FREE COPY
Issue 4. July 2019
By Savekubwa.com
Lifestyle
CHASING SUNSETS
HEAD TO HEAD Honda Ballade vs Suzuki Ciaz
DECOR
Explore the beautiful local furniture
FITNESS
Start a healthy journey with Farah Esmail
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PUBLISHER: Savekubwa
WELCOME
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Rutu Dhanani DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Festus Mwangi
WRITERS: Billwydad Wangai Rutu Dhanani Farah Esmail Mark Muhoro Vijay Chandaria Harshit Shah Eugene Operre
Hey Hey! ith the winter settling in and cozying up to us, I have been a bit of a home body and cozying up on my couch! More me time, more snuggles and cuddles and of course more reading! So, before you proceed any further, why don’t you grab a hot cup of coffee, a blanket and settle down to read as we have quite a line up for you. We are bringing you the feeling of being outdoors and the motivation to man up to the cold and go enjoy a night under the stars sitting by a bonfire. We are going to chase sunsets this issue. Planning a long drive? Want a car for weekend trips? We have the insights on one such car just for you! Moving ahead we bring you the ultimate battle, the head to head between 2 great legends, Honda Ballade and Suzuki Ciaz; 2 great cars but everyone has their personal winner. As you read this in your comfort at home or behind a desk at work, I am sure you will be planning a trip to Laikipia after indulging in behind the scenes from Rhino Charge; or hopefully I have lured you in to go check out Rhino Charge next year, It was definitely an experience on its own. Now that’s not where our trips end; we are taking you up north to Turkana. Follow the journey of 2 families as they made their family trip an adventure on its own. We bring you all the insights from their great road trip in a 2-part exclusive. Don’t worry about the car with all the road trips, we got you. Mark Muhoro is dishing out all the DIY for your car maintenance. Still not feeling the adrenalin to rush out the door and take that trip? Don’t worry, read all about our local artisans and find locally made products for your next home renovation or focus on your fitness through meditation as Farah takes you through a journey of self-importance. No matter the situation, no matter the thought come chase sunsets with us as we wait to watch the sunrise.
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We want your photographs and articles! Would you like to be published by Vroom? We are accepting submissions of both articles and photographs for our next issue. Email Vroom editor at sagarshah@savekubwa.com
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CONTENTS
06 Car Review The coolest RAV4 a person can own in 2019 By Billwydad Wangai
08 Rhino Charge A three days adventure -Rutu Dhanani
12 Head to Head Honda Ballade vs Suzuki Ciaz -Billwydad Wangai
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Maintenance Keep your tyres in check -Mark Muhoro
16 Fitness Start a health journey with Farah Esmail -Farah Esmail
18 Decor Going local
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-Rutu Dhanani
22 Tech
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Find out what you need to pack for your road trip -Eugene Operre
24 Turkana We picked Turkana as our holiday destination -Vijay Chandaria & Harshit Shah
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For Advertising Enquiries please contact: vroom@savekubwa.com • sagar@savekubwa.com Tel (+254) 0732641705 • Tel (+254) 0712248305 Save Kubwa Nairobi, Kenya Tel (+254) 0732641705 • Tel (+254) 0712248305 The cover and content of VROOM Magazine are fully protected by Savekubwa and cannot be reproduced in any form without written permission.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in these pages are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of VROOM Magazine, Savekubwa or any of its advertisers and collaborators.
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CAR REVIEW
Back on Song By Billwydad Wangai
SPECS
Price (as tested): 6.5M Engine: 2.5 Inline-4 VVT-iE Power: 207hp @6,600 Torque: 250Nm @4000-5000 Transmission: 8-speed automatic Fuel Economy: 13.2 Kpl 6
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“I would say it is the best-looking RAV4 there ever has been.”
Performance The car I got to drive is the highest specification of the RAV4 available in the country. It is the final boss for the CRV, X-Trail and the Tiguan to conquer and that will take some work. They call it the Adventure. The South Africans have it better, their top-spec RAV4 is called the VX and I say that with glee at the thought of 80-series owners grinding their teeth at the idea of sharing a tag with what to them is a town car. The RAV4 Adventure is powered by a 2.5L naturally aspirated engine coupled with an 8-speeed automatic gearbox. They work together to deliver 207hp and 243Nm of torque to four wheels, giving you enough grunt to slip into that elusive overtaking window on Kenyan roads. The fuel economy is listed as 13.2kpl but I managed a solid 8kpl. That’s mainly due to Kevin, a guy from Toyota with whom I went for the test. That’s not his real name, the point is he has a more liberal right foot. The ground clearance stands at 185mm with an approach angle just shy of 200. This is short of the Forester we drove last time, on both accounts. That is not to say it does not perform off-road, it does. You just need to be more careful in rougher terrain. If all fails however, at least it is robust. The car held its own on the muddy bath that is the entrance to the park through Mombasa Rd and even managed to go through a particularly sticky mud pit in the park.
Handling The car is equipped with Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control for the occasional moment you want to floor it down a gravel road, you might need the tyres to match but the systems are a welcome intrusion. The car has a generally firm ride that does not let you get away with hitting potholes willy-nilly. It does soak them up, but it lets you know. Politely. It changes lane with minimal body-roll even when you are aggressive, on and off-road, as Kevin gladly demonstrated. The steering is not as communicative as I would like but these things are relative. Your off-road escapades are well backed by three drive modes; MUD&SAND, NORMAL and ROCK&DIRT. They are selectable through a dial on the centre console.
