540 Magazine – Issue11

ISSUE 11 / NOV 2013 – JAN 2014

YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY

FoodforThought

THE MOORINGS Come on board the seafood’s lovely

MotorReview

GETTING MORE FROM YOUR 4X4

Patrol and Disco go head to head

Polo: ‘SPORT OF PRINCES’

ProductReview

WHO’S CHAMPION? Budget tablet wars ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

LATEST RELEASES • 540 NEWS • MALINDI CITY GUIDE

Contents

contents

REGULAR FEATURES 03 in this issue 04 540 NEWS

COVER STORY 14 sport of princes

40 BUSINESSHub

Kenyans learning to love polo

Seagoing veteran to begin new life under water

44 latestreleases

Coming to a screen near you...

47 ProductReview

Who’s champion of budget tablet wars?

48 cityguide

Malindi

50 MotorReview

Getting more from your four by four

54 FOODforthought

USEFUL INFORMATION

Come on board the seafood’s lovely

56 LOOKinside

58 The fly540 network

60 fly540 contacts

64 kidz corner

issue 11

61 fly540 fleet

True happiness in a perfect lakeside getaway

62 TRAVEL INFORMATION

Essential travel and visa information

is published by Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) Ltd Email: publishing@landmarine.com www.landmarine.com

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on behalf of

SPECIAL FEATURES

Fly540 Aviation Riverside Green Suites, Palm Suite, Riverside Drive PO Box 10293-00100, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/2/3/4/5 Email info@fly540.com www.fly540.com

07 WORLD WAR STORY

The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisation associated with this publication. No liability can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions. ©2013 Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) Ltd

To come

20 OWL SANCTUARY

Stray owl shapes future for Sarah

24 MASAI MARA

View this issue online: qrs.ly/473n0yu

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Will the Mara see the last of its roaring trade?

28 KENYA COFFEE HOUSE

Why London’s in favour of Kenyan flavour

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32 PREMIERSHIP FOOTBALL

With Kenyan help the Saints work miracles

36 WHAT NOT TO EAT

Eat smarter and look better in 10 easy steps

connect with fly540 @fly540aviation www.facebook.com/pages/Fly-540

InThisIssue

issue 11

in this issue W

elcome to issue 11 of ‘540’, the in-flight magazine of Fly540.

Our cover story takes a look at the sport of polo. Polo is growing in popularity in Kenya and the sport is open to all – providing you have a string of ponies, that is.

A WWI battle happened on Kenyan soil. We recount the hostilities of 100 years ago.

A Kenyan entrepreneur is really hitting the big time in the UK. Read his dramatic story about setting up a new coffee shop in London.

Down at the coast, the vessel

Manchester United or Arsenal may be your favourite Premiership team, but look out this season for unfashionable Southampton and its Kenyan connection.

In our car review section, the Land Rover Discovery and Nissan Patrol go head to head. Let’s see who wins.

Subscribe By the way, even if you are not flying with Fly540, you can still access the e-version of each issue of ‘540’ magazine by subscribing via the ‘on board’ page on Fly540’s new-look website: www.fly540.com

Polo is growing in popularity in Kenya and the sport is open to all ‘Fish Eagle’ has been deliberately sunk to provide divers with a new wreck to explore. And, still by the ocean, we dine out at The Moorings in Mtwapa.

This magazine also highlights the growing concerns in our flagship national park, the Masai Mara.

Gary Gimson Publisher, ‘540’ Magazine

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Below: Kenya Coffee House opens its doors, see page 28

City Guide: We travel to Malindi on page 48 to discover billionaire resorts and Italian flavour

LATEST RELEASES

We hope you enjoy your flight with Kenya’s best airline. If you have any comments about this magazine, please feel free to write to me at publishing@landmarine.com

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In our “latest releases” section on page 44 review of the Hunger Games Catching Fire movie and the latest must read books

NEWS Flying the 540 flag at tourism fair The Xplore Fair at the Karen Blixen Museum in Karen was an excellent showcase for Kenyan tourism.

Staff members of both Fly 540 and its sister company SAX were on hand at this well attended event to give advice and information about routes, destinations and services.

The fair, on the weekend of 5 and 6 October, gave visitors a chance to catch up with the latest tourism offers and trends and to discover new attractions

and destinations. They could also book a trip while they were there.

Xplore  A warm welcome at the Karen Blixen Museum

The fair was an opportunity for both professionals and members of the public to take a stroll through the beautiful gardens of the museum, where a food court was available.

Many of the key players in East Africa’s tourism industry were in attendance, including service providers, lodge owners, restaurateurs, food suppliers and community organisations.

A better life Kamili Organisation was set up in 2009 to take over two successful mental health clinics running in Lower Kabete and Kangemi, Nairobi.

Kamili’s mission is to provide equal access to services, affordable care and improve the quality of life of those suffering from mental health illnesses in Kenya.

Kamili reviews, assesses and counsels around 400 people per month. The team has seen a great demand for services in far-flung parts of the country. Some patients travel from as far as Meru, Nyahururu to Nairobi to access treatment.

In addition to the clinics, Kamili runs back-to-work projects for its clients. One example is a project that trains clients to make and sell briquettes from recycled paper and leaves, which allows them to return to the work environment, raises self-esteem and gives them a small income. Kamili also have a savings scheme and a microfinance project, both help families to set up small businesses.

If you would like to help it costs less than KES 100,000 to sponsor the training of a community mental health nurse. Every little counts towards helping far-flung communities in Kenya. For more information go to: www.kamilimentalhealth.org or Email: kenyakamili@gmail.com

Kamili has now opened a new clinic at Kihara sub district hospital and also set up a successful training scheme sponsoring the training of four nurses at Mathare Hospital. These nurses have now set up community outreach clinics in Kakamega, Kapsabet and Taveta.

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Good work  Left below: Recovering patients Right below: Dedicated staff

ForgottenWar

THE

ForGotten War ‘fi ghting a war in a zoo’

By Jane Barsby ‘Imagine a country three times the size of Germany, mostly covered by dense bush, with no roads and only two railways, and either sweltering under a tropical sun or swept by torrential rain which makes the friable soil impassable to wheeled traffic; a country with occasional wide and swampy areas interspersed with arid areas where water is often more precious than gold; in which man rots with malaria and suffers torments from insect pests; in which animals die wholesale from the ravages of tsetse fly; where crocodiles and lions seize unwary porters, giraffes destroy telegraph lines, elephants damage tracks, hippopotami attack boats, rhinoceroses charge troops on the march, and bees put whole battalions to flight. Such was German East Africa in 1914-18.’

H.L. Pritchard, History of the Royal Corps of Engineers, Vol. VII >

Loyal North Lancashires manning a machine gun bunker on Mashoti Hill.

Picture courtesy of the Lancashire Infantry Museum, Preston, UK and James G Willson

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ForgottenWar

Pic courtesy of KAR & EAF Association

And what about a-scrapping up a mountain three miles high, A-swearing and a-panting till you thought your end was nigh, And then to bump a Maxim gun that’s dug in on the sky?

I

n August 2014 it will be a century since the outbreak of a war that, for the first time in the history of mankind, embroiled the whole world. Today we call it the First World War, but for those who fought between 1914 and 1918 it was known as the Great War. With good reason: it killed 10 million people, redrew the map of the world and brought down four mighty empires: the German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian. In its aftermath it was known as ‘the war to end all wars’; but that was not to be. Rather, it paved the way to the hell of the Second World War (1939 to 1945) in which more than 70 million people died.

In 2014, for the first time since it ended, there will be no known surviving soldiers from the First World War and Britain’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, has committed £80 million towards the Centenary Commemorations. “Our duty towards these commemorations is clear: to honour those who served,” said Mr Cameron.

In Australia they will be spending $70 million on their own Anzac Centenary and in France they began their centenary preparations four years ago with the construction of the magnificent Musée de la Grande Guerre.

Exploring the sites of the Forgotten War To trace the East Africa Campaign, begin at Lion’s Bluff Lodge, where James Willson, author of ‘Guerrillas of Tsavo’ (an illustrated diary of a forgotten campaign in British East Africa 191416), lectures and trains a platoon of eager young recruits as battlefield guides.

Lion’s Bluff  A great location from which to view the battlefields

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ForgottenWar Pics courtesy of KAR & EAF Association

King’s African Rifles 

And would you like anopheles and jigger-fleas and snakes To ‘chivvy you from dusk till dawn, and fill you up with aches, And then go on fatigue all day in a heat that fairly bakes?

