tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37084998265147740862024-03-13T06:09:35.239+02:00The AE BlogAE travel stories, interesting facts and much moreUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-1568492540395580072014-04-15T10:30:00.000+02:002014-04-15T10:30:01.413+02:00We have moved the blog! It will now be under africastaytravel.blogspot.com<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-4284401177849832922014-03-28T09:14:00.004+02:002014-03-28T09:14:57.102+02:00Seaweed - Zanzibar's 'gift from the ocean'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">From BBC News - <span class="story-date">
<span class="date">27 March 2014</span>
<span class="time-text">Last updated at </span><span class="time">17:46 GMT</span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="story-date"><a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar"><img alt="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73868000/jpg/_73868806_img_29461(5).jpg" class="decoded" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73868000/jpg/_73868806_img_29461%285%29.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a> </span></div>
<span class="story-date"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1">
Seaweed - or Mwani in the
Swahili language - has been one of <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>'s key exports since the
early 1990s. But now the industry appears to be at risk, with a lot of
the seaweed dying. BBC Africa's Charlotte Attwood visited the island's
seaweed farmers. </div>
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1">
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1368382026/profile.jpg" class="decoded" height="400" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1368382026/profile.jpg" width="266" /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar"><img alt="http://intotheworld.eu/blog/tanzania/pano_zanzibar_pongwe06.jpg" class="decoded" height="143" src="http://intotheworld.eu/blog/tanzania/pano_zanzibar_pongwe06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
It may look like paradise with white sand beaches and turquoise water - but life is not so idyllic for the farmers.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar"><img alt="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02773/zanzibar_2773784b.jpg" class="decoded" height="249" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02773/zanzibar_2773784b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The fortunes of women like Mwanaisha Makame are tied to the Indian Ocean. She harvests seaweed. <br />
The farms are made up of little sticks in neat rows in the
warm, shallow water. Ropes are tied between the sticks and the seaweed
seedlings are strung between the two.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar"><img alt="seaweed farming - , Zanzibar" border="1" class="" height="261" src="http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/6473/seaweed_farming-zanzibar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Ms Makame calls it her "gift from the ocean", but it seems it is not being so generous these days.<br />
<br />
As she searches the shores for seedlings, in her traditional Swahili dress, Ms Makame admits that the harvest is not good.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar"><img alt="http://m1.behance.net/rendition/modules/49303365/disp/639164ccd71ab22e1862856487231700.jpg" class="decoded" height="263" src="http://m1.behance.net/rendition/modules/49303365/disp/639164ccd71ab22e1862856487231700.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
"I used to buy anything I wanted. I used to send some money
to my parents and my children got pocket money, but now it is a real
problem," she says.<br />
<br />
<br />
"We are now all depending on the father. We used to not have to depend on anyone to buy us soap or clothes."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="A seaweed farm in Zanzibar (March 2014)" height="225" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73855000/jpg/_73855680_73855679.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Mwanaisha Makame (R) walks with other women on the beach in Zanzibar (March 2014)" height="225" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73855000/jpg/_73855676_img_29241%285%29.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
Ms Makame is just one of the thousands of women facing the same
problem in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>, a semi-autonomous archipelago which is part of
Tanzania.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="https://seaweedindustry.com/sites/default/files/seaweed-images/Eucheuma-denticulatum-02.jpg" class="decoded" height="253" src="https://seaweedindustry.com/sites/default/files/seaweed-images/Eucheuma-denticulatum-02.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
Commercially viable seaweed was first introduced to <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>'s main island, Unguja, in the late 1980s from the Philippines.
It immediately took to the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean island.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.dw.de/image/0,,17201926_303,00.jpg" class="decoded" height="225" src="http://www.dw.de/image/0,,17201926_303,00.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://pieropausin.net/tulliovalente/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Seaweed-Farming-Pwani-Mchangani.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="255" src="http://pieropausin.net/tulliovalente/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Seaweed-Farming-Pwani-Mchangani.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
It was a good news story, says Nariman Jidawi, a marine scientist from the island.<br />
<br />
<div id="story_continues_2">
Papers printed headlines like "Mwani is money", "A gift from the ocean" and "Mama, mwani and money".</div>
It transformed the lives of the women in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>. They were able to support their families.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.inspiredcitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Seaweed-farming-72-1024x576.jpg" class="decoded" height="225" src="http://www.inspiredcitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Seaweed-farming-72-1024x576.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.rnw.nl/data/files/imagecache/must_carry/images/lead/article/2011/05/woman_seaweed_farmer.jpg" class="decoded" height="203" src="http://www.rnw.nl/data/files/imagecache/must_carry/images/lead/article/2011/05/woman_seaweed_farmer.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
According to the government, the sector used to employ 23,000 people - 90% of whom were women.<br />
But lately, Ms Jidawi says, "a lot of women are complaining
that the seaweed is dying. A lot of women have therefore left seaweed
farming".<br />
<br />
The women, when asked, say rising sea temperatures is the cause.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://photos.travellerspoint.com/226670/PICT6371.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://photos.travellerspoint.com/226670/PICT6371.jpg" /></div>
<br />
Ms Jidawi confirms that the water temperature around <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>has increased of late and that climate change is the most likely reason
for the seaweed mortality.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="d" height="225" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73852000/jpg/_73852880_73852389.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
According to researchers at the local Institute of Marine
Sciences, some kind of bacteria is growing on the seaweed which is also
limiting its growth.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>has historically been the third largest exporter of seaweed in the world, after the Philippines and Indonesia.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.inspiredcitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Seaweed-farming-32-1024x576.jpg" class="decoded" height="225" src="http://www.inspiredcitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Seaweed-farming-32-1024x576.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
But exports fell by 4,000 tonnes last year from the 2012 high of 15,000 tonnes.<br />
<br />
<br />
"The quality of seaweed in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>is much better than the
others," says Khamis Issa Mohammed, secretary-general of the <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>Exporters Association.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Seaweed_farm_uroa_zanzibar.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="246" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Seaweed_farm_uroa_zanzibar.jpg" width="400" /> </div>
<br />
<br />
But he concedes that his competitors have the advantage of being closer to the market.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Map of Zanzibar and Pemba" height="171" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/54271000/gif/_54271182_zanzibar.gif" width="304" /></div>
<br />
<br />
Seaweed from <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>is exported to China, Korea, Vietnam, Denmark, Spain, France and the US.<br />
It is used as a base for cosmetics, lotions, toothpaste,
medicines and food - in China, for instance, it is eaten as a vegetable.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.mediastorehouse.com/image/1129227_450_450_0_0_fit_6_6dd3fb2c69bd82e4709357e5822354f7.jpg" class="decoded" height="265" src="http://www.mediastorehouse.com/image/1129227_450_450_0_0_fit_6_6dd3fb2c69bd82e4709357e5822354f7.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
At its peak, the trade contributed almost $8m (£5m) a year to
the <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>economy. Half of that, says Mr Mohammed, went straight
into the pockets of the farmers.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/u/TvyamNb-BivtNwcoxtkc5xGBuGkIMh_nj4UJHQKuoXT-NAv2U3GnI7TfNPVgywhdeHJEKkN5W1KhjA/" class="decoded" height="300" src="http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/u/TvyamNb-BivtNwcoxtkc5xGBuGkIMh_nj4UJHQKuoXT-NAv2U3GnI7TfNPVgywhdeHJEKkN5W1KhjA/" width="400" /></div>
<br />
But many of these women are once again depending on their husbands.<br />
<br />
They are trying to find other ways of making money but it is not easy.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/26/2686/WLKUD00Z/posters/michael-s-lewis-a-zanzibar-island-woman-cultivating-seaweed-in-the-indian-ocean.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/26/2686/WLKUD00Z/posters/michael-s-lewis-a-zanzibar-island-woman-cultivating-seaweed-in-the-indian-ocean.jpg" /> </div>
<br />
In the village of Paje, women sit around with their children, laughing, cooking and weaving.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000K3r09X6EfVE/fit=1000x750/JDK-041028-356150.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="266" src="http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000K3r09X6EfVE/fit=1000x750/JDK-041028-356150.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
Zeinab Hassan Makame, a former seaweed farmer, invites me
into her house. Her veranda is now filled with cut plastic bottles
growing an array of seedlings - mangos, guavas and limes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000K3r09X6EfVE/fit=1000x750/JDK-041028-356150.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="266" src="http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000K3r09X6EfVE/fit=1000x750/JDK-041028-356150.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
"I have now decided to prepare a tree nursery and weave
baskets and mats. The present income is not as much as it used to be,
but the beginning is always difficult. I hope to be successful."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://coastalcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/seaweed-garden-zanzibar.jpg" class="decoded" height="225" src="http://coastalcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/seaweed-garden-zanzibar.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>'s government has commissioned more research into the exact reasons for the seaweed mortality and how to counteract it.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/u/TvyamNb-BivtNwcoxtkc5xGBuGkIMh_nj4UJHQKuorwYXuI2O3RPIEjNcD8_m64NCCKjwN5EBK2rOw/" class="decoded" height="266" src="http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/u/TvyamNb-BivtNwcoxtkc5xGBuGkIMh_nj4UJHQKuorwYXuI2O3RPIEjNcD8_m64NCCKjwN5EBK2rOw/" width="400" /></div>
<br />
Some scientists have suggested moving the farms to deep water
where it is cooler. This has had some success in the neighbouring
island of Pemba, which is now contributing 80% to <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>'s seaweed
exports. <br />
But the problem for the women in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>is that traditionally they cannot swim.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.rnw.nl/data/files/imagecache/rnw_slideshow/images/image/article/2011/05/woman-on-zanzibar-farming-s.jpg" class="decoded" height="300" src="http://www.rnw.nl/data/files/imagecache/rnw_slideshow/images/image/article/2011/05/woman-on-zanzibar-farming-s.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
So, now they must either learn how to swim or say goodbye to seaweed farming.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.fredhoogervorst.com/oni.app/local/upload/04572.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="583" src="http://www.fredhoogervorst.com/oni.app/local/upload/04572.jpg" width="377" /></div>
<br />
<br />
Taken from: <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26770151">http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26770151</a> [28.03.2014] </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-61759625152779361692014-03-13T14:22:00.002+02:002014-03-13T14:22:51.084+02:00Island of Lemurs: Madagascar Official Trailer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-22832885745115316182014-03-04T08:52:00.003+02:002014-03-04T08:52:49.438+02:00Ocean Paradise Resort Zanzibar- Spa Now Open<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 118%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s with great pleasure to announce that the <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/ocean-paradise/">Ocean Paradise Resort</a> in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>, Spa is
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<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/ocean-paradise/"><img alt="http://www.africanencounters.com/ocean-paradise/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYqkCtmKG289jNnqI_TaqrivxvNOzsDzJMgN0nTsD1m_kBk9ns0oxVXkfpFy6-_Fn03nCa2P930DQS3LPZybBWAKN24DfhInKdC2yB7fsyr0WkfhKM7ptnJzT7uIOgjlCvG1b9OMRKRI/s1600/Ocean+Paradise.jpg" height="640" width="574" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-12932995994520007442014-02-13T08:35:00.000+02:002014-02-13T08:35:32.494+02:00Travel video: the beauty of Rwanda<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-40855818094919885562013-12-17T11:58:00.000+02:002013-12-17T12:04:18.098+02:00Rwanda: Land of Beauty & Forgiveness.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xefGaUp0oclHgj8NqfYiJ4XKbZ7ADUKyJk-gBpp4AaRIn3WBnYGYIf_W05TWSUuMhdcVpY61grES5BUXcBtqnXZYIu_t8aHHJYPN_pSzV1oixmsiaEZ8L07nBaUnSy8i5fJfuBAGVu8/s1600/IMG_1364.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xefGaUp0oclHgj8NqfYiJ4XKbZ7ADUKyJk-gBpp4AaRIn3WBnYGYIf_W05TWSUuMhdcVpY61grES5BUXcBtqnXZYIu_t8aHHJYPN_pSzV1oixmsiaEZ8L07nBaUnSy8i5fJfuBAGVu8/s640/IMG_1364.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="425" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I was invited to go to Rwanda for three nights in the
beginning of June this year by Rwandair & the Serena Hotel group. I must be
completely honest in knowing that the trip would not include a trip to see the
Gorillas (Rwanda is one of only two countries in which mountain gorillas can be
visited safely) I wasn’t expect much of this country in the middle of Africa. People
just see Rwanda as the country with gorillas and of course they see the country
for the devastating genocide that rocked the world in 1994. Unfortunately there
is just no way of talking about Rwanda without somebody bringing up the movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hotel Rwanda</i> & the genocide. Not
exactly the only thing this country wants to be known for, but they are content
in the fact that they might be a lesson to the world to prevent something like
this happening again. But before I get into detail on this let me get back to
my trip.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MEe76YPNwzXAMcurzm5tA9mXWibSkmjzNfKFzJ-aVIeu8pNn2b6QS-tE1_XprVNKUVZUBlzjfGnfBJFHDJo4X1PkJNj3mSDImTJT3q2AZp4ParSB-n8k5pGur7vDIbdA7ZcS_Rrzwfc/s1600/IMG_1028.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MEe76YPNwzXAMcurzm5tA9mXWibSkmjzNfKFzJ-aVIeu8pNn2b6QS-tE1_XprVNKUVZUBlzjfGnfBJFHDJo4X1PkJNj3mSDImTJT3q2AZp4ParSB-n8k5pGur7vDIbdA7ZcS_Rrzwfc/s400/IMG_1028.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="400" /></a></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Flying Rwandair for the
first time, I was a bit sceptic flying on a middle Africa based airline that is
not that well known yet. But after receiving good service and having a good
take-off I was having a relaxing time watching the beautiful continent
unfolding under us with the flight crossing the Great Rift Valley and Lake
Malawi. Luckily I had a nice window seat. It was just little less than a 4 hour
flight but time flew by quickly. Landing was a bit bumpy due to the mountain
winds and the misty weather, but we landed at the small airport in the capital
of Kigali. It was just before landing at this airport on the 6<sup>th</sup> of
April 1994, when President Juvénal Habyarimana of Rwanda was returning from a
summit in Tanzania when a surface-to-air missile shot his plane out of the sky
over Rwanda's capital city of Kigali which triggered the genocide. Strangely
enough the plane crashed into the president’s own barracks and after the investigation
of witness’s testimony years later it was found that the missile was launched
from one of the president’s own military camps. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Airport is small but
what really surprised me was the sign behind the immigration counters that was
promoting people to bring their businesses to Rwanda and the 5 easy steps to
obtain business rights. There was also an automated counter for locals to scan
their passports to re-enter the country in a few seconds. Something the South
African government can definitely invest in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And if that wasn’t the only surprise I was handed scissors to cut the
plastic from my bag that was wrapped at OR Tambo International Airport (me and
my scepticism flying airlines I have never flown before). I was told that I
wasn’t allowed to step out of the airport with any plastic bag or even the
wrapping around my suitcase, to prevent littering in their country. I was very
impressed with this rule but I doubted the implementation of it, as a lot of
good rules like this never get implemented properly. Stepping out of the
airport I was already looking around for plastic bags and litter just to see if
I was right with my cynicism, but I was proven wrong. Not even a cigarette bud
in sight. I have just arrived in the cleanest country I have ever travelled to.
Again I was thinking that there is so much South Africa can learn from this
country after just being there for a few minutes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">We were picked up by two
4x4 vehicles at the airport and we were off to the Kigali Serena hotel situated
in the middle of Kigali city. On the way to the city centre we passed the
parliament building. From the distance the parliament would appear like any
other normal parliament in the world, yet there are shell holes in the
town-facing-side of the parliament. Rebels occupied the parliament and
government troops fired rockets onto the parliament to recover the parliament.
Hence today those scars from the civil war are still visible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRvL7CKKkqSz7Q89LD6RHqNXQZfU30A33DdX0Gw4z6_Al7WIdcnqgykVNFoJxn1rHAIV60rcUhOkqiffdpRsaGrsK0Sc6YMQFeE4qsY9MqIU2k651tK88VjFwCr-JDZVgpArrZ5KPipM/s1600/IMG_1437.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRvL7CKKkqSz7Q89LD6RHqNXQZfU30A33DdX0Gw4z6_Al7WIdcnqgykVNFoJxn1rHAIV60rcUhOkqiffdpRsaGrsK0Sc6YMQFeE4qsY9MqIU2k651tK88VjFwCr-JDZVgpArrZ5KPipM/s640/IMG_1437.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The city was almost knocked to the ground during the 100
days of the genocide but today new modern buildings are shooting up everywhere
thanks to the governments stand on promoting other countries to invest and
bring their business to Rwanda. The Serena hotel is situated in the middle of
the city facing the mountain from witch Kigali derived its name from. The name
"Kigali" comprises the Bantu prefix "ki" and Rwanda
"gali" meaning "broad." Seeing a glimpse of the other
hotels in Kigali I will rate the Kigali Serena as the best looking by far. The
service and the staff are very good, starting from the welcome at the door to the
service in the restaurant. The beautiful kept gardens and swimming pool made it
look like a hidden oasis surrounded by the hotel building itself. Here we had a
very nice buffet lunch before our drive to the west of the country. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznaUpG7JHS5bxljdliegxGfe7lwfwau9ojI6FkGgVeG3zaOTLzgYUQCMrthDL-c-BMurnwb3Wnmvx6lGZbcqpvM86GRa2krLPbOvepp2lGGAMGlByoP1FvxCwm0jDHZcsBKZYxA7duxs/s1600/IMG_1045.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznaUpG7JHS5bxljdliegxGfe7lwfwau9ojI6FkGgVeG3zaOTLzgYUQCMrthDL-c-BMurnwb3Wnmvx6lGZbcqpvM86GRa2krLPbOvepp2lGGAMGlByoP1FvxCwm0jDHZcsBKZYxA7duxs/s640/IMG_1045.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Just after lunch we jumped in the 4x4 heading to the road to
the west that started immediately with a steep pass. Suddenly it dawned on me
why they call Rwanda the country of a thousand hills. Already after the first
kilometre we have raised a few meters higher than the city. Not the greatest
road to get stuck behind a truck. Although a lot of the cyclist appreciate
these trucks, because they hang on to the back going uphill. A dangerous ploy
but saying that I really don’t blame them for doing it with steep passes likes
these. The maximum speed limit in Rwanda is 80km/h which sounds very slow but
with a country that mostly consists of mountains, steep passes and villages on
the edge of the road it’s understandable. This also gives you a chance of
enjoying the beautiful mountainous scenery with the locals vegetable gardens
filling up the inside of the valleys next to the rivers with their self-made
channels to give everyone fare access to the water. </span></div>
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On the road to the west we
passed a lot of small villages and a few beautiful waterfalls. At a distance we
even saw bits of the Volcanoes National Parks Mountains sticking out through
the mist. These mountains consisting of five of the eight <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcano" title="Volcano"><span style="color: blue; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">volcanoes</span></a>
of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virunga_Mountains" title="Virunga Mountains"><span style="color: blue; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Virunga Mountains</span></a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Karisimbi" title="Mount Karisimbi"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">Karisimbi</span></a>,
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Bisoke" title="Mount Bisoke"><span style="color: blue; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Bisoke</span></a>,
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Muhabura" title="Mount Muhabura"><span style="color: blue; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Muhabura</span></a>,
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Gahinga" title="Mount Gahinga"><span style="color: blue; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Gahinga</span></a>
and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sabyinyo" title="Mount Sabyinyo"><span style="color: blue; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Sabyinyo</span></a>)and the park is also home of
the critically endangered mountain gorilla. The park was the base for the
zoologist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dian_Fossey" title="Dian Fossey"><span style="color: blue; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Dian Fossey</span></a>.
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcBOvIR_6_XwhY053WL-MKms2K2Hwuk6NHGzeJVm_W4vkRqdv9nxrs_4ayBao14KROiLmCRKf4Ig5uxy3lrONDLkACBHBYxjVblcfurmGEnvsxfoXjEjJhyphenhyphenDLBGz6x-mIaopZet2BoX4/s1600/IMG_1074.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcBOvIR_6_XwhY053WL-MKms2K2Hwuk6NHGzeJVm_W4vkRqdv9nxrs_4ayBao14KROiLmCRKf4Ig5uxy3lrONDLkACBHBYxjVblcfurmGEnvsxfoXjEjJhyphenhyphenDLBGz6x-mIaopZet2BoX4/s640/IMG_1074.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="426" /></a></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span>We were on our way to Lake Kivu; the name comes from <i>kivu</i>
which means "lake".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It lies on
the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in
the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. Lake Kivu
empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika.
