They help in preventing night blindness, cataracts and any kind of chronic fatigue. In fact certain dark green
Green Tea
vegetables like arugula, broccoli and kale supply phytochemicals
Green tea is loaded with health benefits. Green tea is the only type
such as indoles that help stop cancer before it starts. Green leafy
of tea that is not fermented, keeping the antioxidants in the green
vegetables like amaranth, spinach and mint are good sources of
tea very powerful. An antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate
folic acid. (100g = 120 - 140ug). Women of childbearing age who
(EGCG) present in this green tea has been proven to be very
may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of
effective in lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of
pregnancy should consume adequate folic acid. This reduces the
heart attacks and strokes. There is also evidence that green tea
risk of neural tube defects and anencephaly during foetal
increases metabolism that can promote weight loss, combined
development. Researchers of Harvard School have found that daily
with exercise and a healthy diet. Green tea contains fluoride;
consumption of leafy greens can cause a 23 per cent
it helps prevent tooth decay by killing the bacteria that causes
reduction in coronary heart disease. These greens
plaque. It is also a great source of Vitamin C, thus helping to
also contribute to the fibre content of the diet. Fibre
reduce stress and prevent flu. One of the main ingredients in
helps to reduce constipation and diverticulosis. It is
green tea is catechin, and studies performed at the National Cancer Institute in Tokyo have shown that catechin use lowers
advisable to include at least 50 grammes of leafy greens daily in one’s diet.
the incidence of cancer by more than 50 per cent if consumed in sufficient quantities.Therefore drinking
Berry
just 2 to 3 cups a day can strongly boost the
Another excellent super food recommended by health experts is
immune system and thus help reduce the risk of many dangerous health ailments.
the berry. This fruit is regarded as a gift of nature, as the wonder fruit is full of antioxidants. A good source of vitamin C and folic acid, it is known to have anti-cancer nutrients. In fact according to
Soy
the researchers at The United States Department of Agriculture
Soy and its products, such as soy milk, tofu, soychunks , soya
(USDA), blueberries are ranked as the number one antioxidant
flour, soya nuts etc., is an excellent source of soy isoflavones
fruit. Some studies suggest that blueberries not only strengthen
34 | air uganda | may – july 2010
our immune system, but may also guard against neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s. They may also aid in protecting eyesight and guarding against urinary tract infections. Cranberries are also highly rated as a skin cleansing food as its moisture content is 87 per cent, even though skin eruptions may appear at first in some cases. If one has a craving for sweets then he/she can replace the calorie rich sweets with these low calorie hydrating fruits having natural sugars.
problem of stomach infection like inflammatory bowel disease and H. pyloriinfection. Eating yogurt on a regular basis can help
Oats
you absorb the nutrients in other foods as well. One should try
Unlike many other carbohydrates, oats – even the instant kind –
including curds in every meal. It can be in any form like buttermilk,
digest slowly, so they have little impact on your blood sugar. Oats
salad dip, khadi, raita etc. Those who are lactose-intolerant can
are not only low calorie grain but are also rich in various nutrients
consume yogurt, as bacteria present in it breaks
like magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium, protein etc. Oats
down the lactose before it enters your body.
contain one of the best amino acid profiles of all grains. Oats,
Those suffering from vaginal infection have also
oat bran, and oatmeal contain a specific type of fibre known as
been found to have benefitted from yogurt.
beta-glucan. Oats, via their high fibre content, are already known to help remove cholesterol from the digestive system that would
Avocados
otherwise end up in the bloodstream. Therefore they indirectly
Avocados are the best fruit source of vitamin E, an antioxidant
help to decrease the LDL cholesterol from oxidation and protects
that helps to prevent cellular damage by preventing the
us from any cardiovascular disease. Oats are also an excellent
formation of free radicals. The flesh of a ripe avocado soothes
source of magnesium, a mineral that acts as a
sunburnt skin. Just cut the fruit in half and rub it gently over
co-factor for enzymes involved in the body’s use of
the affected areas. Avocados are a good source of potassium
glucose and insulin secretion. Therefore they can
also, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. They are
be included in a diabetic diet very easily.
higher in potassium than a medium banana. Although they are fruits, avocados have a high fat content – almost 88 per cent
Olive oil
of their total calories – about 20 times as compared to other
Olive oil has healthy fat that increases satiety, taming your
fruits. A typical avocado contains 30 grammes of fat, but 20
appetite. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men
per cent of these fats are health-promoting monounsaturated
and women nowadays. Dietary olive oil protects the
fats, thus giving it distinct health benefits. One cup of avocado
endothelium, the lining of our blood vessels, keeping those
has 23 per cent of the recommended daily value of folate.
arteries clear so that our heart can get enough oxygen and
Studies show that people who eat diets rich in folate have a much lower incidence of heart disease than those
nutrients to keep pumping, thus help to maintain the blood
who don’t. The vitamin E, monounsaturated fats,
pressure and keep our heart disease free. Extra Virgin olive oil is
and glutathione in avocado are great for the
better than the other variety of olive oil because it contains more polyphenols, antioxidants that help to keep your heart healthy. In
heart areas. They can be included in our daily
fact, olive oil’s protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers
diet by adding them in preparations like salads, dips, soups, and in garnishing non-vegetarian
and gastritis. The anti-microbial activity of the polyphenols of olive oil works against Helicobacter pylori, bacteria
dishes, or it can be had as whole fruit itself.
responsible for the development of peptic ulcers and gastric cancer. Therefore it is advisable to substitute
Salmon
butter and other refined oils with olive oil to improve
Lean fish are always good alternatives for healthy meats in
gastrointestinal health. Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach.
your diet. However, salmon is extra special because it contains Omega 3s. Omega-3 is beneficial in reducing inflammation in the body, preventing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some types
Yogurt Dietitians often refer to plain yogurt as the perfect food. With zero carbohydrates and trans fat, it can stave off hunger by keeping
of cancers, slowing cognitive problems such as Alzheimer’s disease. Canned salmon contains large amounts of calcium and vitamin D (because fish bones are not
blood sugar levels steady. With 20 per cent calcium for
removed). Salmon is an excellent source of selenium
growing bones, it serves as very good medicine. Its enzymes
mineral that helps protect the body from damaging
help to keep the body cool, and it is also a good healer. The bacteria in curd can help digest food and thus, alleviate the
effects of free radicals, which can weaken the cells and leave them prone to infection and other diseases.