Historic photographs

Meanwhile, one of the world’s largest tourism events, the World Travel Market (WTM), devoted its November 2013 opening ceremony in London to the launch of a series of events planned by the First World War Centenary Partnership, an international partnership whose aim is to ‘mark, commemorate and remember the lives of those who lived, fought and died in the First World War’.

What to do Tour the trenches, visit Maktau, once a camp for 20,000 men, visit the old military railway station and the quiet cemetery filled with Baluchi sepoys; climb Picket Hill and have sundowners among the gun emplacements. Take a safari to the forgotten forts of Kichwa Tembo and Mzima Springs, to Salaita Hill and Snipers Baobab.

Dusty graves In Kenya, however, there are unlikely to be many centenary events; because here, despite the fact that 70,000 Kenyans died for a cause that was not their own; and thousands of South Africans, Rhodesians, Indians and British were laid to rest in dusty graves far from home, the East African Campaign of the First World War has always been overshadowed by that of the European Western Front. Forgotten while it was being fought, forgotten even when it was won, it became known as ‘The Forgotten War’.

Described by military historians as ‘one of the most bizarre military campaigns ever to have been fought’, surely a century after it was fought the ‘Ice-Cream War’ (so called because if it was not over

by Christmas, then soldiers would melt in the sun)

Maktau  Inside the station master’s office

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ForgottenWar

deserves better. Or such is the view of a dedicated band who have devoted themselves to ensuring that the East Africa Campaign gets its final curtain call.

A crazed campaign of extraordinary brilliance and staggering tenacity, the campaign was dominated by the toweringly manic figure of the German general Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck. Outmanned, outgunned, cut off from his supplies and typically mounted on a bicycle at the head of his ragged troops, von Lettow led the British on a mad military dance across the breadth of East Africa.

Iodine

Images of the past 

For two years, the British ‘fought a war in a zoo’. They fought off lions with stones because they did not dare fire their guns lest the Germans heard them.

They painted their horses with iodine to look like zebras lest von Lettow’s scouts saw them. They were attacked by baboons, snakes and scorpions; their Indian colonial troops, improbably clad in pantaloons and turbans, were charged by rhinos; and their paper-

Left: General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck Centre: Memorial Right: Cap badge (2nd Nyasaland Battalion King’s African Rifles)

So don’t despise our efforts, for we’ve done our level best, For it wasn’t beer and skittles, those two years without a rest.

And though the world forgot us we think we stood the test.

Where to stay Lion’s Bluff (www.lionsbluff.com) is in the Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary, which lies 50 km along the Voi-Taveta Road. Nearby are Sarova Taita Hills and Salt Lick Lodges (www. sarovahotels.com). Alternatively stay at Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge in Tsavo West National Park (www.serenahotels.com) or combine all three for the ultimate take on ‘fighting a war in a zoo’.

This and previous quotes from ‘The Return of the Cohort’

by Owen Letcher thin planes were launched by human catapult. Von Lettow, meanwhile, refused to accept the fact that he could not win, brewed quinine from tree bark, made bandages from leaves, had his ragged troops dive for the guns of the sunken battleship, ‘Konigsberg’, and drag them 400 miles through the jungle to fire on the British. Finally, unaware that the war had ended, von Lettow surrendered a week late – and the British saluted him and allowed him to keep his gun.

A century later, though the story of the East African Campaign has faded, the reminders of its battles stand proud. In Tsavo National Park you can find vast hill forts, now the haunt of elephants. On the Taveta border there are German fortresses and British trenches still clearly visible in the bush; and hilltop gun emplacements where the soldiers seem to have left only weeks ago. And if you’re very lucky you might still find a shell casing or a discarded whisky bottle.

But you have to know where to look.

Pic above and left courtesy of KAR & EAF Association

Accommodation  Salt Lick Lodge

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Know more To learn more about the war: read William Boyd’s ‘An Ice Cream War’, Charles Miller’s ‘The Battle for the Bundu’, Edward Paice’s ‘Tip and Run’ or Wilbur Smith’s ‘Shout at the Devil’. Alternatively visit the website of the Great War in East Africa Association: www.gweaa.com

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CoverStory

Why Kenyans love the

‘sport of princes’ All pictures courtesy of the Nairobi Polo Club

In Kenya, the regal – and rigorous – sport of polo is attracting an evergrowing number of players and spectators. 540 magazine has been finding out why modern-day Kenya is such a popular centre for the game that many associate with Prince William and Prince Harry

T

he Kenyan Polo Association sporting calendar is a long one with just a few months of peace and quiet between February and April before the sound of hoofs is heard again.

Founded in 1907, the Nairobi Polo Club is one of the biggest in Africa, with a truly impressive list of both

playing and social members. The club has two full-sized pitches close to the Jamhuri Show Ground and the club is host to the highest-goal polo events of the playing calendar.

Polo is popular with sponsors and has been fortunate enough to attract backing from international brands such as CFC Stanbic Bank.

Founded in 1907, the Nairobi Polo Club is one of the biggest in Africa, with a truly impressive list of both playing and social members 14

CoverStory



Popular

Playing members enjoy the match

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540 magazine spoke to Nairobi Polo Club captain Mike du Toit, who believes the sport has a bright future in Kenya. The country has become a centre both for new polo players to gain experience and for seasoned players to battle it out in exciting high-goal tournaments. Matches are open to the public and, rather surprisingly, admission is free.

540: Being the captain of the Nairobi Polo Club, you understand the game very well. Can you explain to Kenyans what polo is all about and the excitement that seems to attract high society to the game?

DU TOIT: Polo is a fast game which consists of four team players.

This year will have a top-class 10-14 goal handicap tournament – a first in Kenya. It will attract up to 10 teams, with players from Kenya, South Africa, Europe and the United States. This gives the country an opportunity to appear on the map as one of Africa’s greatest sporting nations.

Originally, it was a sport for white settlers, but that is significantly changing. More and more new members today are Kenyans from all walks of life. They are keen to learn the skills and horsemanship needed to play at the highest level, locally and internationally.

In the last decade Kenya has seen growing numbers of enthusiastic spectators. This is because of its friendly atmosphere both on and off the field, which is perfect for networking. Entertainment, food and drinks are available for the families.

540: How is the response both locally and internationally?

DU TOIT: There has been an incredible response. The number of international sponsors is contributing massively to the sport here.

Entertainment  Polo has fast-paced fun for all the family

540: What are you doing to encourage young people to play the sport?

DU TOIT: The game has a couple of junior players as young as 11 years eager to perfect their skills on a competitive level. A team balance has been created for young and upcoming Kenyan talent to play alongside the best.

540: What are you doing to broaden the appeal of polo in Kenya?

DU TOIT: There are three clubs in Kenya in Gilgil, Timai in Nanyuki and Ngong Race Course. The ranches encourage club members to borrow horses for practice.

Therefore an interest has developed for those who don’t own horses to play the sport.

Originally, it was a sport for white settlers, but that is significantly changing. More and more new members today are Kenyans from all walks of life.

540: Where do you think Kenya is rated on the sport?

DU TOIT: Currently the sport is slowly gaining popularity in Africa.

But so far Argentina, the USA and Australia are way in the lead.

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CoverStory

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OwlSanctuary

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OwlSanctuary

How a stray owl shaped future for Sarah Seeing to the welfare of owls and other birds of prey has been a labour of love for Sarah Higgins, who runs the Little Owl Sanctuary in Naivasha.

B

Life changing  Sarah’s feathered friends

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ritish-born Sarah was only 19 when she went to Kenya to spend three months with an aunt in Subukia who shared her passion for horses. In fact, she had so much fun riding and competing in local shows that she ended up staying for a year. During that time she met Mike, a widowed farmer with two sons, and they decided to make Kenya their home, moving to Naivasha in 1973.

With her natural sense of compassion for wild creatures, Sarah took in many injured or orphaned animals and nursed them back to health. But it was not until a badly damaged barn owl was brought in that her focus settled on birds.

“The barn owl had been found on the ground dragging a badly smashed wing behind it,” recalls Sarah. “When the local vet was contacted, she told the rescuer she

OwlSanctuary

Children learn to value owls and eagles The Little Owl Sanctuary in Naivasha has been kept busy over the years. One of the reasons, explains Sarah, is that owls are persecuted in Kenya and there is a lot of superstition about them. They are killed or injured by people who do not understand how important they are to the environment.

could not attend to the bird that day but to ‘take it to Sarah as she is good with wings’. Sarah realised she could not deal with it herself, so she took the bird to a wildlife vet she knew in Nairobi. He could repair the wing, he said, but the owl would never be able to fly well enough to be released. “Either he would put the bird down or we would have to build an owlery for it. That was an easy decision to make.”