Just before arriving at the lake the landscape changes from the smaller
vegetable gardens to bigger tea plantations. Tea & coffee are the biggest
exports of the country with the high altitudes, steep slopes and volcanic soils
providing favourable conditions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-QY9EQMqi9ded6GDOI9uKXIw-J31Vri3GFdgwg0OCYlb2m6ceIW1zG2ozni83Zmuapwqi6vRBzQ_9BQaaFcwUHJKH9g7nqOQixbr2hau2BqeCp5LnCxvn8aS7i3umKqo7TT8ocqdw8Y/s1600/IMG_1098.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-QY9EQMqi9ded6GDOI9uKXIw-J31Vri3GFdgwg0OCYlb2m6ceIW1zG2ozni83Zmuapwqi6vRBzQ_9BQaaFcwUHJKH9g7nqOQixbr2hau2BqeCp5LnCxvn8aS7i3umKqo7TT8ocqdw8Y/s640/IMG_1098.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">We arrived at night with just the absences of light showing
us the lines of where the lake should be. It was also a Friday night which I
think was the reason why all the locals were gathering and playing in the
streets, which didn’t make it easy for our poor driver. It almost looked like
the locals were in the streets to make use of the lights of the cars passing
by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dangerous!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmmU9YgXrf4NwxMplmG7BTdNY6V6_eYVkqHZXHBK5SYr6sOpXlLcpYg7eKu7VvgZqPOnowka9_KycTZt_wLa_NuOrkJd6ythooZPu22fpnFwmltSQ-79O9bk7K3ajjKKl7bl7bVYr_pw/s1600/IMG_1114.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmmU9YgXrf4NwxMplmG7BTdNY6V6_eYVkqHZXHBK5SYr6sOpXlLcpYg7eKu7VvgZqPOnowka9_KycTZt_wLa_NuOrkJd6ythooZPu22fpnFwmltSQ-79O9bk7K3ajjKKl7bl7bVYr_pw/s640/IMG_1114.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="426" /></a></span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMr2chbd5_T3QlcrEbc0wxUWHbKBWYTA31eb2CJfGhgc_4qQMm8vrQrScoMpeL3BvNpxe1RXb1536e5b8YI79AX5kjzmJ_BgPOvhGH_OsNiFo2YxC5bT3InbcjM1ELT9YJiLhT0smIhE/s640/IMG_1244.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="426" /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Arriving at the Lake Kivu Serena Hotel we were again
welcomed by the friendly faces of the reception staff. After being showed to
our rooms we were taken to the restaurant where we were spoiled by a variety of
food on the buffet table including beautiful grilled goat fillet. A lot of
people will pull up their noses for goat but at least here they tell you it’s
goat where in other African countries you will be told that it’s a nice piece
of lamb. After a very good dinner I was off to bed after a long day of flying
for almost four hours and then driving for four hours. It didn’t take long for
me to fall asleep with the sounds of people getting together in the streets and
now and then a vehicle that hooted most probably for another pedestrian taking
a chance in the darkest of the night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBhpyGVEhbNnY0eoED-GcZODET4gYMiNYjgIh6N1aYfepOBiKc5nD18kB8Iy1_07VXpbT9CSrzDYj1b9uSvBLhk5TZ-3-46MbK0A3-MnhgXEX7gRtTWhn8-yTJqH9eJn7jkrTNY6DVdk/s1600/IMG_1117.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBhpyGVEhbNnY0eoED-GcZODET4gYMiNYjgIh6N1aYfepOBiKc5nD18kB8Iy1_07VXpbT9CSrzDYj1b9uSvBLhk5TZ-3-46MbK0A3-MnhgXEX7gRtTWhn8-yTJqH9eJn7jkrTNY6DVdk/s400/IMG_1117.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The next morning I was surprised by the lake that was just
in front of the hotel. What a beautiful scene with the green mountains on the
one side and the beautiful lake on the other. The lake covers a total surface
area of some 2,700 km<sup>2</sup> and stands at a height of 1,460 metres
above sea level. 58% of the lake's waters lie within DRC borders. The lake bed
sits upon a rift valley that is slowly being pulled apart, causing volcanic activity
in the area, and making it particularly deep: its maximum depth of 480m is
ranked eighteenth in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another
thing that makes the lake unique is that’s it’s one of three lakes in the
world, that experience limnic eruptions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lake Kivu has recently been found to contain
approximately 55 billion cubic metres of dissolved methane gas at a depth of
300 metres. First being extracted to supply the local brewery with electricity,
it’s now being extracted on a huge scale to supply the country with electricity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">We were picked up at the hotel after a good breakfast for a
drive through the town of Gisenyi and to the border post of the DRC where our
cameras were almost confiscated because we “might” have taken a picture that “might”
have had a police officer in. After deleting the necessary pictures under the
watchful eye of the police we were off to see the hot springs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hot springs is a source which is used by a
lot of the local people for bathing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
also because of the high temperatures of the water coming through the surface
of the lake shore, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>locals even use this
water for cooking as we saw some locals cooking a fish and a piece of corn
directly in the water.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">After this we were taken to a small lodge on the edge of the
lake, where we boarded the Serena hotel boat for a cruise back to the hotel
past the methane rig. Only then you realise how big the lake is. The rig is
situated almost on the border with the DRC on the lake. A lot of birds use the
rig as resting place when crossing the lake. About 10minutes from the rig we
were back on the beach in front of the Serena Hotel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">At the hotel we were treated to a nice “beach” braai with
local dancing and singing by the <i>Intore</i> dancers with their long white
mains. After another busy day I was off to bed where I didn’t even hear the
locals in the street as the previous night because I was sleeping as soon as my
head touched my pillow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The next morning we were picked up by the vehicles for our
drive back to Kigali. At least we had a nice clear day in which we saw more of
the scenery the road had to offer and we stopped at one of the waterfalls. We
also stopped at a small village where some of the hottest chilli sauce was
being produced. I am not sure how healthy it is but it is HOT!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7Kw0eXkHKYh_o2xF2yNLf5qk-z86k1tXzglGtwmm8Pe1nsPEiL1HbaXc1qYbQyhIaN3aN38lDGMPyRahK4vhhHpz1JK5O0i-XT5llz4-De-oJCEsUT1Bx1HjXI2zBDs-qiZldf1Stgw/s1600/IMG_1393.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7Kw0eXkHKYh_o2xF2yNLf5qk-z86k1tXzglGtwmm8Pe1nsPEiL1HbaXc1qYbQyhIaN3aN38lDGMPyRahK4vhhHpz1JK5O0i-XT5llz4-De-oJCEsUT1Bx1HjXI2zBDs-qiZldf1Stgw/s640/IMG_1393.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Back in Kigali we checked in at the Kigali Serena Hotel and
then we were off to the Genocide memorial. I am a huge fan of history and not
knowing too much about the genocide than what was betrayed by the movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hotel Rwanda, </i>I was looking forward
visiting the memorial. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAtqdH2GJfqx8lFeb0TxfZzQl4auwrRbH20XUxlN3o5UfIzHurW3dS4a05C6E_hQtilHRCDd_BCpRYKjy-49_bPdfia-NoI_Yo555A9Q0tpNLCIwdmF85ePxGqCF-goF5fHNMHuXsWLg/s1600/IMG_1432.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAtqdH2GJfqx8lFeb0TxfZzQl4auwrRbH20XUxlN3o5UfIzHurW3dS4a05C6E_hQtilHRCDd_BCpRYKjy-49_bPdfia-NoI_Yo555A9Q0tpNLCIwdmF85ePxGqCF-goF5fHNMHuXsWLg/s400/IMG_1432.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I could just feel the morbid atmosphere as we arrived and I
was soon to find out why. The museum hosts a few exhibitions of other genocides
that occurred in the world and then it had the main exhibition explaining the series
of events that caused the Rwanda genocide of 1994. It also had a room just with
pictures of people, mothers, fathers, grannies, granddads, brothers, sisters,
etc. that was killed in the genocide. Then it had a room with clothes that was
worn by the victims and then a room with bones of some of the unknown victims. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlX8BNNrrQJk5msUKcNI0pp8SYn_lJFxnFDb3Z-riP8LwlTsw1erxXsupfeOaW8HX69PUzDYCC5YrduNl4Ys6h0oXBpU60AnxEyig0b1Vug6KBg1CgURqWdGLQ5AJjiclV9t4iYiLUAsc/s1600/IMG_1425.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlX8BNNrrQJk5msUKcNI0pp8SYn_lJFxnFDb3Z-riP8LwlTsw1erxXsupfeOaW8HX69PUzDYCC5YrduNl4Ys6h0oXBpU60AnxEyig0b1Vug6KBg1CgURqWdGLQ5AJjiclV9t4iYiLUAsc/s640/IMG_1425.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="425" /></a></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The worst room that actually got me gasping for air was the
room that had pictures of the baby & child victims. Each picture had
information on their favourite food, favourite toys, their friend’s names and
the way they were killed. I couldn’t stay in this room for too long because I
just couldn’t take anymore and I had to go out for fresh air. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT8FGNoKQuyi3jZPr5bExc1zgYXcQ-i6G_8vxvOGnJwq_0lUvanrkVaLDJRSp7HLFNxuWQSHaaeU5MXNDVWNnuSltibUZXWals_j6GtHe7f0a0nDAeMDzepoKlj_N25FDDraJQuH-Vkzw/s1600/IMG_1427.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT8FGNoKQuyi3jZPr5bExc1zgYXcQ-i6G_8vxvOGnJwq_0lUvanrkVaLDJRSp7HLFNxuWQSHaaeU5MXNDVWNnuSltibUZXWals_j6GtHe7f0a0nDAeMDzepoKlj_N25FDDraJQuH-Vkzw/s400/IMG_1427.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="266" /></a></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Outside they have a mass grave where 250,000 of the unknown
victims were buried which I passed on my way back to the vehicle for our
transfer back to the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The drive
back was in silence with everyone just trying to get to grips on what they have
just seen and experience. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeImY3yOtVH3YH-6JMQ0m-iq5tK5B7mjkhOnhn2I-bKJYDEkYk-wyAVhTobvU-AEPcmxjCNiFNwU6eL1WWXyYteNjjSe_LbvdOgD-22DEffk4F_tiKo5lsYeJerGHkUxkK_JDYrUqdv8/s1600/IMG_1426.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeImY3yOtVH3YH-6JMQ0m-iq5tK5B7mjkhOnhn2I-bKJYDEkYk-wyAVhTobvU-AEPcmxjCNiFNwU6eL1WWXyYteNjjSe_LbvdOgD-22DEffk4F_tiKo5lsYeJerGHkUxkK_JDYrUqdv8/s640/IMG_1426.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="425" /></a></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Back at the hotel we were given time to refresh and get ready
for another well varied buffet dinner. A group of us decided to have refreshment
next to the beautiful pool and we got stuck there talking about what we saw at the
genocide museum and how surprised we were with the beauty of the country. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYaRp_cpbhW-R5FVzfgUWvpNwkCrSaspoUhQE32KPSA4OFCSI7PeDgTigWprM58zaMbR3XuI4ovAUnb1ZAn1y-DBOhaWh4raVXHpiXRnUcPzTvTP3AcE8SSK5GX0A10Rt4Q_fN_W3I5A/s1600/IMG_1443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYaRp_cpbhW-R5FVzfgUWvpNwkCrSaspoUhQE32KPSA4OFCSI7PeDgTigWprM58zaMbR3XuI4ovAUnb1ZAn1y-DBOhaWh4raVXHpiXRnUcPzTvTP3AcE8SSK5GX0A10Rt4Q_fN_W3I5A/s400/IMG_1443.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The next morning we were on our way back to the airport for
our flight back to South Africa and I just couldn’t stop thinking of all the
lessons us in South Africa can learn from a small country like this that was
demolished to the ground not just with the genocide, but also after years of tribal
fighting, suppression & discrimination. We have no idea what it is to keep
our country clean; with people throwing out rubbish out of their car windows
like it’s their duty to create job opportunities. We have so much fraud and
here is a country which has big signboards giving their word to their citizens
that they tolerate 0% fraud. Looking at the presidential residence you can see
not a lot of funds were wasted on unneeded luxuries. We have no idea on what it
is to do our bit for our country, with the Rwandese people doing their bit once
a month for a whole day doing something for their country from maintaining the
streets to the maintaining of government gardens, etc. But most of all what we
need to learn from them is forgiveness. The way the one tribe forgave the other
and now live in harmony is unimaginable, but still they did it and still do it.
Not forgetting all the hardships and the evil that happened in the past like
the genocide and civil/guerrilla wars, but learning from it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQ_Mhr6SFJJ3Xv8wmfOCMIexwCc1uyg-XMrzfMOzKDyIkNirjay0csCzixNTG6R1foP-gSrrOIrELKNrk8FmC4PEpfu8Y2YitLrrlE8zbwqo0YM8B8oNR-eMquufKsOvDXkDynqCODbM/s1600/IMG_1253.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQ_Mhr6SFJJ3Xv8wmfOCMIexwCc1uyg-XMrzfMOzKDyIkNirjay0csCzixNTG6R1foP-gSrrOIrELKNrk8FmC4PEpfu8Y2YitLrrlE8zbwqo0YM8B8oNR-eMquufKsOvDXkDynqCODbM/s640/IMG_1253.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="425" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">In South Africa
forgiveness is still to be found and unfortunately the Rwanda lesson is still
to be learned. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V714rB9u7c3-4Ri9OpYgvBpApXRRLovn_YOUOORBgujdcKrGJMvQmiZ4fEp5R6vTKsqSg7fpWonsoF3ZU31R9RpRAYbsvg1MSMSGiLMUmpoa_aMCM6sQ7xgSxqDru6T8GRb5ABJ1geg/s1600/IMG_1424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V714rB9u7c3-4Ri9OpYgvBpApXRRLovn_YOUOORBgujdcKrGJMvQmiZ4fEp5R6vTKsqSg7fpWonsoF3ZU31R9RpRAYbsvg1MSMSGiLMUmpoa_aMCM6sQ7xgSxqDru6T8GRb5ABJ1geg/s400/IMG_1424.JPG" title="Rwanda 2013 © Juan Nel" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Pictures and text by <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/juan-nel/">Juan Nel</a></span></b></span> </div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-84572557310483728352013-12-06T07:15:00.000+02:002013-12-06T07:26:57.518+02:00Good Bye Madiba...you may rest.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">taken from: The Biography Channel website- <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/nelson-mandela-9397017">http://www.biography.com/people/nelson-mandela-9397017</a></span> <br />
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<img alt="http://images.askmen.com/1200x600/video/top_10/top-49-influential-men-nelson-mandela-5-1088608-TwoByOne.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="225" src="http://images.askmen.com/1200x600/video/top_10/top-49-influential-men-nelson-mandela-5-1088608-TwoByOne.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="dot">Nelson Mandela </span></h3>
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in Transkei, South Africa.
Becoming actively involved in the anti-apartheid movement in his 20s,
Mandela joined the African National Congress in 1942. For 20 years, he
directed a campaign of peaceful, non-violent defiance against the South
African government and its racist policies. In 1993, Mandela and South
African President <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/fw-de-klerk-9270025">F.W. de Klerk</a>
were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to
dismantle the country's apartheid system. In 1994, Mandela was
inaugurated as South Africa's first black president. In 2009, <a href="http://www.biography.com/bio-now/nelson-mandelas-birthday-and-biography-a-timeline-of-events-20881773">Mandela's birthday</a> (July 18) was declared Mandela Day to promote global peace and celebrate the South African leader's legacy.<br />
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<img alt="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7cvhlmq951qbm3nwo1_400.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7cvhlmq951qbm3nwo1_400.jpg" /></div>
<h3>
Early Life</h3>
Nelson Mandela was born Rolihlahla Mandela on July 18, 1918, in
the tiny village of Mvezo, on the banks of the Mbashe River in Transkei,
South Africa. "Rolihlahla" in the Xhosa language literally means
"pulling the branch of a tree," but more commonly translates as
"troublemaker."<br />
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<img alt="http://urbanmogullife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/nelson-mandela.jpg" class="decoded" height="614" src="http://urbanmogullife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/nelson-mandela.jpg" width="399" /></div>
<br />
Nelson Mandela's father, who was destined to be a chief, served as a
counselor to tribal chiefs for several years, but lost both his title
and fortune over a dispute with the local colonial magistrate. Mandela
was only an infant at the time, and his father's loss of status forced
his mother to move the family to Qunu, an even smaller village north of
Mvezo. The village was nestled in a narrow grassy valley; there were no
roads, only foot paths that linked the pastures where livestock grazed.
The family lived in huts and ate a local harvest of maize, sorghum,
pumpkin and beans, which was all they could afford. Water came from
springs and streams and cooking was done outdoors. Mandela played the
games of young boys, acting out male rights-of-passage scenarios with
toys he made from the natural materials available, including tree
branches and clay.<br />
At the suggestion of one of his father's friends, Mandela was
baptized in the Methodist Church. He went on to become the first in his
family to attend school. As was custom at the time, and probably due to
the bias of the British educational system in South Africa, Mandela's
teacher told him that his new first name would be Nelson.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.findingdulcinea.com/docroot/dulcinea/fd_images/news/on-this-day/June/Nelson-Mandela-Sentenced-to-Life-in-Prison/news/0/image.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.findingdulcinea.com/docroot/dulcinea/fd_images/news/on-this-day/June/Nelson-Mandela-Sentenced-to-Life-in-Prison/news/0/image.jpg" /></div>
<br />
When Mandela was 9 years old, his father died of lung disease,
causing his life to change dramatically. He was adopted by Chief
Jongintaba Dalindyebo, the acting regent of the Thembu people—a gesture
done as a favor to Mandela's father, who, years earlier, had recommended
Jongintaba be made chief. Mandela subsequently left the carefree life
he knew in Qunu, fearing that he would never see his village again. He
traveled by motorcar to Mqhekezweni, the provincial capital of
Thembuland, to the chief's royal residence. Though he had not forgotten
his beloved village of Qunu, he quickly adapted to the new, more
sophisticated surroundings of Mqhekezweni.<br />
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<img alt="http://www.nelsonmandela.org/images/uploads/MandelaThembi.jpg" class="decoded" height="320" src="http://www.nelsonmandela.org/images/uploads/MandelaThembi.jpg" width="257" /></div>
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<img alt="http://cdn.mg.co.za/content/documents/2013/04/04/MANDELA-TREASON-TRIAL.jpg" class="decoded" height="318" src="http://cdn.mg.co.za/content/documents/2013/04/04/MANDELA-TREASON-TRIAL.jpg" width="400" /></div>
Mandela was given the same status and responsibilities as the
regent's two other children, his son and oldest child, Justice, and
daughter Nomafu.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://belgraviagallery.com/sites/default/files/styles/zoom/public/Nelson%20Mandela%20in%20his%20law%20office,%201952.jpg" class="decoded" height="400" src="http://belgraviagallery.com/sites/default/files/styles/zoom/public/Nelson%20Mandela%20in%20his%20law%20office,%201952.jpg" width="400" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/MLiaSLZQHUefuvtIHo446A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD00NTc7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/07/18/RTR1L084-jpg_140930.jpg" class="decoded" height="232" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/MLiaSLZQHUefuvtIHo446A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD00NTc7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/07/18/RTR1L084-jpg_140930.jpg" width="320" /></div>
Mandela took classes in a one-room school next to the palace,
studying English, Xhosa, history and geography. It was during this
period that Mandela developed his interest in African history from elder
chiefs who came to the Great Palace on official business. He learned
how the African people had lived in relative peace until the coming of
the white people. According to the elders, the children of South Africa
had lived as brothers, but the white man shattered this fellowship.