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 35
feature
What it’s all about? This is an excerpt from Kevin Abdulrahman’s book Winning The Game Of Life.
I
am working as hard as I can. I have been making 20 calls a day.
Wherever you are in your life is a result, whether you like
I have been working out for the last three years. I buy flowers
it or not. Your weight is a result. Your health is a result. Your
for my partner every month, but our relationship is far from
relationship status is a result. Your cash flow is a result, and your
passionate. I have done 400 presentations for my business and
net worth is a result.
have not had a single sale yet. I can’t seem to cross to the next
Results, results, results – results are all that matter.
level in my sport.
Does any of this sound familiar?
If any of the results in your life need changing, then you must
Hard work, energy, blood, sweat, and tears – to deduce a few
review what you are doing. As the famous saying goes, if you keep
of the payments people make in the pursuit of success from
on doing what you have always done, then you will keep on getting
the above list of complaints – doesn’t mean anything. It’s also
what you have always gotten.
unfortunate that the majority of people only focus on what they do rather than the results they’re getting. The results of what you put in are what comprise your score card. What is on the score card is all that matters.
Results are all that matters. You have either seen or experienced what would be classified as unfair situations, such as the following examples: •
A person working and trying hard to achieve a certain sales target, while another colleague cruises by with, seemingly, a lot less effort.
•
Two people going to the gym – as an outsider, you would say that person A is working really hard in the gym compared to person B; yet person B has the better results in 12 weeks.
•
Two students studying for their exams, one studying a lot more than the other; yet the one who seemingly studied less gets the better grades.
It seems unfair. I used to say that. But that is the reality. What makes these so-called underdogs win? They do the right things needed to get the results. They do the smart things that matter. Everything in life has a formula. Get the formula right, and you get the right result. The results you have in your life right now will tell you something about what you are putting into it. Successful people have an orientation for the outcome. Everything is based on results – not the resources spent on something, not the time taken, not how much energy was put into something, none of that. It is simply all about the results.
“Successful people give you results. Others will give you their rationale.” To change your financial results, you must change what you are doing or how you are doing it. And you must do so now. To change your sporting result, you need to change what you do or how you are doing it. And now, some of you might say, “I’m not getting the results I desire, and I’ve tried and tried and tried”. There is no point banging your head against a brick wall wanting to get to the other side. Don’t try to rationalise why you are not getting the results. It’s a waste of energy. Instead try another avenue; maybe there’s a different path that another person who is achieving the result you want is using, and maybe you could do the same. Chances are, if he or she is achieving the desired result, so can you.
What you must ask yourself is, Do you want to be mediocre or successful? Do you want to be forgotten or remembered? Do you want to live a full life or one where you constantly ask yourself, “Could I have done that?” A very successful person always told me to be a
“Successful people give you results. Others will give you their rationale.” 36 | air uganda | may – july 2010
feature
are the one calling the shots and, believe it or not, you will start getting the results you want. You plan and then take action steps to achieve the result within a certain time frame.
Here are three quick tips to steer you on the right track to achieve results. 1.
Do what other successful people in your area of interest are doing. In other words, you cannot spend your time in cooking classes if you want to be a top badminton player. You must learn and play with the best on the badminton court.
2.
Spend time to learn and become great at whatever you are choosing to excel in. Most people give up after a week or so of trying things out. Successful people never stop learning in order to one day become the best that they can be, as long as they know that they are on the right track.
3.
Look at the results you are achieving. If your results and your vision match, continue with the actions you’re taking. If they don’t match, then ask yourself what changes need to be made and take action.
You can get Kevin Abdulrahman’s books and request for him to
“results-based person.” Since then, I have taken on being results
speak / train your group by going on https://www.KevInspire.com.
orientated. Today, talk is cheap to me. Anyone can talk, and a lot of people do a lot of talking. I have found that only a few people will materialise what they talk about and, hence, I deal only with those people in my day-to-day activities. I am more interested in results than talk.
Results are also what I coach people on! You must develop and master the weapon of being results orientated. Your result could mean achieving a certain ranking in your business organisation. It could mean attaining certain financial success or hitting certain targets at work. Or your result could be winning the gold at the next Olympics. Getting results, for you, could be having the ability to choose how to spend your days without any worries, the ability to go to the beach and sip from a coconut knowing your finances are of no concern. Your result could be the ability to give the best to your family – your time. It could be spending two full days of every week with the people you love and care about the most; it could be the time you spend giving to others. To help you master the weapon of being results orientated, you must understand the concept of living life by design, as opposed to living life by default. The masses are living every day of their lives by default, with no plan whatsoever, hoping that things will stack up in their favour. Unfortunately, the majority of people think this way, and hence, their end results are not what they’d wished for. When you live life by design (in other words, when you plan), you have the results in mind and can move ahead, constantly tweaking every step on the way if need be. When you live life by design, you may – july 2010 | air uganda | 37
history
Across Africa with a Camera
Roger Barnard follows the journey of one of the first wildlife photographers, Cherry Kearton, on an epic trek nearly 100 years ago.
.
