Wangari Maathai Lives on!!

   All of my life I can hardly remember ever watching news and not seeing her from time to time. She was and still is (to me) one of the strongest women I've ever known. The first African woman to ever win a Nobel Peace Prize. She was passionate. She could fight men and literally shed honest tears to fight for what's right; to protect our forests.

Actually, to me, her passing came as a great shock. She's the kind of people you'd consider that they might live forever, immortal beings, just
the same way I would think of Nelson Mandela. She was the type that was tough enough to cheat death and win. Right? A part of me never believed she really passed away. I remember telling my sister that I felt like she wouldn't ever surrender to death just that way. It never hit me until pretty recently.

We were on a school trip to Lake Nakuru National Park. We were received with an odd sight.
At first, I thought I just couldn't remember clearly how it was back then in 2005 when I last visited -I was pretty young then.
But then, my memory couldn't be that off. What I saw was quite evident. There weren't any flamingos at sight. These are the 'trademark' stamp for the lake. It was the first sign that things were different now.
Another thing, the lake had come just next to the park's main entrance and partly submerged one of the office buildings.
In sight were also dried out acacia trees partly submerged in water receding into the lake. They even had had to change the course of the game drive trail. I have to say it was an interesting sight.
We had to enquire because no one could possibly guess what was happening.

The explanation we got - Lake Nakuru had expanded its radius by 4km.
It was a result of the reforestation of the Mau forest. Most of the flamingos had migrated to Lake Bogoria 'cause saline waters are their preferable habitat for them.
The waters had been diluted by the refill.

Oh My God!! The feeling I got at the moment was unfathomable. It was extreme pride and joy. In the works of a woman who fought tirelessly on end for the protection of our forests.
It was tears and laughter at the same time. I could feel her smile at this sight, I could see her rejoicing endlessly. SHE WAS ALIVE AGAIN. She lives again through the fruits of her work. Who cares if the flamingos migrated?  I don't!
As long as they didn't die or go extinct. A little change is good from time to time.

It was finally clear to me. People like her are immortal. God has a way of making them so because they leave indelible marks among us.
Unique like fingerprints, no one like them. Through their works; their passion.
We are reminded every time we see what they did. No one ever listened, but now they will! OH YES, THEY WILL!!

Youtube Video - Humming Bird.

As a line from one of my favorite songs goes

" A penny for my thoughts, oh, no, I'll
sell 'em for a dollar
They're worth so much more after
I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear the
words I been singin'
Funny when you're dead how people
start listenin' "

Photo credits : Cyrus Ndolo

10 Fun facts about lions

The lion has forever been a symbol
of strength, power and ferocity. It's even found on the Kenyan flag as our guard of arms.
Seeing
this majestic cat species up-close is sure
to be a spine-tingling experience.

10. African lions are the most social of all big cats and live together in
groups or “prides.” A pride consists of about 15 lions. They consist of males, females and cubs.

9. Each pride guards a certain area that they consider as territory. The stronger younger males are responsible for guarding territories to keep away other predators from hunting within.
Females , however, do most of
the hunting. Despite this, the males eat first.

8. These majestic cats are
threatened by habitat loss. The lion is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species.

7. The lion was once found
throughout Africa, Asia and Europe
but now exists only in Africa with
one exception. The last remaining
Asiatic lions are found in Sasan-Gir
National Park in India, which was
primarily created to protect the
species. Currently, there are
approximately 350-400 lions in the
park.

6. A lion’s roar can be heard from as far as 5 miles away.

5. A lion can run for short distances at 50 mph and leap as far as 36 feet. They also can't climb trees.

4. You know how the lion is referred to as the “king of the jungle,”? Well, the lion actually only lives in
grasslands and plains. The
expression may have come from an incorrect association between Africa and jungles or may refer to a less literal meaning of the word jungle.

3. A good gauge of a male lion’s age is the darkness of his mane. The darker the mane, the older the lion. Another gauge point is the nose tip. Younger cats have lighter coloured nose tips, mostly pinkish, and they get darker with age.

2. A lion’s heels don’t touch the
ground when it walks.

1. A lion may sleep up to 20 hours a day. Wow. Now I envy them.

New tourism Fad?

The world has changed so much and so has humanity. There has been so much diversity over time that has seen some extremely wealthy and others unfathomably poor let alone for a church mouse. In these changes, the third world has been caught in the center of attention amidst slum tourism.

Yes, the people who live from hand to mouth. I mean, much of it isn't living rather survival to see the next day. Nothing is assured. Some live in houses that are merely constructed of carton box material, no proper drainage, no water supplies, poor health care,poor sanitation, insecurity and such. I say it as it is, even if I were to be crucified for it. No one wishes for that life and no one really chooses where to be born.