While the black man shared his land, air and water with the white man,
the white man took all of these things for himself.<br />
<br />
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<img alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Af5gAkI2cdc/UAP9E__7BvI/AAAAAAAAFds/mBw1PPJzrIs/s400/mandela-1940.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Af5gAkI2cdc/UAP9E__7BvI/AAAAAAAAFds/mBw1PPJzrIs/s400/mandela-1940.jpg" /> </div>
<br />
When Mandela was 16, it was time for him to partake in the
traditional African circumcision ritual to mark his entrance into
manhood. The ceremony of circumcision was not just a surgical procedure,
but an elaborate ritual in preparation for manhood. In African
tradition, an uncircumcised man cannot inherit his father's wealth,
marry or officiate at tribal rituals. Mandela participated in the
ceremony with 25 other boys. He welcomed the opportunity to partake in
his people's customs and felt ready to make the transition from boyhood
to manhood. His mood shifted during the proceedings, however, when Chief
Meligqili, the main speaker at the ceremony, spoke sadly of the young
men, explaining that they were enslaved in their own country. Because
their land was controlled by white men, they would never have the power
to govern themselves, the chief said. He went on to lament that the
promise of the young men would be squandered as they struggled to make a
living and perform mindless chores for white men. Mandela would later
say that while the chief's words didn't make total sense to him at the
time, they would eventually formulate his resolve for an independent
South Africa.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.nelsonmandela.org/images/uploads/madiba-schoolphoto-large.jpg" class="decoded" height="219" src="http://www.nelsonmandela.org/images/uploads/madiba-schoolphoto-large.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
From the time Mandela came under the guardianship of Regent
Jongintaba, he was groomed to assume high office, not as a chief, but a
counselor to one. As Thembu royalty, Nelson attended a Wesleyan mission
school, the Clarkebury Boarding Institute and Wesleyan College, where,
he would later state, he found interest and achieved academic success
through "plain hard work." He also excelled at track and boxing. Mandela
was initially mocked as a "country boy" by his Wesleyan classmates, but
eventually became friends with several students, including Mathona, his
first female friend.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://ourblackstars.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Nelson-Mandela-Picture-49.jpg" class="decoded" height="230" src="http://ourblackstars.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Nelson-Mandela-Picture-49.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
In 1939, Mandela enrolled at the University College of Fort Hare, the
only residential center of higher learning for blacks in South Africa
at the time. Fort Hare was considered Africa's equivalent of Oxford or
Harvard, drawing scholars from all parts of sub-Sahara Africa. In his
first year at the university, Mandela took the required courses, but
focused on Roman Dutch law to prepare for a career in civil service as
an interpreter or clerk—regarded as the best profession a black man
could obtain at the time.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://i1.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article745751.ece/ALTERNATES/s927b/1950+(circa)+Nelson+Mandela,+leader+of+the+African+National+Congress+(ANC),+adopts+a+boxing+pose" class="decoded" height="320" src="http://i1.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article745751.ece/ALTERNATES/s927b/1950+%28circa%29+Nelson+Mandela,+leader+of+the+African+National+Congress+%28ANC%29,+adopts+a+boxing+pose" width="224" /></div>
<br />
In his second year at Fort Hare, Mandela was elected to the Student
Representative Council. For some time, students had been dissatisfied
with the food and lack of power held by the SRC. During this election, a
majority of students voted to boycott unless their demands were met.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/images/rivonia_mandela_algeria_1962_0.jpg" class="decoded" height="198" src="http://www.sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/images/rivonia_mandela_algeria_1962_0.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
Aligning with the student majority, Mandela resigned from his
position. Seeing this as an act of insubordination, the university's Dr.
Kerr expelled Mandela for the rest of the year, but gave him an
ultimatum: He could return if he agreed to serve on the SRC. When
Mandela returned home, the regent was furious, telling Mandela
unequivocally that he would have to recant his decision and go back to
school in the fall.<br />
<h3>
Mandela's Imprisonment</h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/4/5/1365173493050/nelson-mandela-rivonia-an-008.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/4/5/1365173493050/nelson-mandela-rivonia-an-008.jpg" /></div>
<br />
A few weeks after Nelson Mandela's return home, Regent Jongintaba
announced that he had arranged a marriage for his adopted son. The
regent wanted to make sure that Mandela's life was properly planned, and
the arrangement was within his right, as tribal custom dictated.
Shocked by the news, feeling trapped and believing he had no other
option, Mandela ran away from home. He settled in Johannesburg, where he
worked a variety of jobs, including as a guard and a clerk, while
completing his bachelor's degree via correspondence courses. He then
enrolled at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg to study
law.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Mandela_e_Evelyn_1944.jpg/200px-Mandela_e_Evelyn_1944.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Mandela_e_Evelyn_1944.jpg/200px-Mandela_e_Evelyn_1944.jpg" /></div>
<br />
Mandela soon became actively involved in the anti-apartheid movement,
joining the African National Congress in 1942. Within the ANC, a small
group of young Africans banded together, calling themselves the African
National Congress Youth League. Their goal was to transform the ANC into
a mass grassroots movement, deriving strength from millions of rural
peasants and working people who had no voice under the current regime.
Specifically, the group believed that the ANC's old tactics of polite
petitioning were ineffective. In 1949, the ANC officially adopted the
Youth League's methods of boycott, strike, civil disobedience and
non-cooperation, with policy goals of full citizenship, redistribution
of land, trade union rights, and free and compulsory education for all
children.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.ezakwantu.com/Nelson%20Mandela%20-%20Robben%20Island%20Repair%20Cloths.jpg" class="decoded" height="320" src="http://www.ezakwantu.com/Nelson%20Mandela%20-%20Robben%20Island%20Repair%20Cloths.jpg" width="259" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.ezakwantu.com/Nelson%20Mandela%20Robben%20Island.jpg" class="decoded" height="213" src="http://www.ezakwantu.com/Nelson%20Mandela%20Robben%20Island.jpg" width="320" /></div>
For 20 years, Mandela directed peaceful, nonviolent acts of defiance
against the South African government and its racist policies, including
the 1952 Defiance Campaign and the 1955 Congress of the People. He
founded the law firm Mandela and Tambo, partnering with Oliver Tambo, a
brilliant student he'd met while attending Fort Hare. The law firm
provided free and low-cost legal counsel to unrepresented blacks.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/2/11/1265884170760/16-June-1964-Eight-men-am-011.jpg" class="decoded" height="304" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/2/11/1265884170760/16-June-1964-Eight-men-am-011.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/images/2008/06/19/mandela2_470x300.jpg" class="decoded" height="204" src="http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/images/2008/06/19/mandela2_470x300.jpg" width="320" /></div>
In 1956, Mandela and 150 others were arrested and charged with
treason for their political advocacy (they were eventually acquitted).
Meanwhile, the ANC was being challenged by Africanists, a new breed of <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/groups/activists/african-american">black activists</a>
who believed that the pacifist method of the ANC was ineffective.
Africanists soon broke away to form the Pan-Africanist Congress, which
negatively affected the ANC; by 1959, the movement had lost much of its
militant support.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://seoppc.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/free-mandela.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://seoppc.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/free-mandela.jpg" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01819/mandela3_1819228c.jpg" class="decoded" height="199" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01819/mandela3_1819228c.jpg" width="320" /></div>
In 1961, Mandela, who was formerly committed to nonviolent protest,
began to believe that armed struggle was the only way to achieve change
and subsequently co-founded Umkhonto we Sizwe, also known as MK, an
armed offshoot of the ANC dedicated to sabotage and guerilla war tactics
to end apartheid. In 1961, Mandela orchestrated a three-day national
workers' strike.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01736/mandela_1736085c.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01736/mandela_1736085c.jpg" /> </div>
<br />
He was arrested for leading the strike the following year and
sentenced to five years in prison. Then, in 1963, he was brought to
trial again. This time, he and 10 other ANC leaders were sentenced to
life imprisonment for political offenses, including sabotage.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.jacarandafm.com/media/photologue/photos/cache/nelson_mandela_modelbase_list_item_promo_web.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.jacarandafm.com/media/photologue/photos/cache/nelson_mandela_modelbase_list_item_promo_web.jpg" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.ethiosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Nelson-Mandela-Ethiopian-Passport.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.ethiosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Nelson-Mandela-Ethiopian-Passport.jpg" /></div>
Nelson Mandela was incarcerated on Robben Island for 18 of his 27
years in prison. During this time, he contracted tuberculosis and, as a
black political prisoner, received the lowest level of treatment from
prison workers. However, while incarcerated, Mandela was able to earn a
Bachelor of Law degree through a University of London correspondence
program.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.ezakwantu.com/Nelson%20Mandela%20-%20Robben%20Island%20-%20Walter%20Sisulu.jpg" class="decoded" height="246" src="http://www.ezakwantu.com/Nelson%20Mandela%20-%20Robben%20Island%20-%20Walter%20Sisulu.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
A 1981 memoir by South African intelligence agent Gordon Winter
described a plot by the South African government to arrange for
Mandela's escape so as to shoot him during the recapture. The plot was
foiled by British intelligence, however. Mandela continued to be such a
potent symbol of black resistance that a coordinated international
campaign for his release was launched, and this international
groundswell of support exemplified the power and esteem Mandela had in
the global political community.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://linapps.s3.amazonaws.com/linapps/photomojo/lintvnews.com/photos/2011/12/g1660-remembering-nelson-mandela/35747-1952-a0bf9.jpg" class="decoded" height="320" src="http://linapps.s3.amazonaws.com/linapps/photomojo/lintvnews.com/photos/2011/12/g1660-remembering-nelson-mandela/35747-1952-a0bf9.jpg" width="280" /><img alt="https://segue.atlas.uiuc.edu/uploads/mbuckle2/mandela.jpg" class="decoded" height="320" src="https://segue.atlas.uiuc.edu/uploads/mbuckle2/mandela.jpg" width="319" /></div>
<br />
In 1982, Mandela and other ANC leaders were moved to Pollsmoor
Prison, allegedly to enable contact between them and the South African
government. In 1985, President P.W. Botha offered Mandela's release in
exchange for renouncing armed struggle; the prisoner flatly rejected the
offer. With increasing local and international pressure for his
release, the government participated in several talks with Mandela over
the years, but no deal was made. It wasn't until Botha suffered a stroke
and was replaced by Frederik Willem de Klerk that Mandela's release was
finally announced, on February 11, 1990. De Klerk also unbanned the
ANC, removed restrictions on political groups and suspended executions.<br />
<h3>
Prison Release and Presidency</h3>
Upon his release from prison, Nelson Mandela immediately urged
foreign powers not to reduce their pressure on the South African
government for constitutional reform. While he stated that he was
committed to working toward peace, he declared that the ANC's armed
struggle would continue until the black majority received the right to
vote.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2010/7/17/201071712447358734_6.jpg" class="decoded" height="213" src="http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2010/7/17/201071712447358734_6.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Society/Pix/pictures/2010/6/16/1276695289384/NELSON-MANDELA-AND-WINNIE-006.jpg" class="decoded" height="192" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Society/Pix/pictures/2010/6/16/1276695289384/NELSON-MANDELA-AND-WINNIE-006.jpg" width="320" /></div>
In 1991, Mandela was elected president of the African National
Congress, with lifelong friend and colleague Oliver Tambo serving as
national chairperson. Mandela continued to negotiate with President F.W.
de Klerk toward the country's first multiracial elections. White South
Africans were willing to share power, but many black South Africans
wanted a complete transfer of power. The negotiations were often
strained and news of violent eruptions, including the assassination of
ANC leader Chris Hani, continued throughout the country. Mandela had to
keep a delicate balance of political pressure and intense negotiations
amid the demonstrations and armed resistance.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/01/06/Foreign/Images/ANC018.jpg" class="decoded" height="221" src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/01/06/Foreign/Images/ANC018.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
In 1993, Mandela and President de Klerk were jointly awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize for their work toward dismantling apartheid. Due in no
small part to their work, negotiations between black and white South
Africans prevailed: On April 27, 1994, South Africa held its first
democratic elections.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Frederik_de_Klerk_with_Nelson_Mandela_-_World_Economic_Forum_Annual_Meeting_Davos_1992.jpg/250px-Frederik_de_Klerk_with_Nelson_Mandela_-_World_Economic_Forum_Annual_Meeting_Davos_1992.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Frederik_de_Klerk_with_Nelson_Mandela_-_World_Economic_Forum_Annual_Meeting_Davos_1992.jpg/250px-Frederik_de_Klerk_with_Nelson_Mandela_-_World_Economic_Forum_Annual_Meeting_Davos_1992.jpg" /></div>
<br />
Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the country's first black
president on May 10, 1994, at the age of 77, with de Klerk as his first
deputy.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://kpbs.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/croppedphotos/2012/01/09/Tambo_Mandela_t614.jpg?a3ca5463f16dc11451266bb717d38a6025dcea0e" class="decoded" height="235" src="http://kpbs.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/croppedphotos/2012/01/09/Tambo_Mandela_t614.jpg?a3ca5463f16dc11451266bb717d38a6025dcea0e" width="320" /> </div>
<br />
Also in 1994, Mandela published his autobiography, <i>Long Walk to Freedom</i>, much of which he had secretly written while in prison. The following year, he was awarded the Order of Merit.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/mandela_house3.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/mandela_house3.jpg" /></div>
<br />
From 1994 until June 1999, Mandela worked to bring about the
transition from minority rule and apartheid to black majority rule. He
used the nation's enthusiasm for sports as a pivot point to promote
reconciliation between whites and blacks, encouraging black South
Africans to support the once-hated national rugby team. In 1995, South
Africa came to the world stage by hosting the Rugby World Cup, which
brought further recognition and prestige to the young republic.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://estb.msn.com/i/21/3A8DBFB58FA971B5AA5EA2DEDD8.jpg" class="decoded" height="223" src="http://estb.msn.com/i/21/3A8DBFB58FA971B5AA5EA2DEDD8.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
Mandela also worked to protect South Africa's economy from collapse
during his presidency. Through his Reconstruction and Development Plan,
the South African government funded the creation of jobs, housing and
basic health care. In 1996, Mandela signed into law a new constitution
for the nation, establishing a strong central government based on
majority rule, and guaranteeing the rights of minorities and the freedom
of expression.<br />
<h3>
Retirement and Later Career</h3>
By the 1999 general election, Nelson Mandela had retired from
active politics. He continued to maintain a busy schedule, however,
raising money to build schools and clinics in South Africa's rural
heartland through his Mandela Foundation, and serving as a mediator in
Burundi's civil war. He also published a number of books on his life and
struggles, among them <i>No Easy Walk to Freedom</i>; <i>Nelson Mandela: The Struggle is my Life</i>; and <i>Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales</i>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120327052024-mandela-archive-prison-garden-photo-vertical-gallery.jpg" class="decoded" height="320" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120327052024-mandela-archive-prison-garden-photo-vertical-gallery.jpg" width="240" /> </div>
<br />
Mandela was diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer in 2001. In
June 2004, at the age of 85, he announced his formal retirement from
public life and returned to his native village of Qunu.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.dailyherald.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DA&Date=20130612&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=706129914&Ref=EP&NewTbl=1&item=13&maxw=3001&maxh=2495&Q=70&&updated=" class="decoded" height="266" src="http://www.dailyherald.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DA&Date=20130612&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=706129914&Ref=EP&NewTbl=1&item=13&maxw=3001&maxh=2495&Q=70&&updated=" width="320" /></div>
<br />
On July 18, 2007, Mandela convened a group of world leaders,
including Graca Machel, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Gro Harlem
Brundtland, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson and Muhammad Yunus,
to address the world's toughest issues. Named "The Elders," the group
is committed to working both publicly and privately to find solutions to
problems around the globe. Since its inception, the group has made an
impact in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, promoting peace and women's
equality, demanding an end to atrocities, and supporting initiatives to
address humanitarian crises and promote democracy.<br />
<h3>
In Recent Years</h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.hnp.org.za/site/uploads/pics/Mandela-Castro.jpg" class="decoded" height="216" src="http://www.hnp.org.za/site/uploads/pics/Mandela-Castro.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
Nelson Mandela made his last public appearance to date in 2010, at
the final match of the World Cup in South Africa. He has largely
stepped out of the spotlight, choosing to spend much of his time in his
childhood community of Qunu, south of Johannesburg. He did, however,
visit with Michelle Obama, U.S. first lady and wife of President Barack
Obama, during her trip to South Africa in 2011.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.proudlysa.biz/southafricanheroes/images/southafricanhero_madiba_23.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.proudlysa.biz/southafricanheroes/images/southafricanhero_madiba_23.jpg" /></div>
<br />
In recent months, there have been growing concerns about Mandela's health.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://africaneconomics.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/mandela.jpg" class="decoded" height="229" src="http://africaneconomics.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/mandela.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.africanart.org/uploads/rich_text_editor/images/mctalks-harris.jpg" class="decoded" height="214" src="http://www.africanart.org/uploads/rich_text_editor/images/mctalks-harris.jpg" width="320" /></div>
In January 2011, Mandela suffered his first lung infection, and in
early 2012, he was briefly hospitalized in Johannesburg to undergo
surgery for a stomach ailment. He was released after a few days, later
returning to Qunu. In December 2012, the 94-year-old Mandela was
hospitalized for tests and medical treatment relating to a recurrent
lung infection. In March 2013, he was re-admitted to the hospital after
his lung infection returned—marking the third time in two years that the
former president has been hospitalized for a respiratory infection.