Exterior The wheel arches remind me of the fifth generation Jeep Cherokee, which makes me feel a bit sick but it more than makes up for it in other areas. The car looks good; I would say it is the best-looking RAV4 there ever has been. The car comes in two more trims; Standard and Mid-Spec. Both have 2.0L engines, CVT transmissions with the standard in two-wheel drive and the latter four. The Adventure variant has a more rugged look and is the proper off-roader of the bunch. You would expect that to be the model available with a manual gearbox and you would be wrong. Don’t ask me, I have no idea what is going on here.
Interior
he 2019 RAV4 is available in eight colours. Our test car being what they call ‘urban khaki’ and as I found out rather disappointingly, there is no rural khaki. Something else to note is that RAV from here on stands for ‘Robust Accurate Vehicle’. Silly name. Great car? Most cars start out as brilliant ideas. They are conceived in the minds of designers who want nothing more than a tool that is easy to use and maintain. Then there are accountants. These people are all about numbers and are often spotted in ill-fitting clothes, a projection of their lack of imagination and questionable taste. The first time the designers agreed on something was when they made the first RAV4. A car that managed to self-actualize; it accomplished what it was meant for, a recreational activity vehicle and did not cost an arm and a leg. That is why it remains the coolest RAV4 a person could own. Until now. There have been three generations of the RAV4 since. The cars look so different; one would be forgiven for thinking Toyota fires the entire design team every time they need a new car. The fifth generation is here, and having driven it around the city and into Nairobi National Park, I am pleased to report the designers and the accountants have had another magical moment.
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The standard interior is black leather. The seats are well bolstered and provide a firm but comfortable feel, perfect for long-distance driving. They are electronically adjustable, provide lumbar support and heat function. The rear seats will comfortably sit three, as this is quite a wide vehicle. Legroom is more than sufficient with the increased wheelbase from the fourth generation. The infotainment system includes a 7-inch screen that provides a home for the panoramic rear-view camera. Its dials and buttons are easy to load up into your muscle memory, and with the screen slightly above the steering wheel, means you still have the road in your peripheral view. There are three front USB ports and a wireless charger below the a/c dials. The rear-view camera works hand in hand with sensors at the front and rear for park distance control. The sensors around the car can be annoying as it beeps every time a bicycle or pedestrian comes close to the car. It will eventually get on your nerves when you are stuck in traffic. The sunroof is a nice touch especially for a humid day with a bit of sunshine. The visibility is stellar looking forward but the enormous c-pillars can hide a lot behind them. Mind you, I don’t use the word enormous lightly. The RAV4 Adventure will offer 580 litres of load space, 32 litres up on the previous generation. The 60:40 split rear seats fold down to give you another piece of real estate for especially bulky cargo.
Safety RAV4 Adventure is equipped with seven airbags (the seventh being the driver knee airbag), ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control, and Hill Ascent Control. It is essentially, a 5-star rated car.
Verdict: I want one.
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RHINO
By Rutu Dhanani
Am on a Thursday morning rather than being tucked in my warm bed I was sitting in a Landcruiser staring out the window into the crack of dawn. As I looked on, we were one of the hundreds of cars on Thika highway making their way to Rhino Charge 2019. I was anxious but also looking forward to the adventure that lay ahead of us for the next three days. Just to give you a brief update for some of us who don’t know what Rhino Charge is and the cause behind it. Rhino Charge started in 1989 and is a motorsport competition; it requires high levels of skill in off roading and navigation. The vision behind Rhino charge is to raise funds for Rhino Ark; an organization that has been involved in preserving the forests and wildlife in Kenya. They have been working on building a 400km fence around the
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CHARGE
Aberdares ecosystem. In 2010 Rhino Ark also took up on preserving Mt Kenya and Mt Embu regions. Now coming to the actual event. Many people are confused or not aware rather, on how the whole competition works. Basically 13 checkpoints over 100 km of rough terrain and 10 hours. The teams aim to cover all 13 points and return to base in that time frame. Sounds easy? It’s nowhere near that! This year the event was held in Nanapa Conservency in an area called Ndol Ndol. The region is as serene as it could be, not a trace of urbanization and just the feeling of calmness surrounding you. We had planned to be on the road for about 6 hours to reach our camp by lunch time, as we were on the road pretty early. By 9 30 AM we had left the hustle and bustle behind and were driving past open landscapes for miles to come. With the sun streaming into the car, music playing in the background, packed breakfast being unpacked and the sound of beer cans being opened, we were well into our road trip! 2 fuel stops, 2 toilet breaks and we had arrived! 45 minutes later than we planned but hey it was still in good time. We had reached our campsite and were offloading and getting our assigned tents. Basically, this year I had joined team 52 and tagged along with them to their campsite to look into their car, team and of course after party! As we were settling in, I noticed the big woks full of oil bubbling and layers of cheese being lathered onto pizza bases under a tent on the far right, the kitchen set up. Lunch was going to be served soon! Accommodation, food and drinks are a major part of the organization as you are in the middle of nowhere and have to go with every necessity. The planning begins form January; well from the set up that I saw, this much time put into the planning was well worth it. I was staying in the glamping part of the group;
