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2006-08-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

Western Kilimanjaro to the Southern Serengeti

This safari is centered on the plains of Western Kilimanjaro and then moves across to the remote Southern Serengeti. Western Kilimanjaro camp is set in a private concession which means just that it is private and not a public park. It covers 75,000 acres and borders Kenya's Amboseli National Park. The landscapes here consist of floodplains, hills and acacia woodland. This destination is amazing as the camp is luxurious and game spotting is done against the dramatic back-drop of Mount Kilimanjaro. In the evening enjoy the stars of the southern sky and the amazing sight of Mount Kilimanjaro illuminated by moonlight.

The Southern Serengeti is an incredible place from January through to March, the wildebeest migration is in the area and during this time the hordes amass around the Kusini Camp for the birthing of their young. This is the worlds last great migration and so can be said to be unique, without any danger of exaggeration.

Day 1 & 2 - Kambi ya Tembo in the Western Kilimanjaro

Kambi ya Tembo (Elephant Camp) looks across the plains at Kilimanjaro and offers accommodation in ten tents with en suite facilities. Each luxury tent is under the shade of a massive, old acacia tree and combines the luxury and warmth with the best cultural and natural experience possible. Full board here includes tea/coffee local beers, wines, sprits and laundry service.

Day 3 - Transfer to Tarangire National Park

Travel from West Kilimanjaro and stop in Arusha for lunch in this small bustling town in Northern Tanzania.

After lunch travel for ninety minutes to the Tarangire National Park and to River Camp Lodge which is close to an old Baobab, that dominates the dry riverbed. This camp is made up of 18 Luxury Safari Tents within 25,000 hectare concession which is set aside for conservation by the local Maasai community of Minjingu.

Day 4 - After breakfast enter into Tarangire National Park for the full day, stopping for picnic lunch in the Park.

In the late afternoon drive to Ngorongoro Farm House. This is an exclusive lodge facing the Ol-deani Volcano, and is set on a huge coffee farm. Three separate and intimate camps of nine comfortable bungalows each are built in the design of an old colonial farm. They are tastefully decorated, using local materials offering an imaginary journey to days long past.

Day 5 - Ngorongoro Crater: the full day is spent exploring the world's largest unbroken volcanic caldera. The steep sides of the crater mean that it has become a natural enclosure for wildlife, including most of the species found in East Africa. The night is spent in one of the luxury lodges perched on the rim of the crater - all rooms offering magnificent views of the crater bellow.

Day 6 to 8 - Journey to the Southern Serengeti with game viewing en-route. The lodge is Kusini Camp - full board here includes tea/coffee local beers, wines, sprits and laundry service.

The Serengeti would not be the same without the beautiful rock outcrops known as kopjes. The rounded shapes of these ancient granite rocks are the result of cracking and erosion from exposure to sun, wind, and rain. They provide shelter and capture water for a wealth of wildlife and plants. In fact, without such environs, lions and other large animals would be unable to survive the dry season on the plains.

Kusini Camp is perfectly sited in a cluster of kopjes, Kusini is a permanent tented camp blended seamlessly into the delicate environment of the predator-rich plains of the Serengeti. The surrounding short grass plains provide the setting for the most spectacular natural phenomenon in the continent of Africa, the wildebeest migration, during which time the hordes amass around the camp for the birthing of their young.

Day 9 - Leave the Serengeti and drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation and return to the Ngorongoro Farm House.

Day 10 - After breakfast game drive in Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park is home to millions of flamingos, pelicans, storks and other plentiful bird life, as well as hippos that can be observed at close range. Pink flamingo graze by the thousands whilst yellow-billed storks swoop and corkscrew on thermal winds rising up from the escarpment, and herons flap their wings against the sun-drenched sky. This park is also famous for the tree-climbing lions. In addition to the lions, the national park is also home to the largest concentration of baboons in Tanzania.

Return to Arusha and end of safari.

2006-08-04T23:01:00.000-07:00

Ngurdoto: The Mini Ngorongoro Crater

Ngurdoto crater is found in Arusha National Park and is an awe-inspiring attraction on its own. It is a caldera of an extinct volcano; that is the remains of an ancient and large volcano. Ngurdoto has a ring road that allows fabulous views down into the lush crater interior. In the past it has only been possible to drive up and around the crater rim. The drive takes you through the misty forest of ancient Cedar trees inhabited by the nimble black and white colobus monkeys.

The shy leopards are the main predator and attraction in this area. There are no lions in this park apart from the odd nomad visitor. Driving along the high ridges on the Crater edge provides a stunning view of the forests, glades and animal tracks that abound in this lush habitat.

To leave your vehicle has not been possible until recently; but now you are allowed to walk around the rim. This crater has been called the mini Ngorongoro. In the past it has only been possible to drive up to the rim; now it is possible to explore the crater rim on foot. There is ongoing work clearing footpaths and signposting, which is almost compete. This added attraction will make this small beautiful park even more interesting to visit. The park also offers walking safaris and canoeing safaris on one of the many mountain lakes of the park.

The walk around the crater is not steep and therefore an enjoyable walk for everyone. The crater is 400 meters deep and 3 kilometers wide. It is a steep sided bowl containing lush swamps and forest. The crater is home to elephant, buffalo, baboon, reedbuck, colobus monkeys, leopard and duikers.

Mosses, ferns, lichens and orchids thrive in the damp atmosphere of the Crater, giving way to huge mahogany, olive and date palm trees on the drier crater walls. Descent into the Crater itself is not allowed. This creates a sanctuary within a sanctuary and leaves a large area of the park to the wildlife. The Arusha National Park covers and area 33,800 acres and consists of three spectacular features: the Momella Lakes, Ngurdoto Crater, and the majestic Mount Meru.

In addition to being an excellent park for birders, Arusha National Park is one of the few places to see the black and white colobus monkey. Flamingoes can be seen in huge congregations in the Momella lakes.
There is a beautiful mountain forest in the park with endemic species of plants and wildlife. The park is famous for its wide variety of bird life, both sedentary and migratory. At times it is possible to get a clear view of the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, weather permitting.

2006-08-04T04:47:00.000-07:00

Adventure Travel: The Most Exhilarating "Must Do" Trips

Ever since the man could walk, he traveled. At first, we traveled to escape harsh climate and find food, but as we evolved, we started traveling for fun. Thus appeared travel destinations and travel guides. As time passed, more and more people started traveling to various locations, for the landscape, traditions and thrills.

Here are a few travel locations that are sure to give you your thrills and kicks, somewhat like a top four, I guess, but dont trust me - go check them out yourself out!

1. Himalaya

By far the greatest mountain range in the world, the Himalaya have captured the imagination of philosophers, mystics, mountaineers and empire builders from the earliest ancestors of contemporary Hindus and Buddhists to the present day. Mount Kailash, home of the greatest of the gods, and Meru, centre of the Hindu and Buddhist universe, rise from their surrounding ridges of the central Himalaya. From the high slopes to the foothills, people have carved out an often-meager existence in the harshest of environments with determination, subtlety and imagination enriched by powerful cultural identities. Tribal peoples living often at high altitudes have made their living from their tough environment through trade over the highest passes in the world, while farmers have developed agriculture on the man-made terraces of the warmer, lower-lying valleys and hills of the southern ranges. Although the mountain environment gives a common character to the whole region, each hamlet has its own identity. The villages of the arid high-altitude plateau of Ladakh could scarcely be more different from the homesteads of the monsoon forests of Arunachal Pradesh.

2. Kilimanjaro Climb

Just three degrees south of the Equator is the 5,895m (19,340ft) high, permanently snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, Africas highest mountain. It offers one of the best opportunities in the world to climb a peak at high altitude without needing technical climbing ability. Any normally fit, healthy person prepared for some physical exertion and exercise should be able to complete the ascent to Uhuru Peak, which involves approximately 70 kilometers of walking in total, and no technical climbing.

3. Torres Del Paine in Patagonia, Chile
Near the fjord area of Tierra Del Fuego and the Beagle Channel one may visit the famous Torres Del Paine National Park on the southern edge of the Patagonia Ice Cap. The area is easy to get to from Punta Arenas with transportation of buses, taxis and minibuses. It is possibly the most famous national park in South America with 60,000 visitors last season. It is some 100 km north of Puerto Natales. A 2422 sq. km park was given the World Heritage status in 1978 by UNESCO.

It gets it's name from three wonderful and very prominent polished columns of pink granite, the Towers of Paine (Torres Del Paine).
Here you may go backpacking and trekking, or you can join programs to do the mountain climbing as well. Nandu and Guanaco (Ostrich and Alpaca like animals) are frequently seen in the park refuge. There is a broad diversity of fauna y flora. Backpackers should have experience with overnight trips in rough country; those who desire to make ascents should have mountaineering ice and snow climbing experience.

4. Amboseli Safari

Amboseli National Park is one of Kenyas most popular parks because of the stunning view it displays of nearby Mount Kilimanjaro, the worlds tallest freestanding mountain. When you go on your Amboseli Safari, be sure to get the famous photograph of elephants with the unforgettable views of Kilimanjaro in the background!

Streams from Kilimanjaro surface in the centre of Amboseli, creating swamps that attract and support a rich diversity of wild animals and birdlife.
As Amboseli is easily accessible, it forms a popular part of many of our safari itineraries. Amboseli is one of the smaller game parks in Kenya and the vegetation ensures that the animals are easy to spot. Lions can easily be found and can occasionally be watched stalking their prey.

Buffalo, zebra, giraffe, gazelle and other plains game are plentiful in the park and hippos live in the open waters and swamp channels. The elephants found here are surprisingly relaxed around safari vehicles; they were largely unaffected by ivory poaching and have some of the largest tusks.

Nothing beats the experience of adventure travel, so pack up your rucksack and give it a go!

2006-08-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

2006-08-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

An Interview with Helga Smith: Servas Traveller, Marathon Runner and Conqueror of Mount Kilimanjaro

I had a chance to meet Helga recently at the Servas Conference that I covered in Vancouver. Once you read Helga's story you'll realize why she has been included in a recent book called "Women Who Rock", featuring the stories of women who have made outstanding contributions to business, sports or community endeavours.

Originally from East Germany, Helga escaped to the West in 1963 and came to New York City a few years later. Without much help, she raised three children, completed a university degree and successfully established herself in the United States.

Helga has volunteered for a variety of non-profit organizations, inspired others to get active by running marathon races and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds to help African women start their own small businesses. Here is Helga's fascinating story:

1. Please tell us about your background. Where are you from, where did you grow up?

I grew up in a country that does not exist anymore, East Germany. Life was not much fun after WWII and it did not improve when the communists took over in 1948. Since I lived close to West Berlin, there was the constant reminder that life can be different. In those of us, who were not willing to resign ourselves to the limitations of the communist regime, it fostered a rebellion and the urge to throw off the chains.

2. You left East Germany in 1963, 2 years after the Berlin Wall was erected. Please tell us about your escape from East Germany.

When the Wall was built it became nearly impossible to leave the country. If caught, the penalty for escaping from East Germany at the time was 6 years in prison. But I was single with no binding obligations, so I was willing to take a chance. I scouted out several possibilities and finally got onto a train which passed locked thru East Germany, stopped in East Berlin to let on foreigners and went to West Berlin before being locked again for the second passage thru East Germany to West Germany. I hid in the train and saw the border police passing by inches away from me. Destiny must have been on my side because the police did not detect me and I made it to West Berlin.