Hours later, it was reported that he was responding positively to
treatment.<br />
Jacob Zuma, South Africa's current president, issued a statement in
response to public concern over Mandela's recent health scare, asking
for support in the form of prayer: "We appeal to the people of South
Africa and the world to pray for our beloved Madiba and his family and
to keep them in their thoughts," Zuma said. "We have full confidence in
the medical team and know that they will do everything possible to
ensure recovery."<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.1421999.1370685299!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_940/image.jpg" class="decoded" height="170" src="http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.1421999.1370685299%21/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_940/image.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.hsf.org.za/siteworkspace/suzman-hs037.jpg/image_preview" class="decoded" src="http://www.hsf.org.za/siteworkspace/suzman-hs037.jpg/image_preview" /></div>
Nelson Mandela continues to be a source of inspiration for <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/groups/activists/civil-rights-activists">civil rights activists</a> worldwide. In 2009, <a href="http://www.biography.com/bio-now/nelson-mandelas-birthday-and-biography-a-timeline-of-events-20881773">Mandela's birthday</a>
(July 18) was declared Mandela Day, an international day to promote
global peace and celebrate the South African leader's legacy.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2qsVneEh5SneXCQpulPLTsJ9onm5S6hMXPdPM0vFzbpEjqirk5Fg1NhwcxvM4BPjKoLl9FOXPeR_myyt40U3oLkXyBc_JEjF_ZsDPSP04TqmTH3w8b5bo8yc2FmUWyASYJ-9fBrMLpQ/s1600/mandela-pienaar-95.jpg" class="decoded" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2qsVneEh5SneXCQpulPLTsJ9onm5S6hMXPdPM0vFzbpEjqirk5Fg1NhwcxvM4BPjKoLl9FOXPeR_myyt40U3oLkXyBc_JEjF_ZsDPSP04TqmTH3w8b5bo8yc2FmUWyASYJ-9fBrMLpQ/s320/mandela-pienaar-95.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.dailystar.com.lb/dailystar/Pictures/2013/06/11/181431_mainimg.jpg" class="decoded" height="210" src="http://www.dailystar.com.lb/dailystar/Pictures/2013/06/11/181431_mainimg.jpg" width="320" /></div>
According to the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, the annual event is
meant to encourage citizens worldwide to give back the way that Mandela
has throughout his lifetime. According to a statement on the <a href="http://www.nelsonmandela.org/">Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory's website</a>,
"Mr. Mandela gave 67 years of his life fighting for the rights of
humanity. All we are asking is that everyone gives 67 minutes of their
time, whether it's supporting your chosen charity or serving your local
community."<br />
<h3>
Personal Life</h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/p480x480/5073_587171154647000_1788817951_n.jpg" class="decoded" height="217" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/p480x480/5073_587171154647000_1788817951_n.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
Mandela has been married three times. He was married to Evelyn
Ntoko Mase from 1944 to 1957. The couple had four children together:
Madiba Thembekile, Makgatho, Makaziwe and Maki. He and <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/winnie-mandela-9397037">Winnie Madikizela-Mandela</a> were married from 1958 to 1996; they had two daughters together, Zenani and Zindziswa. In 1998, Mandela married Graça Machel.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/16/article-1295318-0A77BE56000005DC-657_468x313.jpg" class="decoded" height="214" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/16/article-1295318-0A77BE56000005DC-657_468x313.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.localguiding.com/uploads/services/7067/carousel_active/Mandela_museum_soweto.jpeg?1348156525" class="decoded" height="205" src="http://www.localguiding.com/uploads/services/7067/carousel_active/Mandela_museum_soweto.jpeg?1348156525" width="320" /></div>
<br />
<br />
In addition to advocating for peace and equality on both a national
and global scale, Mandela has remained committed to the fight against
AIDS, a disease that killed his son, Makgatho, in 2005.<br />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<span class="dot"> </span><img alt="" height="211" src="http://www.hist.umn.edu/hist1015/Stuff/SA%20&%20Mozambique/GH%20SA%20Mandela%20with%20Tutu.jpg" width="320" /></h1>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/images/mandela_cell.slideshow.jpg" class="decoded" height="211" src="http://www.sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/images/mandela_cell.slideshow.jpg" width="320" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://ancarchives.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DERIV-316_9-4-670x487.jpg" class="decoded" height="232" src="http://ancarchives.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DERIV-316_9-4-670x487.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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<img alt="http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/030/2005030_110514033036_nelson-mandela-boxer2.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/030/2005030_110514033036_nelson-mandela-boxer2.jpg" /></div>
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<img alt="http://www.freedom.co.za/Grandson.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.freedom.co.za/Grandson.jpg" /> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.bet.com/topics/n/nelson-mandela/_jcr_content/topicintro.topicintro.dimg/Nelson-Mandela.jpg" class="decoded" height="179" src="http://www.bet.com/topics/n/nelson-mandela/_jcr_content/topicintro.topicintro.dimg/Nelson-Mandela.jpg" width="320" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2012/08/15/1226449/364790-120818-twam-family.jpg" class="decoded" height="180" src="http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2012/08/15/1226449/364790-120818-twam-family.jpg" width="320" /> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://clutchmag.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Screen-Shot-2012-03-27-at-11.41.10-AM-640x362.png" class="decoded" height="181" src="http://clutchmag.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Screen-Shot-2012-03-27-at-11.41.10-AM-640x362.png" width="320" /> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/121212043025-mandela-gallery-23-horizontal-gallery.jpg" class="decoded" height="225" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/121212043025-mandela-gallery-23-horizontal-gallery.jpg" width="400" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
"<b>Invictus</b>" Madibas favourite poem:<br />
<br />
Out of the night that covers me,<br />
Black as the pit from pole to pole,<br />
I thank whatever gods may be<br />
For my unconquerable soul.<br />
<br />
In the fell clutch of circumstance<br />
I have not winced nor cried aloud.<br />
Under the bludgeonings of chance<br />
My head is bloody, but unbowed.<br />
<br />
Beyond this place of wrath and tears<br />
Looms but the Horror of the shade,<br />
And yet the menace of the years<br />
Finds and shall find me unafraid.<br />
<br />
It matters not how strait the gate,<br />
How charged with punishments the scroll,<br />
I am the master of my fate:<br />
I am the captain of my soul.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ernest_Henley" title="William Ernest Henley">by William Ernest Henley</a> (1849–1903)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Nelson-Mandela-Has-Been-Admitted-To-Hospital-For-A-Recurring-Lung-Infection-33.jpg" class="decoded" height="185" src="http://www.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Nelson-Mandela-Has-Been-Admitted-To-Hospital-For-A-Recurring-Lung-Infection-33.jpg" width="320" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<i>Taken from: Nelson Mandela</i>. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/nelson-mandela-9397017">http://www.biography.com/people/nelson-mandela-9397017</a> [Accessed 13 Jun 2013].<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/99767757" width="100%"></iframe>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-41108757971542007402013-11-26T10:38:00.001+02:002013-11-26T10:38:40.485+02:00AfricaStay acquires African Encounters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFN5999ovM7GTbIqQ3ZtLeYVo-47m5kzY2kSfUIrrNKahbP2v8khhRdEVbdvR2xcMqQoAyYMXpLRaf6redB7M0-DTXgkiogdDY_IONNrNrUO5KZHfNPPpr_N82EPGzFkVqTPtsPJo6fg/s1600/AS.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFN5999ovM7GTbIqQ3ZtLeYVo-47m5kzY2kSfUIrrNKahbP2v8khhRdEVbdvR2xcMqQoAyYMXpLRaf6redB7M0-DTXgkiogdDY_IONNrNrUO5KZHfNPPpr_N82EPGzFkVqTPtsPJo6fg/s1600/AS.png" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-58164873423411299872013-10-23T13:19:00.002+02:002013-10-23T13:21:47.822+02:00Zanzibar op Bravo! Watch it!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLjWGd3sTHboHHOKj184MLsYGKErXZXkDg2rJ6TSTFxubIm89jhUYwpSA-au72AdD5ZpP8d9J0JCA6KhUQOiV5vqRvfByZ32c4rKyanDVwLt4MMO7orPJ9HffvJ1YHju-lMSoG68Acww/s640/Mapenzi+beach+3.jpg" width="550" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://kyknet.dstv.com/category/programme/bravo/"><i>Bravo!</i></a> (KykNET, channel 144, Donderdae @ 19:30) is steeds in die beeldskone <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar"><b>Zanzibar</b></a>, en in een van Donderdag (24 Oktober 2013) se insetsels verken <a href="http://kyknet.dstv.com/category/programme/bravo/"><i>Bravo!</i></a> bietjie die omgewing en dan kook <a href="http://kyknet.dstv.com/2013/03/10/magda-johnston/"><b>Magda Johnston</b></a> van <a href="http://kyknet.dstv.com/category/programme/kokkedoor/">Kokkedoor </a>vir ons met fantastiese speserye in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>.<br /></div>
<div class="all_content" id="episode76728" style="display: block;">
</div>
<div class="all_content" id="episode76728" style="display: block;">
Herhalings: Vrydae @ 14:30; Saterdae @ 22:30; Maandae @ 02:30.<br /><br /></div>
<div class="all_content" id="episode76728" style="display: block;">
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<div class="all_content" id="episode76728" style="display: block;">
<span class="" id="result_box" lang="en"><i><span class="">Bravo</span>! </i><span class="hps atn">(</span><span class="">KykNET</span>, <span class="hps">channel</span> <span class="hps">144</span>, <span class="hps">Thursdays</span> <span class="hps">@</span> <span class="hps">19:30</span>) <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">still</span> <span class="hps">in</span> <span class="hps">beautiful</span> <span class="hps">Zanzibar,</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">in</span> <span class="hps">one</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">Thursdays</span> <span class="hps atn">(</span>October 24, 2013) <span class="hps">inserts</span> <span class="hps"></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en"><i><span class="hps">Bravo</span>!</i> </span>explore</span>s a <span class="hps">bit</span> of the <span class="hps">environment</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">then</span> <span class="hps"></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">Magda</span> <span class="hps">Johnston will </span></span>cook</span> <span class="hps">for</span> <span class="hps">us</span> <span class="hps">with</span> <span class="hps">fantastic</span> <span class="hps">spices</span> <span class="hps">in</span> <span class="hps">Zanzibar</span>.<br /><br />Repeats: <span class="hps">Fridays</span> <span class="hps">@</span> <span class="hps">14:30</span>; <span class="hps">Saturdays</span> <span class="hps">@</span> <span class="hps">22:30</span>; <span class="hps">Mondays</span> <span class="hps">@</span> <span class="hps">02:30</span><span class="">.</span></span><b> </b></div>
<div class="all_content" id="episode76728" style="display: block;">
<b> </b> </div>
<div class="all_content" id="episode76728" style="display: block; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://kyknet.dstv.com/category/programme/bravo/"><img alt="" class="fbPhotoImage img" height="108" id="fbPhotoImage" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/q71/s720x720/643862_487252068034386_1904977146_n.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://kyknet.dstv.com/category/programme/bravo/"><img alt="http://kyknet.dstv.com/wp-content/themes/kyknet/assets/images/logo.png" class="decoded" src="http://kyknet.dstv.com/wp-content/themes/kyknet/assets/images/logo.png" /></a></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-80086472437638507142013-10-21T10:12:00.001+02:002013-10-21T10:12:15.801+02:00Karafuu Beach Resort & Spa - Zanzibar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/karafuu/"><img border="0" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUebUPgeC5CjPlWhrwuYRFmu7fQHg_FxHdVRi_gvKM-ZKBqsvCNT2wx5JWaoGBvdglxmtCwMZ3Xal6agrleKWHtS7QdISEx7a97pq5FzDtL5HNN7FRZ3Bw4t4EwAejvSOdeQwWxo5P3xs/s640/Karafuu+FI.jpg" width="580" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-53579948017408939472013-10-17T14:23:00.001+02:002013-10-17T14:33:42.372+02:00The Manta Resort released more pictures of their under sea room<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/manta-reef/"><img alt="" class="fbPhotoImage" id="fbPhotoImage" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/q86/733893_548211525247066_1056655090_n.jpg" /></a> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/manta-reef/"><img alt="" class="fbPhotoImage" id="fbPhotoImage" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/q77/s720x720/1391523_548690371865848_995459196_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151995573659369">Post</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photographeranhede">Photographer Anhede</a>.</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/manta-reef/"><img alt="" class="fbPhotoImage" height="640" id="fbPhotoImage" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/q71/1393423_550036178397934_2012438181_n.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/manta-reef/"><b></b></a><br />
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/manta-reef/"><b></b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/manta-reef/"><b> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>
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<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/manta-reef/"><b>Book your stay at The Underwater Room now. Click here ></b></a></span></span></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">See article: <a href="http://aetravelstories.blogspot.com/2013/10/tanzania-pemba-undersea-room-to-boost.html">http://aetravelstories.blogspot.com/2013/10/tanzania-pemba-undersea-room-to-boost.html</a></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-10262259309651598042013-10-17T13:08:00.002+02:002013-10-17T13:08:08.867+02:00Leopard Beach Resort & Spa Kenya's Leading Resort<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/leopard-beach-resort/"><img alt="http://alizeelifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/award_wta_hires.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="200" src="http://alizeelifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/award_wta_hires.jpg" width="200" /> </a><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr89Z2pIqbqFKh_r6L0IaZRGSei7oLY1xGQ5AMszs1V9DCyEwS5lQmzGezbDoEJ4XgGMTSDCSEPaRbM9Jn6aqwCmYMoTBctXwGB1hmwuzi8bAsjsCQ356ezzoEYxewvT0L9Z4tdge24OQ/s320/IMG_5840.JPG" width="320" /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/leopard-beach-resort/">Leopard Beach Resort & Spa</a> won the prize at the World Travel Awards as Kenya's Leading Resort receiving World Travel Award win for the 5th year in a row.</span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr89Z2pIqbqFKh_r6L0IaZRGSei7oLY1xGQ5AMszs1V9DCyEwS5lQmzGezbDoEJ4XgGMTSDCSEPaRbM9Jn6aqwCmYMoTBctXwGB1hmwuzi8bAsjsCQ356ezzoEYxewvT0L9Z4tdge24OQ/s1600/IMG_5840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/leopard-beach-resort/"><img alt="http://www.leopardbeachresort.com/images/index_01.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.leopardbeachresort.com/images/index_01.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Awards</span></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-africas-leading-spa-resort-2013">2013 Africa's Leading Spa Resort</a><br /><a href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-kenyas-leading-resort-2013">2013 Kenya's Leading Resort</a><br /><a href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-kenyas-leading-resort-2012">2012 Kenya's Leading Resort</a><br /><a href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-kenyas-leading-resort-2011">2011 Kenya's Leading Resort</a><br /><a href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-kenyas-leading-resort-2010">2010 Kenya's Leading Resort</a></span></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Also nominated for:</span></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="nominee" href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-worlds-leading-spa-resort-2013">2013 World's Leading Spa Resort</a><br /><a class="nominee" href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-africas-leading-family-resort-2013">2013 Africa's Leading Family Resort</a><br /><a class="nominee" href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-kenyas-leading-beach-resort-2013">2013 Kenya's Leading Beach Resort</a><br /><a class="nominee" href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-kenyas-leading-spa-resort-2013">2013 Kenya's Leading Spa Resort</a><br /><a class="nominee" href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-kenyas-leading-beach-resort-2012">2012 Kenya's Leading Beach Resort</a><br /><a class="nominee" href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-kenyas-leading-resort-2009">2009 Kenya's Leading Resort</a><br /><a class="nominee" href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-kenyas-leading-resort-2008">2008 Kenya's Leading Resort</a><br /><a class="nominee" href="http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-kenyas-leading-resort-2007">2007 Kenya's Leading Resort</a></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/leopard-beach-resort/"><b>Book your Leopard Beach Resort & Spa Holiday now! Click here ></b></a> </span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-86382215498844936502013-10-17T12:43:00.001+02:002013-10-17T12:43:22.514+02:00Come dine at sea: The restaurant perched on a Zanzibar rock with breathtaking views of Indian Ocean<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By
<a class="author" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=William+Turvill" rel="nofollow">William Turvill </a><span class="article-timestamp"><b>PUBLISHED:</b>
08:51 GMT, 17 October 2013
</span>
|
<span class="article-timestamp">
<b>UPDATED:</b>
09:22 GMT, 17 October 2013 </span></span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">These photographs show the suitably-named Rock Restaurant, which boasts a unique location - in the Indian Ocean.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
can sometimes be reached on foot, but at certain times of the day and
night, diners have to be transported to and from the rock by boat.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is located in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>, East Africa, and has attracted several visitors since it opened last year. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="At low-tide, the Rock Restaurant, in Zanzibar, East Africa, can be reached on foot. At other times of the day, diners are transported to and from the rock by boat" class="blkBorder" height="340" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/17/article-2464159-18CA9BC600000578-490_964x563.jpg" width="580" /></span>
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<div class="imageCaption" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">At low-tide, the Rock Restaurant, in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>,
East Africa, can be reached on foot. <br />At other times of the day, diners
are transported to and from the rock by boat</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="The inside of the Rock Restaurant, which has proven popular with diners since its 2012 opening" class="blkBorder" height="224" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/17/article-2464159-18CA9E9A00000578-432_964x542.jpg" width="400" /></span>
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<div class="imageCaption" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The inside of the Rock Restaurant, which has proven <br />popular with diners since its 2012 opening.</span></i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="The Rock Restaurant also has an outside dining area so the fresh sea air can be enjoyed" class="blkBorder" height="224" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/17/article-2464159-18CA9E0000000578-41_964x541.jpg" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<div class="imageCaption">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Rock Restaurant also has an outside dining <br />area so the fresh sea air can be enjoyed. </span></i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Restaurant partner Nigel Firman, 47,
said: 'The Rock Restaurant is a magical place and is an experience you
are never likely to forget.'</span></span>
</div>
<div class="relatedItemsTopBorder">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">He added: 'If visitors come to the restaurant while the sea is low, they are able to walk to the rock with no problem.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">'But
as they usually stay late on into the evening when the sea is high
around the rock, we provide a boat service which travels to and from the
shore.'</span></span><br />
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<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Most of the restaurant's food is caught from the Indian Ocean surrounding it" class="blkBorder" height="224" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/17/article-2464159-18CA9E8E00000578-687_964x541.jpg" width="400" /> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Most of the restaurant's food is caught from the <br />Indian Ocean surrounding it</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Rock Restaurant employees searching for the day's supply of fresh fish" class="blkBorder" height="224" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/17/article-2464159-18CA9E3600000578-695_964x542.jpg" width="400" /> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Rock Restaurant employees searching for the <br />day's supply of fresh fish.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="The restaurant is 7m high, allowing for water to rise 4.5m up the side of the rock" class="blkBorder" height="266" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/17/article-2464159-18CA9CBA00000578-217_964x642.jpg" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<div class="imageCaption">
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<div class="imageCaption" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The restaurant is 7m high, allowing for water to <br />rise 4.5m up the side of the rock.</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Serving mainly seafood caught from
the Indian Ocean that surrounds the rock, the restaurant also provides
an outside area for visitors to enjoy the magical views.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">'Anyone that visits our restaurant are at first speechless, or all they can say is "wow",' said Mr Firman. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">'From when I first saw the rock I knew it would make the perfect restaurant.'</span></span><br />
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<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Some employees of the Rock Restaurant, which opens for lunch and dinner" class="blkBorder" height="224" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/17/article-2464159-18CA9EC000000578-433_964x541.jpg" width="400" /> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Some employees of the Rock Restaurant, <br />which opens for lunch and dinner.</span></i></div>
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</span> <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Visitors are offered stunning views out into the Indian Ocean while they dine" class="blkBorder" height="266" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/17/article-2464159-18CAA00600000578-251_964x642.jpg" width="400" /></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="imageCaption" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Visitors are offered stunning views out into the <br />Indian Ocean while they dine.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="The restaurant has to provide a boat service back to shore for diners when the tide comes in during their meal" class="blkBorder" height="363" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/17/article-2464159-18CA9DA300000578-876_964x875.jpg" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<div class="imageCaption">
</div>
<div class="imageCaption" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The restaurant has to provide a boat service back to <br />shore for diners when the tide comes in during their meal.</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The restaurant, which opens for lunch
and dinner, seats 45 people and is 7m high, allowing the water around
it to rise 4.5m up the rock. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Diner Sarah Foote, 37, said: 'We drove over one hour to have lunch at this truly unique restaurant'.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The view is amazing, the location is amazing, the whole restaurant was outstanding, it is a very magical experience all round.'</span></span><br />
<br />
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</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="The Rock Restaurant, in Zanzibar, East Africa, is based in the middle of the sea and seats 45 people at one time" class="blkBorder" height="260" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/17/article-2464159-18CA9B6B00000578-385_964x629.jpg" width="400" /></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Rock Restaurant, in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>, East Africa, is based in the middle of the sea and seats 45 people at one time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Fresh octopus caught by Rock Restaurant staff for diners" class="blkBorder" height="224" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/17/article-2464159-18CA9EC900000578-201_964x541.jpg" width="400" /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fresh octopus caught by Rock Restaurant staff for diners</span></span></i></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
---------------------------------------------<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Read more: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2464159/Zanzibars-Rock-Restaurant-offers-breathtaking-views-Indian-Ocean.html#ixzz2hySD44iT" style="color: #003399;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2464159/Zanzibars-Rock-Restaurant-offers-breathtaking-views-Indian-Ocean.html#ixzz2hySD44iT</a>
</span></span></i></span></div>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="article-timestamp">Taken from: </span>: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2464159/Zanzibars-Rock-Restaurant-offers-breathtaking-views-Indian-Ocean.html#ixzz2hyRm6I1s" style="color: #003399;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2464159/Zanzibars-Rock-Restaurant-offers-breathtaking-views-Indian-Ocean.html#ixzz2hyRm6I1s</a></span></span></i>
</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-34293255132368421052013-10-16T09:15:00.000+02:002013-10-16T09:17:06.014+02:00Zanzibar Islands: Pemba Undersea Room to Boost Tourism<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><cite class="byline">By Issa Yussuf, 15 October 2013</cite></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Blue Hole" class="imghover" height="201" src="http://underwaterroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/resort26-698x220.jpg" style="opacity: 1;" width="580" /></div>
<div class="story-body">
<br />
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>is preparing to open the
first ever undersea room in the country which may attract more tourists
to <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/pemba-island/">Pemba Island</a>, where the room has been constructed.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://underwaterroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/IMG_1981-1.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="213" src="http://underwaterroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/IMG_1981-1.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://underwaterroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/IMG_03641.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="240" src="http://underwaterroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/IMG_03641.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
Visiting the luxury room at <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/manta-reef/">Manta Resort Hotel</a>, Makangale coastal
village, Sunday, the Minister for Tourism, Mr Said Ali Mbarouk, said the
construction of the room was important in attracting high class
tourists.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.24tanzania.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/33ecSaid-Ali-Mbarouk.jpg" class="decoded" height="212" src="http://www.24tanzania.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/33ecSaid-Ali-Mbarouk.jpg" width="320" /> </div>
<br />
<br />
"The room will be officially opened soon, before the 50th revolution
anniversary day (January 12, 2014). Let any person who can afford to
pay, go to rest in the room. It's about 2m/- per night," said Mbarouk.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/130610-5954-e1376573420654.jpg" class="decoded" height="266" src="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/130610-5954-e1376573420654.jpg" width="400" /> </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/snorkelingbaby1.png" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="300" src="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/snorkelingbaby1.png" width="400" /></div>
<br />
According to the Manager of the Hotel, Mr Mathew Sausaka Babu, the
room is about three metres below sea water surface with panoramic
windows in all directions.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Jesper7-e1376386114184.jpg" class="decoded" height="266" src="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Jesper7-e1376386114184.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/resort23.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="300" src="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/resort23.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
He said the seven-year study proved that area is suitable for
underwater rooms. Mathew said $4,000 US dollars was paid to fishing
community in the area to pave way for the hotel development and
protecting the area.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/weather2.jpg" class="decoded" height="266" src="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/weather2.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/publicstrand.png" class="decoded" height="250" src="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/publicstrand.png" width="400" /></div>
<br />
Mr Mkubwa Said Ali, chairperson of the fishing community received the
money, which they plan to buy fishing gears for deep sea fishing.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/publiclittle.png" class="decoded" height="250" src="http://www.themantaresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/publiclittle.png" width="400" /></div>
<br />
About 758m/- has been spent to construct the underwater room. The
room is similar to the underwater room in a Swedish lake near Stockholm.