T
oday, virtually every tourist to Africa carries a camera and
hand-cranked, although in the depths of Africa such simplicity
it is possible to take acceptable photographs of wildlife
was probably a good thing. Kearton had already travelled
without a great deal of skill or effort, and at little risk to
extensively and was an accomplished photographer, so he was
one’s personal safety. It was all very different 100 years ago. Cameras were bulky,
well prepared for the epic journey. The journey began at Mombasa, and the party travelled
heavy and inconvenient to carry around. Negatives were made
through Uganda and the Congo before arriving at Matadi, on the
on fragile glass plates, and some early wildlife and landscape
Congo River near the west coast. It was one of the first great
photographers took a portable darkroom around with them. Each
feats of African exploration that did not aim to discover new
photograph had to be carefully thought out before pressing the
lands or create records, nor were wild animals shot for trophies
shutter since it was not possible to rattle off a sequence in quick
for Cherry Kearton was also a pioneer conservationist.
succession as one can these days with a motor-drive camera. The exploits of famous 19th century explorers such as
Kearton’s journey was made for the express purpose of making a film of Africa, its people and the wildlife as it really
Livingstone, Speke and Burton have remained well-known,
existed, so that people in the west could see it for themselves,
but there were other pioneers whose names have become
rather than through the imagination of artists who often had
largely forgotten. One of these is Cherry Kearton, who, with a
never been near the continent.
fellow traveller and writer, James Barnes, crossed the African
The safari began in earnest in Nairobi where Kearton and
continent from east to west, often on foot, beginning in April
Barnes recruited a large troop of African porters to carry their
1913 and ending with their return to London 14 months later.
equipment, and also the services of a young white hunter who
Moreover, Kearton took a heavy cine camera with him on his
was well acquainted with much of the country on their planned
travels. Cine was in its infancy at the time, and cameras were
route.
38 | air uganda | may – july 2010
history
On 2 June 1913, they made their longest and hardest march –
So he returned to Nairobi to purchase a galvanised water tank.
22 miles without water – until they reached the Ewaso Nyiro river.
The ever-resourceful photographer planned to sink the tank into
Cherry Kearton described the experience:
the middle of a swamp, partly filling it with stones to weigh it
“It was like marching into a painting. To the north rose
down. The plan was to get into the tank before he was spotted by
mountain after mountain in fantastic form. In the first mile we
buffalo and, once in, he was safe to film them since the buffalo
descended 900 feet. Buffalo and rhino spoor were plentiful, rock
could not easily cross the swamp to attack them. This ingenious
rabbits abounded, but we saw no other living thing until in the
solution enabled Kearton to obtain some fine close-up shots of the
afternoon we sighted a troop of giraffe in the distance.”
herd.
A few days later they arrived at an area with an abundance of
More weeks of travelling, at first by train and then by Lake
wildlife. Elephant, rhino, giraffe, zebra, gazelle, leopard and lion
steamer, brought the expedition to Uganda, which they clearly
had all left traces that could be ‘read’ by an experienced tracker.
admired. Barnes wrote: “Uganda is a country that is bound to
Cherry Kearton and his colleague quickly began to set up hides,
impress even the most casual of visitors.”
behind which they could wait and watch, to photograph the unsuspecting animals when they came to drink at the waterholes. In fact, for many days they had no success at all, and inside
After a stay at Kampala they headed west and, on Christmas Day, 1913, reached a beautiful lake that Kearton calls ‘LlongaLlonga’: “one of those liquid gems that nature seems to have
their hiding places the daytime temperatures soared. But there
placed in exactly the sort of setting to display its beauty – a little
were other days when they were well repaid for their patience and
sheet of light-blue crystal lying in the depths of what must have
discomfort, and Kearton’s cameras were busy taking both movie
been once an old volcanic crater.” The lake is difficult to find on
and still pictures.
modern maps and presumably is one of the crater lakes to the
There were moments of high excitement, such as when a pride of lions assembled just a few feet from their flimsy grass shelter.
south of Fort Portal. They got their first experience of the forests in the foothills
They spent an anxious night, with just one rifle between them,
of the Ruwenzori Mountains. “One day,” wrote Kearton, “for the
listening to the roars of these beasts at close quarters, but
space of 20 minutes the enshrouding clouds lifted, and we caught
fortunately the animals did not trouble them.
a glimpse of the gleaming peaks way above the high, forest-
Before leaving the waterholes Cherry Kearton captured a cine
covered blue-grey hills. There lay, exposed for that fleeting space
sequence of a dozen giraffes drinking together – not a particularly
of time, nearly 30 miles of gleaming ice and snow! Then the
remarkable picture by today’s standards for cameras with long
clouds closed down and no one would have known that there was
telephoto lenses, but it was quite a coup in 1913. Giraffes are
a mountain within a thousand miles.”
easily startled, and the presence of a number of them caused
After crossing the Semliki River, Kearton managed to obtain
other, smaller animals to follow them, knowing that it must be
some pictures of an enormous crocodile. From what must have
safe from predators.
been a hastily constructed shelter the photographer saw the
Kearton had set his heart on filming buffalo, but he realised that a flimsy grass-covered hide was totally unsuited for the task.
monster rise out of the water, walking on all four legs with “atleast two feet of space between its bulk and the sand”.
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 39
>>
history
>> Kearton estimated this crocodile to be “atleast 30 feet in length”, but one has to seriously question this since Nile
forest region. With the aid of African paddlers, when the going was good up to 30 miles a day could be travelled. They continued by canoe, perhaps driving their paddlers
Crocodiles today reach a maximum of 16 feet. Since food was becoming short, the expedition could not
rather too hard in their desire to reach the steamer in time, for
stay long but continued westwards, entering the Congo where
the men were on the verge of mutiny, whilst Barnes developed
they found some elephant tracks. Cherry Kearton and Barnes
a bad dose of fever. Finally, after paddling until midnight, they
climbed up into a tree near a waterhole and made a platform of
reached the Barumba fort, a river station where the steamer
reeds on which they set up their film camera and prepared for
would be calling. There, the two exhausted men learned to their
action.
relief that the steamer would be calling next morning. They had
A fine herd of elephants soon appeared, just as the pair were attacked by thousands of safari ants. Despite being driven nearly
won their race against time by just a few hours. After boarding the steamer Cherry Kearton found that he
frantic by the ants, they had the presence of mind to keep
had lost 40 pounds since starting out from Mombasa. Barnes
turning the camera handle and got some excellent pictures. As
was lighter than he had been at school. All the cabins were full
soon as the animals had passed, however, Kearton and Barnes
so they had to sleep on deck and thus endured a further 14
threw caution to the winds and rushed to the waterhole where
uncomfortable days on the river.