so, everyone is given 2 options, one where you rough it out a bit and set up tents and sleep in your sleeping bags while the other, which is more my way, is that tents were already set up, beds, bedside tables with lamps, the works, the glamping option. Apart from that, toilets, hot showers, bar area and dining area were set up too. No matter what option you choose to sleep in everyone gets to enjoy the same luxury in every other aspect. After settling in we all gathered in the entertainment area where drinks were being poured and the hot jiko pizzas and fries were being devoured. While the spectators who had come along like me, lazed around the camp, the team was busy all afternoon with setting up for registration and making sure everything ran smoothly for scrutineering. One of the most talked about things is the Heineken bar at Rhino Charge, so just before dinner we made our way there to mingle with the other teams and check out the place. Surprisingly I was informed that this year the
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one of the swollen river banks had washed out a few tents! TEAM 52 MEMBERS: Hemal Pindolia - Driver Raj Shah Arun Rughwani
Paren Hirani Bhavin Solanki Palpreet Jutla
Heineken bar had still not picked up and was not all that crammed as compared to previous charges; this was probably because the camps were more scattered in comparison to previous years. Back at camp, dinner was served. Scrumptious barbeque underneath the stars. A strong drink, good food, good music, it was a vibe. Friday morning, after a hot breakfast I went along with the team members for the scrutineering of the car. I mean I did come to Rhino Charge for the car and behind the scenes. From my quick lesson that morning I learned that CAR 52 had a 3.9 Lt engine, Range Rover Classic V8, and a 4-speed manual gearbox and stock transfer box. The Tyres were Mickey Thompson baja claw at 35 inches and suspension kit was brought in from extreme 4x4 UK. The other thing I learnt was that the car had a single winch up front and a double one at the back along with other minor car interior details. After this very knowledgeable morning, I was ready to leave and make my way back to camp to join the others for a day of relaxation once again. While the team members carried on their preparations for the next day, D day. The campsite was buzzing with excitement and everyone was definitely enjoying the food and drinks apart from the team members I felt. They sat down in the evening once they received their maps and starting checkpoint and went straight to work on their map, coordination and overall plan. After a quick dinner we were advised that lights out were at 10 PM; dilemma! Well apart from the team members participating the next day, I found out no one really does follow the 10pm bed time rule! Charge Day! Saturday, while we slept in, the team members were up and ready by 5 30 AM and on well on their way after a good breakfast to keep them going for the day. As we woke up leisurely and tucked in to steaming sausages, eggs and bacon the team was already making
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its way quickly through the checkpoints. We soon got ready and with packed sandwiches and chilled beers we were on our way to find team 52. The team moved swiftly through the morning hours over the many forms of terrains. The car performed well as it approached large hidden luggas, river crossings, thick bushes to steep slopes. Navigation proved to be key. As the day proceeded it was amazing to see the various teams, cars and felt great being a part of such a grand event for a good cause. The one thing that took every charge by surprise this year was the rain. Over the recent years rain hasn’t made an appearance during the time of charge, and this mega storm that hit everyone changed the whole dynamic of things. The terrains got more difficult to overcome and hence changing the plans for route ahead. With not a soul left dry, everyone made it back to
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camp in one piece including the car! I have to say even though my team didn’t finish all the checkpoints but they sure did give it their 100 %. What a day, and once we got back to camp, we had another surprise, one of the swollen river banks had washed out a few tents! Sleeping bags were moved around to accommodate the tentless but we managed to get through the night! I mean a little adventure is always welcome when bundu bashing! Also, in the joy of the participation and celebrations going on a little hiccup such as drenched tents was easy to overlook. Sunday morning, luggage packed, tummies full we were on the way back. What an experience! In my opinion it’s definitely something everyone should try as its not only a camping trip it’s a gathering of motor heads, you get to see amazing sportsmanship, meet people from all over the world and all in all it’s a celebration of conserving our land.
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HEAD TO HEAD
2018 Honda Ballade
2018 Honda Ballade Vs 2018 Suzuki Ciaz
Can they warm themselves into your heart? By Billwydad Wangai
rowing up, I thought Honda and Suzuki only built motorcycles. A couple of decades later and I am driving cars built by these companies within a fortnight of each other. How fortunate. The cars are parallel on many fronts, especially from a technical perspective. Driving them however, brings out a divergence that warrants the words that follow. Both cars are front-wheel drive, have 1.5 L naturally aspirated petrol-powered engines, both will sit five and both come with automatic gearboxes. The Honda is available in three trims: Trend, Elegance and Executive; what we have is Elegance. The Ciaz comes in two trims locally with this one being the GLX, better equipped than the entry-level GL.
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Performance Both of these cars carry their weight and then some. The Honda has about 120hp against the Ciaz at 103hp but with the Honda tipping the scales at 1063Kg; it is a kilogram of cement
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lighter. Let us call them even. The differences alluded to earlier, start here. Either comes equipped with an automatic gearbox: CVT for the Honda and traditional auto for the Suzuki. The engine in the Honda is a fantastic unit, all 1497cc of it. The gearbox on the other hand is as user friendly as the iTax website. It never seems to be in a hurry. I have long wanted to like CVT gearboxes but they just are not there yet. The gearbox in the Ciaz is a 4-speed and for the first time, I was happy drive a car with a gearbox that at the very least makes me feel like I am having a conversation through a wall, but a conversation nonetheless. I found the flappy paddles on the Honda useful when I wanted to make a quick overtake, pulling the left-side paddle to get a lower gear ratio, of which it has seven. Both cars have a manual gearbox option but none of the dealers stocks them, it has to be on order. For people who enjoy driving, these cars have the potential to be enjoyable drives. A manual box could be all it takes.