The single room of the hotel lies 3m below the surface of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utter_Inn">Lake Malaren</a>
in Vasteras, Sweden and contains only twin beds and a table.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="http://img.justthetravel.com/utter-inn-floating-hotel.jpeg" class="decoded" height="300" src="http://img.justthetravel.com/utter-inn-floating-hotel.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The underwater room in a Swedish lake near Stockholm (The Utter Inn)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
taken from: <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201310151142.html">http://allafrica.com/stories/201310151142.html</a> [16.10.2013] </div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-9403676930292459622013-10-14T09:14:00.003+02:002013-10-14T09:14:30.645+02:00Zanzibar’s ex-slave market turned into heritage centre<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Taken from Daily News Published on Monday, 14 October 2013 02:06 Written by ISSA YUSSUF in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvoZEOWN3__qnsKp2Io8koHuKlbmvUkzQiGovX12h1a5c1g6aN1M6meCj-v6eAZXJn3FCj0eaDBhzf0v78ijcNjFJcVtYpfHllD2xdBVkU7V9ui_rwBqUJb-R14LTE2AOE5wWUjnzunM/s1600/IMG_6817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stone Town, Zanzibar by Juan Nel © " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvoZEOWN3__qnsKp2Io8koHuKlbmvUkzQiGovX12h1a5c1g6aN1M6meCj-v6eAZXJn3FCj0eaDBhzf0v78ijcNjFJcVtYpfHllD2xdBVkU7V9ui_rwBqUJb-R14LTE2AOE5wWUjnzunM/s640/IMG_6817.JPG" title="Stone Town, Zanzibar by Juan Nel © " width="424" /></a></div>
<br />
THE people in Zanzibar have expressed happiness about the creation of a heritage centre at the former slave market in Stone Town, which is likely to increase the number of tourists in the isles.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.navigatingnikki.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Zanzibar-Slave-Market.jpeg" class="decoded" height="267" src="http://www.navigatingnikki.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Zanzibar-Slave-Market.jpeg" width="400" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.dailynews.co.tz/images/SAIDALIMBAROUK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHFHjuLcQCjZqDM6fo_nk3Hx9CeHF6jCL9Rczy1pxvENwKgXLVLTijnJAkaA6WazdLPtEDNp3hp6PLYfJvX1tTMPD79Ew_f_Z-KYc3QmgRZ44V16bEFKN6QY2BZM6JjD7BUelohtMFa0/s1600/IMG_6819.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Minister for Information, Tourism, Culture and Sports, Mr Said Ali Mbarouk, said at the launch of the new heritage centre that the development would boost tourism in Zanzibar.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.ucl.ac.uk/merv/sponsor/WMF_logo.gif" class="decoded" height="81" src="http://www.ucl.ac.uk/merv/sponsor/WMF_logo.gif" width="320" /> </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="File:Anglican Church of Tanzania logo.gif" height="58" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Anglican_Church_of_Tanzania_logo.gif" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.idealist.org/images/uploads/75/75c136ad-0e98-475b-9eff-541de36f70a8-m.jpg" class="decoded" height="200" src="http://www.idealist.org/images/uploads/75/75c136ad-0e98-475b-9eff-541de36f70a8-m.jpg" width="200" /></div>
<br />
The tourism sector accounts for about 27 per cent of the GDP and more than 75 per cent of foreign earnings. Creation of the heritage centre on the site of the former slave market, preservation of Christ Church cathedral and support for the Wakf Commission are projects being supported by European Union.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://soulspiration.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/slave-market-signage.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="300" src="http://soulspiration.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/slave-market-signage.jpg" width="400" /> </div>
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<br />
<br />
<br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4mm0pwy1dW0STLXCDwFhORkQccnXbz74mn1IV_4yDNEvdYKlRd4vdbBflDY9uX96qP1IUdwn5lEw9sOSE5l1lNwp5pzBs-Cx7SoRNOlnwOMhn_hPr34SrNAgBGRoo4EGTjWI_i4GhNs/s1600/IMG_6814.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stone Town, Zanzibar by Juan Nel © " border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4mm0pwy1dW0STLXCDwFhORkQccnXbz74mn1IV_4yDNEvdYKlRd4vdbBflDY9uX96qP1IUdwn5lEw9sOSE5l1lNwp5pzBs-Cx7SoRNOlnwOMhn_hPr34SrNAgBGRoo4EGTjWI_i4GhNs/s400/IMG_6814.JPG" title="Stone Town, Zanzibar by Juan Nel © " width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
The three-year project is being implemented by the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and its partners, the Anglican Church of Tanzania - Zanzibar (ACTZ), the <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>Stone Town Heritage Society and the British charity, Christian Engineers in Development.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovk6ebeuei_z52UQmVwMvLDsuqoWSPX8jtkAOibFcgkSYTsthZub9wSBb4-QZn1HN75Gjc1odZyPWpsnXnro7T59e4pyR43niRwrBRAhRejPphA1A4i6uoX4fiyVyTDPVXB67hENH-lg/s1600/IMG_7474.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stone Town, Zanzibar by Juan Nel © " border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovk6ebeuei_z52UQmVwMvLDsuqoWSPX8jtkAOibFcgkSYTsthZub9wSBb4-QZn1HN75Gjc1odZyPWpsnXnro7T59e4pyR43niRwrBRAhRejPphA1A4i6uoX4fiyVyTDPVXB67hENH-lg/s400/IMG_7474.JPG" title="Stone Town, Zanzibar by Juan Nel © " width="265" /></a></div>
<br />WMF representative at the function, Mr Steven Battle said, “The cultural heritage site is significant for Zanzibaris as well as the world, and we hope that the project will serve as a catalyst for the development of a stronger sense of community identity.”<br />
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<img alt="Minister for Tourism, Mr Said Ali Mbarouk" class="size-full wp-image-285715" height="213" src="http://in2eastafrica.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Said-Ali-Mbarouk.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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Rev. Michael Hafidh and Mr Nuhu Sallanya, both from ACTZ, said the heritage at the former slave market would benefit many people as it was a great opportunity to promote interfaith relations in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>. The religious leaders also thanked the EU Commission, through its 10th Development Fund, the United States through the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, for their generous support which made the long-awaited dream a reality.<br />
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<img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9bN1NbuoTae1ctVTao_7A87_l3jLQfOqa0fhpyuagK83yxuQHypJx_IGagR45oWOHDjWmfy8sOYKB1Ecd40HY6AVOJ5jR24PYzIPP_KqWTlxiFLDgLSkpKfFrDgvCHnn-XxKriw1zoLb/s1600/IMG_0580.JPG" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9bN1NbuoTae1ctVTao_7A87_l3jLQfOqa0fhpyuagK83yxuQHypJx_IGagR45oWOHDjWmfy8sOYKB1Ecd40HY6AVOJ5jR24PYzIPP_KqWTlxiFLDgLSkpKfFrDgvCHnn-XxKriw1zoLb/s320/IMG_0580.JPG" width="320" /> </div>
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<br />Head of the EU delegation, Ambassador Filberto Cerian Sebregondi, said the project was meant to create a heritage centre commemorating the abolition of slavery on the exact same site where the notorious slave trade took place in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDA2THC8nYC0lvMF7_OuMqULBmRa1yvKFKuzrHmPk_NT90AOith4_GA9d89wcuGkzI8P17FGv-hnpxP5N6BgYVwjAuBDI1Yu54oQTRO-r64fInARPUlc3wHZZWOdzVej92Vdv46IkwUb8/s1600/IMG_7477.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stone Town, Zanzibar by Juan Nel © " border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDA2THC8nYC0lvMF7_OuMqULBmRa1yvKFKuzrHmPk_NT90AOith4_GA9d89wcuGkzI8P17FGv-hnpxP5N6BgYVwjAuBDI1Yu54oQTRO-r64fInARPUlc3wHZZWOdzVej92Vdv46IkwUb8/s400/IMG_7477.JPG" title="Stone Town, Zanzibar by Juan Nel © " width="265" /></a> </div>
<br />“Our hope is that the preservation and promotion of this historical site in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Stone Town</a> will fuel a sense of common belonging for Zanzibari people and of ownership of their cultural heritage. “It should contribute to building national identity in the diversity, tolerance and solidarity between faiths, communities and people,” said the EU envoy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrwDGiq2FdtKD9rqkLwEAbrKgwCSIKEVg1gg5pkEouA98grpDjoKXVLVE6WEUAjIvTYGm7KSdsuQ3xp3-IpKlL3sOPtfwWfZaMVeQ8Y2kTYi44oZgqjki0OF_XlpzuyWnlqSbD91Z0ss/s1600/IMG_7499.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stone Town, Zanzibar by Juan Nel © " border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrwDGiq2FdtKD9rqkLwEAbrKgwCSIKEVg1gg5pkEouA98grpDjoKXVLVE6WEUAjIvTYGm7KSdsuQ3xp3-IpKlL3sOPtfwWfZaMVeQ8Y2kTYi44oZgqjki0OF_XlpzuyWnlqSbD91Z0ss/s400/IMG_7499.JPG" title="Stone Town, Zanzibar by Juan Nel © " width="265" /></a></div>
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Taken from:<a href="http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/23400-zanzibar-s-ex-slave-market-turned-into-heritage-centre"> http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/23400-zanzibar-s-ex-slave-market-turned-into-heritage-centre</a> [14.10.2013]</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-29969342969175522752013-10-10T01:00:00.000+02:002013-10-10T01:00:02.680+02:00MY ZANZIBAR EXPERIENCE by Chane Barker <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have recently been to <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>and would like to share my
experience with you. If you are looking for a place full of history, culture,
lush green gardens and forests plus a beautiful beach vacation <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>is the
place for you. From the first moment stepping off the plane you can feel the
warm ocean air hitting you, it’s a true feeling of being on a tropical island.
I visited Zanzibar in July being the best time as it is there winter
season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Island does not really
experience cold winters therefore weather was excellent as it was warm but not
an unbearable kind of heat as in the summer season. </div>
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Our first experience was meeting our guide Genes who is a
local in Zanzibar and excellent at what he does. We then headed for <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Stone Town</a>
were we had lunch for the day. Stone Town is the old Town on the Island with
beautiful Arabian style Architecture. As we drove to Stone Town Genes shared
some information with us on the locals and some of the history. The locals are
some of the most humble and friendliest people I’ve ever met. During the trip
I’ve learnt they don’t have much of the finer things we are used to but yet
they remain happy with what they have and very proud of their Island.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKdRQLCo9mPo6IlCNzsI3-qcOfT7n1aMNkEqtla19UXS8rWGw05HxLFDiLHMiG-J18Oy0eJ4PW9wjS-OKlBAWQbyZ2FMZ-x38Y-08oSTGU-cBXT2v6TejucQR1A6qId_3AKPQlzRLYj4/s1600/IMG_7478.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKdRQLCo9mPo6IlCNzsI3-qcOfT7n1aMNkEqtla19UXS8rWGw05HxLFDiLHMiG-J18Oy0eJ4PW9wjS-OKlBAWQbyZ2FMZ-x38Y-08oSTGU-cBXT2v6TejucQR1A6qId_3AKPQlzRLYj4/s400/IMG_7478.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="265" /></a></div>
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Driving through stone town reveals the islands history. The
town was built with coral stone and till today they have maintained it and kept
it that way. The doors on the buildings are all hand carved by the locals and
one of the attractions as they are some of the biggest doors I’ve ever seen.
There are also various shops were you can purchase your souvenirs. The market,
some mosques and Arab houses is also located in town. The streets in Stone Town
are very narrow therefore it is best to walk through the town or hire a scooter
to get from place to place as it also gives you the full experience of the
town. A day or 2 is a must in stone town if you are into the history and cultural
side of Zanzibar and gives one a chance to mix with the locals. I suggest 2
nights before moving to one of the islands beach resorts. </div>
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As we drove to the different Beach Hotels we passed some of
the villages which are also nice to meet the locals and see how they live. Over
the next few days we stayed at different hotels on different parts of the
Island, each one unique in their own way. For the family travelers hotels in
the Southeast and Northeast have some of the most beautiful and family orientated
hotels and for the more romantic traveler the North and west would be perfect
but both offers a bit of both. The most beautiful sunsets and close to home
feel resort would definitely have to be sea cliff which is situated on the West
of the Island. If you are young and looking for a backpacker type of experience
Amaan Bungalows and Paje would be an excellent choice for you as they are vibey
and filled with the younger crowds. The Hotels from on the South East,
Northeast and North has the most beautiful beaches on the Island, those long
stretches of beaches which are great for morning walks with some of the local
people and maasai’s selling various things for tourists to buy. Most hotels
also have boutiques were you can buy your souvenirs to take home with you.</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guests can also
arrange different tours from all the hotels in <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>, also if they are
interested in diving, snorkeling, fishing etc most hotels has a dive center or
there is one close or around the hotel they could use. At some hotels some of
the water activities are free except the motorized ones which you have to pay
for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Island also hosts different
beach parties were transport can be arranged from the hotel at a price. Some
parts of the Island can be explored with scooters which one can hire if you
would like to do some self-exploring but not available all over the Island. </div>
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The food at the Hotels truly exceeded my expectations. It is
all Buffet style at the main restaurants except when visiting the other
restaurants on the resorts which you pay for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was a wide variety of choices with all kinds of food. My advice
when visiting <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>is to do an all-inclusive as things is really expensive
there. The advantage of an all-inclusive is that you get a variety of meals to
choose from for breakfast, lunch and supper and it includes your drinks. Some
resorts also offer snacks in between meals and have waiters coming to you
around the pool area and beach area in case you need anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beach dinning and private dinning can also be
arranged at some hotels. </div>
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All in all this was truly an amazing experience for me and
my first time out of the country. I would definitely visit <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>again and
would just like to thank the staff from exotic tours and all the hotels we have
visited for making this a really great experience for me and to <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/all-destinations/14/">African Encounters</a> for making it all possible</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chane Barker & Andisa Mesatywa in <a class="pintag" href="http://www.pinterest.com/search?q=ZANZIBAR" rel="nofollow" title="#ZANZIBAR search Pinterest">#ZANZIBAR</a></i></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-21933433611072849882013-10-07T10:00:00.000+02:002013-10-07T11:31:58.223+02:00MY TRIP TO ZANZIBAR by Andisa Mesatywa <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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industry, not only to travel the world but to also meet different people and
learn about different cultures. Many people get so caught up in their own
cultures and never take the time to see and learn about all the different
things that happen around them.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCLgCN8TTs-FfH9v8fL1dbEctWsoLFDoPyO3PpVZPBtxHX7qzIE6tCdALTYvHZV_XxAarC2Ud5rQRU8OUDOO9rjjbQBWPxk4h17kf5ohBB9TS_7UlZ8qgALW41p-X6ORs89OdAdrqca4/s1600/IMG01107-20130805-0859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCLgCN8TTs-FfH9v8fL1dbEctWsoLFDoPyO3PpVZPBtxHX7qzIE6tCdALTYvHZV_XxAarC2Ud5rQRU8OUDOO9rjjbQBWPxk4h17kf5ohBB9TS_7UlZ8qgALW41p-X6ORs89OdAdrqca4/s400/IMG01107-20130805-0859.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">I was given an opportunity to travel to <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>this year in August, my first trip outside South Africa, what an amazing
journey it was. If only I could relive that moment again believe me I would.
Traveling brings about so many exciting moments, and this I experienced on my
trip. I never knew how amazing it is to travel to a place that is outside you
own comfort zone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">On this trip to <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>I travelled with different
kinds of people from different back grounds, we shared quite a few things
together, and I learned something from each and every one of them. The
relationships I built with them will forever live upon me.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73rZtK87RZ5I8auU8lEDmQnkUoN4SS4G3G1F2TCieaOggEsMtKsQFLesUJjtCpCaxsrter4B8c_8dNSPDYFUokMs9KUZuXuoZ7xwj1MTrbaheJpxG1zQqeQVbJBiLH6sY_vT05Zm8IVc/s400/DSC04275.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="400" /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;"><a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>is such a beautiful Island; I never knew
this until I got there and saw the blue turquoise water. I’ve heard people talking
about it, but this time I was the one who was experiencing everything. The
beaches are even more beautiful than what they appear in travel magazines, with
their white sands and relaxing on the beach under the palm trees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWm-AEG56OFB4MKcpNMk9xpPgr8WBDEasLExbGoES-2cqE6pDzFhlrHs1i7fluM_5Gnq_INSUAA0diE1s1qqFluvrsCs1tSbEDSiNTryBcG4TLuqfNYq0q_2LAt8PUsSIciAIbk_jsVY/s1600/IMG_6803.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWm-AEG56OFB4MKcpNMk9xpPgr8WBDEasLExbGoES-2cqE6pDzFhlrHs1i7fluM_5Gnq_INSUAA0diE1s1qqFluvrsCs1tSbEDSiNTryBcG4TLuqfNYq0q_2LAt8PUsSIciAIbk_jsVY/s400/IMG_6803.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="400" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Traveling to <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>gave me good knowledge of how
other people live out there, how much they value their culture and their
beliefs. Seeing how the people from the village live each day makes you think a
lot and makes you wonder how they survive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They don’t have much but they make do with what they have and take a lot
of pride in their island and their culture. Some are even gifted in making
different and creative things to sell to tourists like bags, bracelets,
clothing etc. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzth7R35lhHxhjICaLbP2zCJe7q3ZzgfawIfYTO-G9pN7s88kVFzt_odFDyuW-1mLYK4MuEpwdLlV6YtyU614aaZB_PnK-PSUiaIKP2Q8RBRzBHnXmt7LgcnZqbdxlYtn_zTeG-N04Ow/s1600/DSC04301.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzth7R35lhHxhjICaLbP2zCJe7q3ZzgfawIfYTO-G9pN7s88kVFzt_odFDyuW-1mLYK4MuEpwdLlV6YtyU614aaZB_PnK-PSUiaIKP2Q8RBRzBHnXmt7LgcnZqbdxlYtn_zTeG-N04Ow/s400/DSC04301.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">The most exciting thing I got to do while on the
trip was experiencing <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Stone Town</a>, the islands capital. This is where you get to
see the cultural part about <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a>; the Swahili atmosphere gives you the
chance to experience the living history. The markets and bazaars are found
here, most of their historic buildings are located in the heart of Stone
Town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a complete <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar</a> trip I
would advise people to take a little tour around Stone Town and get a feel of
the Swahili culture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJFlFq837jRcwNF7qiILl2MHOYvZT8I_nm3cyuytz3oJTfQuzC0CdSk9lijbXSdt9U7fK4oZu4lqkb3MImKGAEE1b9-RRU3l_qiF6S49gqT0wlFvqsdhUtvd6bVZZpJTaAdrPXXEZG9M/s1600/IMG_7065.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJFlFq837jRcwNF7qiILl2MHOYvZT8I_nm3cyuytz3oJTfQuzC0CdSk9lijbXSdt9U7fK4oZu4lqkb3MImKGAEE1b9-RRU3l_qiF6S49gqT0wlFvqsdhUtvd6bVZZpJTaAdrPXXEZG9M/s400/IMG_7065.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="400" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">To conclude my story, I have to say <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>is a one of the
most beautiful places I’ve ever been to and the experience will forever live
on. For as long as I have not travelled around the world and get to see other
destinations, by far <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>stands out for me and I’ll definitely go back
again for a nice long holiday.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOiHnzAVfJ7ZHu6Ynr_E1Bq0tymhZsDhWHTyRFezOScZd4x4fDz48HHh7lr0o9gYkyE9ffWw9p1Qu7JxFBDci8LlWMOkkkQzOzehPm_L3ECz4CPqnTlUpi_xmJYVSW-eb0SGlX0HVARM/s1600/DSCF0255.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Andisa Mesatywa & Chane Barker in #ZANZIBAR" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOiHnzAVfJ7ZHu6Ynr_E1Bq0tymhZsDhWHTyRFezOScZd4x4fDz48HHh7lr0o9gYkyE9ffWw9p1Qu7JxFBDci8LlWMOkkkQzOzehPm_L3ECz4CPqnTlUpi_xmJYVSW-eb0SGlX0HVARM/s320/DSCF0255.jpg" title="Andisa Mesatywa & Chane Barker in #ZANZIBAR" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Andisa Mesatywa & Chane Barker in <a class="pintag" href="http://www.pinterest.com/search?q=ZANZIBAR" rel="nofollow" title="#ZANZIBAR search Pinterest">ZANZIBAR</a></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-6712359992447168032013-10-01T22:00:00.000+02:002013-10-01T22:00:03.425+02:009 reasons to go to the Serengeti<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Posted By <u>Claudia Hodkinson</u> On September 26, 2013 @ 8:42 am In <u>Game parks</u></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9USgDgbq11eKaUZrL1GfJ0ZqBlB9masyS0vC381gSGkcMqrqxntP8eJOyCeISfnyBKj2yRX7FfOJ2Glj2K7ZDZHAA-cDvrfkwQRlabal85BsW_ApZk1KROek9y4uxxPX3GiwztPaMsAU/s1600/mara_crossing_swimming-copy-copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9USgDgbq11eKaUZrL1GfJ0ZqBlB9masyS0vC381gSGkcMqrqxntP8eJOyCeISfnyBKj2yRX7FfOJ2Glj2K7ZDZHAA-cDvrfkwQRlabal85BsW_ApZk1KROek9y4uxxPX3GiwztPaMsAU/s640/mara_crossing_swimming-copy-copy.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Witnessing millions of migrating wildebeest on the flat-topped Acacia plains of the <strong><a href="http://guide.getaway.co.za/tanzania/serengeti/" rel="external">Serengeti</a> <sup>[1]</sup></strong> had been on my bucket list for as long as I could remember (read: <a href="http://blog.getaway.co.za/travel-blog/getaways-top-8-travel-packages-2013/" rel="external">top eight travel packages for 2013</a> <sup>[2]</sup>),
until a recent trip to this iconic destination changed that. My
criteria in order to tick this one off my list had to be that I saw
enough drama, rolling plains and of course…wildebeest. With over 1.5
million wildebeest and zebra trekking over 3 000 kilometers on their
epic journey from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara, I was pretty
confident that I was going to see enough to check the box. It goes
without saying that most people that travel to east Africa want to see
the migration at least once. What I didn’t expect was what comes with
the migration. It turns out that there’s a lot more to this Tanzanian
attraction than galloping gnus. <strong>Here are nine reasons why you should put the Serengeti on your bucket list</strong> (check out the <a href="http://magazine.getaway.co.za/" rel="external">October issue of <em>Getaway</em> magazine</a> <sup>[3]</sup> for the full story).</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1. Hear over a million grunts</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Serengeti delivers big herds of wildebeest with surround sound. <br />Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not only do you get to see the great wildebeest migration, you get to
hear them too. I heard the migration before I saw it. The air was abuzz
with bleating and grunting so thick it was almost palpable (read: <a href="http://blog.getaway.co.za/wildlife/swarms-bugs-birds/" rel="external">swarms are not just for bugs and birds</a> <sup>[4]</sup>).