they tore off their clothes and washed the ants off them. Just beyond the frontier station of Irumu they reached the
On reaching the Atlantic Ocean they transferred to an oceangoing ship that took them back home to England. The most
edge of the great Equatorial forest. To the western travellers
precious part of the cargo – the 12,000 feet of film that they
it was an impressive sight and from here the mighty stands of
had shot on the journey – was packed in wooden boxes that
timber stretched right through to the west, as well as north and
were themselves stored in watertight steel cases. When they
south for 800 miles. The contrast with just a few miles to the
got home they found that less than five per cent of the film
east – where there were few trees – was stark.
had been damaged, a remarkable achievement after so many
The dark forest made filming very difficult and time was running out if they were to catch the monthly steamer at
months in difficult tropical conditions. That film would in due course be edited and shown to the
Basoko. By this time Kearton and Barnes had been on the
public in cinemas and halls up and down the country, allowing
march for nine months and were feeling the strain.
hundreds of thousands of people to gain an insight into Africa
Part of the remaining journey was made by dug-out canoe along the rivers that took the place of roads through the great
for the first time. Kearton and Barnes also related their adventures in an illustrated book: Through Central Africa from East to West which was published in 1915 and from which the accompanying photographs were taken. In the years that followed Kearton made many more journeys overseas and his cine films were a great hit with the public.
. 40 | air uganda | may – july 2010
feature
Mexico Welcomes Uganda to the 9th World Wilderness Congress The hand of the clock is ruthlessly striking wilderness areas off the face of the earth, one by one. Scars leave cracks in the landscape and the earth greys with the age of man. Islands of pristine wilderness are being ambushed by development and before we can turn back, they will be tainted or totally lost, says Charles Tumwesigye and Sandra Slater-Jones.
Photos Š Charles Tumwesigye & Sandra Slater-Jones
Below: Crop raiding by mountain gorillas in Southern Bwindi, Uganda.
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 41
feature
Foundation explains, “the Congress in
Left:
not an institution, but rather a global
Charles
community of people (professionals
Tumwesigye
and the public) who understand the
(left) and other
importance of wild nature to the health
delegates at
and prosperity of human communities,
the 9th world
and want to act on its behalf.”
wilderness
Charles Tumwesigye, Chief
congress.
Warden of Uganda’s Bwindi
>>
C
Impenetrable National Park and
Below:
Mahinga Gorilla National Park, which
Merida,
protects half of the world’s population of
state capital
mountain gorillas and other endangered
of Yucatan
species, was a speaker at the World
Province of
Wilderness Congress in Mexico. Bwindi
Mexico, was
Impenetrable National Park not only
the venue for
keeps half of the world’s population of
the 9th World
mountain gorillas but is also a World
Wilderness
Heritage Site inscribed by UNESCO in
Congress.
onservationists are working tirelessly to rescue wild areas
1994. The park is surrounded by a very high human population
from being damaged to serve human needs. Protected
of local communities. Mr. Tumwesigye participated in a pre-
Right:
areas, as a result, are being secured globally but in
congress Wilderness Seminar with protected area managers
Mayan ruins,
order to earn their keep they have to be altered in some way.
from all over the globe where various wilderness policies and
Yucatan provice
As an example, to sustain tourism in protected areas roads,
strategies were discussed, as well as a Government Forum
in Mexico.
trails, buildings, and facilities are developed and, as a result,
where various issues and solutions of wilderness management
the natural systems are often adversely impacted. The WILD Foundation (an international organisation based in the US) and its sister organisations in Africa and the UK promote the importance of protecting areas in their most intact form, to safeguard the “life support services” these areas provide (clean water, air, balancing global climate, medicinal plants and much more) while also preserving the spirit of untamed land. This type of protected area is termed ‘wilderness’. The only form of human intervention usually permitted in such areas is traditional resource utilisation by indigenous residents – which must be historically and ecologically justified – and scientific studies and recreation that have no technological impacts. It is not only encouraged that new wilderness areas are secured globally, but also that wilderness is zoned into existing protected areas. The 9th World Wilderness Congress – dubbed ‘WILD9’ – was held in Merida in the Yucatan Province of Mexico in November 2009. Every four years the World Wilderness Congress brings scientists, protected area managers, government officials and leaders, artists, writers, photographers and film makers, indigenous leaders, academics and the private sector together, to find practical solutions to ensure that wilderness is recognised and protected on a global scale. The wilderness network developed at each Congress keeps track of and supports the many outcomes and resolutions that are produced, and that target practical conservation and community accomplishments are followed through. Vance Martin, Director of the WILD
42 | air uganda | may – july 2010
feature
were brainstormed and debated. Mr. Tumwesigye also addressed
To further increase tourism benefits to communities around the
the Native Lands and Wilderness Council, which met during
park, the communities (through their umbrella organisation,
WILD9, about the importance of the relationship the Bwindi
Nkuringo Conservation Development Foundation – [NCDF]) were
Impenetrable National Park has developed with the surrounding
linked to a partner to help build and manage a high end eco-lodge
communities to improve its management as a wilderness area.
for them. In addition, the national park authority gave the
In this talk, Mr.Tumwesigye indicated that previously communities
communities “first priority” to purchase six of the eight available
in the southern part of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
gorilla permits for the Nkuringo gorilla family. That way, the
were hostile to the park as a result of frequent crop raiding by
ommunities are able to market their lodge and attract clients
mountain gorillas and other wild animals from the park. The park
who want to track the mountain gorillas. The lodge has been
habituated a group of gorillas in this area for tourism but no sooner had the group been habituated than it started spending more than 50 per cent of its time outside the park on community land, which increased the conflict and exposed the endangered mountain gorillas to disease. With support from development partners (especially African Wildlife Foundation – AWF), the park convinced the local communities to sell part of their land next to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where gorillas were ranging outside the park for use as a ‘buffer zone” to the general wilderness area of Bwindi. This 12 kilometres by 350 metres ‘buffer zone’ has been used for problem animal intervention measures that are also aimed at improving community livelihood through growing buffer and commercial crops that are not
operational since August 2008 and the income from the lodge has been used by NCDF to support community development projects including schools and other livelihood projects (heifers, piggery, apiary and a modern craft shop). All these have contributed to livelihood improvement and the once-suffering community that considered the national park as a necessary evil is now a very happy community obtaining a wide range of benefits from conservation. As a result, the relationship between community and park has improved dramatically. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), charged with managing all wildlife protected areas in Uganda, is now using the transformation of communities in southern Bwindi as a model for community engagement in protected area management. Mr.Tumwesigye can now look back and sigh with relief that his
palatable to the gorillas, and generate income for communities.