The beginning in West Berlin was not easy since I had nothing, knew nobody and the official help offered was barely enough to get one outfit to go on a job search. Well, I did get a job, found an apartment and basically was on my way.

3. A few years after you left East Germany you came to the United States, to New York City. Please tell us about the first few years in the United States.

Now that I was free to make my own decisions, the opportunity arose to come to the United States. The fact that I did not speak any English did not deter me. Indeed, it did make it a bit more difficult, but challenges are there to make us grow.
I took a job as a domestic, learned English as quickly as I could, made friends and a year later started working in an office. Soon after, I married an American and we had three children during the next five years. By that time my husband decided he did not want a family after all and I was single again. Life became challenging once more. To feed the children, I had to go on welfare for a while. But I also attended school, and as soon as I had an associate degree I started to work again. This time I took a job at a major financial institution and stayed with them for more than 20 years in a variety of positions. Along the way I acquired specialized computer skills that allowed me to support my children thru college. My daughter graduated from Harvard Law School and works for International Development. My son attended Fordham University and lives in New York with his Ecuadorian wife. Both of them are recognized and respected graffiti artists, famous for murals in their neighborhood, the City and around the world.

4. How and when did you hear about Servas? What countries have you traveled to through Servas? How many people from what countries have you hosted? In your opinion, what is special about traveling through Servas?

My children were still teenagers when on a Sunday afternoon hike I met a little old lady traveling with a knapsack* who told me about Servas. It sounded interesting, but I did not have the time or money to travel myself, so I decided to become a host and let travelers come to me. Several years later, having hosted dozens of people from many different countries, I became really eager to travel myself.

If it had not been for Servas, I do not know whether I ever would have had the courage to visit other countries on my own. But once I started, it quickly became a fascination and my urge to travel was dampened only by financial constraints and the brief annual vacation employees receive in the US. During the 20 years I have been a Servas member I have hosted hundreds of people and traveled to more than 50 countries, visiting Servas people whenever possible.

There are 15000 Servas hosts in 135 countries, and even though it may not always be feasible to stay with them or they may not be available at the time, every visit is enriching in some way. Every traveler coming into my home has something special about him or her and I will always make an effort to have a meaningful encounter.

Vice versa, when I visit people in other countries, I like to find out what their life is like, what are their concerns, what do we have in common and how can we relate and help each other. In doing so, I believe that we are fostering understanding and tolerance. Often we are inspired and motivated to take actions in peace building on the grassroots level. A network of Servas members worldwide helps in that effort.

* (Sandy Cherry was listed in the host list with that quote. She lived in California, and I met her years later at one of our national Servas meetings in Boston.)

5. Please tell us about your 3 favorite or most memorable hosting experiences with Servas.

One of my earliest encounters began in California where I met a lovely young woman from Australia who was somewhat reluctant to come to 1980s crime-ridden New York, or so it was perceived as in those days. I encouraged her to visit me and of course she loved it. Short after, she wrote to me that her parents also wanted to come to New York and asked to find a place for them to stay. Naturally I invited them into my home, even though they were not with Servas. They were in the States for the first time and instead of doing the usual sightseeing in New York, they visited a relative of a friend of theirs in the hospital, because he had nobody else who cared about him. I was very impressed by their humanitarian action and selflessness.

During the first year as a host I was not sure of what precisely hosting entailed. An elderly gentleman came to visit who had just discovered Servas and thought it was a marvelous invention. He obviously had his own agenda that had nothing to do with the Servas spirit. After smoking up my apartment for three days, I asked him whether he was going to stay with anyone else in New York. His answer was, that he liked it here and that he felt just like at home. I did not have the courage to tell him it was time to leave and he stayed another three days.

For the Millennium Forum in 2000, Servas hosts in New York were asked to volunteer hosting UN delegates of NGOs who often do not receive enough funding. I was privileged to host Muborak Sharipova from Tajikistan who knew nothing about Servas. As a sociologist, Muborak had lived the Servas spirit all her life, becoming a member of Servas was just a logical extension of what she was doing all along. We now have a close relationship and I am happy to help her in more ways than one whenever she comes to New York.

2006-08-01T20:57:00.000-07:00

On Safari in Northern Tanzania - Back to The Sixth Day of the Creation

Tanzania's natural endowment as a wildlife safari destination is unrivalled. Wild animals roam in vast areas as God intended on that sixth day of the creation. These areas are designated as national parks and game reserves and have a high reputation for being uncrowded and unspoilt. The magnificent collection of game sanctuaries to the north of the country, near the border with Kenya, is referred to as The Northern Circuit. This is the most popular and accessible wildlife safari route in Tanzania. I can positively say that this is one of the finest game viewing areas anywhere in the world. The game aside, the spectacularly diverse cluster of eco-systems and habitats is a dazzling experience for many a visitor.

The stars of the Northern Circuit are the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, very dear to the hearts of nature lovers. But no less sparkling and indeed complementing the two are the other members of the circuit: Arusha, Tarangire and Lake Manyara. In terms of wildlife, the abundance and diversity of the wildlife here is difficult to imagine. On top of the heap are the highly regarded "big five": elephant, buffalo, rhino, leopard and lion. And then a wild array of plain animals: wildebeest, zebra, eland, hartebeest, oryx, reedbuck, giraffe, Thompson gazelle, and many more of the same genre. But do not forget the merciless predators: cheetah, wild dog, jackal, hyena and vultures. The Northern Circuit is an ornithologist's paradise too, and over 500 species of birds are on record. On safari, you will be a witness of the shocking and fascinating dance of life and death on daily play by this combination of animals.

The starting point for northern safaris is usually Arusha town. The town sits near the base of Mount Meru and is in sight of mighty Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain. From Arusha, the nearest protected area to see wildlife is Arusha National Park, just 32 km away. In this park of 137 sq km area, you will see baboon, colobus and vervet monkeys, duikers, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, leopard, hyena, zebra and a wide range of antelopes. More than 400 species of birds have been recorded, including Eurasian migrants, who visit between October and April. One of the unique attractions of the park is that walking safaris are allowed and you can get off your vehicle for a nature walk. Due to its proximity to Arusha, the park is very popular for day trips.

Wildlife aside, Arusha National Park is a treasure with a rich tapestry of habitats including grassland, montane forest, heath and alpine desert and soda and fresh water lakes. Three spectacular features stand out: the Momela Lakes, Mount Meru, and Ngurdoto Crater. Mount Meru stands at 4,575 m and is Africa's fourth highest mountain. It is however overshadowed by nearby Kilimanjaro, which rises above it by over 1300 m. It is regrettable that the snobbish instinct of many climbers makes them to overlook Mt Meru. The mountain can be scaled in three to four days with overnight accommodation in alpine huts.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve, is located in the Great Rift Valley, a monumental fracture of the earths crust. The area is filled with volcanoes, mountains, plains, lakes and forests. Covering 8288 sq km, its main features are the Ngorongoro Crater, the Empakai crater, the Oldonyo Lengai Mountain and the archeological site of Olduvai Gorge. Olduvai Gorge is the prehistoric site where Dr. Louis Leakey discovered the remains of Homo habilis ("Handy man") regarded by scientists as mankind's first step on the path of human evolution. Be sure to have a look at the remains of our worthy predecessor, whose valiant industry spurred by necessity, got him making simple stone tools.

Unlike in the national parks, the colorful Maasai people, their livestock and wildlife coexist within the conservation area. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest Caldera in the world that has its walls intact. The crater floor is a drop of 600 m and covers an area of 260 sq km with a diameter of 19 km. This magnificent natural amphitheatre is a stunning attraction in its own right and is one of the wonders of the natural world. The crater supports a year round resident population of a variety of wildlife. You will have no trouble spotting lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and many species of plain animals- wildebeest, zebra, reedbuck, Thompson gazelle and many more. The crater floor is dotted with watering holes and holds almost 30,000 wild animals. Ngorongoro is four hours by road from Arusha or one hour by air. And from either Lake Manyara or Tarangire you will be on the road for two hours.

Lake Manyara National Park spreads between the cliff of the Great Rift Valley and Lake Manyara, a shallow soda lake. The park covers 330 sq. km, 70% of which is occupied by the lake. The varied ecosystem consists of ground water forests, acacia woodland and open grassland along the lakeshore and sustains a wealth of wildlife, including the Big Five -lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo. Other animals to be seen in the park include baboons, impala, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, ostrich and hippo.

Lake Manyara is famous for the elusive tree-climbing lions, which can occasionally be seen along the branches of the acacia trees. It is also an ornithologists' paradise and is host to over 400 species of birds. The water birds hovering around the lake include pelicans, spoonbills, Egyptian geese and hammerkops. In addition, migratory flamingoes arrive in hundreds of thousands creating a spectacular sight over the soda lake. You will arrive at Lake Manyara after driving from Arusha for two hours or flying for just half an hour.

Tarangire National Park is a one and half hour drive from Arusha making it very popular for day trips. Tarangire is a park of giant baobab trees, rolling savannah and acacia parkland. It is famous for its dense wildlife population, which is most spectacular in the dry season between June and September. It is during this period that thousands of animals- wildebeest, zebra, eland, hartebeest, waterbuck, giraffe, impala, gerenuk, buffalo and oryx migrate from the dry Maasai steppe to the Tarangire River in search of water. The predators -lion, leopard and others- as is the custom in the savanna follow closely by. If lucky, you will spot the peculiar tree-climbing python, kudu and roan antelope, a rare experience in the northern safari circuit. Birds are also abundant here and over 550 species have been recorded.

Serengeti National Park is Africa's most famous wildlife sanctuary and Tanzania's largest national park. The park is located 6 hours by road from Arusha or one hour by air. It lies in a high plateau between the Ngorongoro highlands and the Kenya/Tanzania border and almost touches Lake Victoria in the west. Appropriately named "endless plains" by the Maasai people, it features short and long grass plains, acacia savanna and woodland in parts of the north and east.

Within its 15,000 sq km area, Serengeti hosts 3 million large mammals. More than 35 species of plain animals- zebra, wildebeest, eland, giraffe, and others are found here. And so for the big five: elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino. The park is the staging-zone for one the most spectacular events in the natural world- the annual migration of wildebeest. This commences around June when over 1 million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle head for the Maasai Mara in Kenya in search of pasture. Following on their heels are the predators of the savanna- lion, cheetah, wild dog, jackal, hyena and vultures.

If you can spare the money, viewing the migration afloat a balloon is an unforgettable experience. The best time to view game is from December to May when the grass is short. Avoid late June-October, when most of the animals will have evacuated with the migration and are best seen in the adjacent Maasai Mara in Kenya. The keen ornithologist will have a good time trying to sight the 500 species of birds on record.

Camping sites can be found in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and all the national parks of the northern circuit. Facilities are pretty basic and this is where budget travelers prefer to spend their safari nights. If you can afford it, overnight at the luxury safari lodges and tented camps. In this class of accommodation expect to find all the creature comforts associated with rated accommodation. See our Tanzania Hotels & Lodges page for info and book accommodation for your safari.

It is generally recommended to take an escorted tour package that includes transport, guide, park fees and accommodation. Tour guides have valuable useful local knowledge about the animals, where to find them and how to get where you are going. Check out our very good value escorted Tanzania Safari offers of various durations and budgets. But if you know the country well and have good knowledge of animals, then hiring a self-vehicle is an option. See our Tanzania Car Rental page to do your reservation for a self-drive or chauffer driven vehicle.