Small beginnings An owlery was duly built and soon afterwards the same vet gave Sarah another disabled barn owl followed by a spotted eagle owl.

“From those small beginnings things have grown and expanded,”

“Either he would put the bird down or we would have to build an owlery for it. That was an easy decision to make.” says Sarah. “Our reputation grew by word of mouth and more and more birds started to come in. The Nairobi vet has become a good friend and we work together on the birds.”

Today, the Little Owl Sanctuary is the largest rescue and rehabilitation centre in Kenya for owls and other raptors. 

Protected

The sanctuary provides information, education and a safe home for rescued birds

“As diverse as the injuries and ailments are, so are the birds,” says Sarah. “We have had anything from a vulture to a pelican to a flamingo to a lilac-breasted roller. Of course, living on the edge of the lake as we do, we get a lot of fish eagles, who almost invariably come in as a result of territorial fights, and we are usually told about these by the lake fishermen.”

Educating Sarah encourages school groups to come to the sanctuary so she can teach them about the importance of owls and eagles and they can see for themselves the beauty of the birds and understand that every creature has a purpose.

This paid off for one little barn owl in particular who had been attacked by a big raptor. He had taken refuge in a school classroom on the Kinangop.

“A year ago that owl would have been instantly killed once found,” says Sarah.

“But because the headmaster had brought some of his children down to the sanctuary to learn about owls, he instead rang me and we went and rescued the owl.”

The sanctuary has over 30 birds at present. Most of these will be rehabilitated and released, but there will be other birds in need of help. All of this is funded out of Sarah’s own pocket, but she has her own reward from seeing the birds recover and return to the wild. The country’s leading falconer and rehab expert, Simon Thomsett, is now a partner in the enterprise.

Sarah also works closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service, the KSPCA and the ornithological department of the National Museums of Kenya.

“My children have now grown up and left the nest and sadly my wonderful hubby has passed on,” says Sarah. “But I am never lonely with my amazing collection of feathered personalities.”

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MasaiMara

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MasaiMara

WILL THE Mara see the last of its roaring trade?

A

 Dwindling numbers

A baby lion (panthera leo) in the Masai Mara National Reserve

s Mark Twain memorably said: “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” Hopefully, this witticism will now ring true for the Masai Mara National Reserve, the demise of which seems to be predicted with growing regularity.

The Mara is Kenya’s most prized tourism asset, its jewel in the crown, the ostrich that lays the golden egg and the provider of a huge and easy-to-collect annual bounty for Narok County Council; yet the reserve is in real danger.

Experts warn starkly that the Mara – or the parts of it not included in privately managed conservancies – is in irretrievable decline.

The fall in predator numbers is particularly acute. The number of lions – in many ways the barometer species of the Mara – has dropped dramatically over the past 30 years, while cheetah populations are

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down and the leopard count has also seen a sharp fall. Sadly, wild dogs have already disappeared from the reserve.

Exact figures are hard to come by, but most studies show an inexorable downward trend.

For antelopes and other herbivores, this may be good news, but from a tourism point of view it spells disaster.

Lower predator numbers are linked directly with a sharp drop in the number of animals resident all year round in the Mara.

Reports suggest that, since the 1990s, some resident species have declined by as much as 80 per cent. Other experts predict that, on present trends, lions will have disappeared from the Mara within 20 years. > True, the wildebeest and zebra keep coming each July and these herds still look impressive. The annual migration continues to

MasaiMara present a grand spectacle as some 1.5 million animals cross the Mara River. But predators need to eat year-round, while the Mara’s camps and lodges are not commercially viable in a tourism season limited to just two or three peak months.

Tourism

Important boundaries Perhaps understandably, one Mara camp owner takes a different view. He told 540: “In my opinion there has been some good work on taking the pressure off the actual Mara Reserve by creating conservation areas around the northern and eastern borders of the park. This in effect creates a larger Mara ecosystem for the future and takes away

the concentration [of activity] from the traditional boundaries of the park.”

Let us not single out the Mara, however, but remember that, just across the border, the Serengeti has a different set of problems – most notably, plans to build a highway right through the park.

Opinion on this proposed project and its possible impact on wildlife is, to say the least, divided. Some say the road will improve access for tourists, while others believe the highway will scare animals and lead to more road-kill.

Whatever the case, however, both Kenya and Tanzania need to bear in mind that tourism is fickle and that most visitors who come to see the wildlife in East Africa actually expect to do so in a pristine environment. Otherwise, they will go elsewhere.

Mara  Tourists flock to this fragile ecosystem

Let us not single out the Mara, however, but remember that, just across the border, the Serengeti has a different set of problems Africa’s low cost airline

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Anna Omelchenko / Shutterstock.com

Moreover, the fall in animal populations is in almost inverse proportion to the number of visitors. Conservationists are concerned, in the short term, that a ‘pile ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap’ policy aimed at getting more tourists into the Mara is putting further undue pressure on fragile ecosystems.

New lodges and camps and higher vehicle numbers all contribute to this pressure.

At the same time, the flouting of

park rules by safari van drivers and the poor disposal of waste are a further source of worry.

Unrelated to visitor numbers but still making an impact on the reserve is the fact, pointed out by conservationists, that rivers are drying up as a result of deforestation in the main water catchment areas, while human and livestock encroachment is adding to the reserve’s problems.

KenyaCoffee

wHy london’s in favour of Kenyan flavour Profile: Joash Robinson Wena

M

eet Joash Robinson Wena.

Here’s a guy we should all admire; a man who against the odds and in the face of the doubters, the sceptics (me included), the banks, the combined forces of officialdom and just about everyone else who ganged up to hinder him, has fulfilled his dream. If I had a hat, I would take it off to him.

Nearly three years ago, Joash came to see me at our UK head office. He had an idea – a very good idea as it turned out. But like so many people with a great idea, he lacked the funds to transform it into reality.

Here was a Kenyan, resident in the UK on and off for 10 years, who wanted to open a coffee shop in the giant Lakeside shopping mall near London. But the UK was

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By Gary Gimson

KenyaCoffeeHouse

It would be wholly Kenyan: Kenyan coffee, Kenyan staff (well mostly), Kenyan cuisine and a distinctly Kenyan decor. And so the idea of the Kenya Coffee House was born.

already awash with smart-looking coffee shops: Starbucks, Costa, Caffè Nero – and what’s more the floor space at Lakeside was eyewateringly expensive. Unable to find the price of the rent, he would use those brands as his inspiration.

Question “Why would the UK want another coffee shop?” was my question; and I guess it was everyone’s first question when Joash spoke

engagingly about his dream.

Joash believed his coffee shop would be different from those now peppering the UK – and in one unique way. It would be wholly Kenyan: Kenyan coffee, Kenyan staff (well mostly), Kenyan cuisine and a distinctly Kenyan décor. And so the idea of the Kenya Coffee House was born.

The struggles he endured over the next three years were not for the faint-hearted. I have to confess Africa’s low cost airline

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Smart interior  Kenyan in every way

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I never thought Joash would make it. He came back to me a couple of times seeking help. Where I could, I tried to assist, but I was also busy.

Joash now admits that raising the capital was his biggest challenge. There was a disappointing level of support from the large, powerful Kenyan institutions he thought would back his scheme.

“So I started trying to raise the capital in the UK,” says Joash, “and this was difficult. So eventually I

On inspection, the 2,900 sq ft Kenya Coffee House is impressive by any standard.

approached a friend in Kenya and told him about the idea. He saw the potential and brought in some of his investor friends who co-own the company.”

In June 2013 Joash contacted me again. He was close to realising his vision – or so he told me – but was still finding it hard to raise the last tranche of bridging capital and obtain the appropriate financial guarantees. I put him in touch with a contact at a major UK bank but heard nothing more.

Surprise Then, to my complete surprise and delight, I received an e-mail with photographs attached showing a splendid new Kenya Coffee House.

The dream had become a reality.

My first response was to e-mail “hongera” to Joash and to tell him I was on my way to sample my first cup of coffee. So off I went to the

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Good looking  The new meeting place in London for expat Kenyans

London suburb of Romford where Joash had set up shop.