work of managing mountain gorillas and their wilderness habitat
The outer boundary of the buffer zone has been planted with a live
has been made easy with local community participation.
fence of Mauritius thorny plant that prevents gorillas and other
Much gratitude to Flora and Fauna International and to
wildlife from crossing into community land. This intervention has
Vance Martin and The WILD Foundation for the support for Mr.
significantly reduced crop raiding incidents in southern Bwindi by
Tumwesigye to represent Uganda Wildlife Authority at the 9th
over 80 per cent since 2006.
World Wilderness Congress.
Conservationists are working tirelessly to rescue wild areas from being damaged to serve human needs may – july 2010 | air uganda | 43
nature & wildlife
Here be Elephants Kate Nivison gives some weighty advice on where to get the best sightings of everyone’s favourite animal. Photos by Kate Nivison
N
ot so long ago, a trip to the zoo in many large cities
sighting of a family group with babies or a majestic lone tusker to
Above:
wouldn’t have been complete without a visit to the
do the trick.
One of Africa’s
Elephant House and a ride on one of these wonderful
Of course, every ellie-fan knows that African elephants are
finest sights – a
creatures. At London Zoo great excitement greeted the arrival
larger and have bigger ears than their Asian cousins whose
family group on
in 1865 of Jumbo, a huge African bull weighing over six tonnes,
females don’t grow tusks. It is also true that the kind of elephant
the move in the
who gave rides and became a national favourite. Possibly his
experience you will have on each continent varies greatly. In
Maasai Mara.
name was Jambo, the Swahili word of greeting, but Jumbo he
South-East Asia, elephants have been work animals for many
became, and elephants have lived with it ever since.
centuries, while almost all attempts to domesticate their African
Ironically, the public’s increasing awareness of the stress
relatives have failed. Ellie-fans often have strong views on the
caused to such intelligent and social animals when kept in
subject. Some don’t mind seeing them trained, working and
captivity has persuaded many zoos, including London Zoo, that
comparatively tame if it means getting the opportunity to feed,
keeping them is no longer a humane option. The remaining
stroke or ride one, help with bath-time, or even being ‘given a lift’
animals are now in controlled breeding programmes in freer
by that versatile trunk – in which case they will head for Sri Lanka,
surroundings elsewhere.
India or Thailand. Others prefer seeing them in the wild, so it has
All this has happened at a time when interest in elephants has increased, largely thanks to excellent television documentaries.
to be an African safari. When it comes to the chances of seeing African elephants,
Now that it’s not so easy to see live elephants at home, people
several factors come into play, not least the drastic drop in
often prefer to take a long-haul flight to their natural habitats. And
their numbers. At the time when London Zoo’s Jumbo left
so the legend on early explorers’ maps – ‘Here be elephants’ –
his homeland, there were literally millions of his kind all over
has regained some of its original truth.
sub-Saharan Africa, excluding only the true equatorial forests
‘Going on safari’ is no longer the preserve of wealthy adults.
and the driest southern parts. Even a century later there were
Some African game parks are now actively encouraging families
probably over two million of them. But by 1989, numbers had
with children of walking age to try a mini-safari to spot their
crashed dangerously below the half-million mark, in spite of bans
favourite animals. And if elephants don’t top everyone’s list before
on poaching and ivory sales. East Africa was the worst hit, with
they’ve actually seen a live one, it usually takes only one good
only 16,000 elephants left in Kenya from its once mighty herds.
44 | air uganda | may – july 2010
nature & wildlife
African elephants are larger and have bigger ears than their Asian cousins whose females don’t grow tusks Tanzania’s famous Serengeti and Selous national parks also lost a
clan has been fitted with a collar containing a SIM card that sends
similar proportion. Tanzania still has more elephants than Kenya,
out a text message every hour announcing her (and therefore her
but estimates vary.
family’s) whereabouts, and the same technique is being used on
With the numbers down, visitors can no longer expect to see the magnificent spectacle of hundreds of elephants congregating
lone bulls. Rather different conditions are found in Botswana, which
socially. Clan sizes are smaller, as indeed are the elephants
actually has the most elephants (possibly 76,000). However,
themselves since the average age now is younger, but family
they are scattered over vast areas, and game viewing is not as
groups led by a dignified matriarch and her relatives with their
commercially organised as in South Africa, where the Kruger
young, of perhaps a dozen individuals, are still to be seen in
National Park is well in the lead. Fortunately the situation, both
national parks such as Kenya’s Maasai Mara, Amboseli and
for viewing and population numbers in southern Africa generally is
Tsavo where the visibility is good because the vegetation is fairly
improving with the end of various wars. The Zambian herds in the
open. The dry season offers the best sightings because the grass
Luangwa, Kafue and Zambesi valleys are on the increase again
is lower and the bush cover sparser. Also, elephants have to
after severe decline, and South Africa is exporting elephants to
congregate at rivers or waterholes to drink, so most camps are
Mozambique.