The relatively high elevation in northern Tanzania means that it never gets too hot. Indeed the nights and early mornings can be quite chilly. You are well advised to take along a heavy sweater and a windbreaker or jacket. Expect temperatures to average from 15C in May to August and 22C over December to March. The weather is best between June and September, but do not bet on seeing any animals in the Serengeti. For a safari covering all the parks of northern Tanzania, September to March is a good time. But remember that some of the other parks in the region offer nearly year round game viewing opportunities. April and May can be a challenging period for dong a safari for as this is when the weather is at its rainiest.

On safari, bright coloured clothing may get you in trouble with wild animals. If you are wise you will pack brown, beige and khaki clothing. Short sleeve shirts, shorts and trouser for men are adequate. For ladies, short sleeve blouses, slacks and skirts are ideal. Though the northern region is well outside the predominantly Muslim coast areas and ladies do not have to dress too conservatively, modest attire is still a good idea. Remember to bring along a pair of sunglasses to shield you from the sometimes harsh tropical glare. Binoculars will come in very handy for spotting animals.

2006-08-01T01:12:00.000-07:00

Norm Goldman Interviews Comedienne Fran Capo,the Guinness Book Worlds Record for the Fastest Talking

Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of Sketchandtravel & Bookpleasures
is delighted to have as a guest, Fran Capo.

Fran is quite a cool person, as she is an eight-time author, humorist, voiceover artist, comedienne, adventurer, actress, freelance writer and keynote motivational speaker. She also holds the Guinness Book Worlds Record for the Fastest Talking Female.

Recently, Fran accomplished another amazing feat as the first and only author to ever do a book signing on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in
Africa with the release of her book "Adrenaline Adventures: Dream it,
Read it, Do it!"

Good day Fran and thank you for agreeing to participate in our
interview for Sketchandtravel.com and Bookpleasures.com.

Norm:

Could you tell our audience something about yourself and how you
became involved in your various occupations?

Fran:

Sure Norm, first let me say its great to be here, and I thank you for
having me on as a guest.

Since you mentioned a bunch of the things I did up front, I guess I'll
start with how I became a stand up comic, as this was my first entry
into the entertainment world.

In school I was known for my sense of humor and some of my classmates
suggested a career as a stand-up comic. This had me thinking as to how
life would be as a stand-up comic, and I started to watch comics on
TV, comedy clubs, listening to comedy albums, etc. I said to myself, I
could do this. I asked God to give me the right sign if I should do
comedy.

Two occurrences happened that were my go ahead signs. One, when
someone turned around in a movie lineup and complimented me on my
sense of humor, after hearing me crack jokes to my friends. He
suggested I audition for the Comic Strip. Another happened at a car
convention, where a fortune- teller analyzed my handwriting and told
me I had a good sense of humor and use it to make money.

I eventually did audition at a club called Creighton and Grays Comedy
Room that was very near my home, with material given to me by my
friend Barry, who was in my acting class at the time. This was my
first success as a stand up comedienne and I received a standing
ovation as well as $10. I was a mini-local celebrity, with rave press
reviews. I spent the next 15 years of my career figuring out ways to
get in print, on radio and television.

Norm:

What is this about- the holding of the Guinness Book Worlds Record
for the Fastest Talking Female?

Fran:

Well the stand-up comedy gig lead to my fast-talking by

accident. My philosophy is just always say yes and figure it out

after how I am going to do something.

My stand up landed me a job doing weather and traffic at a radio
station WBLS-FM in New York. I was doing it as this comedy character
June East (Mae West's long-lost sister). One day, Dinah Prince, a
reporter from the Daily News called and said she wanted to do an
article on me. When she had finished interviewing me for the article,
she asked-What are you planning to do next?

Next? Well at the time there was nothing I was planning on doing
next, so I asked her what she meant, stalling for time. She
said she really wanted to follow my career. Here was a woman
from The Daily News telling me she was interested in me! So I
thought I'd better tell her something.

What came out was, "I'm thinking about breaking the Guinness
Book of World Records for the Fastest Talking Female." The newspaper article came out the next day, and she included my parting remarks about trying to break the world's
Fastest-Talking Female record. At about 5:00 P.M. that afternoon, I received a call from CNN asking me to go on the Larry King Live Show. They wanted me to try to break the
record. They told me they would send a limo to pick me up at 8:00. That was only three hours. Talk about pressure!

I had never heard of Larry King Live, and when I heard the woman say
she was from a Manhattan Channel, I thought, "Hmmm that's a porn
channel, right?" She patiently assured me that it was a respectable
national television show and that this was a one-time offer and
opportunity - it was either that night or not at all.

I managed to find a replacement for a gig I had in New Jersey. I next sat down to figure out what on earth I was going to do on the show. I called Guinness to find out what the rules were to break a fast-talking record. They told me I would have to recite something from either Shakespeare or the Bible. Suddenly, I started saying the ninety-first Psalm, a prayer for protection that my mom had taught me. Shakespeare and I had never really
gotten along, so I figured the Bible was my only hope. I practiced over and over again, timing myself with a stop- watch to see how fast I could do it. I was both nervous and excited at the same time.

At 8:00, the limousine picked me up. I practiced the entire way there, and by the time I reached the New York studio I felt as if my tongue was going to fall off. I asked the producer, "What happens if I don't break the record?' She replied, "Larry doesn't care if you break it or not. He just cares that you try it on his show first." So I asked myself, What's the worst thing that can happen? I'd look like a fool on national television! A
minor thing, I could live through that. Then I asked myself , And what happens if I break the record?" Now that would be great.

I decided just to give it my best shot, and I did. I broke the record, becoming the World's Fastest Talking Female by speaking 585 words in one minute in front of a national television audience. (I broke it again two years later at the Guinness Museum in Vegas with 603 words per minute.) My career took off.

Norm:

Why did you want to have a book signing on Mount Kilimanjaro, and
could you describe to us a little about your experience, particularly
your voyage up to its summit, and how did you plan for it? Were you
ever afraid?

Fran:

Again, it goes back to my basic philosophy'sof seize the dayand just
going after things with a passion. I was actually researching a
chapter in my book Adrenaline Adventures: Dream it, Read it, Do it. I
read that an 83- year old women climbed Kilimanjaro. So I figured if
she could do it, so could I.

I enlisted my son, Spencer into the effort, contacted a top outfit,

CorbetBishopsafaris.com in Africa (the same guy that lead the IMAX

movie team up the mountain.)

Then I figured if I was going to train, climb and do this feat, I
might as well make it memorable at the top. So I decided to do a book
signing up there, I managed to get two sponsors, my publisher
Authorhouse and Snickers Marathon Energy Bars.

It took us 7 days to summit, going through 5 climate zones. The night

of summit we were woken up at 11 PM, it was unseasonably cold. Minus

15 degrees and 45 mph winds, our camelbacks froze, and you felt like

sleeping while standing up.

It took us 18 hours to get up over and down to camp. It was the
hardest thing I've ever done (and this is coming from someone who has
run the marathon, flown combat aircraft, rode a bike non stop for 100
miles, driven race car, dove with sharks etc(all of which are talked
about in Adrenaline Adventures of course.)

But after Spencer and I climbed it was such a feeling of accomplishment. Plus I had wanted to do it now, since global warming will melt the ice caps by 2015 if not sooner.

The picture of me doing the book signing circulated around the world,
and it led to Brian Day O'Conner (Supreme Court justice Sandra Day
O'Conner's son) contacting me.

I am now raising sponsorship money to go down in a two-person
submersible to the Titanic with Mr. O'Conner. My publisher,
Authorhouse, Ripley's Believe it or Not (Planet Eccentric) and
GoldenPalace.com the #1 online casino, so far have jumped on board as
sponsors. (You can read all about it on my website under sponsorship.)

While down there I am going to be doing a memorial service for the
titanic passengers, saying a non-denominational maritime prayer direct
from a Navy Chaplain. Did I mention I am also an ordained minister?
Yup, became one so I could do this the right way.

Norm:

Which one of your occupations do you find the most enjoyable and why?

Fran:

Wow, that's a hard one, because I really enjoy all that I do. I love
making people laugh, so stand up feels great. I hopefully make people
forget their problems at least for that night.

I love inspiring people, so I get a real kick out of doing my keynote
motivational talk for people called, "Dare to Do it!" Especially when
they come up to me and hug me, or when I get an email that they went
out and did something they've always wanted to do because they, "Dared
to do it."

I love doing my adventures, because it challenges me personally and
makes life exciting.

I love writing, so nine books later it feels awesome to see my books
in store windows, on websites, and especially when I catch someone
reading it on the bus or subway.

I just love communicating with people. As long as I am making them
laugh or inspiring them, I'm happy.

Norm:

Please tell us something about your most recent book Hopeville: the
City of Light.

Fran:

The Hopeville book, came to me in a strange way, just like the comedy
did. It's a story about four people that on the same night pray for
light in the world, because they are discouraged. An angel of light
appears to each of them and tells them a secret of how to change their
town. Each of them does it in his/her own wayand finally after the
people see the light, the town is forever changed. It's a book of
hope, light and following your dreams. But like I said the book came
to me in a very strange way.

Norm:

Could you tell our audience about some of your other travel
adventures? Which one up to now has been the most exciting, and why?

Fran:

Well, I've done 50 different adventures, ranging from mild to wild; I
mentioned some before but others like flying a helicopter, doing the
luge, the polar bear plunge, rock repelling, biking down a volcano,
going in a deprivation tank etc.

They all give you an adrenaline rush in a different way. Mind you, I'm usually scared when I do all of themits just that I have a philosophy of "FEAR NOTHING, but if you
do, do it anyway." See all of us have fear, the key is some of us let it paralyse us, while others use it as the spark for the engine. As far as hardest it was definitely climbing Kilimanjaro. As far as a rush; my four favorites Skydiving, driving racecars, cavern diving and snorkeling with manatees. Okay who am I kidding, I really love them
all, except maybe the glass blowingI wasn't too thrilled with that.
But my fiance loved itso everybody's different.

The cool thing about the book though is it has adventures that you
can't find in other travel books. Plus it has 50 motivational quotes,
50 funny adventure stories, and 50 "Adventure at a glance" pages that
tell you all the details so you can do the adventure if you are so
inspired.

Norm:

Could you tell us how you go about marketing your books?

Fran: I do many things. First, realize that writing the book is
usually the easiest part. Getting people to know about it is the real
challenge. And the key is YOU as the writer needs to do most of the
legwork.

Okay, so I send out galley copies to newspapers before the book
comes out.

I send press releases to radio stations, mag. Etc.
Using my hook as a fast talker to catch their attention.

I set up some kind of publicity event so that my book stands out.

I have a bookstore on my website.

I carry a box of books in my car at all times. I once sold a book on top of the Sydney Bridge in Australia, thus getting the phrase from my fiance, "No one's safe."

I set up book signings. I contact local media.

I mention the books at all my speaking engagements and comedy gigs.

I do interviews like this to let people know about my books I link with other sites
that have readers that may be interested in my books.

I offer my books to charity's for fundraising events.

Norm:

Has the Internet boosted your career and if so, how?

Fran:

Absolutely. I'd say 90% of my speaking engagements come to me from my
website. Usually people will be searching comedian, fast talker, or motivational speaker and my name pops up.

Also, I notice when I do radio shows and mention the website I get a lot of
requests that way as well. I think it is essential for every business
person these days to have a easily navigatable website.

Norm:

How do you want the world to remember Fran Capo? (I know you are not
leaving us just now!)