On inspection, the 2,900 sq ft Kenya Coffee House is impressive by any standard. It is exquisitely presented in muted tones and adorned with eye-catching African images – here and there the obligatory Maasai moran, but also photographs of some of Kenya’s finest camps and plushest lodges,

KenyaCoffeeHouse

not to mention the nation’s prime coffee-growing regions.

Joash, in fact, had been quick to realise that Kenya as a brand is a big draw in the UK and his Coffee House has been quick to attract local British people who regularly holiday in East Africa and who retain a warm affection for the country and all things Kenyan. “We are also seeing British people who were born in Kenya coming in to see us,” says Joash.

Meeting place Moreover, there is a large local population of Kenyans who already look on the Coffee House as a natural meeting place. For starters, the Coffee House was opened by the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Hon. Justin Mutiri and the MP for Konoin, the Hon. Sammy Koech and other senior government officials.

Further members of the great and the good are on the horizon, too; the new Governor of Kericho, Professor Paul Chepkwony, was due to hold a meeting that coming Sunday and the Governor of Nyeri, the Hon. Nderitu Gachagua, was planning to do likewise at some future date.

“We see this as a first in a chain of coffee houses – it’s our prototype,” says a proud but still ambitious Joash. On the drawing board is another outlet in the UK, while in Kenya possible target locations for the Kenya Coffee House brand are in Meru; the giant new shopping mall under construction on Thika Road; and the soon-toopen Unit 4 at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

So Java House, Artcaffe and Dorman’s had better watch out.

“We aim to give them a run for their money,” was Joash’s parting shot as he accompanied me to the door.

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THe UK: Pros and cons of INVESTING So what tips does Joash have for other would-be Kenyan investors in the UK? “Kenyans need to be properly prepared,” he says. “In our case, buying the coffee and other things was not expensive, but labour costs are really high. Shopfitting, for example, is very expensive. But overall the returns are much higher than in Kenya. The price of a cup of coffee is higher, but the Kenyan tea and coffee is cheaper from a local roaster than it is from Kenya.

“Kenyans also need to be patient with the rules and regulations here. There are no shortcuts or benefits from knowing the right person. Standards are high and things have to be done properly and if you don’t do it properly then you won’t go very far.”

After initially renting the converted store, Kenya Coffee House is now looking to buy the whole building comprising a dwelling and an office.

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Byline

New signing  Kenya captain Victor Wanyama

© Stafford Ondego

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Football © Southampton Football Club

With kEnyan hElp The Saints work miracles

T

Wanyama formed a key part of Southampton‘s ambitious GBP 35 million pre-season spending spree

he biggest surprise so far of this season’s English Premiership? Actually, there is no competition for this title. It has to be Southampton FC. The Saints, a largely unfashionable South Coast club, have caught everyone off guard. The port city of Southampton is probably better known as a terminus for transatlantic liners, past and present, than as a hotbed of footballing excellence.

A change of manager last January saw Nigel Adkins shown the door by no-nonsense chairman and Italian banker Nicola Cortese, opting to bring in the Argentine former footballer Mauricio Pochet-

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tino, a man whose knowledge of English was almost non-existent and who had previously been coach of the Spanish side RCD Espanyol.

Understatement To say the switch was controversial would be an understatement.

After back-to-back promotions, the popular Adkins, who had steered the Saints from the obscurity of League 1 to a position of relative safety in the Premiership in just 28 months, was then unceremoniously sacked. Adkins has since become manager at Championship side Reading.

The chairman said Pochettino had been drafted in to take

PremiershipFootball

© Colin Smith / Wikimedia Commons

Marquee Pochettino’s canny close season buys, including the marquee signing of Kenyan captain Victor Wanyama, have quickly gelled and by mid-October the club were near the top of the Premiership – even vying for a Champions League spot. It’s an incredible performance for which Wanyama deserves much of the credit, but it will be even more surprising if Southampton are still near the top come May. But don’t bet against it.

It should be remembered that Wanyama signed a four-year deal at The Saints in July after a GBP 12.7 million move from Scottish club Celtic. Arsenal had been interested

in the Kenyan star, while Norwich had also fought hard to secure Wanyama’s signature.

Wanyama formed a key part of Southampton‘s ambitious GBP 35 million pre-season spending spree; adding Italian frontman Pablo Osvaldo from AS Roma. Osvaldo came with a price tag of GBP 13.3 million; Croatian centre back Dejan Lovren arrived from French Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyonnais at a cost of GBP 8.8 million.

© Southampton Football Club

© Colin Smith / Wikimedia Commons

Southampton to a new level.

The sceptics already feared that Southampton were overperforming in the Premiership and there was nowhere to go but backwards – even a speedy and ignominious return to the Championship. How wrong they were.

Despite his lack of English, Pochettino has worked wonders.

He has silenced fans still unhappy about the hasty and probably unwarranted departure of Adkins.

Southampton have started this season like a train. Goals conceded dropped from 26 in the period to end-October last season to just three this campaign – the best in the Premiership.

St Mary’s  A stadium of Premiership quality and a far cry from The Dell

Generated On the other side of the ledger, Southampton generated a meagre GBP 1.7 million for players who were shipped out over the same period, meaning a net spending bill of GBP 33.3 million – a mightily impressive figure.

For those who have little knowledge of the club, it is also worth pointing out that Southampton’s youth academy has produced three top-class players in the past 10 years; and if The Saints had then been in the Premiership, the trio might have stayed. Real Madrid’s recent world-record signing, Gareth Bale, and the talented Arsenal wingmen Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, all began their footballing careers at Southampton. But all three were snapped up before they could really establish themselves at Southampton.

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Pochettino’s canny close season buys, including the marquee signing of Kenyan captain Victor Wanyama, have quickly gelled The academy continues to churn out stars. The present first team includes promising homegrown youngsters including combative club captain Adam Lallana, who has been called up to the England squad (but has yet to play for the national side), and cultured left back Luke Shaw.

Given the Saints’ strong Kenyan connection, will we soon see replica Southampton red shirts being worn in Nairobi in addition to the ubiquitous Manchester United and Arsenal jerseys? Only time will tell.

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Health

What not to eat and drink

Eat smarter and look better in 10 easy steps Are Kenyans becoming less and less healthy?

It would seem so.

P

opular television programmes such as Citizen TV’s ‘Slimpossible’ clearly highlight the serious obesity problems that now face both sexes in Kenya – and it’s not always a pretty sight.

So why are Kenyans fighting obesity when, thanks to NGO propaganda, much of the rest of the world believes that Africans are starving?

Well let’s start with the cause.

A modern urban East African diet is stacked with carbohydrates, sugar and fat; whereas traditional village diets (while still containing too much starch such as ugali) were in fact much healthier – and certainly less fattening – than those consumed today by city dwellers.

Growing affluence naturally results in an increase in calorie intake, and this is often coupled with less exercise. This means more calories being consumed but

fewer calories being expended.

Kenyan men, of course, have a penchant for ladies with what might be described as a fuller figure. Chubbiness can also denote wealth. But is this curvaceous figure really a healthy one? And, if you’re a man, is the appearance of an unsightly paunch really going to attract the girls? I think not.

Lifestyle So what’s the solution? The cost of gym membership in Nairobi can be exorbitant, and there are few safe and secure places in the city to run or cycle. The simple answer is to eat healthily.

Not only will a change of diet mean a healthier and longer life; it will also help prevent weight gain and encourage weight loss. It is also likely to save money as almost all the items listed here are expensive and/or

So why are Kenyans fighting obesity when, thanks to NGO propaganda, much of the rest of the world believes that Africans are starving?

36

taxed heavily by the government.

If you want to embrace a healthy living lifestyle, then here is our top 10 list of what not to eat and drink. If you can’t give them all up, then at least try to cut down >

Health

Tip

1

Fizzy drinks such as sodas and carbonated beverages are pricey and have next to no nutritional value. In the main, these drinks are a triumph of marketing over substance. Replace them with bottled water or fresh juices.

Tomato ketchup, with its high sugar content (about 23 per cent) is best avoided. A further three per cent of each serving is likely to be salt.

Tip

2 Pizzas are high in calories (typically over 900 for a regular-sized pizza) and contain fat and additives.

Tip

3 Hamburgers are high in calories (typically over 400) and fat, although the lettuce and tomato content of the burger could be seen as redeeming features.

Tip

4

Tip

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Alcoholic drinks are generally expensive, heavily taxed and surprisingly high in calories. A glass of wine contains 90 calories (the same as a chocolate bar) while a large glass of beer has about 180 calories. If you really want that uglylooking paunch, this is exactly the right way to attain one.