within reach of such places. Wardens realise that visitors would be disappointed if they didn’t
One great place to see mature elephants roaming around is the Victoria Falls area. They often cross between Zambia and
see elephants during their stay, and will try to make sure that they
Zimbabwe by island-hopping and swimming across the Zambesi
do. Sometimes the process is helped by ‘collaring’. In the Samburu
well upstream of the Falls, and many family-run game lodges and
in northern Kenya, Anastasia, the matriarch of the ‘Royal Family’
camps have been set up between Livingstone and the Caprivi Strip. >>
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 45
Sri Lanka definitely has some trump cards in the elephant
Left:
stakes. The ‘inland capital’ of Kandy has up to 50 elephants
Elephant-back
who amble round the town with their mahouts collecting fodder
safaris are
or clearing rubbish when they are not rehearsing for Asia’s
very popular
most spectacular festival, the Kandy Perahera. Every night for
in South east
almost two weeks, usually in August, increasing numbers of
Asia.
brilliantly liveried elephants take part in wonderful torchlight street processions accompanied by glittering troupes of dancers,
Below:
musicians and acrobats. On the last night, the Temple Tusker
Parade at the
himself bears the sacred relic of the Buddha’s tooth in a jewelled
Elephant
casket. Being a religious festival, its actual date is decided annually
Festival,
only in January according to moon phases and other auspicious
Surin,Thailand.
signs, so it isn’t really geared for mass tourism. Some southern Sri Lankan resorts offer elephant-back safaris, Photo © Kate Nivison
and so does the north of Thailand where there are forest work camps around Chiang Mai in particular where you can see the ‘workers’ practising their skills at rolling and stacking logs – or football. Getting very busy and commercialised now is the Elephant Festival at Surin, north-east Thailand, (always held on the third Saturday of November) where there are mock battles, tugs of war and elephant polo. The resorts of both Thailand and Sri Lanka may have young elephants visiting the hotels, who often walk to work by splashing along in the sea. One favourite is a mature female called Monica, who specialises in birthdays and weddings at the beach hotels in the Wadduwa area of south-west Sri Lanka. In her sequinned red
>> Although the little town of Victoria Falls has grown a lot in recent years, it’s not uncommon to see one or two mature females with their young strolling across the roads near town, drinking by the river, or even scratching their chins on the roof of a private car full of wide-eyed passengers. The message is, don’t hoot – it can sound like a challenge; don’t leave the car; then back off or move on very slowly. If there are youngsters, be extra wary. No-one in their right mind would try to feed them, but some still do, with dire results. These generally placid females are accepted by the local people and vice versa, but they are still wild, and may attract bulls from elsewhere. Sitting in a car being used as a back-scratcher by a wild elephant is about as personal as most of us want to get. But for even closer encounters of the not-so-wild kind, South-East Asia is the place. In India, the elephant god Gamesh has been worshipped for millennia and elephants were much used in royal and religious ceremonials, so it is around temples and palaces that most trained elephants now live. The ride up to the Amber Palace near Jaipur in the swaying howdah of a patient giant in her best finery including full face-paint is a never-to-be forgotten experience. But then neither is encountering a procession of elephants on their way to work along a road carrying their packed lunches of leaves and sugar cane. Sadly the number of elephants in Asian cities is declining because traffic pollution weakens their lungs, but a better option is an elephant-back photo safari in the game reserves.
46 | air uganda | may – july 2010
satin gown, she makes a wonderful bridesmaid/backdrop and gets herself into every picture. The only way to top the sensation of being picked up in the gentle coils of Monica’s trunk is to visit the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawella. Here you can watch the babies being bottle-fed, then see over 50 elephants of all ages pushing and squealing with glee as they charge down to the river for their twice-daily bath, which is clearly as much fun for them as it is for their delighted visitors.
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HEALTHY TRAVELLING
These gentle exercises, which you can carry out easily during your flight, will help blood circulation and reduce any tiredness or stiffness that may result from sitting in one place for several hours. Check with your doctor first if you have any health conditions which might be adversely affected by exercise. Foot pumps: Start with both heels on the floor and point feet upward as high as you can. Then put both feet flat on the floor. Then lift heels high, keeping the balls of your feet
Lift leg with knees bent while contracting your thigh muscles. Alternate legs. Repeat 20 to 30
in 30-second intervals.
Shoulder stretch: Reach right hand over left shoulder. Place left hand behind right elbow and gently press elbow toward shoulder. Hold stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Overhead stretch: Raise both hands straight up over your head. With one hand, grasp the wrist of the opposite hand and gently pull to one side. Hold stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Arm curl: Start with arms held at a 90-degree angle: elbows down, hands out in front. Raise hands up to chest and back down, alternating hands. Do this exercise in 30-second intervals. 48 | air uganda | may – july 2010
•
For your own comfort try and travel light.
•
Wear loose clothing and elasticated stockings made of natural fibre.
•
Increase your normal intake of water and only if need be, drink alcohol but in moderation.
•
Use moisturising cream to keep your skin from drying out.
•
Take off shoes in the plane to prevent your feet from swelling up or wear shoes that will cope with expanding ankles.
•
Avoid heavy meals during the flight.
•
Short walks once every two hours are excellent for circulation.
•
Try to touch your toes when waiting in the aisle to stretch your hamstrings.
•
On arrival at your destination, have a hot shower or a relaxing bath.
•
On arrival a quick jog, brisk walk, or a vigorous scrub will help stimulate your circulation.
times for each leg.
on the floor. Continue cycle
Knee to chest: Bend forward slightly. Clasp hands around the left knee and hug it to your chest. Hold stretch for 15 seconds. Keeping hands around knee, slowly let it down. Alternate legs. Repeat 10 times.
Other Tips for a Comfortable Flight
Knee lifts:
Forward flex: With both feet on the floor and stomach held in, slowly bend forward and walk your hands down the front of your legs towards your ankles. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and slowly sit back up.
Shoulder roll: Hunch shoulders forward, then upward, then backward, then downward, using a gentle, circular motion.
Ankle circles: Lift feet off the floor, draw a circle with the toes, simultaneously moving one foot clockwise and the other foot counterclockwise. Reverse circles. Do each direction for 15 seconds. Repeat if desired.
Neck roll: With shoulders relaxed, drop ear to shoulder and gently roll neck forward and to the other side, holding each position about five seconds. Repeat five times.