Fran:

She lived life the way she wanted towith love, with laughter, with
passion and never took no for an answer. She used up all God gave her,
and tried to inspire people to do the same.

Norm:

Is there anything else you care to add that we have not covered?

Fran:

Yes, remember-Live everyday as if it's your last, and one day you'll
be right.

And of course what kind of marketing author would I be if I did not
mention the following: I have a newsletter that keeps people updated
on the Capo happenings, simply called, CAPO UPDATES. Anyone interested
can go to my website and ask to be on the list.

And of course if you would like to be part of the world record event
at the titanicthe sponsorship information is available at my website.
Thanks so much Norm, I hope your readers enjoy the interview.

2006-07-31T06:17:00.000-07:00

What Makes Tanzania so Special

Unique and the well worn-out phrase off the beaten track have become not only mildly annoying but I think we have become immune to there supposed power to seduce and romance us into booking almost any vacation you may read about. It seems as if every destination is unique and off the beaten track. So what makes Tanzania so special, what is so different and intriguing to entice the traveler to choose Tanzania above another African destination?

It has the obvious lure of the Serengeti plains, Ngorongoro Crater, Kilimanjaro the list could go on. Tanzania has some stunning parks some of which are undiscovered by tourism and every bit as exciting as the Serengeti or the Selous. Tanzania looks after its parks, unlike some of the neighboring countries. Numbers of lodges and rooms in the parks are strictly regulated. Many have raised their voices to complain and criticize the recent hike in the park fees for the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater; this is not greed by the Tanzanian Government but an attempt to control the ever increasing number of tourists. We will see further initiatives to attempt to entice the tourist to the superb lesser visited parks in the south of the country. Such huge numbers of visitors in the north are not sustainable and the impact on the fragile eco-system must come first.

Cultural tourism is encouraged and developed quite rigorously. This is to encourage responsible tourism and ensure the people who live in Tanzania benefit from the tourism industry. Tanzanians are friendly and welcoming personified; they truly enjoy to receive visitors into there homes and country. Tanzania is peaceful and simply the safest place to visit in Africa.

There are the lakes in the west with the chimpanzees, the spiced islands of the Zanzibar archipelago for the best diving in the world, Saadani a place where the bush meets the sea and it is possible to see elephants enjoying the surf. Kilimanjaro where the dusty plains of Africa ascend ever upwards through tropical rainforest to near artic conditions at the summit; each area of Tanzania offering a contrast, offering something special.

Ngorongoro Crater is a perfect unbroken caldera, 18km across, this is one of the wonders of the world. This area is one of the few places in Africa where humans live in harmony with tourism and here we witness African culture and ecotourism smoothly nurtured into the environment.

The Usambara Mountains where the African violet was discovered, this area is a great addition to your safari and there are no park fees to pay. These African mountains are very special mountains, often that tired clich is used comparing them to Switzerland. These mountains are defiantly African mountains, not European but African.

Tanzania is a place to come for the prefect safari and African experience. It is a place to which you could easily loose your heart.

2006-07-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

Tanzania Safari Top Five National Parks and Game Reserves

Ask about perfect wildlife destinations and a Tanzania safari will be at or near the top of the list every time.

But what about the national parks and game reserves within the country itself? Which are the best to visit because they can't all be equally good.

Well, the top five list below provides the answers to that. It's been set up by using objective travel diaries at the African Safari Journals website, my twenty years of safari experience, forums, travel magazines and general consensus within the safari industry...

1. Serengeti NP

One of the best safari parks in Africa bar none. The wildlife viewing on a Tanzania safari here often borders on the spectacular aided by the fact that the vegetation is predominantly grassland which makes spotting animals from a distance considerably easier.

The grassland is also able to sustain a multitude of herbivores like wildebeest, zebra and gazelle which in turn sustains a large population of predators to feed on them so it's no surprise that the Serengeti is often referred to as "big cat central". In the Masaai language Serengeti means "endless plain" which is very close to the truth.

Two extraordinary events occur here that make it an even more remarkable place to take a tanzania safari. The annual wildebeest migration and the birth of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest foals.

The migration occurs as the massive herds of up to a million individuals begin their search for better grazing by moving north. The exact timing is dependant on the seasonal rains but they travel across the Serengeti en masse roughly between April and August.

In February - March, months before they begin their epic journey, the wildebeest give birth within a six week period to hundreds of thousands of calves, taking advantage of the sweet grazing available in the Serengeti at that time.

They all foal at the same time to cause a glut of prey opportunities for the predators who make full use of the bonanza while they can.

2. Ngorongoro Conservation Area

To call the Ngorongoro Crater amazing would be an understatement as it ranks as one of the wonders of the natural world because it is so unique.

Formerly a mountain which stood as tall as Kilimanjaro it blew up in a volcanic upheaval causing the crater floor to sink and form the largest intact caldera in the world with walls 2200 metres high.

Once it had cooled the rich pasture and permanent water on the crater floor began to attract wildlife and today around 30 000 individuals populate this garden of Eden forming the most densely crowded game area in the world.

Here you will find a population of Tanzania's few remaining black rhinos and a healthy collection of predators like lion, cheetah and the odd leopard and of course the ubiquitous wildebeest, zebra and Thompson's gazelle.

What you won't find are herds of elephant because they tend to prefer the forested highlands but the bulls do sometimes venture to the crater floor. Also absent are giraffe who like the acacia trees found higher up and impala, orynx and topi that favour the grassland plains of the Serengeti.

Lake Magadi is an irresistible attraction to water birds like flamingos, avocets, stilts and plovers which throng the shallows of this soda lake. an excellent destination for any Tanzania safari.

3. Tarangire NP

This park is all about solitude, peace, quiet and elephants. There are vast herds of the pachyderms here sometimes numbering up to six hundred and also some really big buffalo herds.

There are less tourists on a Tanzania safari here because many of them stick to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro circuit to the north which is their loss because the Tarangire National Park is a gem if you visit at the right time.

The dry season from June to September is the best for wildlife viewing because that is when thousands of animals congregate to drink the waters of the Tarangire river while they tend to disperse during the wet season because there is water elsewhere.

The birdlife here is also exceptional with over 550 species recorded. Your chances of spotting python seem to more than even for some or other reason maybe because they have taken to climbing the trees in the area.

Panoramic views of savannah grassland punctuated by acacia and baobab trees make this an extremely picturesque park. Avoid it during the months of April and May which is when the heavy rains fall.

4. Lake Manyara NP

Ask anyone who has been on a Tanzania safari to Lake Manyara and they will probably tell you about the amazing tree climbing lions who choose to sleep off the heat of the day on a branch rather then on the ground like other lions.

Also the amazing birdlife that can be found around this lake like cormorants, pelicans, storks, egyptian geese, flamingos and huge flocks of quelea.

The well known environmental writer Duncan Butchart recommends that "if a first-time bird watcher to Africa visit only a single reserve in Tanzania, then this surely must be it".

You will also find some rarer species here like the Olive baboon and Sykes monkey troops that lord it over the forest and also all the usual suspect like elephant, crocodile, hippo, buffalo, antelope and leopard.

5. Ruaha NP

This park is one of Tanzania's best kept secrets and if the old tanzania safari hands could have their own way that's the way it would stay so that they could keep its seclusion and isolation all to themselves.

But the secret is out and more and more people are visiting the countries second largest national park to immerse themselves in the varied landscape of wild fig and baobab trees and the excellent wildlife spotting opportunities most notably of packs of wild dog.

Ruaha also has a number of fearsome lion prides capable of reducing a large male buffalo to a skeleton in a few hours and an impressive tally of antelope species: Grants gazelle and Lesser Kudu at the south of their ranges and sable, roan and greater kudu to name a few.

Your chances of seeing elephant on a Tanzania safari here are excellent as there are more than 12 000 of them resident here and for the birders there are a high number of resident and migratory species available to see.

2006-07-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

2006-07-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

Mbeya in South West Tanzania

Mbeya seems so far away from every other place in Tanzania and as a result this lovely African town and surrounding highlands tends to get shunned. Mbeya is about 860km south-west of Dar es Salaam and close by are the borders of Malawi and Zambia.
Mbeya is mountainous region with the exception of some lowland areas which are within the Rift Valley. Close to Mbeya town are picturesque valleys surrounded by undulating hills and a range of mountains.

This is Tanzania's main gateway to the southern countries of Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. The Temperatures varies quite dramatically from lows of -6C on the highlands and temperatures of over 29C on the lowlands. Driving through the Southern Highlands it is possible to feel the dramatic temperature shifts with the vegetation changing just as dramatically within very short distances.

Mbeya enjoys an abundant and reliable rainfall and there never seems to be a lack of water; it is cool and often misty and even a wooly sweeter is needed from time to time; especially in the evenings.

There is high plateau called the Kitulo Plateau sometimes referred to as the garden of God and here high above the madding crowd is a secret sea of orchids. This National Park of wild flowers in all its glorious color is a delight to anyone who appreciates and loves the orchid in its natural setting. The Kitulo Plateau became Tanzanias fourteenth National Park for the protection of its plants and in particular the orchid.

This huge carpet of ground orchids bloom quite unnoticed, every year, in this forgotten corner of Tanzania. It is unnoticed because it is possibly as far away from the Serengeti and Kilimanjaro as you can get and still be in Tanzania.
To get to Kitulo travel from Mbeya on the road to the Zambian Border at a place called Chimala turn south; this is about an hours drive from Mbeya town. Then travel up the escarpment and pass through Matamba and arrive at the plateau.
There are not many amenities here and to be self sufficient is the only option. There are a few local places to take up boarding close to the park. However, it is possible to camp on the plateau itself.
It is a pleasure to drive in and around the region as it is well-served with good road networks from different parts of the country most unusual in Africa. Mbeya also connects with the two main highways linking to Malawi, Zambia Zimbabwe Botswana and South Africa. Mbeya is among the best places in Tanzania for hiking and forest walking, which are all the more enjoyable for the cool weather. For me, Mbeya is a real treat and I always love to visit the area but sadly I tend not to make it to this part of Tanzania as often as I would like.

2006-07-28T02:11:00.000-07:00

The Elephants of Western Kilimanjaro

Say Kilimanjaro and most people will think of mountain trekking. This, the highest mountain in Africa captures many peoples imaginations and every year thousands climb to the summit. Other than that the area around Kilimanjaro and some of the villages on Kilimanjaro are devoid of visitors although they are rich in culture and animals.

Off the beaten track, is an over used phrase and to well and truly get off the beaten track usually means inaccessible, sleeping rough and expensive. However, Kilimanjaro is easily accessible and close enough to the Serenegeti to easily be included in any safari itinerary.

To get off the beaten track here and discover the joys around Kili is easy, comfortable and will not necessitate you having to pay for expensive internal flights. To get away from the hordes of tourists is easy here; most people will be at Machame village or Marangu village ready to climb Kilimanjaro. This mountain is huge and some of the areas around the mountain are rich in game and adventure. You just need to know where to look.

The west of the mountain and bordering on Kenyas famous Amboseli Park is a private game concession; that is a private park that has few visitors. There are few lodges here and the land is owned by the Maasai. This is one area in Africa where huge Elephant Bulls, more than 50 years old, carrying huge tusk, are regularly seen. These bulls are part of family units and are permanently in this area. These family units can be spotted negotiating the acacia woodlands of the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro in search of food and water. The elephants here are the healthiest Elephant populations of the whole African Continent.

It is not officially permitted to cross the border here into Kenya but usually your guide will drive into the Kenyan side of this national Park.