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Health

Tip

6

Sugar is an unnecessary addition to your diet and very easy to do without. It may seem odd, but after avoiding sugar for a few weeks, the first time you taste tea or coffee with a sweetener, it will taste absolutely terrible and you will wonder why you ever took sugar in the first place.

Salt is unnecessary and creates high blood pressure, although Kenyans are obsessed with it. If you can’t bear to give it up in one go, then cut back slowly over a few weeks.

Unfortunately, even when you avoid putting salt on your meal, it is still present in processed foods. For this reason it can be difficult to cut out salt altogether.

Tip

8

Not only will a change of diet mean a healthier and longer life; it will also help prevent weight gain and encourage weight loss

Tip

7

Processed food is not what we were put on this planet to eat. Nature has provided us with all kinds of wonderful natural foods. These are not only healthier but usually much cheaper. Moreover, Kenya’s wonderfully varied climate ensures that we are blessed with an abundance of locally grown and highly nutritious fruits and vegetables, so eat more of them.

Doughnuts should just be avoided. There are 450 calories in a 100 gram chocolate doughnut. There is no more to be said.

Tip

9

Tip

10

Ice cream is perhaps more controversial than some of the other items on our list, although it does pack a lot of calories.

If you don’t want to cut out ice cream altogether, try varying your diet with sorbet or other less fattening desserts.

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BusinessHub

Seagoing veteran to begin new life under water

A

n offshore supply vessel at the end of its working life in Mombasa is to be given a vital new role as the centrepiece of a marine conservation project.

The ‘Fish Eagle’ will be deliberately sunk to create an artificial reef in the Mombasa Park and Reserve, thus providing a new habitat for huge numbers of fish and other marine life as well as creating a major attraction for recreational divers.

This conservation initiative has

By Sander D. den Haring, Project Coordinator

World travels of ‘Fish Eagle’

been made possible thanks to the generosity of Mombasa-based Kenya Marine Contractors Ltd, which has owned the ‘Fish Eagle’ since 1997.

Alternative retirement Typically, when a vessel reaches retirement, it is sold for scrap. But there is an option to use the ship to create an artificial reef – an option 

The Fangturm

Clockwise from top left: The launch in 1967; Spending its early days as an oilfield supply vessel; Fuel delivery in northern Kenya, 1985 and as an accommodation vessel in Mozambique in 2011

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The multipurpose vessel ‘Fish Eagle’ (originally named ‘Fangturm’) was built in Germany by the J.G. Hitzler shipyard in 1966 and spent its early days as an oilfield supply vessel in the North Sea. Its name was changed to ‘Fish Eagle’ by the UK company Eagle Tugs Ltd, which bought the vessel in the early 1980s and positioned it in Mombasa to support oil industry activities in Madagascar. It was purchased by Kenya Marine Contractors Ltd in 1997 and has been based in Mombasa ever since. During its time in Mombasa the ‘Fish Eagle’ has given sterling service as an offshore supply vessel, a tug, an accommodation vessel and a diving support vessel in Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa, Eritrea, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

BusinessHub

Artificial reefs  A new life for the vessels as aquatic life teems around them

Typically, when a vessel reaches retirement, it is sold for scrap.

But there is an option to use the ship to create an artificial reef that has gained momentum around the world, especially for decommissioned naval vessels.

Giving back Transforming vessels into artificial reefs is not something new along the Kenyan coast. The ‘Alpha Fungua’ and ‘Dania’ were sunk as artificial reefs in 2002 in the Diani and Mombasa areas respectively.

Kenya Marine Contractors Ltd decided to donate the ‘Fish Eagle’ in order give something back to the Mombasa area.

This new artificial reef in Mombasa Marine Park and Reserve will create a shelter and habitat

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BusinessHub

Getting the ship ready for sinking Kenya Marine Contractors Ltd has not only donated the ‘Fish Eagle’ but has cleaned and prepared the vessel at its own expense.

Before a vessel can be sunk as an artificial reef, it must be rid of all materials toxic to the environment. This includes all lubricants, hydrocarbons and refrigeration coolants. In addition, the engines and other machinery have to be removed, along with electrical appliances, wiring, panelling and insulation material.

Once the vessel has been cleaned, it will be prepared for diver safety. Doorways will be widened, windows removed, access holes cut and any areas deemed unsafe for divers permanently sealed. Cleaning and preparation of the vessel is expected to be completed by December and it will be sunk shortly after that.

for fish and provide substrate for coral and other invertebrates. It will be located on a flat sandy area about 300 metres off the main fringing reef. This barren sandy area currently offers no shelter or substrate and attracts little wildlife.

Once the vessel is sunk, it will attract huge schools of fish and other diverse marine life (as have the ‘Dania’ and ‘Alpha Fungua’) as well as providing a new opportunity for recreational scuba divers.

Dive site Various events are planned to raise awareness of this project and to introduce residents and visiting tourists to the new dive site. Local dive centres within the Marine Park and Reserve have embraced the initiative and there is a lot of enthusiasm among divers.

As the management authority of the marine park, the Kenya Wildlife

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Service is actively supporting this project and will work with dive centres to raise the profile of the new site. A museum experience documenting the life and intricacies of the ‘Fish Eagle’ is also planned. This is likely to appeal to schools, residents, citizens and tourists, whether they are divers or not.

For more information about the project, contact any dive centre in the Mombasa Marine Park and Reserve or email the Project Coordinator: sander@green-water.org

Beautiful wreck  A new dive site is a great attraction for tourists

latest releases book Worm

KABU KABU

by Nnedi Okorafor Kabu Kabu is an illegal and unregistered Nigerian taxi. It is also the title of the debut short story collection from award-winning writer Nnedi Okorafor. Like its namesake, Kabu Kabu takes a journey into fantastic and imaginative locations that are sometimes dangerous and often magical. The collection includes a novella co-written with New York Times bestselling author Alan Dean Foster, along with outstanding previously published short stories, original and newly published short stories, and a foreword by Whoopi Goldberg.

recommends...

BLACK WIDOW SOCIETY

LOVE IS POWER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT

by Angela Makholwa

by A. Igoni Barrett

In 1994 three successful South African businesswomen, Talullah Ntuli, Edna Whithead and Nkosazana Khumalo, decided to form the Black Widow Society, a group dedicated to helping women by ‘eliminating’ the husbands of those trapped in physically and emotionally abusive relationships. To do this, the women hire Mzwakhe Khuzwayo, an ex-convict hit man. The operation has been a success for 15 years; but, with the organisation growing, can it stay a secret for much longer?

A collection of short stories depicting love in a modern day Nigeria, ‘Love is Power or Something Like That’ is skilfully crafted with a good dose of humour. A. Igoni Barrett explores stories of contemporary love and life through the eyes of wide-ranging characters and situations.

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Latestreleases

blockbUstErs CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 Starring: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Will Forte Directors: Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn Genre: Animation, family, comedy ‘Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs’ saw Flint Lockwood, the inventor of a machine that turns water into food, save the world from that very invention. ‘Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2’ picks up with Flint who is working at the Live Corp Company with his idol Chester V when he discovers that his invention is still working and is being used to create food-animal hybrids called foodimals. Flint and his friend must embark on a dangerous journey to save the world.

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage Director: Peter Jackson Genre: Fantasy, adventure The second in a trilogy of films based on the J.R.R Tolkien novel, ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ continues the journey of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and 13 dwarves on a quest to reclaim the dwarves’ kingdom of Erebor.

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott Director: Ben Stiller Genre: Comedy, drama, adventure

must-see

movie

Based on James Thurber’s short story of the same name, ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ follows the life of Walter Mitty, an office worker who escapes into a world of fantasy filled with adventure and romance; but when his job and that of his co-worker are threatened, adventure moves into the real world.

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

THE COUNSELOR

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth Director: Francis Lawrence Genre: Action, sci-fi, adventure

Starring: Brad Pitt, Goran Visnjic, Michael Fassbender Director: Ridley Scott Genre: Drama, thriller, crime

After Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the 74th annual Hunger Games there are rumblings of rebellion throughout the districts of Panem. With the Capitol concerned by the unrest, President Snow prepares the 75th annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) while Katniss and Peeta become targets for the Capitol.