The listed fuel economy figures are 17kpl and 20kpl for the Ballade and Ciaz respectively. Realistically however, you will find yourself in the 15-17kpl region, as I did. This is great fuel economy for combined city and highway driving.
Handling The Steering wheel in the Ciaz is nicely heavy. A successful attempt at creating ‘feel’ because the wheel – as with most cars nowadays, is electric. It also gives sufficient feedback, allowing you to distantly perceive what the front wheels are doing. While the Honda’s is not as weighty, it is very direct when you are turning in, which is a strange sensation initially but one that you get used to quickly. The suspension on both cars is excellent, a bit bumpy in slow areas and nicely firm at speed. Although you cannot lean on the suspension hard, both cars feel stable and flat enough around corners to trust in case of an enthusiastic emergency maneuver.
2018 Suzuki Ciaz
Interior
Exterior The 2018 Ballade is based on the Honda Jazz; it is a Jazz with a raised boot. The designers did a fantastic job gathering it all up into such a good package. It looks like a proper sedan and one that fits perfectly into Honda’s current design language. Like the Ballade, the Ciaz looks much better than the car preceding it. The 2015 Ciaz was not a looker but the midlife facelift has well and truly addressed that. The difference is not as noticeable in profile but look at the front and you notice a redesigned headlamp cluster with LEDs and new DRLs. The new bumper with LED fog lamps, now wrapped in chrome is a bit overboard – on the chrome, but we will let that slide. Overall, the car looks much better and can now fight at the sharper end of the class.
Both cars offer a great driving position with seat and steering wheel adjustment. The seats in the Suzuki look and feel premium but the fabric in the Honda is not bad either; it does not retain as much heat if left in the sun. Both steering wheels have infotainment, cruise control and telephone controls, allowing you to navigate the dashboard without having to look away from the road. The major difference in this area is that the Ballade comes with 7-inch touch-screen display; it is a lovely thing to use especially if you are a passenger. With multiple USB charging pots, HDMI connectivity port, MirrorLink compatibility and 1.5GB of internal memory. It is an all round better-equipped car that it’s rival. The Ciaz does not have a screen but still offers all the above but the HDMI connectivity. Its rear-view mirror however, is also a screen that can adjust its brightness and once you slot the car into reverse, its a rear camera display. The two cars have just over 500 litres of boot space. The 510 in the Ciaz shoots it up at the top of the class in practicality. Space is great for the passengers, front and back with the rear
2018 Honda Ballade
2018 Suzuki Ciaz
Price
Sh 3.78M
Sh 2.50M
Engine
1.5 i-VTEC
1.5 VVT
Power
119 hp @ 6,600
103 hp @ 6,000
Torque
145Nm @4,600
138 Nm @ 4,400 rpm
Transmission
CVT
5-speed MT/4-speed AT
Fuel Economy
16.9Kpl
21.56 Kpl/20.28kpl
passengers in the Ciaz getting a mid-mounted cup-holder - a nice touch.
Safety The Ballade comes out swinging in this department. You get six-airbags: The standard two, side curtain airbags on the A-pillar and two for the rear passengers on the C-pillars. The Ciaz has to make do with just two. Both cars have ISOFIX child seat mounting points. Worth noting that it is advised that infants should have rear facing child seats while small children should face forward. Both in the rear seats. This should be the case until 12 years of age.
Verdict The two cars are in the same class but are equipped differently. The Honda brings more to the table but is proportionally expensive. It has a more premium feel about it’ from the materials used in the interior to the way it looks. The Ciaz feels better to drive; the steering and gearbox make a big difference. It also has a much quieter cabin; the Ballade is not as well insulated from the sound of the tyres and general noise. With similar real-world fuel economy figures, it boils down to whether the benefits in the Honda are worth the extra money, or it does not matter and you will buy what you want regardless of what we say.
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MAINTENANCE yres are many times overlooked by Kenyan vehicle owners in present times yet they directly affect a vehicle’s ability to function on the road. You may use a lot of time and resources to perfect your engine, transmission, suspension and even the exhaust system but if you don’t get it right with your tyres, your efforts will be futile. Given the imperfect state of our roads both in urban and rural areas, it is wise to exercise caution where your tyres are concerned. Below is a quick check to make sure your tyres are in check. Tread Depth, Pressure, Rotate, Repair, Age.
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Keeping Your Tyres In Check
1. Keep Checking your Tyre Tread Depth Many of us are car owners, however we aren’t even aware of what the tyre tread depth stands for or its function. So here goes, the tread depth of your car’s tyres is what directly affects their ability to grip the road, so tyres with lower tread depths are more likely to slip in bad weather or on slippery roads. Poor road grip also negatively affects the vehicle’s handling and performance. So, if it has been a while since you last checked the tread depths of your tyres, you ought to do it as soon as you can! According to international tyre tread depth standards, 3.2mm or deeper is considered safe for regular car tyres. So, keep getting your tyres checked regularly, when it gets to 2.4mm, you ought to start thinking about replacing those tyres. Many tyres on the market today have treadwear indicator bars molded into them that indicate the 1.6mm tread depth mark, so if the tread on your tyres has worn down to the treadwear indicator bar, you should stop using those tyres and replace them. Apart from checking the treadwear indicator bar, you can check tyre tread depth using a one-shilling coin (the latest, nickel-plated steel ones that feature Mzee Jomo Kenyatta). Those coins measure 23.9 mm in diameter, so if you fit one in the tread of your tyre with Mzee Kenyatta being upside down, the tread ought to cover the lettering on the edge of the coin and even touch the tip of the head of Mzee Kenyatta.
your vehicle’s tyres have the right pressure. At least once a month one should get the tyre pressure checked, but considering the dilapidated state of our roads in Nairobi and all around the country, you would be safer with bi-monthly tyre pressure checks. Your local fuel station is likely to have a tyre pressure gauge. Most of them are relatively easy to use; you just remove your tyre’s valve stem cap and press the gauge head firmly onto the valve stem, and then take the pressure reading.