Wildlife in this area is very rich in zebra, wildebeest, Thomson's and Grant's gazelle, Maasai giraffe. By far the best way to experience this area is in Sinya Camp it is eco friendly, pure luxury and managed by the Maasai. Predators such as lion, cheetah, leopard and spotted hyena even though shy and elusive, are present around Sinya Camp; which is also a heaven for birdwatchers. Your guide here has grown up and lived all his life in this area of Tanzania and Kenya and is therefore the best guide you could possibly have.

The Maasai are native to this area and have managed to live here and keep their traditional culture intact; the Maasai link this area of Kenya and Tanzania and ensure the continuation of traditional values that other tribes cast off long ago. The challenge is for the Maasai to improve their life conditions and not compromise the ways of which they are so proud.

I would encourage you to interact with the local people and learn about their culture and traditions. The Sinya community [with the help of Kibo Tours] uses tourism to help to make a stand up the challenges of a fast changing environment.

At Sinya you journey into Traditional Africa, learn about the language and way of a life of some of the last nomadic pastoralists on Earth, visit their "manyattas" (village), play with their children, enjoy singing and dancing or taste a roasted goat the Maasai way and all this under the Majestic presence of Mount Kilimanjaro the tallest mountain in Africa. This project is supported/funded by Kibo Tours who can be reached through the internet. Responsible tourism can change lives and I would encourage you to support responsible tour operators.

Activities in Sinya include game drives in open car, night game drives [not available in the National Parks] to see the nocturnal animals, walking safaris escorted by Maasai warriors, interaction with the local Maasai including participation in ceremonies if available. I know of one lady who on her last night at this camp was taken to a hill top to watch the sun set as she sipped champagne; as the setting sun turned the snows of Kilimanjaro a dusky pink the Maasai of the camp came dancing and chanting up the hill in tribute of her stay with them. It is a moment that will stay with her forever.

2006-07-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

Where is the Serengeti

Many articles about East Africa can be misleading as they tend to mix the geography of Tanzania and Kenya. The Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Kilimanjaro are claimed by some to be in Kenya when in fact they are in Tanzania.

Kilimanjaro is in the North of Tanzania and sits on the border of Kenya but this great mountain is wholly in Tanzania. The most popular routes starting in the villages of Marangu or Machame; Kilimanjaro sits in a national park and this park is controlled by the Tanzanian Government; this necessitates being in Tanzania to begin the climb.

The Serengeti is also in Tanzania and is most famous for the Great Migration of the wildebeest. These vast park stretchers across the north of Tanzania to the Kenya border and crosses the border; the Serengeti then changes its name and becomes the Masia Mara. The Great Migration crosses into Kenya for a short time each year but this depends on the rains which have become unpredictable of late. It is a safer bet to plan your safari to be in Tanzania and book through a reputable operator.

The Ngorongoro Crater is also in Northern Tanzania but nowhere near Kenya. This great wonder definitely cannot be claimed to be a part of a Kenyan safari.

When planning a safari, personally I would recommend Tanzania as it is everything you imagine Kenya to be; I have always found Kenya to be mildly disappointing. The Tanzanian Government looks after its National Parks.

Some of these parks are remote and boast one loge per 1 million acres. They tend to be remote and flying in and out of them is the best option. These parks and lodges are great you really feel you are in Africa proper. The down side it the lodges are luxury and because of this and the remoteness they tend to be expensive. Also internal flights in Africa tend to be on the expensive side.

There are parks in remote area with have no roads and hiking through these mountains covered with tropical rainforest is an adventure, in a safe environment is unparalleled anywhere else in Africa.

Tanzania is special and although a neighbour to Kenya, it has the right to be recognised in it own right and superior in many ways to any other safari destination.

2006-07-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

Ngorongoro Crater Unique in Africa

Maybe it was Mark Twain who said there are lies, dammed lies and statistics. This seems to be the case concerning statistics for Ngorongoro crater. As I checked my figures for accuracy for this article I could find no two sources that agree. So I will endeavor to keep statistics to a minimum.

This aside Ngorongoro Crater is a true marvel and I believe unique in Africa; it is located between the lake Manyara National Park and the Serengeti. It was formed from an ancient volcano that erupted and then collapsed into the craters we see today. This is called a caldera and Ngorongoro Crater is the worlds largest [unbroken] caldera. It is thought that this volcano, before it erupted and collapsed, stood taller than its close neighbor Mt Kilimanjaro.

The crater floor is spread across one hundred square mile and is home to many thousands of animals. Ngorongoro Crater enjoys a year round water supply and so nearly all animals remain here as permanent residents. It has the densest population of game in the whole of Africa; and it is possible to see the big five in one day. It is often referred to as a mini Serengeti as it shares many of the habitats of this huge neighbor. Although rich with game the crater has no giraffe, impala or topi. There are only a small number of tall acacia trees, this lack of grazing can explain the absence of the giraffe but the absences of impala and topi is a mystery; especially as they are present in large numbers in the nearby Serengeti.

There are five habitats on the crater floor, which as mentioned have echoes of the habitats of the Serengeti. In the south west is the Lerai Forest which gets its name from the tall yellow barked acacia. This Forrest is home to baboons and vervet monkeys. There is also a small population of giant tusker bull elephants. These elephants are the biggest you will see in Tanzania. There are no breading herds of elephants here; in fact there are no female elephants in the crater. If you are lucky you may also catch a glimpse of the shy leopard lying along the branches of the acacia trees in this forest.

The best time to visit this forest is early in the morning. We recommend a 6h30 start, if you are up to it, to be amongst the first into the crater. The animals are at their most active in a morning and an early start will be well rewarded. The Ngorongoro crater has been likened to a giant deep freeze in the early morning so wrap up warm for this early start.

Just off-centre is Lake Magadi this is a soda lake and home to thousands of [migratory] flamingos. The central region is an area of short grass plains which is home to wildebeest, zebra and Thompsons gazelle.

In the south eastern and the north western areas of the crater floor are seasonal swamps where hippo and many water birds abound.

The eastern section has the longer grasses where buffalo are present. These buffalo have dramatically increased over the past few decades; this is a direct result of humans leaving the crater and it reverting to its natural state. The grasses in this section are particularly suited to the buffalo.

There are over one hundred bird species found here which are not present in the nearby Serengeti. The crater is also home to one of Tanzanias last heads of black rhino. The other herd is found in the Serengeti. You are more likely to see the black rhino here in this small area, than in the vast Serengeti. There are just twenty-five rhino here but we been told numbers are increasing slowly.

Of the carnivores Ngorongoro Crater boasts lion, cheetah, hyena, seval, ratel, jackal and the bat eared fox. Cheetah have thrived here; especially over the past few years due to the increase of buffalo and the decrease in wildebeest. The regeneration of this area has been particularly favorable to the cheetah.

From 2006 the park fees double for this destination and also for the Serengeti and the Kilimanjaro National Park. Half day safaris will be enforced for Ngorongoro crater. This will result in most safaris taking two half-day safaris to visit Ngorongoro Crater. We would recommend you take one morning safari and start as early as possible. All the lodges in this area are perched high on the rime of the crater. These lodges make and ideal spot for relaxing and enjoying the view of the crater far bellow you.

2006-07-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

Walt Disney World For Teens

Can teens really have fun at a place like Walt Disney World? Absolutely! Actually, be prepared to have the time of your life. Its a safe place to assert some independence from your parents, a place youll never forget. Here are some of the best experiences for teens at "The Most Magical Place on Earth":

Have a Splashing Good Time at Disney's Water Parks

For a blast of a time, head to one of Disneys two water parks. Blizzard Beach has a melting alpine resort theme where chairlifts carry swimmers instead of skiers. Its a place for daredevils to challenge wild, rushing water and death-defying slides including the Summit Plummet, a 120-foot slide reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour. Those a bit less adventuresome will love Typhoon Lagoon, a tropical fantasyland offering a wave pool with the tallest simulated waves in the world as well as a chance to snorkel among tropical fish, leopard and nurse sharks, and picturesque coral at Shark Reef.

Live it Up at Downtown Disney

After the parks close hop a bus from your Disney resort for a night on the town at Downtown Disney. Highlights include Disney Quest with five floors of interactive games, a 24-screen AMC Theater, a Cirque du Soleil show, and over 60 shops and restaurants. Favorite dining choices for the younger crowd are Planet Hollywood and Rainforest Caf. And definitely consider House of Blues where teens are allowed to attend some of the almost daily concerts in their live music venue next-door.

Cool Off at One of Disneys Resort Pools

When your parents are wondering which resort to book for your Disney vacation, be sure and put your two cents in and steer them toward one with a great pool. Disneys very best uniquely themed pools include the Yacht and Beach Clubs Stormalong Bay, a 3-acre mini-water park, the Swan and Dolphins lush, grotto-style lagoon pool, the boulder-strewn wonderland at the Wilderness Lodge with its very own erupting geyser, and the Volcano Pool at the Polynesian Resort with its luxuriant waterfall, smoking peak, and perfect views of Cinderellas Castle.

Plan Some Watersport Fun

Disneys Contemporary Resort is the place for water-ski, parasail, wakeboard, kneeboard, and jet-ski action under the guidance of a professional instructor. Theres nothing better than a birds-eye-view of the Magic Kingdom as you parasail high above the Seven Seas Lagoon. And the action down below on Bay Lake is a blast! For reservations call 407-WDW-PLAY up to 90 days in advance, and be sure to bring a parent along to sign a waiver to participate if youre under age 18.

Pilot Your Own Boat

What could be more fun than renting a Sea Raycer, a 2-seater mini-power boat perfect for zipping around Disneys waterways and lakes. Its a great pastime for teens with a valid driver's license (those under 18 must bring along a parent to sign a waiver). Youll get the most bang for your buck at one of the resorts near the Magic Kingdom (the Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, or Wilderness Lodge) where youll find miles of recreation on the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake.

Scuba and Snorkel at Epcots Living Seas

Scuba dive or snorkel in The Living Seas 5.7-million-gallon saltwater aquarium amid a variety of sharks, rays, fish, and turtles. Epcot's DiveQuest Program along with the Seas Aqua Tour using a Scuba Assisted Snorkel unit (snorkelers swim on the surface with a built-in flotation device while breathing compressed air from a regulator attached to a small tank) are two of the most exciting behind-the-scenes tours offered in all of Walt Disney World. Dives include all equipment, but be sure to bring a bathing suit. DiveQuest is open to certified divers, but those ages 14 and under need to dive along with a parent or guardian. The Seas Aqua Tour is open to participants under age 18 as long as they are accompanied by a participating adult. Call 407-WDW-TOUR for reservations.

Surfs Up at Typhoon Lagoon

"Hang 10" before park opening hours in the 2.75-million-gallon wave pool (some waves as high as 6 feet tall!) under the guidance of professional instructors with surfboards provided. Guests must furnish their own transportation to the park since Disney buses are not up and running that early in the morning, and those under age 18 must have a signed waiver from their parents to participate. Call 407-WDW-PLAY for reservations up to 90 days in advance.

White-Knuckle Riding at Richard Petty Driving Experience

Lying next to the Magic Kingdom is this speedway where white-knuckle rides in a NASCAR Winston Cupstyle race car are offered. If you are at least 16 you can participate in the Ride-Along Program where youll ride shotgun at speeds of up to 145 mph for three laps around the track with an experienced instructor (riders 16 or 17 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian). Even more exciting, those ages 18 and older can drive the car themselves after an introductory class. If you just want to observe you can do so for no charge. Call 800-BE-PETTY for advance reservations.