The cacophony reached a crescendo as the herd came into sight. As far
as I could see wildebeest dotted the plains. I had seen large herds of
wildebeest and buffalo in the Kruger National Park before, but nothing
on this scale. The sheer volume of wildebeest is thrilling to see and
also hear.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>2. Magical sunsets over the plains</strong></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_100065870" style="width: 677px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Grassland plains and sunset of Serengeti" class="size-full wp-image-100065870" height="251" src="http://blog.getaway.co.za/files/2013/09/CLH0159.jpg" title="_CLH0159" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Watching the sun set over the Serengeti plains is magical. <br />Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.</span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Masai have a name for it ‘Siringet’ or ‘the land that goes on
forever’. Great stretches of grassland dotted with flat-topped Acacia
trees give the Serengeti a moving sense of space. Everyday I would watch
the sky turn a palette of pinks, purples and oranges before
disappearing over the horizon. The dust that had been kicked up from the
migrating wildebeest and the threatening rain clouds added drama and
magic to the whole scene. It will ignite your soul and give you that
‘Out of Africa’ goose bump feel.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>3. Experience a different stage </strong></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_100065873" style="width: 677px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Migration seasons" class="size-full wp-image-100065873" height="251" src="http://blog.getaway.co.za/files/2013/09/CLH0433.jpg" title="_CLH0433" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Already a few months old, youngest were very much a part of the landscape. <br />Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.</span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The herd was moving up the western corridor of the Serengeti when I
arrived. Calves were already a few months old and males were starting to
lock horns and strut their stuff for the rutting season. Each stage of
the annual migration is unique. Depending on what time of year you go
depends on what you’ll see. You may be lucky enough to watch wildebeest
make the death-defying jumps across the crocodile infested Grumeti and
Mara rivers or witness around 500 000 calves born during calving season.
Whatever stage of the migration you experience it promises to deliver a
healthy dose of drama and magic.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>4. There aren’t just wildebeest</strong></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_100065878" style="width: 677px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Wildlife of the Serengeti" class="size-full wp-image-100065878" height="251" src="http://blog.getaway.co.za/files/2013/09/CLH9906.jpg" title="Serengeti wildebeest migration" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A lucky sighting of two young leopard cubs with their mother up a tree. <br />Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.</span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even though one can get fully mesmerized by watching wildebeest, it’s
good to know that the Serengeti has a prolific array of other wildlife;
and big game at that. A herd of elephant with calves, a mother leopard
and her cubs playing in a tree, an impressive herd of buffalo, a mating
pair of lions and a bulging pod of hippo were some of the other wildlife
I ticked off my list. Wild dog, lion, cheetah, jackal and hyena are
often seem tailing the herds of wildebeest, zebra and Thompson’s
gazelle. With so much on the go, it’s not hard to see a full spectrum of
African wildlife whilst on safari.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>5. Birding</strong></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_100065879" style="text-align: center; width: 677px;">
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Birds of the Serengeti " class="size-full wp-image-100065879" height="251" src="http://blog.getaway.co.za/files/2013/09/CLH0473.jpg" title="Serengeti wildebeest migration" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One the many colourful birds I saw in the Serengeti: the Blue-cheeked Cordon Bleu. <br />Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The diversity of birdlife is impressive and makes for a refreshing
addition to the trip. Being a bit of a bird-a-holic, there were over 500
species to jumpstart my addiction. Highlights included watching marabou
storks searching for juicy morsels in freshly burnt grass, a male
ostrich displaying for his female and a pair of crowned cranes calling
to each other. Birds such as the blue-cheeked Cordon Bleu (no it is not a
lunch special), raptors flying the thermals and pink flamingoes at Lake
Manyara are common sightings.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>6. Great bolt-on destinations</strong></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_100065880" style="width: 677px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-100065880" height="251" src="http://blog.getaway.co.za/files/2013/09/CLH0544.jpg" title="Serengeti wildebeest migration" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">An impressive buffalo in the Ngorongoro Crater staring straight into the lens. <br />Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.</span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Serengeti is surrounded by a number of terrific bolt-on
destinations that will compliment your east African safari. I was not
disappointed that my tour included a jaunt to the nearby Ngorongoro
Crater and Lake Manyara National Park. They were both special in their
own right. The Ngorongoro Crater, a large volcanic caldera, is a
stronghold for an impressive variety of game such as black rhino,
elephant and buffalo. The diversity of habitats and wildlife inside the
crater made it a worthwhile visit and I would highly recommend extending
your trip to include a few different locations if time and budget
allow.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong class="size-full wp-image-100065935" title="Serengeti wildebeest migration">7. Meet the Masai</strong></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_100065950" style="width: 677px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Masai tribesmen" class="size-full wp-image-100065950" height="251" src="http://blog.getaway.co.za/files/2013/09/CES5389.jpg" title="Serengeti wildebeest migration" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of the highlights was watching the 'jumping dance' of the <br />Masai men with their colourful dress. </span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.</span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Masai tribesmen, with their brilliant red dress accompanied by
their tinkling cowbells, are as much a part of the Tanzania landscape as
the many wild animals that are found there. Taking a walk through one
of the local villages dotted with cattle-dung huts, watching their
ceremonial ‘jumping dance’ and learning about their culture was a great
way to get a snapshot of the Masai way of life. Tanzanians are very
friendly people with big smiles. Make sure you buy a bunch of red
bananas from a local vendor, stock up on colourful Masai blankets and
bring books and pens to hand out to excited village children.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>8. Rooms with views</strong></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_100065887" style="width: 677px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-100065887" height="251" src="http://blog.getaway.co.za/files/2013/09/CLH9602-2.jpg" title="Serengeti wildebeest migration" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The views over Lake Manyara from the lodge were worth waking up early for. <br />Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There’s a variety of accommodation options available in the
Serengeti. I stayed in the luxury Serena group of hotels, which
delivered not only comfortable rooms but also incredible views over Lake
Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater (our lodge was located on the rim) and
over the Serengeti plains. Each lodge had a different theme and I
particularly loved the ‘bushman paintings’ on the room walls, the
full-length windows and warm fires at Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge.
Waking up with the sun rising over the Tanzania landscape was a real
treat. It was great to return to warm face towels, turndowns at night
and friendly staff after an exciting day on safari.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://blog.getaway.co.za/travel-ideas/destinations/camping-serengeti-national-park-tanzania/" rel="external">How to camp in the Serengeti National Park</a> <sup>[5]</sup></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>9. Loads of photo opportunities</strong></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_100065888" style="width: 677px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-100065888" height="251" src="http://blog.getaway.co.za/files/2013/09/CLH5796.jpg" title="Serengeti wildebeest migration" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Vehicles with pop-up roofs were a winner especially when Big 5 game came close. <br />Photo by Claudia Hodkinson.</span></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Catching a leopard’s coat in the honeyed light of the fading sun,
freezing the motion of wildebeest on the run or capturing the confusion
of black and white stripes of zebra en masse. There are loads of
photography opportunities in the Serengeti, made easier with safari
vehicles with pop-up roofs. This was a super convenient feature when we
were out on game drives. Not only did this allow a 360 degree view of
your surroundings, it was a great vantage point to shoot pictures from.
If you’re not admiring the scenery, you’ll be clicking away to share
your experience back home.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/8-day-tanzania-migration-safari/?link=Tanzania%20Wildebeest%20Migration%202014"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>BOOK YOUR SERENGETI SAFARI NOW. </b></span></span></span></a></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/8-day-tanzania-migration-safari/?link=Tanzania%20Wildebeest%20Migration%202014"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>CLICK HERE> </b></span></a></span></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Article by <u>Claudia Hodkinson taken from </u><strong><span dir="ltr">http://blog.getaway.co.za</span> </strong></span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 2px 0px;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">[1] Serengeti: <b><span dir="ltr">http://guide.getaway.co.za/tanzania/serengeti/</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 2px 0px;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">[2] top eight travel packages for 2013: <b><span dir="ltr">http://blog.getaway.co.za/travel-blog/getaways-top-8-travel-packages-2013/</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 2px 0px;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">[3] October issue of <em>Getaway</em> magazine: <b><span dir="ltr">http://magazine.getaway.co.za/</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 2px 0px;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">[4] swarms are not just for bugs and birds: <b><span dir="ltr">http://blog.getaway.co.za/wildlife/swarms-bugs-birds/</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 2px 0px;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">[5] How to camp in the Serengeti National Park: <b><span dir="ltr">http://blog.getaway.co.za/travel-ideas/destinations/camping-serengeti-national-park-tanzania/</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-45265197217596236742013-09-21T12:32:00.000+02:002013-09-21T12:32:00.584+02:00Nice Namibian Scenery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-86188793398845433632013-09-19T10:01:00.001+02:002013-09-19T10:01:13.370+02:00Sneak Peak: 22 September 2013 - Sunday Times Advert<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-86778457155324649862013-09-18T19:00:00.000+02:002013-09-18T19:00:05.403+02:00Giraffe from up close<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-76639386628893037232013-09-18T14:07:00.002+02:002013-09-18T14:07:38.968+02:00The Great Wildebeest Migration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-29358568278882322512013-09-17T21:00:00.000+02:002013-09-17T21:00:00.558+02:00Islands of Africa: Zanzibar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="publishdate" style="font-size: xx-small;"><time datetime="2013-09-17" itemprop="datePublished">17 September, 2013</time></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> by
<span class="byline"><a href="http://www.travelweekly.com.au/author/Tara%20Harrison">Tara Harrison</a></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeRca8HMO_dmYTd2eObk-LgUnKFsSqaumRx_EuXUJ0XS2nF3lk_aZ9jDCQdKnbnSsr7i1YYxdbcEyUsloD2zsZslq-UO1qrhCbDBNUbVGUFVVkyb1qieoupWxCgbpqZdEoFvjMCmzwcw/s1600/DSC04272.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeRca8HMO_dmYTd2eObk-LgUnKFsSqaumRx_EuXUJ0XS2nF3lk_aZ9jDCQdKnbnSsr7i1YYxdbcEyUsloD2zsZslq-UO1qrhCbDBNUbVGUFVVkyb1qieoupWxCgbpqZdEoFvjMCmzwcw/s640/DSC04272.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="550" /></a></div>
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The very name <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>evokes the exotic - this is paradise with a
kick. Renowned as the <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Spice Island</a>, even the coffee comes with bite as
ginger spice added to the blend is an island specialty. Measuring less
than 100km in length, its size has not diminished its importance in
spice production, particularly the cultivation of the most expensive
spice in the world, saffron.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3jPDxTfJ9eY7f3zP4Ui94_SuLx59Ixf8U00BiDbAFW9HIUsEpxnzzVgc_YdDf0fOh9CWAmkUpklwKmEwXwKWF1LPdr-HOo8-OfX59pIJamrhtCElp1DIsvONL3uCyAka-pbmKakdYak/s1600/IMG_7153.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3jPDxTfJ9eY7f3zP4Ui94_SuLx59Ixf8U00BiDbAFW9HIUsEpxnzzVgc_YdDf0fOh9CWAmkUpklwKmEwXwKWF1LPdr-HOo8-OfX59pIJamrhtCElp1DIsvONL3uCyAka-pbmKakdYak/s400/IMG_7153.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwYCY5TMCXrKDAIuhzDiE4rio6BQJQxnjf2SFeT_MhftFBj-_pO0KDIeNNlxDdRPEjzKnSdM9cv-uUdPXseoSkGUJG6ZHid-abBtXzA56U1ynnw7hD9YbSNyS7WaX-m4KuhxUeHP5t28/s1600/DSCF4111.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwYCY5TMCXrKDAIuhzDiE4rio6BQJQxnjf2SFeT_MhftFBj-_pO0KDIeNNlxDdRPEjzKnSdM9cv-uUdPXseoSkGUJG6ZHid-abBtXzA56U1ynnw7hD9YbSNyS7WaX-m4KuhxUeHP5t28/s400/DSCF4111.jpg" title="Juan Nel © " width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar">Zanzibar </a>boasts an ancient quarter called Stone Town, which is the
oldest productive town in East Africa. Arabic houses and bazaars like
Darajani market transport you to Morocco while Persian baths, forts and
narrow alleys make you want to get lost. Arabic letters are scrawled
onto faded peach walls, men stand behind wooden carts of fruit,
motorbikes scoot around blind corners and women wear long dresses and
headscarves. Despite being centuries old, Stone Town remains a thriving
community with children, workers and old men sitting along walls. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyGc-GLVXf09uG9H99k_yV6TIJ7lJ1g-hzQ74ADmjV-sp_A4fy5t6oE_1IJdPLxc5j5xeXEmUBkaO1-n0mZWEgrCBseotPHByIlGP9N983huEJLoeI4w5Z2-EjlLNo6MfX6860rvEU5M/s1600/IMG_6817.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyGc-GLVXf09uG9H99k_yV6TIJ7lJ1g-hzQ74ADmjV-sp_A4fy5t6oE_1IJdPLxc5j5xeXEmUBkaO1-n0mZWEgrCBseotPHByIlGP9N983huEJLoeI4w5Z2-EjlLNo6MfX6860rvEU5M/s640/IMG_6817.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="424" /></a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwYyjhz37sz5LssmiEj5eZcTbugetndOzFHJg47N2o7fSrko7QI_yD2LpLUlUt7HL3edIGxdL2gXTcykiAgh4to7jA9ho0h50NXyrl7nPCcCx8Ca2SFUEt2tvFtSaAwApqOWiwiQB8pQ/s1600/IMG_6843.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwYyjhz37sz5LssmiEj5eZcTbugetndOzFHJg47N2o7fSrko7QI_yD2LpLUlUt7HL3edIGxdL2gXTcykiAgh4to7jA9ho0h50NXyrl7nPCcCx8Ca2SFUEt2tvFtSaAwApqOWiwiQB8pQ/s400/IMG_6843.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="400" /></a></div>
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The white of the sand beneath the low-lying water serves to intensify
the pale blue Indian Ocean water. The ocean is so startlingly bright
that it outshines the sky. And forget the sun, you’ll need sunglasses
just to look at the blinding sand. Located off the coast of Tanzania,
its position just below the equator blesses the island with perfect
year-round weather. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvFoZNR63x-g4E663Wll-QmgOm6DrKuUeY0awnBDekx6-lSxl9BYNKWsO_gHX7ozfjFuY7WVmXFuyzWyeRcmKJJD5HPegqfxUA2fUN0m9HE32o7AQ-XrfdcZ4CSc_bW6kr-gqsG6Tx8o/s1600/IMG_7118.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvFoZNR63x-g4E663Wll-QmgOm6DrKuUeY0awnBDekx6-lSxl9BYNKWsO_gHX7ozfjFuY7WVmXFuyzWyeRcmKJJD5HPegqfxUA2fUN0m9HE32o7AQ-XrfdcZ4CSc_bW6kr-gqsG6Tx8o/s640/IMG_7118.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mRJ37njyrDnJulaCb9UeGIkKWOShVSDPRiSSpe69Op4K0TqFBpalndRezQMQ28UfOsdSzYgMpP2jkhI7XE-EzYNRK-IqaJAZpHL6NS3wU48teWWGKBALGcF04NdYyD8YjNIoczVZc6Q/s1600/IMG_7384.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mRJ37njyrDnJulaCb9UeGIkKWOShVSDPRiSSpe69Op4K0TqFBpalndRezQMQ28UfOsdSzYgMpP2jkhI7XE-EzYNRK-IqaJAZpHL6NS3wU48teWWGKBALGcF04NdYyD8YjNIoczVZc6Q/s640/IMG_7384.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="424" /></a></div>
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Kangas are the local dress and they have proverbs or riddles
embroidered on the edge of the boldly patterned gowns. The wisdom varies
from the cheeky “silence is the answer to a fool” to the obvious “the
world is round”. Elaborate palaces exist as a testament to Omani
sultanate rule in centuries past but the best way to understand the
island is to sail its waters in a dhow - a boat made without nails and
yet able to withstand monsoonal winds. It is resilient without
sacrificing aesthetics, much like the island itself. Sail to the coral
reefs to see that the water is just as beautiful from above as from
below.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6ODc_qTLZZvSd9mncjUyZMbcZEc_iOLuBYwXX_vMAHq1i5xNXystgpSKRgkIwFtQjEfBEG6tcAcy03EBWn6hvtITqozTc_EdopDizCLewb4zxaf37__zlO3HtZrk7pMI23MeiiYeC00/s1600/IMG_7399.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6ODc_qTLZZvSd9mncjUyZMbcZEc_iOLuBYwXX_vMAHq1i5xNXystgpSKRgkIwFtQjEfBEG6tcAcy03EBWn6hvtITqozTc_EdopDizCLewb4zxaf37__zlO3HtZrk7pMI23MeiiYeC00/s640/IMG_7399.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgv3wv8qi7MSAh4xmoBxduJeiLdHlU0wXbiaCh5CHO7TqzwseVb8hrM07Wa4RAGaOD1ars8xqYYdPH14wHvj1Yu7zUpkMcc-h5fPasM7f-53yvEmVoVNDhFPjIRDcm19FQqkI_uGlIU6M/s1600/IMG_3867.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Juan Nel © " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgv3wv8qi7MSAh4xmoBxduJeiLdHlU0wXbiaCh5CHO7TqzwseVb8hrM07Wa4RAGaOD1ars8xqYYdPH14wHvj1Yu7zUpkMcc-h5fPasM7f-53yvEmVoVNDhFPjIRDcm19FQqkI_uGlIU6M/s640/IMG_3867.JPG" title="Juan Nel © " width="424" /></a> </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/specials/zanzibar"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTX4osenUGGUPS6JAbjPX0v55lNIKb8oKndoI889q31ViQWN-ad2UIe_Xg8pTfYtHV0Xy3eYr3tFT_gfQ6oYpB2uL331i-_Jd87uQw_5eNti8XGdWX1Sbow7QjJuqnBnE60O9OyDQAFQ/s1600/mangoF.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
Taken from: <a href="http://www.travelweekly.com.au/holidays/destinations/islands-of-africa-zanziba">http://www.travelweekly.com.au/holidays/destinations/islands-of-africa-zanziba</a>r<br />
<br />
Article by:
<span class="byline"><a href="http://www.travelweekly.com.au/author/Tara%20Harrison">Tara Harrison</a></span><br />
<span class="byline">Pictures by <a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/juan-nel/">Juan Nel</a></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-6527555922725310472013-09-14T10:11:00.000+02:002013-09-13T10:11:56.262+02:0013 September 1899 – Mackinder, Ollier and Brocherel make the first ascent of Batian (5,199 m – 17,058 ft), the highest peak of Mount Kenya.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
<img alt="http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/BIG-mount-kenya-white-zebra-7.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="300" src="http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/BIG-mount-kenya-white-zebra-7.jpg" width="550" /></div>
<br />
<br />
The discovery of Mount Kenya by Europeans was made by Dr Johann Ludwig Krapf on 3rd December 1849.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-krapf-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup>
His report was not believed, particularly as no Europeans saw the
mountain for another 34 years, despite several visits to the area.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> In 1883, Joseph Thomson confirmed Krapf's discovery,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thomson_3-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-thomson-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup>
and over the next few decades several expeditions set out to try to
discover more. In 1899, Halford Mackinder led an expedition to the
mountain that was hampered with difficulties. They succeeded in making
the first ascent of Batian.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> Despite several attempts, there were no more successful attempts on the peaks until Shipton and Wyn Harris in 1929.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-uponthatmountain_5-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-uponthatmountain-5"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup> Since this time there have been many attempts on the peaks, including one by three Italian Prisoners of War in 1942.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-picnic_6-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-picnic-6"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup> Current estimates show that 200 people ascend Nelion and 50 ascend Batian annually.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guide_7-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-guide-7"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:Johann Ludwig Krapf.jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Johann_Ludwig_Krapf.jpg/482px-Johann_Ludwig_Krapf.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="257" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dr Johann Ludwig Krapf</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guide_7-0"><span> </span></sup><br />
Mount Kenya has been a site of national importance from its
discovery. Beliefs and rituals of local tribes are based on it, and the
country is named after it.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-times_kenya_colony_8-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-times_kenya_colony-8"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-9"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup>
Since the arrival of Europeans, steps have been made to try to preserve
the mountain and forest environments. In 1932 the Mount Kenya Forest
Reserve was established,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-economics_10-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-economics-10"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-aerialsurvey_11-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-aerialsurvey-11"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup> followed by the designation of the area above the forest as a National Park in 1949.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-aerialsurvey_11-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-aerialsurvey-11"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup> In 1978 the mountain was named as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-aerialsurvey_11-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-aerialsurvey-11"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup> and, in 1997, a World Heritage Site.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-unesco_12-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-unesco-12"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup>
These steps have been made to try and preserve the mountain, as well as
encourage its use by local people, the government and tourists. Several
Forest Acts have been published to try to conserve the Mount Kenya
Forest, which is being intensively deforested, and to encourage the
people living near the forests to take an active interest in its
conservation.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-economics_10-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-economics-10"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-economics_10-1"><span><img alt="File:Slug map.jpg" height="364" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/Slug_map.jpg/657px-Slug_map.jpg" width="400" /> </span></sup></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Local_tribes">Local tribes</span></h3>
The history of the tribes living around Mount Kenya is complex. It
has only recently been recorded, as history was passed down generations
orally until the intervention of Europeans.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="File:Merrick at Isubu funeral.jpg" height="267" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Merrick_at_Isubu_funeral.jpg/800px-Merrick_at_Isubu_funeral.jpg" width="400" /> </div>
<br />
The Gumba tribe lived on Mount Kenya before any other people arrived.