ROUTE MAP
may – july 2010 | air uganda | 49
AIR UGANDA CONTACTS AND OFFICES
Kampala Sales Office:
Kigali Sales Office:
Tel: +250 (0) 412 165 555 /
Tel: +250 (0) 252 577 926/
+250 (0) 252 577 928 /
Email: info@air-uganda.com
+250 (0) 788 380 926
Fax: +256 (0) 414 258 267
Email: info@air-uganda.com
Jubilee Insurance Centre, 1st Floor,
Office No. 26 UTC (Union Trade
Podium Level,Plot 14 Parliment Avenue,
Centre) Building, Town Centre.
P. O. Box 36591, Kampala, Uganda.
Kigali, Rwanda.
Dar es Salaam Sales Office:
Head Office:
Tel: +255 (0) 222 133 331/5/6
Tel: +256 (0) 414 258 262/4
+256 (0) 312 165 555
+255 (0) 783 111 992
+256 (0) 417 717 401
Email: info@air-uganda.com
Email: info@air-uganda.com
c/o Holiday Africa Tours and Safaris
Fax: +256 (0) 414 500 932
(Opp. Habib African Bank)
Meridiana Africa Airlines (U) Ltd
Indiragandhi Street,
Plot 11/13, Lower Kololo Terrace
P.O. Box 22636
P.O.Box 36591, Kampala, Uganda.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. PLEASE NOTE : Nairobi / Mombasa Sales Office:
After working hours on
Tel: +254 (0)20 313 933
weekdays (17:45hrs - 21:00hrs),
Email: info@air-uganda.com
Saturday (14:00hrs - 21:00hrs)
5th Floor, Jubilee Insurance Building,
and Sunday (07:30hrs - 21:00hrs)
Wabera Street, Nairobi, Kenya.
For assistance please call our Entebbe ticketing office on
Zanzibar Sales Office:
Tel: +256 (0) 414 321 485
Tel: +255 (0) 242 233 506/7
+256 (0) 417 717 222
Email: info@air-uganda.com Cine Afrique Cinema Malindi
Entebbe International Airport
PO Box 251, Zanzibar, Tanzania.
(Ticketing Office): Tel: +256 (0) 414 321 485
Juba Sales Office:
Tel: +256 (0) 477 153 912
Email:reservations@air-uganda.com
Email: info@air-uganda.com
50 | air uganda | may – july 2010
+256 (0) 417 717 222 info@air-uganda.com
Hai Suk Street, (Opp. the Mosque)
2nd Floor, Passenger Terminal
Juba, Sudan.
Building, Entebbe, Uganda.
TIPS FOR THE TRAVELLER IN UGANDA
Land Uganda is a compact country, with an area of 236,580 square kilometres – roughly the size of Great Britain. Climate Although situated on the equator, Uganda’s relatively high altitude tempers the heat, and humidity is generally low. Throughout the year sunshine averages about 6 to 10 hours a day. There are two rainy seasons: the main long rains, which start late in February and end in April, and the short rains, which start in October and run until about the middle of December. The region around Lake Victoria, however, receives rain at almost any time of the year. Topography It is located on the equator, within the eastern plateau region of the African continent and between the eastern and western ridges of the Great Rift Valley. Near the borders several mountain masses stand out strikingly from the plateaux. Economy Uganda is blessed with fertile soils that support a wide variety of food and export crops, both annual and perennial. Agriculture is the dominant sector of Uganda’s economy. The major traditional export crops are coffee, cotton, tea, horticulture, tobacco and sugar cane, while groundnuts, maize, beans, sorghum and millet have emerged in recent years as cash crops for the peasant farmers. Language English is the official language and is also the medium of instruction in Uganda’s education system, from primary school up to university level. Swahili is also spoken. There are some 30 indigenous languages spoken in the rural areas. The most common of these are Luganda and Luo. Electric supply All installations are of British standard and appliances should be fitted with the square, three-pin plugs of British specifications. The voltage is 240 volts, 50 Hz for domestic use. The voltage fluctuates continually, however, and proper surge protectors are advisable for any expensive equipment. Time Uganda is three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Time remains constant throughout the year. People The people are warm, friendly, and full of humour. They are anxious to make friends with visitors and are continually asking guests whether they are comfortable and enjoying themselves. A large number of people speak English. Excursions Uganda is beginning to develop an excellent tourist infrastructure, with first-rate roads and communication facilities. Uganda’s national game, forest and recreational parks are indeed some of the spectacular showpieces Africa has to offer. They do have regulations regarding off-theroad driving, game watching, and so on, which are clearly stated at the entrance gates of parks or on leaflets supplied by the tourist offices. Mountaineering safaris to the Ruwenzori Mountains in the western Rift Valley are now becoming a favourite Ugandan expedition. Similar safaris can also be organised to climb Mount Elgon in the east, sharing the border with Kenya. Hotels There are international-standard hotels in Entebbe, Kampala and Jinja, as well as in many of the smaller towns. Camping, rustic bush camps and guest houses are also available. The Kampala Sheraton, the Serena Kampala, the Grand Imperial, and the Nile Hotel, all in the national’s capital are by the best. There are many other less expensive, but quite nice hotels in the city. Outside Kampala, most towns also have a variety of moderately priced and budget hotels. Banking hours There is a wide range of banks in Uganda, particularly in Kampala. Their hours are generally from 0830 to 1400 on weekdays, and Saturdays from 0830 to 1200. Forex bureaux keep longer hours – 0900 to 1700 on weekdays and 0900 to 1300 on Saturdays. ATMs are available in the larger cities. Communications Telephone, Telex, fax and airmail services connect Kampala to all parts of the world. Services are available at the General Post Office and its many branches, as well as in the main hotels. International direct dialling is available and now there are a number of Internet cafes. Medical services Uganda has good health services, with some good government and private hospitals and clinics in the major cities. Air rescue services are available.