Head for a Theme Parks

Last but certainly not least are the theme parks. If youre staying on Disney property its a cinch to board a monorail or a Disney bus and head out to the parks on your own.

At the Magic Kingdom youll find all the old nostalgic favorites like Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean. And dont forget to head straight to Splash Mountain, an unforgettable ride that ends in a plunge over a 5-story waterfall! Epcots main attractions for fun-loving teens are Mission Space, a hair-raising rocket into space, and Test Track where youll speed through hairpin turns and then barrel outside onto a high-speed banking loop at over 60 mph. At Disney-MGM Studios youll be floored by Rock N Roller Coaster and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, both a thrill a minute. Then theres the Animal Kingdom where a trip around the African savanna at Kilimanjaro Safaris and back in time 65 million years at Dinosaur are quite the adventure.

Super thrill seekers should plan a day at Universal Orlandos Islands of Adventure where attractions like the Incredible Hulk Coaster, Dueling Dragons, and The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman will leave your heart pounding.

So do you still think Disney is just for kids? I bet you cant wait to pack your bags. And dont forget to thank your parents on your return home for taking you to one of the most exciting places on the planet.

2006-07-24T23:32:00.000-07:00

How To Write Descriptions That Stand Out From The Crowd

Just about every dating siteeven those with minimal profileshave space for you to write about yourself and the person youd like to date.

This is one of the most important parts of the profile. Its the one chance you get to use your own voice and describe exactly what makes you tick and what youd like to make your heart tick faster. How you describe yourself, the parts of your personality you choose to describe and the words and phrases you use to put yourself forward can either help you stand out from the online crowd or make you look like just another online hopeful.

In this section, well help you produce a description that attracts singles, invites emails and gets your dating life rolling faster.

Its important to remember that whatever you mention on a profile will always look far more important than it does in real life. You carry a whole range of different identities, characteristics, likes and dislikes. When you meet someone, they meet the whole package at once; no one aspect of who you are dominates. When someone sees your profile, they only see what you choose to put on itand those few facts will paint completely their picture of you.

If you mention specifically that youre a vegetarian for example, meat-eaters will assume that youve mentioned it because you dont want to date one of them. After all, why did you highlight what you eat and not the fact that you like reading thrillers or watching CNN? If you say that youre a conservative, liberals will believe that youre only looking for a small-government type, otherwise why bother putting your political views front and center?

Because they dont know anything else about you, readers will assume that what they see on the profile is not just one part of you, but the most important part of you.

That means before you even begin filling in the spaces, you have to decide which parts of your life you want to highlight and which parts you want to hold back and slip into the conversation during the first date.

Some things will always be worth highlighting such as the fact that you have a child at home or that you have a disability or that you spend every spare minute looking after an aged parent. Parts of your life that you cant negotiate should certainly be included on your profile and not hidden. That way your profile wont just be a net to catch free-floating singles, it will also have holes big enough to let out the fish that you wouldnt want to waste your time trying to catch anyway. If someone isnt looking to become a stand-in parent, its best to let them know that thats included in the job description right from the beginning.

Picking out the other characteristics to include in your self-description though is a little trickier. You only have a few hundred words to give potential dates a taste of who you are, and while thats very little space to sum up your entire personality, it does keep the whole thing mercifully short.

The easiest way to write a great description is to use a tight structure that covers the most important parts of your personality, lets people know a little bit about youand makes them curious to find out more.

The most basic structure you can use has three short paragraphs. The first paragraph will talk about your workthe part of most peoples life that takes the most time; the second paragraph will discuss what you do in your free time; and the third paragraph will talk about your personality:

Self-DescriptionType 1:

I work as a tax attorney but I try not to talk about work too often. Few people let me. The work is actually less boring than it sounds and there are times I even catch myself wide awake in the office. I promise not to discuss work on a first date (unless, of course, you insist.)

Fortunately, Im not the kind of person who can call my work my hobby. My hobby is sailing. I have a fifteen-foot boat that I take out on the sound most weekends. Theres room -- and sail-work -- enough for two and the views of the town from the sea are fantastic. If youve ever fancied taking a slow, very cramped, boat to China, Im sure we could arrange something.

I find that I laugh at an odd mixture of things. Tom and Jerry still cracks me up, but so does Groucho Marx, the captions in the Economist and Section 342, Paragraph c of the corporate tax code. (That one makes milk come out of my nose). I do laugh a lot, but I also listen a lot too and I get a kick of helping when I can. I can be thoughtful, passionate, inhibited, sensitive and opinionated -- but only in a nice way.

Thats a basic model for an effective self-description.

The first paragraph answers the first question that most people ask when they meet someone new: What do you do?

You dont have to go into great detailand its rarely a good idea to go into detailbut describing your occupation is an easy way to introduce yourself and get the description rolling. You should also describe how you feel about your job (remember, no ones going to know who you are so theres no danger that your boss will read it and make you change your description to unemployed). But you should still stay positive; no one likes to go out with a whiner. If you dont like your job, you can say something like: Right now Im working in sanitation so Id be a liar if I didnt say my job stinks. It does. But its fine until I finish medical school and can start treating sick people. (I promise to wash my hands first). If youve got nothing good to say about your jobor you dont have onethen the best bet is to say nothing and talk about the job youd like to do.

For the second paragraph, simply pick the one activity that takes up most of your spare time. It doesnt matter what that activity might be. In general, goodand easytopics for this paragraph include your favorite sports activity, your top-choice hiking destination or the place you most like to kill an afternoon with a cup of coffee and a good book.

Be honest. If your evenings, weekends and holidays seem to be filled with reruns of I Love Lucy or trips to the zoo with your son, dont try to hide it. You can mention it, boast about or make a joke about it. On the other hand if youre a bit embarrassed by the fact that your spare time seems to be eaten up by the Playboy channel, you can pick the activity that takes up the second largest amount of free time.

The one general rule thats always worth keeping here is to be as specific as possible. Dont say I like reading; say I like reading the early novels of Zhang Ailing -- shes a bit maudlin but I just love her introspection. Instead of saying I like to spend Saturdays hiking, say: On Saturdays, I tend to head up around Los Olivos, taste a bit of wine and see if I can wear a hole in my boots. The more specific your description, the more youll give a taste of who you are and not just what you like to do.

The third paragraph of this model is the toughest. Its always hard to pick out aspects of your personality and character and describe them. Its almost unnatural. No one ever does this. You might tell someone what you like to do in your spare time. You almost certainly tell people what you do for living. But only for matchmaking services are you expected to describe your personality; usually people make their own minds upand then keep their opinions to themselves.

There is always a temptation here to begin by saying, Friends say that Im... or Ive been known to be.... Its an easy solution but its a bit dull and shows a lack of imagination. Probably about half of all dating site profiles grab at that straw. A better bet is to grab the bull by the horns.

Starting by talking about what makes you laugh is always a good way to make a positive impression. Again, be specific and cover the full range. If slapstick makes you giggle, put it down. If Woody Allen gets you going, put that down too. It doesnt just tell a potential date what kind of humor they can expect from you, it also tells them that youre the kind of person who laughs easily and likes to do it.

To round the description off, you can pick up a thesaurus and find yourself a handful of cool descriptions that describe the bits you didnt cover. Steer clear of the kind of boring clichs that you can find on just about every profile. Using the kind of words that people dont use every day shows off your education, moves you out of the pack and makes your profile a more interesting read.

A profile like this is pretty straightforward. An alternative method is to be a little more creative. Instead of using three paragraphs, you can do the whole description in two, starting with a general comparison before moving onto a specific event that gives an idea of who you are:

Self-DescriptionType 2:

Ive always wanted to have the cool sophistication of Cary Grant, the laid-back loucheness of Gary Cooper and general oddness of Euan MacGregor. I think I just got the oddness right but without landing the nifty accent.

Its probably because Ive never been to Scotland. I have been to Africa though. I spent a year there with the Peace Corps digging wells for villages. They took us to holes in the middle of nowhere and made us dig more holes in the middle of nowhere. Ive never seen so many people made so happy by something so simple. If I could spend the rest of my life making people that happy, I would be a very happy man too.

Again, this is a very simple model thats very easy to copy. It contains just two ideas but thats enough to attract interest.

For the first paragraph, try to think of three celebrities that you resemble or would like to resemble. That will leave the reader not just with some idea of who you are but who youd like to be and the kind of style you admire.

For the second paragraph, pick one incident in your life that you found particularly meaningful. Ideally, it should be something unique and interesting: the most fascinating thing that you ever did in your life. If you once climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, then find an excuse to write about it. If you took a cruise to Antarctica and it made you think deeply about the environment, write about that too.

Remember though, this one event is going to stand for your entire personality and leave a lasting impression in the readers mind, so whatever you write about it has to be something that made you the person you are.

If you say that your service in Desert Storm led you to think deeply about international conflict and led you to return to school in order to study international relations, anyone who writes to you after reading your profile will want to meet that internationally engaged person. If youve changed your mind since then, theres a good chance that your first date is going to be a little disappointing for both sides.

Try to think of one event in your life that sums up your personality, and writing your self-description should be a breeze.

A third way to write your self-description is to toss out the rule-book altogether. Instead of talking about yourself the way the dating site would like you to do, by laying out your details in neat paragraphs and sentences that lead from one to the next (just weve described so far), you could interview yourself.

Think of five (or so) questions that you wish the site had asked and which you can answer easily, and list them in the self description:

Self-DescriptionType 3:

Best thing Ive ever said:
What about Zambia?

My biggest regret:
Agreeing to go to Florida instead of Zambia.

My favorite book:
Used to be Dr. Zhivago but lately Ive been leaning away from the Russians. Probably now The Rock by Kanan Makiya.

Person Id most like to have lunch with:
Gandhi. He was vegetarian like me. But he didnt eat much so we could share.

Person Id most like to be:
Kofi Annan because I like meeting people from around the world and Im sure he has more influence than hes letting on.

The biggest advantage of using this model is that you get to say more by writing less. Each answer is just one sentence so you dont have to beat your head against the wall trying to come up with nice flowing paragraphs. The questions also say as much about you as the answers and because youre only going to ask questions that you can answer well, this kind of model doesnt take long to write. Finally, on a site stuffed with paragraph descriptions your mini-interview should help you stand out as a creative thinker.

Describing Your Ideal Date

Writing about yourself is actually the easy bit. At least you know who you are and what youre like. Writing about someone youve never met requires a whole new bag of skills.

The goal here is to come up with a description that does three things:

Shows originality;
Describe the person youd like to meet;
Invite anyone you might like to meet to send you an email.

Of these, the first is the least important and the last is the most important.

When you first post your profile, you want to get as many emails as possible. If you find that youre getting too many responses, then you can rewrite your description so that its a bit more selective. In practice if that happens, youll probably be too busy dating to bother looking at your profile again.

The best way to approach writing about your ideal date then is to forget about trying to picture your dream person and describing them. The fact is, your ideal person probably doesnt exist but there are plenty of great people online any one of whom would make you extremely happy.

But how can you describe a whole bunch of real people you havent met? Clearly you cant. And describing personality traits that you quite like is likely to be either too exclusive or too inclusive. Most people think of themselves as having integrity and compassion, and believe that theyre kind and considerate. Saying that you want someone who knows how to listen will cut your ideal person down to about... everyone.

Similarly, you might quite like the idea of settling down with someone who likes budgies as much as you do but its unlikely to be a deal-breaker and you could be just as happy with someone who doesnt give a hang about birds.