2. Keep Checking Your Tyre Pressure Many vehicle owners also do not realize the importance of maintaining the right tyre pressure. Most of us assume that as long we keep adding some air pressure every once in a while, we are good to go. If you do it without any planned intervals, you are likely to forget and at times stay too long without checking. The amount of air pressure in your tyres greatly influences their longevity as well as your car’s performance. When a tyre is under-inflated, it tends to have higher rolling resistance. This means that such a tyre requires more effort from the engine to roll when the car is in motion, which results in higher fuel consumption. In addition, an under-inflated tyre also cannot maintain its ideal shape; more of the tyre gets in contact with the road, resulting in reduced steering precision. The tread life of the tyre also reduces significantly. On the other hand, when a tyre is over-inflated, it becomes stiff and unyielding. Such a tyre also has a smaller footprint on the road, which results in reduced grip, especially on slippery surfaces. An over-inflated tyre could also get damaged quicker when you drive over potholes or large debris. Therefore, you should always make sure that
3. Rotate Your Car’s Tyres Regular tyre rotation is another way to ensure your tyres last longer. Tyre rotation is the practice of switching the positions of your vehicle’s tyres in different patterns. The recommended frequency of tyre rotation varies from vehicle to vehicle. Tyre rotation is important because tyres tend to wear unevenly. This is due to several factors that include driving habits, the drivetrain orientation of your vehicle, uneven vehicle weight distribution, wheel balancing issues and wheel alignment issues. In addition to extending the life of your tyres, tyre rotation will also result in better long-term vehicle performance (both handling and acceleration) and greater stability and control. It is advised that tyre rotation ought to be done after every 10,000 kms. For most vehicles that come equipped with same-size wheels and non-directional tyres, there are three main recommended tyre rotation patterns: the “Rearward Cross” pattern, the “Forward Cross” pattern and the “X-Pattern” pattern. With the Rearward Cross pattern, the rear tyres move up to the front on both sides, and then the front left tyre moves to the rear right wheel, and the front right tyre moves to the rear left wheel. The Forward Cross pattern is similar, only that
By Mark Muhoro
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now the front tyres move straight back and the rear tyres cross as they move to the front. The X-Pattern option is self-explanatory; the front left tyre switches with the rear right tyre while the front right tyre switches with the rear left tyre. If you have the right equipment, you can do the tyre rotation for yourself in your garage.
4. Tyre Repair When you get a flat tyre, do not cut corners; repair them the way they ought to be repaired. Flat tyres can be quite frustrating, especially when they occur at inopportune times, e.g. in the morning when you are late for work, so many people resort to doing some quick patchwork at a petrol station on their way to wherever they are going. This should not be done. Proper tyre repair for a puncture entails the use of both a rubber stem/plug and a patch, not just a patch. With the help of an appropriate adhesive, the rubber stem is supposed to fill the puncture injury, and then the patch is supposed to seal the inner lining of the tyre to rule out the possibility of any leaks. In addition, it is recommended that puncture repairs should be limited to the tread area only. When a puncture occurs on the sidewalls or shoulders of the tyres, you should not attempt to repair; just replace the tyres. Also, the repairs should only be done on puncture injuries that have a diameter of up to 1/4-inch (6mm); when the punctures injuries are larger, the tyres should be replaced. Thirdly, tyre repairs should only be performed when the tyres have been removed from their rims/ wheels. This will enable the auto technician to perform a comprehensive inspection of the damaged area, assuring you of more accurate tyre puncture repair. Overlapping of tyre repairs is also highly discouraged. When tyre repairs overlap, the repair area weakens. This results in the swelling of that area, which is dangerous.
5. Check Your Tyre’s Age You should also take note of the age of your tyres. If you are like most Kenyans who have imported used vehicles from Japan or UK and if you haven’t replaced the tyres that came with your vehicle yet, you may be riding on tyres that have exceeded their date of expiry. The fact that your tyres still have good tread depth does not mean that they can still be used when they have passed their expiry date. The rubber in your tyres slowly degenerates with time as it continues to be exposed to heat and oxygen when you are driving your car. With time, it hardens and becomes more and more inflexible, resulting in cracks along the walls of the tyre. The hardening and inflexibility of old rubber reduces road grip, making your tyres more likely to slip on wet roads or to skid when brakes are applied. The cracks in expired tyres also make them more susceptible to bursting. Tyres usually expire 6 years from their dates of manufacture. You can determine the date of manufacture of your tyres by checking the DOT stamping on their sidewalls. The 4-digit number at the end of the DOT stamping is a date code. The first two digits of that number represent the week of the year, while the last two digits represent the year. Therefore, if the last four digits on one of your tyres are ‘3715’, it means that the tyre was manufactured in the 37th week of the year 2015.
DID YOU KNOW?