They were hunter-gatherers and pygmies, and have become extinct.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_13-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mck-13"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a></sup>
The first tribe to arrive at Mount Kenya were the Pre-Kamba,
descendants of the present day Wakamba. They arrived from the south
before 1300. In around 1300 the Tharaka and Pre-Chuka arrived, and then
in the 1400s the Pre-Kĩkũyũ settled in the Mbere area. The Pre-Kĩkũyũ
split and formed the Embu and Kĩkũyũ tribes. In the 1730s the Pre-Meru,
then called the Ngaa,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-witchmen_14-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-witchmen-14"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a></sup> started to arrive at Mount Kenya from the coast, and by 1750 they were settled.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-meruhistory_15-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-meruhistory-15"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-meruhistory_15-0"><span><img height="320" src="http://p2.la-img.com/375/38942/16685006_1_l.jpg" width="176" /> </span></sup></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="mw-headline" id="European_discovery">European discovery</span></h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="http://www.elk-wue.de/uploads/pics/Krapf_Ludwig1_web.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="320" src="http://www.elk-wue.de/uploads/pics/Krapf_Ludwig1_web.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="198" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dr Johann Ludwig Krapf, a
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">German</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missionary" title="Missionary">missionary</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Mount Kenya was the second of the three highest peaks in Africa to be
discovered by Europeans. It was first seen by Dr Johann Ludwig Krapf, a
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">German</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missionary" title="Missionary">missionary</a>, from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitui" title="Kitui">Kitui</a>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-krapf-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> an Akamba town 160 km (100 miles)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-16"><span>[</span>16<span>]</span></a></sup> away from the mountain. His discovery was made on <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_December" title="3 December">3 December</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1849" title="1849">1849</a>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dutton_17-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-dutton-17"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup>
a year after the discovery of Kilimanjaro. Krapf was told by the chief
of Kitui about the existence of Mount Kenya, and managed to see it on
the same journey:<br />
<blockquote class="templatequote">
<div class="Bug6200">
There was a still greater mountain six days'
journey from Kitui, which was Kimaja Kegnia, adding that if I would
ascend the hill a little above his village, if the sky were clear I
should be able to see the mountain. As the rainy season had already set
in the region about Kegnia was enveloped in clouds... However, it
happened that on leaving Kitui on the 3rd of December, 1849 I could see
Kegnia most distinctly, and observed two large horn or pillars, as it
were, rising over an enormous mountain to the north-west of the
Kilimanjaro, covered with a white substance.</div>
<div class="templatequotecite">
—Dr Krapf, <cite>Travels, Researches and Missionary Labours<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-krapf-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></cite></div>
</blockquote>
Dr Krapf was told by the Embu tribe that lived around the mountain
that they did not ascend high on the mountain because of the intense
cold and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow" title="Snow">white matter</a> that rolled down the mountains with a loud noise. This led him to imply that glaciers existed on the mountain.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-3"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-krapf-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup>
The Kikuyu told Krapf that the summit was "covered with a substance
resembling white flour", confirming that snow was found there.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-4"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-krapf-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-4"><span><img alt="File:Krapf rognon and glacier after snowstorm.jpg" height="209" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Krapf_rognon_and_glacier_after_snowstorm.jpg/800px-Krapf_rognon_and_glacier_after_snowstorm.jpg" width="400" /> </span></sup></div>
<br />
Dr Krapf also noted that the rivers flowing from Mt Kenya, and other
mountains in the area such as Kilimanjaro, were continuously flowing.
This is very different to the usual rivers of East Africa, which fill in
the wet season and dry up completely after the rains have finished. As
the streams flow even in the driest seasons, compared with rivers
originating in other mountainous regions of East Africa where there is
no snow, he concluded that there must be a source of water up on the
mountain, in the form of glaciers.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-5"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-krapf-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> Krapf and Rebmann both personally experienced other mountain areas of East Africa.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-6"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-krapf-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<blockquote class="templatequote">
<div class="Bug6200">
That both mountains are covered with perennial snow is proved by the multitude of rivers rising amidst them</div>
<div class="templatequotecite">
—Dr Krapf, <cite>Travels, Researches and Missionary Labours<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-7"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-krapf-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></cite></div>
</blockquote>
He believed the mountain to be the source of the Tana, Jub and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Nile" title="White Nile">White Nile</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-intelligencer_18-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-intelligencer-18"><span>[</span>18<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="http://libweb5.princeton.edu/visual_materials/maps/websites/africa/speke/speke4.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="167" src="http://libweb5.princeton.edu/visual_materials/maps/websites/africa/speke/speke4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Nile" title="White Nile">White Nile</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-intelligencer_18-0"><span></span></sup></div>
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-intelligencer_18-0"><span> </span></sup>When Krapf first saw Mount Kenya, scientists in Europe still didn't
believe the existence of snows on Kilimanjaro. They were therefore very
dubious that Krapf had discovered another such mountain in the same
area.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup>
Krapf tried to convince people that it was possible for snow-covered
mountains to exist on the equator in East Africa by mentioning that it
was commonly accepted that there was snow on the equator in South
America.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-hastenrath_19-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-hastenrath-19"><span>[</span>19<span>]</span></a></sup>
He also pointed out that snow had been confirmed on mountains in
Cameroon and Abyssinia (now Ethiopia), which are very close to the
equator.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-8"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-krapf-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-8"><span> </span></sup><img alt="http://www.frontiersoftravel.com/images/highest_mountains_in_africa.jpg" class="decoded" height="146" src="http://www.frontiersoftravel.com/images/highest_mountains_in_africa.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
Krapf believed that Mount Kenya was higher than Kilimanjaro. He
arrived at this conclusion through information from local people and his
own observations. We now know that this is not true, but his
descriptions of the shapes of the two peaks were more accurate.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-9"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-krapf-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-krapf_1-9"><span><img alt="File:The National Archives UK - CO 1069-3-175.jpg" height="372" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/The_National_Archives_UK_-_CO_1069-3-175.jpg" width="506" /> </span></sup></div>
<br />
In 1851 Krapf returned to Kitui. He travelled 40 miles closer to the
mountain, but did not see it again. In 1877 Hildebrandt made botanical
collections for many weeks in the Kitui area and heard stories about the
mountain, but also did not see it. Since there were no confirmations to
back up Krapf's original claim people became more suspicious.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:Joseph Thomson.png" height="308" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Joseph_Thomson.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="205" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Thomson_%28explorer%29" title="Joseph Thomson (explorer)">Joseph Thomson</a></i>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-2"><span> </span></sup></div>
<br />
Eventually, in 1883, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Thomson_%28explorer%29" title="Joseph Thomson (explorer)">Joseph Thomson</a>
passed close by the west side of the mountain and confirmed Krapf's
claim. He compared the shape to Mawenzi on Kilimanjaro, and concluded
that it must be the plug of an extinct volcano.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-3"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thomson_3-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-thomson-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup>
He diverted his expedition and reached 2743 m (9,000 ft) up the slopes
of the mountain but had to retreat because of trouble with the local
Maasai.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ecology_20-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-ecology-20"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thomson_3-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-thomson-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> He was able to describe the shape of the mountain from a distance.<br />
<blockquote class="templatequote">
<div class="Bug6200">
As at Kilimanjaro, nature has appropriately woven
for its grim head a soft crown of eternal snow, the cool, calm shining
of which is at once a wonderful contrast and a strange close to the
mountain's fiery history. The sides of the peak are so steep and
precipitous that on many places the snow is quite unable to lie, and in
consequence the rocks appear here and there as black spots in the white
mantle. Hence its Maasai name of Donyo Egère (the speckled or grey
mountain). The snow covers the whole of the upper peak, and extends some
distance on either side, reachin, and indeed including the humpy mass
on the north. The peak is strikingly suggestive of an enormous white
crystal or stalagmite, set upon a sooty basement which falls away
gradually into the dark emerald green of the forest region around the
base.</div>
<div class="templatequotecite">
—Thomson, <cite>Through Masai Land<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thomson_3-3"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-thomson-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup></cite></div>
</blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:Samuel Teleki.jpg" height="300" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Samuel_Teleki.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="202" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Teleki" title="Samuel Teleki">Count Samuel Teleki</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-economics_10-1"><span></span></sup><br />
However, the first true exploration on the mountain was achieved in 1887 by <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Teleki" title="Samuel Teleki">Count Samuel Teleki</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_von_H%C3%B6hnel" title="Ludwig von Höhnel">Ludwig von Höhnel</a>.
They managed to reach 4350 m (14,270 ft) on the south western slopes
before they had to retreat due to lack of food and the suffering of
their porters.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-teleki_21-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-teleki-21"><span>[</span>21<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-4"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup>
On this expedition they believed they had found the crater of a
volcano, with the peaks being a high point on the crater rim. This
theory was believed, rather than Thomson's description of the volcanic
plug, since Teleki and von Höhnel had actually been onto the mountain.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-5"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup>
During their expedition, Teleki and von Höhnel made a collection of
Alpine plants from Mount Kenya. These were recognised as being similar
to those on Kilimanjaro, and the idea of isolated mountain islands
started.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-6"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> Teleki took rock samples and proved that Mount Kenya is of volcanic origin.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-geology_22-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-geology-22"><span>[</span>22<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Lt._Ludwig_von_Hohnel.jpg/220px-Lt._Ludwig_von_Hohnel.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Lt._Ludwig_von_Hohnel.jpg/220px-Lt._Ludwig_von_Hohnel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ludwig von Hohnel </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-geology_22-0"><span></span></sup></div>
<br />
Count Samuel Teleki and Ludwig von Hohnel were, in 1887, the first to
penetrate the lower forests and explore the mountain. The expedition
reached 4350 m on the south western slopes before they had to retreat
due to lack of food and the suffering of their porters.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-teleki_21-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-teleki-21"><span>[</span>21<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-7"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup>
They believed they had found the crater of a volcano, with the peaks
the highest point on the crater rim. This theory was believed, rather
than Thompson's description of the volcanic plug, since the expedition
had been on the mountain.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-8"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup>
Teleki and von Hohnel made a collection of Alpine plants. These were
recognised as being similar to those on Kilimanjaro, starting the idea
of isolated mountain ecological islands.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-9"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> Teleki took rock samples and proved that Mount Kenya is of volcanic origin.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-geology_22-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-geology-22"><span>[</span>22<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-geology_22-1"><span><img alt="http://www.blissites.com/kenya/pictures/oldmap.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.blissites.com/kenya/pictures/oldmap.jpg" /> </span></sup></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In 1889, the eastern side of Mount Kenya was seen by Piggott.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-10"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup>
In the same year an expedition lead by Dundas, Bird Thomson and Hobley
tried to climb the south side of the mountain, but couldn't get through
the forest.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-11"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-11"><span> </span></sup><img alt="http://bks3.books.google.co.cr/books?id=MF9HAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1&imgtk=AFLRE71-LwS3lRekNR5BcPAY8WIWRI2EIixRlbxQy0krJqm7QWtYZ27a30wWoyd-bxTX81Sh2r79XvVhMJCyflYxea_Np--XAF2giDf20noOErRUwxMEBxM" class="decoded" src="http://bks3.books.google.co.cr/books?id=MF9HAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1&imgtk=AFLRE71-LwS3lRekNR5BcPAY8WIWRI2EIixRlbxQy0krJqm7QWtYZ27a30wWoyd-bxTX81Sh2r79XvVhMJCyflYxea_Np--XAF2giDf20noOErRUwxMEBxM" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-11"><span> </span></sup><img alt="http://www.uni-mainz.de/Organisationen/SORC/images/uploads/german1a.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.uni-mainz.de/Organisationen/SORC/images/uploads/german1a.jpg" /></div>
In 1892 Teleki and von Höhnel returned to the eastern side, but were unable to get through the forest.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ecology_20-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-ecology-20"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup> Von Höhnel was injured by a wounded rhinoceros and the porters mutinied, so the expedition had to make a rapid retreat.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thomson_3-4"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-thomson-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:John Walter Gregory.jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/John_Walter_Gregory.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="219" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Walter_Gregory" title="John Walter Gregory">Dr John W Gregory</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thomson_3-4"><span> </span></sup></div>
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thomson_3-4"><span></span></sup><br />
Finally, in 1893, an expedition managed to ascend Mount Kenya as far
as the glaciers. This expedition was travelling from the coast to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Baringo" title="Lake Baringo">Lake Baringo</a> in the Rift Valley, and was led by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Walter_Gregory" title="John Walter Gregory">Dr John W Gregory</a>, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briton" title="Briton">British</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologist" title="Geologist">geologist</a>.