Instead of trying to describe an imaginary person, its best to take a different tack: describe what youd like that person to do for you or what youd like to do with them:

My Ideal Partner:

My ideal partner would be smart, warm and witty, up for trips to the San Francisco Asian Art Museum and down with getting dirty on a muddy Sequoia trail. Shell be happy to stay in and sip coffee, to cuddle up on the sofa with a good book or two and ready to try Yoga, strange types of massage and the kinds of mushrooms you only find in farmers markets.

The big idea then is to use the space given over to describing your ideal date to describe the things that you like to do. After all, ideally youre looking for someone whos prepared to share your life and fit in with your habits. You dont really want to meet someone who hates everything you like and with whom you have nothing in common.

Again, being specific about what you want and what you like will let your personality shine through. It will show that youre an interesting person and it will let a potential date picture you together doing fun, exciting things. A good Ideal Partner description should act like an open invitation to people who like the things that you like to write in and ask to join you.

What You Should Never Put On A Profile

All of the things that weve recommended for you to put on your profile in this chapter are things that you like to do. If you enjoy hiking, say you like hiking and say where you like to do it. If you like reading, say you like reading and put a word or two about the last book you read. If youre into cooking, say you spent a lot of time in the kitchen and mention which type of cuisine gets your taste buds flowing.

But dont say what you dont like to do.

Your dating site profile should always be positive. It should show that youre a happy, contented person who wants to be even happier and more contented, not a sad, lonely person who wants someone to cheer them up. Nothing puts people off more than the whiff of desperation. No one wants to be a cheerleader for a losing side; they want to be part of the winning team.

It doesnt matter how keen you are to find a partner, how many times youve been burnt in the past or how much you know what you dont want, stick to the great things you have and the even greater things you want to have.

Saying on your profile that youve just come out of a difficult divorce or that you dont want someone who plays head games for example, will do nothing but put people off writing. It simply declares that youre carrying giant, heavy trunks of baggage and anyone who dates you is going to be in for a rough ride.

Your profile should read like an advert for a happy life. It should look like a real estate ad that lets readers imagine how happy theyll be if they can just get past the admissions committee and win a chance to live with you. Of course, no one really believes that what they see in the ad is going to be completely perfect in real life. Every property has dust in the attic or cobwebs in the corner but no realtor puts that in the brochure.

Your profile should sell the joys of a life with you. You can then choose which person actually gets the sale. By the time your new partner finds the cobwebs and the dust, theyll already be sold enough to look beyond it. So keep the negatives out and accentuate the positive.

We said that the idea of your profile is always to get as many prospects as possible but that doesnt mean you want timewasters. If youre looking for a serious relationship with someone, you dont want your inbox bothered by people looking for quick flings. The best way to keep out the people you dont want to meetwithout putting up a sign thats also going to put people off that you might want to meetis to simply keep all references to sex off the profile.

That includes the name you choose as your online identity.

One of the biggest mistakes that you can make when dating online is to choose a tag that reveals your real nameor to choose a name that puts across the wrong message.

Names like SexyAngel, Hot4U or Randyandy can say far more than you intended.

Its much better to create a bland name with a string of strange numbers than to try to attract passing singles with a tag that says more than you want. If you think your name is creating the wrong impression, its worth making the effort to change it. Unless youre looking just for sex, never refer to sex on your profile.

2006-07-24T03:38:00.000-07:00

Mount Kenya - Up High at God's Mountain

Mount Kenya is Africa's second highest mountain, after Kilimanjaro. It is estimated to be 2.5 million years old, and Kilimanjaro at 750,00 years of age is really an upstart. Time has really taken its toll, and the peak is thought to have dropped from 6,500 m those millions of years ago to 5,199 m today. The mountain is an extinct volcano, whose plug forms what is today the peak area. The crater was long ago, done to death, by nature's untiring erosion agents.

Mount Kenya is an awe-inspiring spectacle that dominates the central Kenyan highlands. It is perhaps understandable that the Kikuyu people who reside on its lower slopes thought it fit for Gods' abode. And it inspires people in strange ways. In 1943, Felice Benuzzi, an Italian prisoner of war held at Nanyuki at the base of the mountain, and two companions, escaped and attempted to scale the summit. With just a few handmade climbing tools, he managed reach Point Lenana, the mountain's third highest peak.

But Benuzzi was at least an accomplished mountaineer. In 1988, the Mount Kenya Rescue Team discovered and retrieved an elder of the Meru people way up at the chilly heights of Peak Nelion (5,188 m). Only experts, with proper equipment and guides reach Nelion. He appeared unaware of the feat he had accomplished and was perturbed by the fuss his rescuers raised. He explained his mission was "going to God". He was kitted in a manner you will not see recommended in any guide book- in a single blanket and open sandals. The animals do weird things too: a few years ago, the frozen bodies of a leopard and colobus monkey were discovered at Nelion.

Mount Kenya is located 180 km to the north of Nairobi. The mountain falls within Mount Kenya National Park. The park is made up of a protected area above 3,200m altitude, together with two small salients reaching to 2,450 m along the Naro Moru and Sirimon trails. It was set up in 1949 and covers an area of 715 sq km. It is further surrounded by the Mount Kenya National Reserve, which extends over 2,075 sq km. The park has the distinction of being simultaneously a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve.

The mountain is made up of three main zones: the rocky peak region, the afro-alpine moorland with its scattering of giant vegetation, and the extensive lower slopes covered in mountain forest and bamboo. The astonishing ecological diversity is one of the attractions of this giant. The ecological processes that have brought about the afro-alpine flora in particular intrigue scientists. There are 81 species of plants here that are found nowhere else in the world.

In the lower forest zone, there is plenty of wildlife including buffalo, elephant, sykes monkey and bushbuck. The animals are however generally difficult to see. Further up, the animals are even scarcer though hyena, leopard, buffalo and civet cats have been sighted. The only animal you are likely to see in the upper
alpine zones is the rock hyrax. Though it is the size of a domestic cat, it resembles a rat more. The seemingly humble rock hyrax has some powerful relatives in the animal kingdom and it counts the elephant as its biological kin.

The mountain attracts over 30,000 enthusiasts every year. Point Lenana (4,985 m), the so-called trekkers peak, can be reached by any reasonably fit and suitably prepared person. The summit has the twin peaks of Batian (5,199 m) and Nelion (5,188 m), and is accessible to only those with technical mountaineering and rock climbing experience. This mountain is not an easy one to conquer and each year not more than 100 climbers make it to the twin summit peaks. Mount Kenya is in fact considered to be more technically challenging than the higher Kilimanjaro (5,894 m). But those who make it to the top experience some of Africa's finest rock and ice climbing.

The mountain has very many fans and especially fascinates technical climbers. The author and mountaineer, Rick Ridgeway - author of the Seven Summits, declares that of all the worlds' mountains this is his favourite. Halford Mackinder planned and led the first expedition on record to reach the summit in 1899. But if the Meru elder mentioned above is anything to go by, the locals must have long ago been to the mountaintop. The Mackinder trip was a great success and his party discovered many species of animal and plant life then unknown in Europe. A new species of eagle owl, for example, was first recorded by this expedition and subsequently named after Mackinder.

Though Mount Kenya is practically on the equator, you will find snow and ice and even glaciers. However, in the one hundred years since Mackinder conquered the mountain, the number of glaciers has dropped from 18 to only 7 that remain today. The culprit for this is the global climate change that has accelerated in recent years. Scientists tell us that during the ice ages large glaciers reached below 3,000 m. Today the largest glacier is the Lewis Glacier at 4,600 m. The continuing retreat of glaciers is expected to have a negative impact on downstream eco-systems, not to mention the scenic appeal of the mountain.

Mount Kenya is the source of Tana River- Kenya's biggest river- and was for many years seen as an inexhaustible water fountain. Not any more- the loss of glaciers and forest cover has brought this assumption into disrepute. The loss of forest cover is particularly worrying, because it is avoidable. How to save the forests of Mount Kenya has long engaged environmentalist Wangari Maathai-the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner. She was born on the lower slopes of the mountain and has in her lifetime witnessed the changes up at the mountain.

You can reach the peak area by taking one of three routes: Naro Moru, Sirimon and Chogoria. Good roads will get you form Nairobi to Naro Moru, Nanyuki and Chogoria - the base towns for each of the trails. There are alternative routes but most have fallen into disuse and you need superior navigation skills and stamina to attempt them. This includes: Burguret, Meru, Kamweti, and Timau. It is highly recommended that you stick to the three popular routes. But if you have a good reason for doing otherwise, or indeed for pioneering your own route, you are required to register with the park authorities.

The Naro Moru route approaches the mountain from the west and is easily the most popular. The trail is well serviced with rest huts and is the fastest way to the peaks. It is however the steepest and climbers vulnerable to AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) may experience difficulties. The hike will take 4 days, though you may opt for an additional day at the summit. You start with a fairly steep 5-hour walk from Park Gate to Met Station (3,050 m). This is where you spend the first night and acclimatize to the thinning mountain air.

The next day is the longest and you will walk, under varying terrain, for anywhere between 8 and 10 hours. You spend the night at Mackinders Camp (4,200 m), in the vicinity of the peak area. You really should have an early night on this day. Very early the next morning -2.00 a.m is the usual time- you set out to attempt Point Lenana. The mountain is generally clear in the morning and stormy in the afternoon- so, the idea is for you to ascend and descend the peak when you have good traction. This is the part of the hike where some experience symptoms of altitude related ailments.

It will take you about 5 hours to reach Lenana. Here you must take some photos, to show the folks back home how you fared at the top of God's Mountain. Afterwards, you descend in 3 hours to Mackinders Camp for breakfast. Then ascending back to Teleki Valley via Camel Rocks, you reach Met Station in about 4 hours. The night rest is at Met Station, before the final descent to Park Gate.

The Sirimon route has its base at Nanyuki to the north of the mountain. The route offers easier climbing than the Naro Moru trail and is also more scenic. It normally takes 5 days up and down the mountain. You start with a 3-4 hours walk through rain forest to overnight at Old Moses camp (3,300 m). Next day after breakfast you hike through the moorland and the Liki and Mackinder valleys. You reach Shipton's camp (4,200 m) after a 6-7 hour hike. You spend the night here before setting out very early the next morning to attempt Point Lenana.

The Chogoria route begins at the town of the same name to the west of the mountain. This is the by far most beautiful and scenic of the popular routes. You will enjoy dramatic views of waterfalls, valleys, tarns and rugged rock formations. But the trail is not so popular because it is also the longest and therefore toughest. It will take you 6 days to ascend and descend the mountain. There are no usable service huts along the route and you must carry a tent along. Whichever route you use, you can prolong your enjoyment of these heights by taking a day to do the Summit Circuit Path.

It is important that you take enough water - about 4 to 6 litres daily- to keep dehydration at bay. Dehydration makes you more vulnerable to altitude sickness and hypothermia. Hypothermia is lowering of body temperature and symptoms include clumsiness and disorientation. Victims of the condition need to be quickly provided with a warm and dry environment. At heights above 3,000 m, oxygen levels reduce and altitude sickness stalks the trekker. That is why a fast climb is not advised, as you have no opportunity to acclimatize. The symptoms for Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) are nausea, headache, fatigue and general malaise. You should always descend to lower altitude with the onset of symptoms.