Written for the screen by Cormac McCarthy, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of ‘No Country For Old Men’, and with the directorial talents of Ridley Scott, ‘The Conselor’ is a star-studded film of great pedigree about a lawyer who had a one-time flirtation with the law and has found himself in a situation that is spiralling out of control.

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ProductReview

Who’s champion of budget tablet wars?

T

he newest tablet to hit the market has an interesting selling point: price. But after Barnes & Noble announced the discontinuation of its budget tablet line, the Nook HD, how will the new addition fare?

The Hudl from Tesco is the cheapest tablet currently available; but with technology stores groaning under the weight of so many brands and with budget tablets in ever-growing demand, it’s time to take a look at the current winners of the budget tablet wars.

Amazon Kindle Fire

Hudl

Nexus 7

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0

Created before the iPad mini, the Kindle Fire HD has been the budget competitor of the Google Nexus 7 from the start. However, it runs slightly behind in spec and prioritises Amazon content, leaving it lacking in variety at times and occasionally feeling like a large advertisement. Amazon fans will love this tablet. Its highquality screen, long battery life and user-friendly focus makes this a savvy buy.

As the newest and cheapest contender on the list, the Hudl from Tesco is not quite in the same league as the Nexus 7 or the Kindle Fire HD, having a slightly inferior screen and less power under the hood.

But with a price tag more than £100 lower than its competitors, it is a competent and handy little gadget.

The Nexus 7 has been leader of the budget tablet world for some time. Since its inception, way back before the launch of the iPad mini, it has consistently given excellent quality at an affordable price. In fact, it’s fair to say that the innovations of the Nexus 7 started the budget tablet wars and the second-generation Nexus 7, released earlier this year, has kept the Nexus 7 at the forefront of its game.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 is a well built tablet at a good price. Reliable, well designed and featuring an SD card slot to allow expansion up to 64 gb, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 is more expensive than the Hudl, weighing in at around the same price as the Kindle HD 7 inch, but has some impressive features and a sleek design.

Plus • Impressive battery life • Mayday feature give on-screen access to a live person for tech help

Plus • Great value for money • Micro SD card slot allowing expansion of memory

Plus • High-density Retina display looks great and is excellent for reading • Light to hold and user-friendly

Minus • A more limited Wi-Fi range • Slightly plastic feel.

Minus • At the pricey end of the budget market • Power and volume side buttons can be awkward to use when in a case.

Minus • Not much access beyond Amazon’s own content.

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Plus • Micro SD card slot allows for expansion up to 64 gb • Good range of connectivity Minus • Screen resolution not as sharp as some other models.

CityGuide

Malindi

Where Italian chic meets African élan You don’t need to be Italian to enjoy Malindi – but it helps.

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CityGuide

Italian chic is in evidence almost everywhere in Malindi, from its smart and inviting ristoranti and trattorie to coffee shops

C

ombining class and sophistication and also Swahili with Italian, Malindi is, for many, the pick of Kenya’s resort towns.

Italian chic is in evidence almost everywhere in Malindi, from its smart and inviting ristoranti and trattorie to coffee shops where the morning Juba cappuccinos and espressos are always perfectly made to shops selling dazzlingly priced homeware.

Italian connections

Luckily, Malindi still retains close links with its Swahili heritage and is a good place to buy, for example, UGANDA basketware, kikoys and sandals.

Distinctive Malindi thatched building

Maintaining its Italian connection, Malindi moved up another level in 2013 with the opening of flamboyant Flavio Briatore’s much-heralded Billionaire’s Resort, a project covered in the very first edition of ‘540’ magazine. Briatore was already owner of the fabulous Lion in the Sun property.

What to see

Where to stay

Where to eat

Malindi is a ‘doing’ destination, with fabulous beaches and a marine park, rather than a place with lots of visitors sights.

Ocean Beach Resort & Spa: Newish beachfront property.

Nice rooms and wonderful Italian cuisine. The resort’s spa gets top marks.

The Old Man and the Sea: Although it doesn’t look too promising from the outside, this restaurant is justly famed for its seafood, especially lobsters, which are cooked alfresco in a variety of styles. Nice atmosphere. Minimalist decor.

Number one rated on TripAdvisor.



Malindi skyline

The Vasco da Gama Pillar: Perhaps the town’s most widely recognised landmark. Portuguese explorer da Gama originally tried to land in Mombasa, but this spot in Malindi is where he actually came ashore in 1498. There is also a church dating from around this time.

Malindi Museum: Open each day from 9 am to 4 pm.

Ruins of Gede: Just outside Malindi, but worth a visit. Gede was a mediaeval village that thrived until the 17th century but has long since been abandoned.

Driftwood Beach Club: Simple rooms, friendly atmosphere and a devoted following by both Kenyan and foreign tourists.

Che Shale: The ultimate in chic with an unusual but interesting design. Rustic beachside charm with spot-on seafood.

Kilili Baharini: Top-drawer Italian-style property in a delightful beach setting. The spa takes some beating.

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KENYA Nairobi Lamu

Malindi

TANZANIA

Mombasa

La Rosada: Excellent Italian cuisine, but on the pricey side. Nice setting by the beach, though.

Driftwood Beach Club: Good and consistent food at reasonable prices in unpretentious surroundings.

Jahazi Bar & Restaurant: Made from dhow wood. An excellent location. Informal. Also serves good coffee.

I Love Pizza: As the name says, perfect pizza.

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Patrol ď ˝ Performance and style

50

MotorReview

geTTing more From your Four by Four

vs Patrol and Disco go head to head >

By Karl Peskett

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MotorReview

U

nless you’re a masochist, there is no harm in wanting a little luxury when you head off-road. Why should you have to climb a flight of stairs to get into your car, or break your back with shockingly stiff suspension?

Purists will cry foul, but being able to enjoy an off-road expedition includes the trip there and back. Most of your time is spent on the road, not buried up to the axles in mud. Which is why we have put together two evenly priced four-wheel-drive vehicles – no kerb-hopping SUVs here – to determine where best to spend your hard-earned money.

In one corner, the new Nissan Patrol; in the other, the Land Rover Discovery 4. Let battle commence.

If you’re carrying people, the Discovery is the pick. It also has a few more mod cons, although both supply air conditioning to all three rows.

Winner: Discovery 4

Engine and transmission: The Patrol’s 5.6-litre V8 engine (with seven-speed auto) is an absolute gem. It is free-spinning, sounds for all the world like a racing car and has truckloads of grunt. It is extremely heavy on fuel, though. The Disco counters with an excellent turbo-diesel V6 (and eight-speed auto) with more torque than the Patrol and far better fuel economy; but it still sounds gravelly and is not as appealing.

Winner: Patrol

Discovery  Comfort and class

On road: The huge size of the Quality: Which vehicle you think has better quality will depend on whether you prefer a modernindustrial look or a more traditional leather-and-wood presentation. The Disco has the edge in durability.

Winner: Discovery 4

Comfort: While the Patrol has more space overall, the third row is tiny, given the room available.

Patrol makes it difficult to park, while the Disco easily wheels into small spaces, with a footprint that belies its hefty dimensions. The Land Rover’s air suspension yields a more comfortable ride, too.

Winner: Discovery 4

Off-road: The Patrol has more mechanical grip, but its sheer size means it cannot get into narrow

On road  Let the parking wars commence

Purists will cry foul, but being able to enjoy an off-road expedition includes the trip there and back

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tracks. The Discovery relies more on traction control, but is no less effective.

Winner: A tie.

Verdict: Proper four-wheel-drive vehicles with locking differentials, low range, plenty of grunt and acres of space don’t come any better than these two. But the Land Rover’s far more usable third row, better stability control and more compliant ride give it the edge on the Nissan Patrol.

When you consider its superior fuel economy, more durable interior and easy-to-park ‘small car’ handling, it is hard to beat.

The Land Rover Discovery 4 would be our choice for that ideal vehicle in which to get away from it all.

FoodForThought

The Moorings

Come on board the seafood’s lovely

By Gary Gimson

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FoodForThought

The Moorings makes an evocative first impression as it floats, shimmering and resplendent, on the moonlit waters

T



Scrumptuous

Seafood is a speciality of The Moorings

he approach is far from propitious. In fact, it is a scruffy, ill lit, often bumpy and narrow track off Mtwapa’s always busy main street. Eventually, the urban dinginess gives way to trees and then, with a sharp left turn, we are there.

What awaits us, however, is so impressive that it more than compensates for the unappealing journey from the highway. Once out of the car, we set off down a steep path and some equally steep steps and there in front of us is The Moorings, the only floating restaurant in East Africa.