Currency Uganda Shilling (UGX). Notes are in denominations of UGX 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000 and 1,000. Coins are in denominations of UGX 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. You can change money at banks and hotels. Although the forex bureaux usually have better exchange rates. Credit cards International credit cards are accepted in major hotels and shops. Working hours Shops and businesses are generally open from 0830 to 1730 on weekdays, with a lunch break between 1300 and 1400. Some businesses are open on Saturday, at least until midday. Small, local shops or kiosks on the side of many roads are generally open much later, until about 2130 and on weekends and holidays as well; they stock basic food and household items. Public Holidays 2010 1 January 26 January 8 March 2 April 5 April 1 May 3 June 9 June 11 September 9 October 17 November 25 December 26 December
New Year’s Day Liberation Day International Women’s Day Good Friday Easter Monday Labour Day Martyrs’ Day National Heroes’ Day Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) Independence Day Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) Christmas Day Boxing Day
Note:The two Muslim holidays, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximate. Customs Besides personal effects, a visitor may import duty-free spirits (including liquors) or wine up to one litre, perfume and toilet water up to half a litre and 270 grammes of tobacco or 200 cigarettes. Other imported items, not exceeding US$100 may be brought in duty free and without an import licence, provided they are not prohibited or restricted goods, are for personal use, and are not for resale. Note: A special permit is required to export game trophies. Health requirements Visitors from areas infected with yellow fever and cholera required certificates on inoculation. All visitors are advised to take an antimalarial prophylactic beginning two weeks before their arrival and continuing for six weeks after their departure. A gamma globulin injection provides some protection against possible infection by hepatitis and is well worth taking. Visa and immigration requirements Visa applications may be obtained at Uganda diplomatic missions. Two photographs are required for visas, which are usually issued within 24 hours. Visas are also available at the country’s entry points. Check with the Uganda diplomatic mission in your country if visa is required as some countries are exempted. Taxi services Taxis are immediately available at Entebbe International Airport. They can also be found outside most hotels in Kampala and at most of the country’s major centres. All don’t have meters, so make sure the fare is negotiated in advance. Car rental Several firms operate car hire services in Kampala. Vehicles may be hired with or without driver. For trips outside the city it is possible to hire insured cars appropriate for the trip (a four-wheel-drive vehicle with a drivertranslator is recommended). Entebbe International Airport The main point of entry is Entebbe International Airport, about a 30-minute drive south of the capital, Kampala. Although modest, the modern airport does provide automated passenger facilities, currency exchange, postal services, banking facilities, telephoned, duty-free shops, gift shops and a restaurant and bar. Security The same rules apply for Kampala as for almost any city anywhere.Be careful and take the usual precautions to safeguard yourself and your belongings. Do not leave valuables in your car. Walking at night in all major centres is reasonably safe. may – july 2010 | air uganda | 51
CROSSWORD PUZZLE & SUDOKU
Crossword Clues Across
1
2
3
4
5
6
1. Sore pooch turns to foretell the future (9) 9. Regarding in fabled Old King for mixed race (6) 10. Stand to this and get noticed (9)
10 11 12
13. Bent and yellow, with a dangerous skin! (6) 17. Portray within a tractor (3) 19. Music that could make angel remit charm (10, 5) 20. Move pit and earn a gratuity (3)
13 14
15
16
stirred (4, 5)
21
22
23
24
25 26 27
28. Two girls sing these at Festive time (6) 29. Offering to make less hard? (9)
18
20
26. Shows contempt for mixed soul Financial Times (6) 27. You could find one on the beach, or evil fears
17
19
21. One that gets into the Pop Charts (6) 25. Even a rough male could be called this! (9)
8
9
11. Set on fire in sign items. (6) 12. There’s many of these blocks in this magazine! (9)
7
28 29
Clues Down Answers down 2. Outran; 3. Operas; 4. Caters; 5. Prospective wife; 6. Programme; 7. Solitaire; 8. Telepathy; 14. Fresh face; 15. Agincourt; 16. Small talk; 17. Ant; 18. Tap; 22. Attend; 23. Repair; 24. Tavern
2. Beat in race within trout ranges (6) 3. A spore reforms into musicals (6) 4. Provides for felines? (6)
Answers across 1. Horoscope; 9. Creole; 10. Attention; 11. Ignite; 12. Paragraph; 13. Banana; 17. Act; 19. Regimental march; 20. Tip; 21. Single; 25. Gentleman; 26. Flouts; 27. Life saver; 28. Carols; 29. Tendering
5. Partner-to-be with expectations? (11, 4) 6. A running order favouring little weight (9)
Sudoku
7. Suitable game for a loner? (9) 8. A meeting of minds? (9) 14. New kid on the block has novel dial (5, 4)
Place a number from 1 to 9 in every empty cell so that
15. Gout in car produces historic battle (9)
each row, each column and
16. Speak low? (5, 4)
each 3x3 box contains all the
17. G.I. on this creature is huge (3)
numbers from 1 to 9. No
18. A gentle knock from the faucet (3)
number can appear twice in a row, column or 3x3 box.
22. Be there and take notice (6)
Do not guess – you can work
23. Restore and go (6)
it out by a process of
24. Vet ran in confusion for a drink here (6)
52 | air uganda | may – july 2010
elimination.
6 8 2 3 9 5 7 4 8 2 9 6 3 6 2 9 5 6 7 2
3 1 6 9 2 1 6 8 7 2 5
A WORLD AWAY FROM THE CITY
Just 15 Kilometres from Kampala and 35 Kilometres from Entebbe, on the shores of lake victoria, rests a resort of ultimate beauty, tranquility and peace. This newest addition to the Serena family is the perfect resort to unwind and escape the stresses of city life.
The central lounge and reception
The rooms and suites
Maisha Mind Body and Spirit Spa
The pool and garden view
LAKE VICTORIA SERENA RE SO RT
PO Box 37761, Kampala, Uganda, Lweza-Kigo road, Off Entebbe road or Call +256 41 7121000, Fax +256 41 7121550 e-mail: lakevictoria@serena.co.ug
issue
number
002
may–july
2010
the inflight magazine of air uganda part of the asante issue number 002 may–july 2010
your complimentary copy