A Future of Airless Tyres
Up until the present time, airless tyres were reserved for wheelbarrows, golf carts, lawn mowers, and for the heavy-duty commercial vehicles. However, French tyre manufacturer Michelin recently unveiled its latest Uptis (Uptis stands for Unique Puncture-proof Tyre System) prototype at the 2017 Movin’On Summit in Montréal, Canada and declared to the world its intentions to develop airless tyres that can be used for passenger cars. The latest news in that respect is that General Motors has partnered with Michelin in a joint venture to develop the Uptis Prototype into a tyre that can be used for passenger cars. They intend to release the fully developed product to the public in 2024. Airless tyres would mean a future free of flat tyres, tyre blowouts, and irregular wear, so it would mean safer driving for everyone.
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H E A L T H & F I T N E s s
Farah Esmail
The health and fitness equation:
The mind lever he introductory piece to this series discussed health and fitness being an equation with numerous levers that can be pulled, and how each affects the other differently as we all have separate genetic makeup as well as different lifestyle and socioeconomic factors. Physical fitness was defined as a state of “health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of sports, occupations and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, moderate-vigorous physical exercise, and sufficient rest.” Health and Fitness are noted to be broader than physical fitness with a number of contributing levers, which if any are off, puts the equation out of equilibrium, and impacts
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Ultimate Sports Nutrition, Ignite Gym And Alphafit Ambassador, International Ifbb Bikini Fitness Competitor, Lawyer By Day, Bodybuilder By Night; Fitness Accolades Include: 3x Kbbf Ms. Kenya Bikini Fitness Champion, 3x Top 10 Arnold Classic South Africa Finisher, Universal Muscle And Fitness Dubai Ifbb Amateur Bodybuilding Championship Bikini Fitness Masters Champion
health and fitness. In this second piece we discuss the Mental and Hormonal Health levers. These are grouped together as a lever as hormones influence the mind and the two are very interconnected. First, to briefly discuss hormones. Hormones are the chemical messengers that travel, via our blood, to every organ and tissue in our body. When there is too little or too much of a particular hormone it throws your body off its equilibrium and affects one’s physical and mental health. Not being an endocrinologist, I am not going to provide a detailed breakdown on the all the body’s hormones but merely going to highlight some; and that if all the other levers are working for you and you are having issues it could be due to a hormonal issue. While all
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS = NUTRITION + SUPPLEMENTS + WEIGHTS + CARDIO + MENTAL AND HORMONAL HEALTH + REST 16
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hormones are important, vital ones to keep an eye on and test for fitness and health are Cortisol (stress hormone), Estrogen (main female hormone), Testosterone (main male hormone and anabolic steroid), TSH, T3 and T4 (Thyroid related hormones for cell metabolism) and Serotonin (nature’s feel good hormone). It’s vital to know that excessive dieting and exercise can cause havoc to the hormones and metabolism and henceforth a balance in lifestyle, fitness and nutrition is key. Overdoing anything brings added stress to the body which affects the hormones directly. It is important to have your hormones routinely checked through blood tests and make sure these are normal and not affecting your wellness. Traditionally hormones were for the most part ignored but they are now regarded as a very important element of ensuring health and fitness. The second factor being the Mental Lever of fitness, which in my opinion, is the most
important along with hormones. In essence, if you are not mentally ready or desire health and fitness you will not achieve it as it requires hard work, consistency, dedication and motivation. Along with this a relaxed mind is key. If one is constantly stressed this affects the hormones and in turn throws of all levers in your body. All of these require a mindset. Getting started or restarted on a fitness and health journey after falling off the wagon as many of us do, be it due to life with busy work and life schedules, or competitors after an off season is challenging. It requires setting your intent and building healthy habits, sometimes with just one change at a time, and then building a lifestyle of health and fitness. Health and fitness for those who benefit most has to become a lifestyle, no excuses. Where you start to fall off again or make bad choices, your mind has to take over and keep you on track. “Remember the 21/90 rule: It takes 21 days to create a habit. It takes 90 days to create a lifestyle.” Once you begin the journey you have to stay on the path and persevere. Be consistent. Make it a lifestyle. “Rome was not built in one day but they worked on it every single day!” You must have or develop a will, motivation and mindset to push through all the challenges
to making health and fitness a priority and start somewhere. If you are already at a high level of health and fitness, look at ways to get even better. This is where the mind lever is important. For motivation I have always believed in visualization and picking that person or picture that I want to set as my goal, and putting that image on my fridge where I can look at it and stay focused on a goal. For each the motivation is different and it is important to figure out what works best for you and channel it in every time you start to deviate. Are you trying to get ready for that beach vacation, or competing and need to be on stage in a bikini, or need to get fitter to spend
quality time with the family? Motivators are different. Sometimes your health will force you to take health and fitness seriously through an illness, but this is hopefully the last resort. You have one body so you need to make the change voluntarily now rather than being forced by a health condition to make a change. In the workout piece we will talk about mind-muscle connection which is vital to get the results you need. Also your ability to push yourself mentally to do much more than you can do physically. Another side of the mental lever closer to overall wellness is meditation and rest. These will be discussed further in the rest piece. This element of mind is very important and if you are highly motivated and pushing yourself and stressed and on overdrive this too is not healthy. Rest of the mind and body is also needed. In summary, you need to have the mental strength and proper mindset to achieve health and fitness. Mind over body is essential to keep going but not in overdrive. Without the mind lever the other levers are ineffective. Create a mindset that supports getting it done and you will master it. “Your body can stand almost anything. It’s your mind that you have to convince”.