To increase his chances of a successful trip, Gregory employed
Zanzibari porters who had been on previous expeditions to Mount Kenya.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-12"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-12"><span> </span></sup><img alt="http://ethiopianrift.igg.cnr.it/data/HIST%20MAPS/Gregory_EARS_1920.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="400" src="http://ethiopianrift.igg.cnr.it/data/HIST%20MAPS/Gregory_EARS_1920.jpg" width="391" /></div>
<br />
The expedition managed to ascend the mountain to around 4730 m
(15,520ft), and Gregory spent many hours on the Lewis Glacier. He was
unaccompanied since his guide would not walk onto the glacier.<br />
<blockquote class="templatequote">
<div class="Bug6200">
"No farther, master; it is too white"</div>
<div class="templatequotecite">
—Fundi, Gregory's guide, <cite>The Great Rift Valley<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-13"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></cite></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbz8p5ferePvHH8nt441So1JwobocTlloA7522NIFtgb9DEvYPDVJqmLCK067HSKuSwXPJ16Swal4YSkrKm5Qe8f-zKuEluvPHDAfaNU2hNdUfA-UB_WnP6zchT4-31y4SBTYHAwB2Je8/s1600/GREGORY_1896_Lewis_Glacier.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbz8p5ferePvHH8nt441So1JwobocTlloA7522NIFtgb9DEvYPDVJqmLCK067HSKuSwXPJ16Swal4YSkrKm5Qe8f-zKuEluvPHDAfaNU2hNdUfA-UB_WnP6zchT4-31y4SBTYHAwB2Je8/s1600/GREGORY_1896_Lewis_Glacier.jpg" width="383" /></div>
<br />
Gregory spent around 2 weeks studying the flora, fauna and geology of
Mount Kenya. He confirmed the existence of glaciers on the mountain,
and tried to work out the rate of flow of the Lewis Glacier.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-14"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> Gregory also gave names to many features to describe them more easily.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-15"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> Gregory mentioned that ice on the equator is far harder than that in the Alps, whereas snow is far more powdery.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-16"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-16"><span><img alt="http://versindaba.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Berg-Kenia.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="307" src="http://versindaba.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Berg-Kenia.jpg" width="400" /> </span></sup></div>
<br />
Gregory had to make a hasty retreat down the mountain, as his porters
left at the base camp had become very ill. They were suffering from the
cold and altitude, so Gregory decided to return to the coast as soon as
possible. On his return to Britain, Gregory published <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_publishing" title="Academic publishing">papers</a> and a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrative" title="Narrative">narrative</a> account of his achievements.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gregory_2-17"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-gregory-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
George Kolb, a German <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physician" title="Physician">physician</a>,
made expeditions in 1894 and 1896 and was the first to reach the
moorlands on the east side of the mountain. However, far more
exploration was achieved after 1898 when the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway" title="Railway">railway</a> was completed as far as the site of Nairobi. Access to the mountain was far easier from here than from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mombasa" title="Mombasa">Mombasa</a> on the coast.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwKq_swcGowPJChN24tUGpQ3RRULfhO-ARVZdbfGAZcTOe23g5EjI8WCIhzg_QLVdFvlHBAhApWFbNAMPqxkjbSflt2Tit7_JLsjDEKPZiyHToqLkXk9rrmQOqANcgyaVLCmDXuetEkfE/s400/Old_Mombasa_1.jpg" class="decoded" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwKq_swcGowPJChN24tUGpQ3RRULfhO-ARVZdbfGAZcTOe23g5EjI8WCIhzg_QLVdFvlHBAhApWFbNAMPqxkjbSflt2Tit7_JLsjDEKPZiyHToqLkXk9rrmQOqANcgyaVLCmDXuetEkfE/s400/Old_Mombasa_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mombasa</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Mackinder.27s_expedition">Mackinder's expedition</span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.mackinderforum.org/CombinedMackinderMaps_Bio_1901.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.mackinderforum.org/CombinedMackinderMaps_Bio_1901.jpg" /></h2>
On <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28_July" title="28 July">28 July</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1899" title="1899">1899</a>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup>
Sir Halford John Mackinder set out from the site of Nairobi on an
expedition to Mt Kenya. The members of the expedition consisted of 6 <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europeans" title="Europeans">Europeans</a>, 66 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_people" title="Swahili people">Swahilis</a>, 2 tall <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maasai" title="Maasai">Maasai</a> guides and 96 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikuyu" title="Kikuyu">Wakĩkũyũ</a>. The Europeans were Campbell B Hausberg, second in command and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographer" title="Photographer">photographer</a>, Douglas Saunders, <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botanist" title="Botanist">botanist</a>, C F Camburn, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxidermy" title="Taxidermy">taxidermist</a>, Cesar Ollier, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_guide" title="Mountain guide">guide</a>, and Josef Brocherel, guide and porter.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> Ollier and Brocherel were Alpine guides from Courmayeur.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="File:Lenana maasai medicine man.jpeg" height="199" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lenana_maasai_medicine_man.jpeg/800px-Lenana_maasai_medicine_man.jpeg" width="320" /> </div>
<br />
Mackinder's expedition encountered many difficulties before they even
reached Mount Kenya. When Mackinder and his European colleagues arrived
on Zanzibar from Europe they were warned that several other expeditions
were currently recruiting porters for journeys into the interior. For
this reason Mackinder spent longer on Zanzibar than he would ordinarily
have done and recruited 66 Zanzibari porters.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-3"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-3"><span> </span></sup><img alt="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Stairs_caravan.jpg/360px-Stairs_caravan.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Stairs_caravan.jpg/360px-Stairs_caravan.jpg" /></div>
<br />
The expedition set out for the Mombasa on the mainland, only to find
that there was an epidemic of smallpox raging in the town. The porters
were isolated for the night, and sent to Nairobi by train early the
following morning.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-4"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup>
Before the expedition was ready to leave Nairobi, the epidemic of
smallpox reached the area. Mackinder hurriedly left before the town was
quarantined, without completing his final preparations.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-5"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-5"><span> </span></sup><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjjM7v8PwqzeRmnmAJyVcb-xdoTMtj83V61RKFyybllW7ZKpFmVeqB2P7BVE12jt-OIKMx0hv8c1csVtbIjIe1ZNPZ0tPbjH6KXg89OrXzyaaBAPRczcyoLKXkvBFHpMRqL_dKO1FKs0/s320/history-DrPloetzeTanzania.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
The trek to Mount Kenya from Nairobi took 3 weeks. The expedition did
not encounter much wildlife, although they were charged by rhinoceros
and had to avoid hippopotamus when they crossed rivers. They saw lion
prints, but never encountered the lions.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-6"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup>
The local people who lived on the lands they passed through gave them
variable receptions, depending on the attitude of the local chief
towards them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-7"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Halford Mackinder (1).jpg" height="315" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Halford_Mackinder_%281%29.jpg/220px-Halford_Mackinder_%281%29.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="220" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sir Halford John Mackinder</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-7"><span></span></sup><br />
On the journey from Nairobi the porters tried to desert, and the
Maasai guides disappeared one night, leaving the expedition without a
guide. When they finally reached the mountain they couldn't get hold of
any food for the porters. The local chief had promised to bring some but
changed his mind.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-8"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> Two of the Swahili porters were murdered as they went to try and buy food from him.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-9"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:Halford Mackinder.jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Halford_Mackinder.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="309" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Older Sir Halford John Mackinder</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-9"><span></span></sup><br />
A relief party, led by Saunders, was sent to Naivasha to buy food
from the government officer there. Mackinder pushed on up the mountain,
entering the forest on the south west side at the same point as Gregory.
They managed to get through the forest in one day, mainly due to Ollier
and Brocherel who cut "le grande route du Mont Kenya", a substantial
pathway to the moorland.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-10"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> In the moorland they established a camp at 3142 m (10,310 ft)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-11"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup>
in the Höhnel Valley. On their first ascent towards the peaks they
dropped a match on the moorlands and then had to fight the fire as it
spread to stop it burning their camp.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-12"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-12"><span><img alt="http://www.ewpnet.co.uk/Mount_Kenya/Mt_Kenya_SE.gif" class="decoded" height="257" src="http://www.ewpnet.co.uk/Mount_Kenya/Mt_Kenya_SE.gif" width="400" /> </span></sup></div>
<br />
From this camp Ollier and Brocherel continued to the Teleki Valley where they built a stone hut to serve as the upper camp.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-13"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> Mackinder made his first attempt on the summit on <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_August" title="30 August">30 August</a>
with Ollier and Brocherel up the south east face. They spent the night
out tied to the cliff face, and had to retreat the following day when
they found a cleft that they could not cross.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-14"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> They were within 100 m (yd) of the summit of Nelion.<br />
The following day, 2nd September, Hausberg, Ollier and Brocherel made
a circuit of the main peaks taking photographs and looking for an
easier route to the summit. They could not find one.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-15"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-15"><span><img alt="http://www.ewpnet.com/MKSKETCH.GIF" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="273" src="http://www.ewpnet.com/MKSKETCH.GIF" width="400" /> </span></sup></div>
<br />
On <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_September" title="5 September">5 September</a> Ollier and Brocherel made an ascent of the Darwin Glacier, but were forced to retreat due to a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard" title="Blizzard">blizzard</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-16"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup>
On the same day Mackinder sent the order to Hausberg to pack up the
higher camps and retreat to the base camp ready to leave for Naivasha on
<a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_September" title="7 September">7 September</a>. The food was running out and the relief parties had not returned.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-17"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-17"><span><img alt="http://www.ewpnet.com/MKFLORA.GIF" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="548" src="http://www.ewpnet.com/MKFLORA.GIF" width="551" /> </span></sup></div>
<br />
Two hours before Hausberg arrived at the base camp, Saunders arrived
with the relief party from Naivasha. They were accompanied by Captain
Gorges, the government officer there, and brought food. Hausberg, Gorges
and most of the porters returned to Naivasha, and Mackinder re-ascended
the mountain to attempt the summit again.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-18"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-18"><span><img alt="Andorobbo Men and a Woman." height="262" src="http://kmphotography.host.sk/olmorijo/thomson_images/Image522.gif" width="350" /> </span></sup></div>
<br />
After Gorges left the base camp was moved into the forest so that
Saunders and Campbell could survey a new area. Since there were few
porters left they had to move the camp in two shifts, and when they got
back to the original site they found some local Andorobbo trying to
steal what they could. They were unable to steal any food as it was
packed in tin boxes, which meant the expedition could continue.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-19"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-19"><span><img alt="http://www.mountainstamp.com/Kenya%20picture/Kenya%201935%20Mount%20Kenya%20stamp%20KUT.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.mountainstamp.com/Kenya%20picture/Kenya%201935%20Mount%20Kenya%20stamp%20KUT.jpg" /> </span></sup></div>
<br />
On <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_September" title="12 September">12 September</a>
Mackinder had another attempt at the summit with Ollier and Brocherel.
They traversed the Lewis Glacier and climbed the south east face of
Nelion. They spent the night near the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gendarme" title="Gendarme">gendarme</a>, this time with a tent, and traversed the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowfield" title="Snowfield">snowfield</a>
at the head of the Darwin Glacier at dawn before cutting steps up the
glacier to the summit ridge. This took about 3 hours, where they were
expecting it to take about 20 minutes as the ice was so hard. For this
reason they named it the Diamond Glacier. They reached the summit of
Batian at noon on <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13_September" title="13 September">13 September</a>.
The cloud had already descended on the peaks, and they did not want to
be caught in the afternoon storm, so after 40 minuted on the summit
making observations and taking photographs, they descended by the same
route.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-20"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-20"><span><img height="320" id="af_mediumImage" src="http://image.artfact.com/housePhotos/Dominic/35/284135/H0433-L16091258.jpg" style="max-height: 10000px; max-width: 750px;" width="257" /> </span></sup></div>
Before leaving Mount Kenya, Mackinder, Ollier and Brocherel made
another circuit of the main peak area, this time at a greater distance
from the peaks. They took three days and descended into each valley
except Hohnel to make observations.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mackinder_4-21"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mehmet_Karatay/History_of_Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mackinder-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> On this trip they saw Ithanguni, the "East Mountain". They returned to the base camp on <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20_September" title="20 September">20 September</a> after spending 33 days on Mount Kenya. Mackinder arrived back in London on <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_October" title="30 October">30 October</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1899" title="1899">1899</a> to report his expedition.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="http://www.chesslerbooks.com/eCart/ItemImage.asp?IMG=13157.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://www.chesslerbooks.com/eCart/ItemImage.asp?IMG=13157.jpg" /> </div>
<h2>
<span class="mw-headline" id="1900-1930">1900-1930</span></h2>
After the first ascent of Mt Kenya there were fewer expeditions there
for a while. The majority of the exploration until after the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World_War" title="First World War">First World War</a> was by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Settler" title="Settler">settlers</a> in Kenya, who were not on scientific expeditions. A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Scotland" title="Church of Scotland">Church of Scotland</a> <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_%28Christian%29" title="Mission (Christian)">mission</a> was set up in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chogoria" title="Chogoria">Chogoria</a>, and several Scottish missionaries ascended to the peaks, including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Arthur" title="John Arthur">Rev Dr. J. W. Arthur</a>, G. Dennis and A. R. Barlow. There were other ascents, but none succeeded in summitting Batian or Nelion.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_25-9"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mck-25"><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:Captainartur.JPG" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d7/Captainartur.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="170" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Arthur" title="John Arthur">Rev Dr. J. W. Arthur</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_25-9"><span></span></sup><br />
New approach routes were cleared through the forest, which made
access to the peaks area far easier. In 1920, Arthur and Sir Fowell
Buxton tried to cut a route in from the south, and other routes came in
from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanyuki" title="Nanyuki">Nanyuki</a>
in the north, but the most commonly used was the route from the
Chogoria mission in the east, built by Ernest Carr. Carr is also
credited with building Urumandi and Top Huts.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_25-10"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mck-25"><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI6D0zO2Y8mDa-_36yfcnj55rjG3TSksYNpRY43WhkB3C-gh7fYn8cM4_Xs0dD4FrJbhroQUQIA3dYbnJSglBpWsEyjWUdoPprmbcnpaD7k1OCLEehyllx1HNaUv7ojP-iyIxfSin4HZV/s400/Eric+Shipton.jpg" class="decoded" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI6D0zO2Y8mDa-_36yfcnj55rjG3TSksYNpRY43WhkB3C-gh7fYn8cM4_Xs0dD4FrJbhroQUQIA3dYbnJSglBpWsEyjWUdoPprmbcnpaD7k1OCLEehyllx1HNaUv7ojP-iyIxfSin4HZV/s320/Eric+Shipton.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="248" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Shipton" title="Eric Shipton">Eric Shipton</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_25-10"><span> </span></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_25-10"><span></span></sup>On 6 January 1929 the first ascent of Nelion was made by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Wyn-Harris" title="Percy Wyn-Harris">Percy Wyn-Harris</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Shipton" title="Eric Shipton">Eric Shipton</a>.
They climbed the Normal Route, then descended to the Gate of Mists
before ascending Batian. On 8 January they reascended, this time with G.
A. Sommerfelt, and in December Shipton made another ascent with R. E.
G. Russell. They also made the first ascent of Point John. During this
year the <a class="new" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mountain_Club_of_East_Africa&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Mountain Club of East Africa (page does not exist)">Mountain Club of East Africa</a> was formed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_25-11"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mck-25"><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_25-11"><span> </span></sup><img alt="http://besser.tsoa.nyu.edu/T-Shirts/turkvl/safari.jpg" class="decoded" height="178" src="http://besser.tsoa.nyu.edu/T-Shirts/turkvl/safari.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
At the end of July 1930, Shipton and Bill Tilman made the first
traverse of the peaks. They ascended by the West Ridge of Batian,
traversed the Gate of Mists to Nelion, and descended the Normal Route.
During this trip, Shipton and Tilman made first ascents of several other
peaks, including Point Peter, Point Dutton, Midget Peak, Point Pigott
and either Terere or Sendeyo.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cordee_55-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-cordee-55"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cordee_55-0"><span><img alt="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Meyers_b14_s0300a.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="400" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Meyers_b14_s0300a.jpg" width="250" /> </span></sup></div>
<h3>
<span class="mw-headline" id="1931_to_present_day">1931 to present day</span></h3>
In the early 1930s there were several visits to the moorlands around
Mt Kenya, with fewer as far as the peaks. Raymond Hook and Humphrey
Slade ascended to map the mountain, and stocked several of the streams
with trout. By 1938 there had been several more ascents of Nelion. In
February Miss C Carroll and Mtu Muthara became the first woman and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa" title="Africa">African</a> respectively to ascend Nelion, in an expedition with Noel Symington, author of <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Night_Climbers_of_Cambridge" title="The Night Climbers of Cambridge">The Night Climbers of Cambridge</a></i>, and on 5 March Miss Una Cameron became the first woman to ascent Batian.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_25-12"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mck-25"><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_25-12"><span> </span></sup><img align="middle" alt="The summit of Kenya (Point Batian)" height="320" src="http://www.markhorrell.com/images/batian.jpg" width="232" /></div>
<br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_25-12"><span></span></sup><br />
During the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War" title="Second World War">Second World War</a> there was another drop in ascents of the mountain. The most remarkable ascent during this period was by three <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italians</a> who were being held in a British <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner_of_war" title="Prisoner of war">POW</a>
camp at the base of the mountain in Nanyuki. They escaped from camp to
climb the mountain's third peak, Point Lenana, before "escaping" back
into camp. <a class="new" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Felice_Benuzzi&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Felice Benuzzi (page does not exist)">Felice Benuzzi</a>, the team leader, retold his story in the classic book<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-56"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-56"><span>[</span>56<span>]</span></a></sup> <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Picnic_on_Mount_Kenya" title="No Picnic on Mount Kenya">No Picnic on Mount Kenya</a></i> (1946).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-picnic_57-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-picnic-57"><span>[</span>57<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-picnic_57-0"><span> </span></sup><img alt="File:No Picnic on Mount Kenya - cover 50.jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/No_Picnic_on_Mount_Kenya_-_cover_50.jpg/405px-No_Picnic_on_Mount_Kenya_-_cover_50.jpg" width="216" /></div>
<br />
In 1949 the <a class="new" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mountain_Club_of_Kenya&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Mountain Club of Kenya (page does not exist)">Mountain Club of Kenya</a> split from the Mountain Club of East Africa, and the area above 3,400 m (11,150 ft) was designated a National Park.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mck_25-13"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-mck-25"><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup> A road was built from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naro_Moru" title="Naro Moru">Naro Moru</a> to the moorlands allowing easier access.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjhHRPUgT2ZeUHlzTv2dXSBNb-jHdi1ZQUfmvsfx1uxKHcKyfIT24zRXj8N4-dfyICZ4RiRgefPBOOE5NhxbPPYajDZtWRTMrTRiYcmKuWp5ASp67dOLZaKd0yPSr7kFPMQEhZ8U42Zo/s1600/afr_kegmgdmk.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjhHRPUgT2ZeUHlzTv2dXSBNb-jHdi1ZQUfmvsfx1uxKHcKyfIT24zRXj8N4-dfyICZ4RiRgefPBOOE5NhxbPPYajDZtWRTMrTRiYcmKuWp5ASp67dOLZaKd0yPSr7kFPMQEhZ8U42Zo/s400/afr_kegmgdmk.jpg" width="400" /> </div>
<br />
Many new routes were climbed on Batian and Nelion in the next three
decades, and in October 1959 the Mountain Club of Kenya produced their
first guide to Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cordee_55-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-cordee-55"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup>
On Kenyan independence in 1963 Kisoi Munayo raised the Kenyan flag at
the top of the mountain. He died in 2007 and was given a heroic funeral
attended by the Kenyan president <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mwai_Kibaki" title="Mwai Kibaki">Mwai Kibaki</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-58"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-58"><span>[</span>58<span>]</span></a></sup> In the early 1970s the Mount Kenya National Park <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Rescue" title="Mountain Rescue">Mountain Rescue Team</a> was formed, and by the end of the 1970s all major routes on the peaks had been climbed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cordee_55-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-cordee-55"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cordee_55-2"><span> </span></sup><img alt="File:Kenylon label.jpg" height="160" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6b/Kenylon_label.jpg" width="180" /></div>
<br />
On 19 July 2003, a South African registered aircraft, carrying 12
passengers and two crew, crashed into Mount Kenya at Point Lenana:
nobody survived.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-59"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-59"><span>[</span>59<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-60"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-60"><span>[</span>60<span>]</span></a></sup>
This was not the first aircraft lost on the mountain; there is also the
wreckage of at least one helicopter that crashed before 1972.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-61"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-61"><span>[</span>61<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-61"><span> </span></sup><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/08/14/article-0-1488E69B000005DC-446_634x420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wreckage: Three heavily armed Russian-built MI-24 'Hind' gunships crashed in rugged terrain on Sunday" border="0" class="blkBorder" height="211" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/08/14/article-0-1488E69B000005DC-446_634x420.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I<br />
n March 2012 a massive fire raged on Mount Kenya devouring thousands of hectares of ancient forests and endangered wildlife.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-62"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya#cite_note-62"><span>[</span>62<span>]</span></a></sup><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-62"><span> </span></sup><img alt="http://www.dw.de/image/0,,15822764_303,00.jpg" class="decoded" height="225" src="http://www.dw.de/image/0,,15822764_303,00.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cordee_55-0"><span> </span></sup><img alt="http://cdn.roughguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/AF005760-660x420.jpg" class="decoded" height="254" src="http://cdn.roughguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/AF005760-660x420.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cordee_55-0"><span><img alt="File:MtKenya gletscher.jpg" height="272" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/MtKenya_gletscher.jpg/800px-MtKenya_gletscher.jpg" width="400" /> </span></sup></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cordee_55-0"><span><img alt="File:Hut tarn 4500m and Midget Peak Mt Kenya.JPG" height="300" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Hut_tarn_4500m_and_Midget_Peak_Mt_Kenya.JPG/800px-Hut_tarn_4500m_and_Midget_Peak_Mt_Kenya.JPG" width="400" /> </span></sup></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cordee_55-0"><span> </span></sup><img alt="File:Batian Nelion and pt Slade in the foreground Mt Kenya.JPG" height="300" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Batian_Nelion_and_pt_Slade_in_the_foreground_Mt_Kenya.JPG/800px-Batian_Nelion_and_pt_Slade_in_the_foreground_Mt_Kenya.JPG" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Mackinder.27s_expedition">Taken from and references on: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kenya</a> [13.09.2013]</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708499826514774086.post-150712888245752292013-09-06T09:35:00.001+02:002013-09-06T09:35:08.387+02:00Casual Day: 6 September 2013 - African Encounters Go Big!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Casual Day" height="145" src="http://www.casualday.co.za/wp-content/themes/itheme2/themify/img.php?src=http://www.casualday.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Casual-Day-Logo.png&w=283&h=145" width="283" /><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.africanencounters.com/all-destinations/14/">African Encounters</a> staff goes BIG for Casual Day on the 6th of September 2013</span></h3>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>What is Casual Day?</b></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Casual Day campaign invites all fun-loving South Africans to dress
differently for a day to raise funds and raise awareness of persons with
disabilities. Casual Day is a highlight on the calendar of over 300 participating NGOs,
business – big and small, organisations, schools, book clubs, youth
groups and South African citizens at large. For eighteen years Casual Day have
reserved the first Friday in September for going to work on the dressed
in outfits from the fun to the fantastical. </span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0