The Moorings makes an evocative first impression as it floats, shimmering and resplendent, on the moonlit waters of Mtwapa Creek. Decked in coloured lights, the restaurant barely bobs up and down in this calm natural harbour.

the waves against the pontoon, but grilled prawns always seem to taste better here than just about anywhere else. The lobster diablo with its peppery flavour is another favourite. The more traditional thermidor is a further option.

Location and atmosphere But The Moorings is about more than seafood. The restaurant also has an excellent selection of pizzas.

This may not be the coast’s greatest culinary experience, but it does combine a fabulous location with a congenial atmosphere, and prices are quite reasonable.

Popular An aroma of freshly grilled seafood fills the night air, emanating from what seems to be an overworked kitchen, as the evening’s diners navigate the rickety gangplank on to the wooden pontoon.

The Moorings is always popular, especially with regular foreign visitors to the coast, who seem to love the place.

For my money, the grilled jumbo prawns with a pili pili sauce take some beating. They can also be ordered with a garlic sauce.

Perhaps it is the location, the heady atmosphere and the gentle lap of

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Try a ‘gourmet cruise’ If you want to go one step further, The Moorings also offers a rather splendid dhow cruise for up to 20 guests. All this takes places in the calm-as-a-millpond confines of the creek. So expect traditional kahawa, bitings and halwa to sweeten the coffee as members of staff bring shisha pipes to your side. Great fun.

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LookInside

Enashipai Resort & Spa

True happiness in a perfect lakeside getaway

By Gary Gimson

G

etting away from Nairobi was just what I needed. So, at short notice, I decided to take a 45-minute drive to the shores of Lake Naivasha.

There I discovered the truly enchanting Enashipai Resort & Spa (‘enashipai’ means ‘a place of happiness’ in Maa).

After a warm welcome from the reception staff, I was taken by golf cart to check in to my room just a few metres away. I was astonished by the comfort and luxury of my room with its extended balcony offering a wonderful view of the carefully tended lawn with a fountain.

Delicious Lunch at Enashipai’s main restaurant was a highly enjoyable experience, what with the excellent choice of delicious cuisine and the good company of my fellow guests.

Immediately after lunch, team member Riziki took me on a tour of the resort by golf cart and I was amazed by the amenities and wide range of facilities on offer.



Class act

Luxury, relaxation and fine cuisine

Of course, being so close to Nairobi and yet also so far away, Enashipai is an ideal venue for conferences and seminars. All the latest equipment is in place and there is even a room for language translation. With its quiet environment, Enashipai Resort is a perfect place to discuss serious issues and come to thoughtful conclusions. For more adventurous and energetic guests, the grounds can be used for team building.

For conference guests with children, Enashipai offers a safe haven.

There are indoor and outdoor playgrounds supervised by nannies, while teenagers and young adults can use the recreation room, equipped with pool tables, video games and other items. There is also a gym.

The spacious cottages offer a getaway for both family and friends.

Romantic Riziki showed me the beautiful grounds, shaded by acacia trees and facing the shores of Lake Naivasha – the perfect romantic background for weddings.

Afterwards, over coffee in the lounge, I chatted with John, the manager, who took me through the history of the resort and what inspired its creators.

The next day, I met the joyful Michael, who showed me round the spa and also took me out on the lake in the resort’s own

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splendid boat.

The award-winning Siyara Spa, is inspired by Africa’s ancient energy healing traditions and natural richness. Designed to pamper, the spa has a classical design that creates an atmosphere of peace, calm and tranquillity. Especially impressive is

One of the wonders of Lake Naivasha is Crescent Island, unsurprisingly shaped like a half-moon the Afro Stone massage. There is a full complement of salon services for bridal parties and other special occasions. The spa lounge can also be used for small private group receptions.

One of the wonders of Lake Naivasha is Crescent Island, unsurprisingly shaped like a half-moon.

In the course of an enjoyable boat ride, I watched the many bird species including vultures, Verreaux’s eagle, augur buzzard and hungry pelicans.

A relaxing trip to Crescent Island was followed by a picnic among the giraffes and gazelles as we listened to the birdsong. A truly memorable experience.

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UGANDA

Eldoret

KENYA

Kisumu

Nairobi

Lamu Malindi

AFR ICA

Mombasa

TANZANIA

Africa’s low cost airline

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www.fly540.com

Zanzibar

Contacts

CONTACT INFORMATION

540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS FIVE FORTY AFRICA HEAD OFFICE Riverside Green Suites, Palm Suite, Riverside Drive PO Box 10293-00100 Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/5 Fax/Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2396 Sales: Tel: +254 (0)737 540 540 Email: info@fly540.com

WILSON AIRPORT 540 SAFARI CIRCUIT SALES Ground floor, Langata House

Tel: +254 (0)20 254 0206 Tel: +254 (0)729 540 540 Tel: +254 (0)735 540 540 Email: 540.safaris@fly540.com

ELDORET 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Tel: +254 (0)53 203 3570/80

ELDORET INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 540 Ticketing & Reservations Office Tel: +254 (0)53 203 0814 Tel: +254 (0)53 206 3823 ext 658

540 CALL CENTRE ABC Place, off Waiyaki Way

Tel: +254 (0)20 445 3252/6 Cell: +254 (0)722 540 540; (0)733 540 540 Fax: +254 (0)20 445 3257

BELGIUM

LAICO REGENCY 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS

AVIAREPS AG

Mezz. floor, Shopping Arcade

J.E. Mommaertslaan 16b (2nd floor), 1831 Diegem

Tel: +254 (0)20 224 3211/3/4 Cell: +254 727 540 540; (0)737 540 540 Fax: +254 (0)20 224 3219

RESERVATIONS Tel: +32 (0)2 712 04 93 Fax: +32 (0)2 725 83 92 Email: Res540.BRU@aviareps.com

LAMU – NORTH COAST TRAVEL SERVICE

SALES

Tel: +254 (0)42 213 0312 Tel: +254 (0)42 463 2054 Tel: +254 (0)725 942 444 Email: nctslamu@swiftmalindi.com Email: nctsmalindi@swiftmalindi.com

Tel: +32 (0)2 712 05 84 Fax: +32 (0)2 725 83 92 Email: Sales540.BRU@aviareps.co

GERMANY

MOI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MOMBASA

AVIAREPS AG

Tel: +254 (0)41 343 4821 Tel: +254 (0)32 540 540; (0)722 555 730

Kaiserstrasse 77 60329 Frankfurt am Main

RESERVATIONS

MOMBASA

Tel: +49 (0)69 770 673 076 Fax: +49 (0)69 770 673 028 Email: Res540.FRA@aviareps.com

540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE Ground Floor, Mombasa Trade Centre, Nkrumah Road

SALES

Tel: +254 (0)41 231 9078/9 Mob: +254 (0)728 540 540; (0)710 540 540

Tel: +49 (0) 69 770 673 077 Fax: +49 (0)69 770 673 235 Email: sales540.FRA@aviareps.com

UKUNDA

ITALY

540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS

AVIAREPS AG

Barclays Centre, Diani Road

RUSSIAN FEDERATION GSA AVIAREPS AG Prospect Mira, 39 Bldg 2 129110 Moscow

RESERVATIONS Tel: +7 (495) 937 59 50 Fax: +7 (495) 937 5951 Email: Res540.MOW@aviareps.com

SALES Tel: +7 (495) 937 59 50 Fax: +7 (495) 937 5951 Email: Sales540.MOW@aviareps.com

SOUTH AFRICA AVIAREPS (PTY) Ltd 38 Wierda Road West Wierda Valley Sandton, Johannesburg

RESERVATIONS Tel: +27 (0) 11 722 0229 Fax: +27 (0) 11 783 8135 Email: Res540.JNB@aviareps.com

SALES Tel: +27 (0) 722 0229 Tel: +27 74 177 1596 Fax: +27 (0) 783 8135 Email: Sales540.JNB@aviareps.com

Tel: +254 (0)20 354 6532 Tel: +254 (0)726 453 246

Via Monte Rosa, 20 20149 Milan

SWITZERLAND

JOMO KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

UGANDA

RESERVATIONS

AIRLINE & TOURISM CENTER GmbH

540 Ticketing & Reservations Office

ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Unit 3 (Domestic Departures)

Tel: +254 (0)20 827 523 Tel: +254 20 827 366 Cell: +254 727 532 273 Unit 1 (International Departures)