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DECOR
DÉCORATING? GO LOCAL! By Rutu Dhanani
e-decorating your kitchen, bedroom, living room or even your office? Stop for a second and rethink your décor & decisions made thus far, have you bought anything from the local artisans? Furniture to antique pieces to paintings? If not, this article is definitely for you! We are going local for our interiors. Most times we don’t look into what we can get locally to define our space and rather just make the one stop visits to the chains of furniture shops that we are surrounded by. Furniture shop chains and high-end brand are great and do offer top quality products but why not have a look at
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Quinn Peaks
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what we can obtain by local artisans and create something different and implement your personal style into it, rather than mass produced of the shelf items. Bring in the woodwork from Lamu to a feathered shield on your wall, show a bit of flare by hanging a piece by amazing East African painters or serve your guests drinks in the best goblets Kitengela glass has to offer. It’s not about the price or brand, it’s all in the character and charm. Below are a few of our top choices of Kenyan artisans for home décor and furniture. (All choices are personal and not paid advertisement).
Modern, artistic, chic, if this the style you are looking for to decorate your home or office, Quinn Peaks will definitely be your answer. Look into their rustic headboards for your master bedroom or the artsy statement chairs for your lounge. 100% locally made furniture with unique designs and aesthetics, every piece is individually crafted and has its own story to tell. CONTACT DETAILS: Find them at the Westgate Pop Up Market. 0733 919851
Santana Africa
From Lamps, Throws to Quirky cheeseboards, Santana Africa provides you with everything hip and cool. Their pieces are delightfully tasteful and bring out the essence of every room. From furniture to dĂŠcor pieces everything is locally designed and crafted. You can customize your pieces by picking the kitenge fabric for your chair or even which direction will the curve in your lamp be! CONTACT DETAILS: 0715 418 225 santanaafrika@gmail.com
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Saba furniture
We all dream of lounging around in a perfectly crafted Swahili daybed also known as Lamu daybed, and it tops it if it is actually sourced from Lamu! Saba furniture, based in Lamu, provides a rich history of Swahili crafts and design through their products. They work together with the Swahili carpenters and produce contemporary mixed with a flare of Swahili, pieces of art in form of furniture. Their daybeds which are called Usitu daybeds are made to be shown off to your guests but they provide comfort too, from mirror frames to bedside tables the wood used is locally sourced Mvule wood, mixture of modern and antique, the skill shown to present the finished product is definitely something to invest in.
CONTACT DETAILS: 0713009718 sales@sabafurniturecompany.com
Little gallery karen
Art is an investment. A piece of art in a room becomes an icebreaker. Art is inspiration. Buying good pieces of art for a personal space gives that space not only character but a sense of ones choice, taste and even attitude. Art is an investment which not only brightens a room but remains part of your life for years to come. Little Gallery Karen showcases works of art by talent East African artists. From Sculptures to Paintings, they have it all.
CONTACT DETAILS: 0731666222 info@littlegallery.co.ke 128 Nandi RoadKaren Nairobi
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AD
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TECH
TOP 10 TECH PRODUCTS FOR A ROAD TRIP By Eugene Operre
oad trips are exciting experiences and a chance to explore our beautiful country, unwind & get your mind off things for a while. In short, road trips are therapy. You should definitely take one soon. If spontaneous is your type of thing, you can literally get into your car, pick up some of your close mates and drive to wherever Siri suggests. Random is Life! Planners would beg to differ and slap you with checklists, itinerary and destinations. Speaking of planning, there’s stuff you need to pack to survive a road trip. Here’s a list that I think will come in handy as you and your squad jump in your car and hit the road for the weekend.
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1. Phone This might sound obvious but some people (like myself, because I’d be driving) would rather go off-the-grid as a way to connect with people next to them (Living in the moment type of vibe) but you need to carry your phone, this is where your money & music is. You also need to be in touch with the world so your phone is important. Your phone will help book your nearest Air BnB while you’re at it. Make sure it is properly charged though! iPhones come with really good cameras for those Instagram stories that will leave your friends JEALOUS. Heck at some point you will be tempted to download the Speedometer App just to find out whether your driver is a little too heavy on the throttle.
opposed to a phone. Garmin GPS devices are best in class in this sector.
4. Bluetooth Speakers / Headphones Entertainment for you and your squad with a proper playlist is quite essential. Using either the car’s audio system or your Apple Music playlist on your phone, you are able to amplify the beats on a speaker for better sound through a Bluetooth speaker like the JBL Charge 3 which is best for groups or a pair of Pace Focus Headphones if you prefer to listen to your podcasts & audio books solo. PS: Being the group’s DJ comes with LOTS of pressure!
5. Portable Wi-Fi dongle You absolutely do not want bundles to come in your way. A proper connection also makes sure your GPS stays accurate at all times. Telkom & Faiba 4G have a dongle which you can load up to buy data at really affordable rates and coverage around the country is actually decent enough to get you by.
7. Kindle Oasis Sometimes all you want to do is catch up on your e-book collection as you sit back and enjoy the ride. If you’re not the one behind the wheel, why not?! The Kindle Oasis will do the job right if carrying the actual book seems like a total disaster. The little tablet carries your favourite books as soft copies that you can enjoy even in the dark with the night mode feature introduced to protect your eyesight and sleeping patterns.