One thing though is different about these communities; they live as community. They mind each other with neighborly love despite diverse ethnic origin. Meet a stranger and they won't lack a genuine smile or a kind greeting or word for you, at least almost always. This is something that has eluded humanity and been replaced by individualism. This very essence for the existence of humanity has faded with increased urbanization. I can bet that you barely know five different neighbors beyond their names and the little feisty rumors you get from time to time, if you do at all.

Well, this is the spirit that lets them see another day and rise above their current status. Forming self help groups for themselves and to cater for those who can't cater for their own like orphans. They start out equipped with their talents creating a livelihood making artefacts, juakali equipment, carving, using whatever material they lay hands on. Most start with very little funds or none at all.

One cannot be really sure of the motivation and motives  of an individual  tourist to visit the slums. Some believe that this is what all of Africa looks like, some might come to see what poverty really is, others do it to be a part of the causes and make donations to the community projects. It's quite a shame if it's for the wrong reasons. The individual tourists motives don't really matter. It depends on a resident's individual perspective of the new niche, either pessimist or optimist. A pessimist would view it as an intrusion into their personal life, exposure to shame and even consider it nosey. Optimists on the other hand would seize the opportunity to market their fine artefacts, develop projects and find their way out of misery. Oh, and they would consider the pessimists as lazy.

This niche has been around for long in Favela in Brazil, Soweto in South Africa and Dharavi in India where the award winning Hollywood movie Slum Dog Millionaire was shot. It eventually reached Kenya at around 2006. Though it received a cold reception, with many considering it as a diversion from traditional attractions of numerous wildlife parks and reserves, it has slowly been accepted by the communities. The major attractions have been Kibera, Mukuru wa Njenga, slums all within Nairobi, with numerous travel agencies marketing them making an impression that part of the tour fee goes into donations for their project. This has been found to be a faux as told by locals, with some agencies even going to the extent of demanding refunds for part of the donations. How shameful. It's one thing to lie but it's another to steal from the poor.

Since slum tourism started in Kenya, it has seen countless celebrities visit the Kenyan slums including Russell Brand, the then Senator Barack Obama, Oliver Wilde, Chris Rock, among others.
The most recent visit was by, Curtis Jackson (50Cents)  who visited Kibera slums and donated food through the WFP in early 2012. He also made other donations of 10 cents (USD) for every sale of his 'Street King' drink brand and 'vitamin water'. Here is a YouTube video of his visit to Kenya and Somalia.
All in all, change is inevitable. Doesn't matter if we take it positively or negatively, we have to find a way to adjust and make hay while the sun shines.

10 Things every Msafiri (Tourist) is curious about- Kenya

As-salam Alaikum everyone this day. It's a bright sunny day in Kenya fully bustled with activity as the weekend approaches. Can't help imagine how marvelous this day would be if I were on a wildlife safari deep in the Savannah bushlands among nature, enjoying the revitalizing gushes of fresh air as the flora and fauna. Anyway, duty calls so I save that for another day.

That aside, every traveler or tourist definitely has questions about a destination that they are stranger to. These questions arise from curiosity and could be about culture and norms, climate, means of communication, facilities available, etcetera. It's therefore important that one makes a point to know to allow for convenience, to be aware and in circumstances to avoid embarrassment. Here are 10 most frequently asked questions about Kenya answered :

What is the climate and weather  Kenya like?
Kenya enjoys a tropical climate.
It has two wet seasons and two
dry seasons. The rainy seasons are
from March to May and from
November to January.
Although Kenya straddles the
equator, the climate varies greatly.
Location is everything.  It
is hot and humid at the coast,
temperate inland and very dry in
the north and northeast parts of
the country.
There is plenty of sunshine all the
year round and summer clothes
are worn throughout the year. The temperatures at the coast average at 27- 32°C while those inland vary from 21°C to about 26°C.
However, it is usually cool at night
and early in the morning.
The long rains occur from April to
June and short rains from October
to December. The rainfall is
sometimes heavy and when it does
come it often falls in the
afternoons and evenings. The
hottest period is from February to
March and coldest in July to
August.

What is the time zone in Kenya?
Kenya time zone is at GMT +3, that is it is three hours ahead of the Greenwich Meridian Time.
Due to location at the equator, it has equal daylight and darkness hours all through the year.

When is the best time to visit
Kenya?
The tourism season for Kenya is generally during the long dry season between May and September. This is the best time to catch the wildebeest migration.
However, one can visit in other months and enjoy reduced prices and beat crowds although some establishments completely close businesses off season.

What should I bring to wear?
Clothing will mostly depend on weather. It is important to observe decency in dressing so as not to offend local residents. For women, skirts, shorts and dresses should not be above mid-thigh or too tight.
For men, any decent pants or shorts are good to go.