Tel: +254 (0)20 827 521

KAKAMEGA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Holden Mall - above Nakumatt

Tel: +254 (0)734 540 550 Tel: +254 (0)711 908 330

KITALE 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Terminal Building, Kitale Airstrip

Tel: +254 (0)770 639 429 Tel: +254 (0)724 457 374 Tel: +254 (0)735 540 547

Tel: +39 02 4345 8346 Fax: +39 02 4345 8336 Email: Res540.MIL@aviareps.com

SALES & MARKETING MANAGER

540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE Tel: +256 (0)314 540 540 Tel: +256 (0)315 540 540 Sales: Tel: +256 (0)713 540 540

Maria Rosa Cappelli Mobile: +39 335 778 5936 Email: mcappelli@aviareps.com

KAMPALA

NETHERLANDS

540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE

AVIAREPS AG

Ground floor, Park Royal Shopping Mall, Buganda Road PO Box 22335, Kampala

Sales: Tel: +256 (0)717 540 540; (0)712 540 540

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UNITED KINGDOM FLY540

RESERVATIONS

RESERVATIONS

Tel: +31 (0)20 520 02 82 Fax: +31 (0)20 623 01 51 Email: Sales540.AMS@aviareps.com

540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE Tel: +211 959 540540 Tel: +211 999 540540 Email: Sales.juba@fly540.com

Tel: +41 (0) 44 286 99 62 Fax: +41 (0) 44 286 99 63 Email: 540-Switzerland@aviareps.com

c/o AviaCircle, 28-29 The Quadrant Business Centre, 135 Salisbury Road London, NW6 6RJ

SALES

JUBA

RESERVATIONS & SALES

Beechavenue 104 1119 PP Schiphol

Tel: +31 (0)20 654 79 29 Fax: +31 (0)20 623 01 51 Email: Res540.AMS@aviareps.com

SOUTH SUDAN

Badenerstr. 15, CH-8004 Zürich

Tel: 0870 774 2250 Fax: 0870 777 7172 Email: res540@aviacircle.com

SALES Tel: 0870 774 2250 Fax: 0870 774 2250 Email: Sales540@aviacircle.com

FleetInformation

The Fly540

AIRCRAFT FLEET F

ly540 operates modern aircraft and is constantly updating and modernising its fleet.

The company uses aircraft such as the ATR 72-500, which burns only half as much fuel as some other aircraft and also

emits less carbon into the atmosphere.

This underlines the fact that Fly540 is a ‘green airline’ that cares for the environment.

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

Cessna Caravan C208 Type: Single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 10 passengers

ATR 72-500 Type: Twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner Number in service: Two Capacity per aircraft: 78 passengers

DC-9 Type: Twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 80 passengers

BOMBARDIER DASH 8 102 SERIES

Canadair CL-6002B19 Regional Jet

Type: Twin-engined, mediumrange, turboprop airliner

Type: Twin-engine regional jet

Fokker F27

Number in service: Three

Type: Turboprop cargo airliner

Number in service: Three

Capacity per aircraft: 50 passengers

Number in service: One

Capacity per aircraft: 37 passengers

Capacity per aircraft: 1,336 x 210 x 190 cm cargo hold

Fokker F28 Type: Short range jet airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 67 passengers Africa’s low cost airline

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www.fly540.com

TravelInfo

FLY540 VI

INFORMAT A I S

KENYAN VISAS VISA INFORMATION

M

ost nationals require visas to enter East Africa. Citizens from the five East African states require no visas while those from the Common Market of East and Southern Africa (COMESA) member states have relaxed entry requirements into East Africa.

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

Visas are required for most nationals and cost US$50. A visa can be obtained on entry, however we recommended one be obtained before arrival to avoid airport lengthy queues. Visa Application Forms are available online.

A visa is required by all visitors travelling to Kenya with the exception of those holding a re-entry pass to Kenya and citizens of Ethiopia, San Marino, Turkey and Uruguay.

Note that the reciprocal visa abolition agreements with Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain, and Republic of Ireland no longer apply and nationals of these countries now require a visa.

Kenya Visa Requirements • Valid passport with sufficient number of unused pages for endorsements abroad.

Passport must be signed and valid for at least six months.

• Visa application form duly completed and signed by the applicant.

• Two recent passport size photographs attached to the application form.

• Valid round trip ticket or a letter from your travel agent certifying that the applicant holds prepaid arrangements.

• A self-addressed stamped envelope for express mail, courier, registered mail, etc., if the visa is urgently required. Metered stamps are not acceptable.

• Home and work telephone numbers.

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

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

Visa fees charges: • Multiple entry: US$100 • Single entry: US$50 • Transit Visa: US$20

Passengers can pay in US dollars, British pounds, Euro or Swiss franc.

For more information and to download a Kenya visa application form visit: http://www.immigration.co.ke

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N O

TRAVEL INFORMATION

TravelInformation

TANZANIAN VISAS

SOUTH SUDAN VISAS Any visitor going to South Sudan through Khartoum requires a valid visa. Visas are issued through the South Sudan Embassy.

All foreigners from non-Commonwealth countries are required to have a valid visa unless their countries have agreements with Tanzania under which the visa requirement is waived.

The Republic of South Sudan has missions in Kenya, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia, Norway, Belgium, the UK, Germany, France, Turkey, Libya, China, India, Italy, Canada and the USA.

Exemptions: Citizens of Commonwealth countries are not required to obtain visas unless they are citizens of the United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand or Australia.

Immigration regulations stipulate that anyone going to South Sudan and wishing to travel outside of Khartoum needs a travel permit from the Government of South Sudan. Those travelling to South Sudan from Kenya, should visit the South Sudan Embassy in Kenya.

Tanzanian visas are issued by the following: • The office of the Director of Immigration Services, Dar es Salaam, and the office of the Principal Immigration Officer, Zanzibar.

Requirements:

•

• All applicants to launch their visas in person

• Any other gazetted entry point.

• Passport must be valid for at least six month and presented on submission of application

• From Tanzania High Commissions or embassies abroad.

• Two recent colour passport-size photos

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

• Yellow fever vaccination card •

Entry points to the United Republic of Tanzania: principally Namanga, Tunduma, Sirari, Horohoro, Kigoma Port, Dar es Salaam International Airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport, Zanzibar Harbour and Zanzibar Airport.

Letter of invitation and intent Standard Visa fees payable by bank transfer to: Government of South Sudan Special Permit Account Bank: Kenya Commercial Bank; Sarit Centre Branch A/C No. 402004247

HEALTH

Fees: • Multiple entry: US$250 (six months)/US$400 (one year)

Vaccination requirements for international travellers

• Single entry for countries with common boarder with South Sudan: US$50

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

• Single entry for other African countries: US$100 • Single entry for European and US citizens: US$100

•

ACCINATIO V 0

N ORMAT INF IO

N

FLY 54

Processing period: Two working days

Africa’s low cost airline

63

Only valid yellow fever vaccination certificates are required of all travellers over one year old, arriving from yellow fever infected countries mainly in central and West Africa, South and Central America South East Asia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh.

• Vaccination for international travellers are obtainable from all international air and sea ports, city and major municipal councils NB: Make sure you get your yellow fever shot in good time since the yellow fever certificate is valid for travel use 10 days after vaccination.

www.fly540.com

KidsCorner

Kids Corner RIDDLE ME THIS...

What can you catch but not throw?

Answer: A cold

What has hands but cannot clap?

Answer: A clock

I’m short when I am old but tall when I am young.

What am I?

Answer: A candle

What has a neck but no head?

Answer: A bottle

Which type of cheese is made backwards?

Q. What do you call a pig that knows karate?

A. A pork chop

WORDSEARCH

S U N T M A R S

Can you find the words listed below in the letter grid? Tip: Some words are zooming through space backwards!

S P A C E P S C

Space Rocket Galaxy Planet Mars Jupiter

Earth Sun Star Pluto Saturn Comet

Q. What did one frog say to the other?

A. Time’s sure fun when you’re having flies

Q. Why do bees have sticky hair?

Q. Where do you find a chicken with no legs?

A. Because they use honeycombs

A. Exactly where you left it

Q. What colour socks do bears wear?

Q. Why did the Archaeopteryx catch the worm?

A. They don’t wear socks. They have bear feet

Y X A L A G

SPACE

Answer: Edam

JOKE TIME!

J

E

A. Because it was an early bird

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I

T E N A L

P

T T E M O C R L U E A R T H A U R R O C K E T T N F A T U R S O