2. A Fully Charged Powerbank. Your phones and other devices might need backup power and the 12V ports in the cars might not be enough. A power bank just might help charge devices when needed. The Samsung 10,000 mAh powerbank does the trick for me as it stores a lot more power.
3. GPS Devices Since you’re probably travelling on unfamiliar roads, a sense of direction would be great! You can have a dedicated GPS device or use map apps on your phone like Google Maps. A GPS device in most cases will have a better reception of the signal as
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6. Action Camera There are lots if cameras out there but for road trips you need to pack light. Smaller cameras will be ideal as you will be able to capture memories and beautiful scenery as you travel. A GoPro Hero 5 Black action cam is perfect for such adventures, you are able to shoot high quality videos even under water!
8. Binoculars If sightseeing is your forté, you would love to have the Nikon Monarch series binoculars handy so as to zoom in on those hills and valleys far away from the viewpoint.
9. Smart Watch For fitness data on your trip, distance you have walked, number steps you’ve made, heart rate and all that stuff that will make your gym instructor proud of you. If you’re an Android head, you have the Fitbit and if you’re an Apple Annie, you’ve got the Apple Watch series. The watches pick up data from stuff you do out of the car.
10. Dashcam This is important especially if you’re driving solo. A Black Vue DR450S dashcam is a little camera you connect to a power source within the car. Footage on this camera can help you retrace the occurrences in case of an accident. You might be involved in a hit and run while on your trip, the footage could help retrieving the license plate of the car at fault and track them down. Or just give you great content for your next Vlog. Are there gadgets you must have as you take your trips around Magical Kenya? We’d like to hear from you, you can also share your ideal road trip destinations so we can go check them out as we plan our next trips. Remember to always have a designated driver whose long-distance driving skill is good enough to ensure your safety. Otherwise, Do Not Drink and Drive. Happy Travels Folks! :-)
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TURKANA
TURKANA DIARIES
By Vijay Chandaria & Harshit Shah
PART1
Waterfalls at Ngare Ndare Forest
t is not often that one thinks of Turkana as a Family Holiday destination, and that is exactly what we did. In fact, we didn’t think, we just assumed we were going, and back in April 2018 the emails began flowing! Where to go, where to stay and more importantly how to get there! “Are you sure?” “A road trip?” and with many asking us the same questions in the end we can say this road trip was exciting, pulsating and difficult but a trip of a lifetime! Our main concern however was kids. Travelling with kids makes us question everything more than
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we would usually, from food to safety to just being selfish and thinking will we actually manage 1700km in the car with the little brats? But in the end, we saw it is possible, safe and if planned well, a super adventure holiday for a Family! Months of planning meant, we were well prepared for this, the Great Road Trip. Great because it is not the ideal family vacation where the luxuries of water are at plenty! Road trip, 1700kms of driving would definitely make this a road trip! We started off in Nairobi late morning, slight delay after packing our cars ensuring nothing was left
“Are you sure?” A road trip?”
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out, but we were still in good time for our journey ahead. Our road trip would take us to the East Side of Turkana towards the tip of the lake and back. The drive would have to be broken down as it would be too cumbersome to drive the whole mileage to and fro. Our first stop, The Ngare Ndare forest. Having left late morning and making a few stops in Nanyuki and further to a cheese factory we were destined to reach there by 5.00pm. Little did we know that there was heavy rain the night before. Knee deep mud, cars and bikes getting stuck every 50 meters, meant we had to start our 4wd driving earlier than expected and the first test of our cars had begun. We managed to reach our night stayover by 7.00pm. The manager of the hotel went out of his way to see that dinner and
some snacks were prepared as he knew we had kids who by this point were cranky and needed food and sleep as soon as possible! Kudos to him for his service and hospitality.The next day we explored Ngare Ndare. From strolling through the canopy walk amongst its thick indigenous forest to a cold swim in its freezing pool of water, direct from the slopes of Mount Kenya. After the canopy walk all we could think of was to cool down and thus we choose to drive to the water pools. Jumping of the ledges into the icy cold water below brings an adrenaline rush one can’t describe. Feeling refreshed we headed back to the hotel to relax for the rest of the day. That night it was time to discuss our route to Turkana, managing fuel stops, weather conditions, catering to the children and preparing ourselves for the long drive to South Horr.
Beautiful Mt Ololokwe
The end of tarmac roads and we get onto some corrugation and murram roads by this point passing the Milgas Plains and small settlements on the way. At this time the sun was beating down
hard on the cars and our car air conditioners were a soothing help, eventually leading us onto the Paul Teasdale road (now the wind power road).
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One of the many villages we passed on our drive to Koros Camp
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aul Teasdale road is an isolated road with very few cars passing by with the exception of armed massai herders every now and then. A major thing to note is that the road is a graveyard for tyre’s, good tyres are a must when planning this road trip. Though barren we felt like we were in
another country, away from the hustle and bustle of a city. The kids who were taking their sweet naps were doing well, and with nothing but savannah on both sides of the corrugated road, we moved on leaving nothing but dust clouds behind. We finally reached the Kargi Junnction and after another 15kms we finally made it to camp. After 715 kms
of driving we had reached Koros camp! Surrounded by big mountains the camp is nestled in the middle of nowhere! We felt relieved and tired from the driving, but just looking up into the sky with the stars shimmering all around above you makes the journey quite worth it. We had reached Turkana, but the adventure is just the beginning.
Finally reached the Beautiful Koros Camp 26
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Lake Turkana
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