Will I be able to get around if I
don't speak any Swahili?
Most Kenyans speak three languages; their mother language, Swahili and English, so communication is possible even if you don't speak Swahili.

Do I need any vaccinations?
Kenya is in the tropical climate region so it largely depends on what region you are from. Most vaccinations given are those of malaria, yellow fever, cholera and tuberculosis. However, your doctor will advice you accordingly.

Are cash, travelers checks or credit cards best in Kenya?
Cash is definitely the best. Most transactions are paid in cash although credit cards can be used in establishments in the cities - Nairobi, Mombasa &Kisumu as well as major towns such as Eldoret.
It's advisable to cash your travelers check to a few thousand shillings before traveling to Kenya for convenience.

Is Kenya inexpensive?
Kenya is generally inexpensive. The key is to bargain prices as many local businesses are flexible with prices especially open air markets. You need a sweet tongue.

What about tipping?
Tipping is not mandatory in Kenya. It's mostly a matter of choice, although in high-end establishments it could considered a bit rude and unappreciative especially where there is good service. Tips could be up to 5% of expenditure otherwise anything above that is extravagant.

When are the holidays?
Most businesses are closed during public holidays in Kenya. Below are holidays in Kenya :

New Year's Day - January 1
Eid-al-Fitr - Varies Yearly
Easter - Varies Yearly
Labour Day - May 5
Madaraka Day - June 1
Mashujaa Day - October 20
Ramadhan - Varies yearly
Jamhuri Day - December 12
Christmas day - December 25
Boxing day - December 26

Muslim holidays vary from year to year depending on local sightings of the moon.

What else are you curious about?

Kerio View - A view of Kerio Valley

Kerio View, perched on the edge of the Kerio Valley escarpment - a branch of the Great Rift Valley of East Africa offers fine views of the Tugen hills and Tiati, a sacred mountain of the Pokot people.
Down in the valley, a central to the panoramic view, is Lake Kamnarok, set close to Rimoi Game Reserve and fed by waters flowing down the slopes of Tugen Hills. In the rainy season, when the level of water in the lake is high, there is an overflow from the lake into the nearby Kerio River. Unfortunately, Kamnarok is fast disappearing due to excessive siltation.

The Kerio River arises from numerous streams flowing down the steep slopes from the forested highlands of Kikabus at the head of the valley. It picks up more water from a few rivers flowing over the Keiyo escarpment, but more significantly from powerful rivers flowing down into the valley from the Cherengany Hills of Marakwet. The Kerio has enough power to force a meandering course through the northern desert country and finally discharge it's remaining waters into Lake Turkana- 300 km away and 2100 m lower than its origins.
Rimoi is a relatively new reserve and hardly exploited. It's particularly noted for very wild elephants. Visitors have to be accompanied by a Wildlife Department ranger.

There are also crocodiles in the river and lake but they are very wary and shy of people and not always easy to see. There are at least 26 species of snakes in the valley and bird life is abundant.
Kerio View is only 33km from Eldoret town and close to the township of Iten- The home of champions. Iten and Keiyo Marakwet Counties are known to many people, even overseas, as places associated with athletics, because many world class athletes have originated from or did their formative training in the area. Names such as Peter Rono, Charles and Kip Cheruiyot, Wilson Kipketer, Sally Barsosio, Mathew Birir, Wilson Boit among many others will be familiar to many. Indeed Keiyo is a fine place for athletes and prospective competitors to come for high- altitude training.

Kerio View is a good base for safaris down into Kerio Valley. In less than half an hour of driving, one can drop down 1000 m from the lush vegetation at the edge of the Keiyo escarpment to the semi arid thorn bush of the valley. It's also well placed for trips to lake Baringo, Bogoria and Nakuru as well as Cherengany Hills. All can be visited in one day or two-day safari ans Kerio view can provide or arrange your transport and bookings.
Kerio Valley is also an excellent point for visitors interested In Paragliding although equipment are yet to be made available at the place. Visitors however can freely participate if they bring along their personal equipment.
All in all, it's a place you would want to wake up in every morning to the heavenly view.

Tourism News in this Morning

The dawn of Wednesday the 7th August 2013 saw the biggest and busiest airport in East and Central Africa up in clouds of fire that burnt the international flights section thus affecting all flights for the day. Some flights were diverted to other airports - Moi Int'l Airport Msa, Kisumu Int'l Airport Kisumu, and Entebbe Int'l Airport Uganda. However, good news are in this morning.

International flights to resume at JKIA after Wednesday morning fire. Read more...

News from the Mara Triangle in that KWS threatens to take over Masai Mara. Read more...

Business Daily Africa

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/KWS-seeks-to-take-over-Maasai-Mara-as-game-numbers-fall/-/539546/1939474/-/12k2qoc/-/index.html