Other more severe medical conditions that can arise are High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). The coming of HAPE is betrayed by a dry cough and difficulty in breathing. HACE is marked by slurred speech, severe headache and disoriented behaviour. HACE and HAPE are both potentially fatal and you should always descend to lower altitude and seek treatment. To reduce chances of mountain sickness, it is advisable to acclimatize by spending an extra night near Park Gate or at the mountain huts above 4,000 m. If you temper your zeal for the peaks and take a slow sensible hike you will enjoy the adventure and will be all right.

You will generally need a guide and porters so that you can concentrate on the hike. Always go for those who have high altitude experience and are accredited by the park authorities. They will know the routes, and a good one is worth his weight in gold, in event of sickness and other contingencies. The porters shoulder the heavy stuff while you carry a daypack with essentials such warm clothing, fire making capability, some food and drinks, a flashlight and first aid kit.

The stuff you must bring along includes: warm clothing, waterproof hiking boots, rain suit, sleeping bags, flashlights, sunglasses and hand gloves. Many climbers find it expedient to buy a Mount Kenya climbing package in order to take advantage of those with local knowledge. Such a package will include transport, accommodation in the mountain huts, meals while on the climb, park entry fees, services of an experienced mountain guide and porters and cooks.

The main rainy season in the Mount Kenya region falls from late March to June, with secondary rains appearing from late October to December. You can climb the mountain at any time of year but the most comfortable climb is achieved in the dry months of January and February and from July to October.

After your climb, you can relax at some of the excellent hotels and resorts in the Mount Kenya area. Before you leave the country, take to heart the sentiments of the Italian climber Carlo Spinelli, who said: "I consider myself a nature lover more than a mountaineer, and for this reason Kenya has the best of both mountain and wilderness". Take time to see wildlife on a Kenya safari in this region or in other parts of the country.

2006-07-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

Adventure Tours To The Himalayas

Although only a handful of us aspire to actually climb Mount Everest in our lifetimes (AKA "Nutjobs"), I count myself among those who want to at least see this colossal peak before I die. To me, the Himalayas still represents a far-off adventure few of us actually get to see in person, but many of us have on our lifetime to-do lists.

So imagine how exciting it was for me to run across http://www.mtsobek.com/, a travel company that specializes in putting together small group adventure travel tours to the most awesome mountains in the world. No, we are not actually talking about climbing such mountains as Everest (although Africas Kilimanjaro is a mountain they conduct hiking tours onto), but mtsobek.com can take you on hikes and treks to see these breathtaking mountain regions.

For example, the Himalayan tour not only takes you to see the highest mountains in the world, but you will also meet the diverse ethnic people of Nepal, Tibet or Bhutan. Mtsoke.com offers nine Himalayas treks, so you can choose the adventure tour package that suits your physical condition, time and aspirations.

Among the many things you can do and see are:

Explore Buddhist monasteries that seem to be from another time;

Visit the Everest base camp and view what is arguably the most breathtaking sight on this planet;

The remote Gokyo Valley, with its beautiful turquoise lakes and moonscape-like glaciers;

Follow an ancient caravan track to the spectacular Namtso Lake, which sits on the Tibetan Plateau and appears to all the world like a great sea made of sapphire;

Meet traditional Himalayan highlanders: farmers, yak herders, and monks

So, you can bet a Himalayan tour is on my list of things to do. If you are new to adventure travel, you may also want to check out Andy McDowells article, Adventure Travel An Exciting Thrill (here is the link: http://guerrillatraveler.blogspot.com/2006/01/adventure-travel-exciting-thrill.html ), which I have reprinted on my website, www.guerrillatraveler.blogspot.com.

COPYRIGHT © 2006, Charles Brown. All rights reserved.

2006-07-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

Hooks, Lines & Sinkers

Hands up if the title to this article made you think that you'd strayed into a fishing feature?

Perhaps you didn't quite go that far, but hopefully you were puzzled or curious enough to wonder what on earth those three angling associated words have to do with writing. The answer of course is nothing at all if you are thinking of metal barbs, yards of tangled nylon and blobs of lead weights.

Think, however, of the good opening lines used to begin most successful short stories, novels and articles then the "hook" in our title takes on a whole new range of meanings and equates very well with the world of creative writing.

What most beginners fail to understand when they first begin writing, and this applies as much to articles as it does to short stories and novels, is that when they submit their work to an editor, competition judge or publisher there is only a brief moment to impress which is why a lot of attention needs to be paid to that first opening sentence.

Hooking your reader with a good beginning isn't a guarantee to success, but it will serve to focus attention and make the judge, publisher or editor take more notice of the rest of the article, story etc. If nothing else, it presses an subconscious alert button in the reader's mind that marks up the writer as a professional who knows his or her craft.

This in turn builds expectation and again focuses attention. As long as the rest of the piece lives up to its early promise, you can be sure that your effort will at the very least receive close inspection and hopefully much more!

So, just how do you come up with a good hook? It would be nice if I could say that there was some magic formula available but unfortunately I haven't found it even if it does exist! Still there are several things that you can do to get things moving.

First of all don't sit staring at your screen trying to think of a good opening line when you have a mind boiling with ideas struggling to spread themselves over the page! All this will do is make you tense up with frustration and dam your creativity.

Instead, start hitting the keys and slap those ideas across the screen! Once you have the basic outline down then you can start the editing process, including the opening sentence. If at this stage you are still stuck, try leaving the work for a few days, there's a good chance you'll come up with something when you're mind is focused on something else and the first flush of enthusiasm has cleared from your brain.

Analogy, such as I've used to the fishing world, often provides a good hook. In the case of this article I used it in the title but hooks are used just as often or more so in the opening sentence. My actual opening "hook" made use of a question, which again is a very good way to start, as questions by their very nature demand a response from the reader, even if it is only to read to the end of the sentence!

I took this a step further by demanding physical action, "hands up", which of course is a ridiculous thing to expect a reader to do when there is no way of knowing whether they have complied or not! It is this stupidity that hopefully grabs attention and carries on from where the title left off. PR writers are well aware of this process and often mis-spell words to create a similar effect .

Quotations and deliberate mis-quotations also make good hooks either from songs, proverbs or other literary works, but also try putting together unusual combinations of words.

For instance, you wouldn't think that brussel sprouts could possibly have any effect on good or evil and I'm sure they haven't! One of my son's however has different ideas and his annual grumble during our recent Christmas meal gave me a marvellous opening line, or hook, for what will be a festive article taking a close look at this, in my opinion, much maligned vegetable!

What was it? Oh yes, when faced with a heap of those shiny green gems he muttered murderously, "If it wasn't for brussel sprouts there'd be no evil in the world ..." now is that a hook or what?

Which brings me on to another point. Hooks, I've found seem to have a power in their own right and often serve as a catalyst to the story or article itself which is why you should be on the alert for when they occur.

The brussel sprout incident is a prime example. Writing in any shape or form was the furthest thing from my mind, but the startled looks and laughter from the rest of the family were enough to confirm what I'd immediately thought, here was a hook begging for exploitation and with a enough power of its own to begin generating several lines of thought.

Being aware of hooks and the power they have on the reader is something every writer has to get to grips with if they want to achieve success so it is a good idea to train yourself to both generate hooks and be on the alert for them by listening to what other people say.

Having a small notebook handy makes a lot of sense, but reading what other people have done before you will also pay dividends. Try this quiz of opening lines to famous novels. It's not easy, but don't worry about your score, the real benefit of the quiz is seeing what worked for the author. The scent of slaughter, some believe, can linger in a place for years. When Mr Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday ... In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth ... Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were. The stranger came early in February one wintry day, through a biting wind and a driving snow ... "The marvellous thing is that it's painless," he said. "That's how you know when it starts." Last night I dreamed of Mandalay ... A wide plain, where the broadening Floss hurries on between its green banks to the sea, and the loving tide rushing to meet it ... Mr Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the hen-house for the night, but was too drunk to remember to shut the pop-holes. "Tom!"

Well, what did you think? Some were definitely intriguing but others in my opinion left a lot to be desired which just goes to show that the proof of the pudding is in the eat... er reading so don't fall into the trap of thinking that the beginning is the be all and end all!

Oh and before you ask, I haven't forgotten the lines and sinkers either, call those plots and twist endings and to find out more sign up for the WriteLink Short Story Writing Workshop, it's free! www.writebytes.co.uk

ANSWERS: The Loop by Nicholas Evans The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkein The Bible Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell The Invisible Man by H G Wells The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway Rebecca by Daphne De Maurier The Mill on the Floss by George Elliot Animal Farm by George Orwell The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

2006-07-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

Tanzania Wilderness Safari

Do you want to experience a unique Tanzania safari in the African wilderness; where there are no or very few fellow travelers? It is possible in Tanzania with many National Parks scattered in remote wilderness areas. Although, these can be difficult to access; meaning expensive charted flights or days of hard driving to access these remote parks. However, it is possible to experience the remote wilderness on the increasing popular Northern Circuit of Tanzania.

The Northern Circuit is usually thought of as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire and Lake Manyara. Over the past few seasons this area of Tanzania has become very popular. So much so that many people are wondering if now these once seldom visited parks are in danger of becoming over commercialized. However, this assertion is not true; the truth of the matter is the tour operator and the tourist are returning to visit the same hot spots over and over again. This is due, in part, to laziness of the tour operator and the vast amount of misinformation to the budding tourist.

One such hot spot is the northern tip of the Tarangire the secret is this park is a hidden jewel. Once you get away from the touristy northern tip the rest of this park is remote and one of the best places to see wildlife during the dry season; with the added bonus that wilderness parts of the park allow game walks.

There are private game concessions such as the Western Kilimanjaro where there are few camps, and game viewing is against the back drop of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro. The small camps found in these remote areas are best visited for a few days, to appreciate and experience the safari to the full.

The camps are very comfortable. They blend into their natural surroundings offering privacy, intimacy with nature and isolation from the madding crowd. These camps usually work together with local communities to help improve the living conditions of the local people. There very survival depends on offering a unique experience of Tanzania for the first time visitor as well as the veteran safari-est

These areas offer experiences that are so memorable they will keep you coming back to Tanzania to experience more and more of this fascinating country.

A mistake made by many is to see as much as possible in a short a time as possible. The paradox is by doing this you are likely to see, to experience less. Slowness is the art to Africa. Leave your watch behind, seriously this should be on a list of most essential items to leave at home in order that you safari is a success. Plan your safari and then lay back and enjoy the laziness of the African safari.

2006-07-20T23:17:00.000-07:00

Responsible Travel

Climbing Kilimanjaro the highest mountain in Africa and the highest freestanding mountain in the world - involves climbing from the equatorial heat to near Artic conditions on the summit. Maybe this is not for you and you prefer to take a Serengeti Safari across the legendary plains and onto the huge Lake Victoria. Then there are the Tanzanian Islands of Zanzibar, Mafia and Pemba which boast to have some of the best beaches and unspoiled diving offered anywhere in Africa. Tanzania not only has it all it has it with style - a uniquely African style. Tanzania is a full on assault on all your senses in the best possible way.

Responsible tourism requires you to simply relax and enjoy your safari. You dont actually have to do anything. The profits generated by safaris can go to help the communities in Tanzania. Take time when booking a safari to make sure the company you use are genuinely helping the people of the places you are visiting. Charities are increasingly looking to become self finding, this means becoming leaner and becoming more responsible, becoming a business. Bethel Adventures and Afriko Club, for example, are two charities that use tourism to fund community projects. All the funds raised through tourism go toward building schools, clinics and caring for young children who would otherwise be left to fend for themselves. Full details are available through the websites of these charities.

Visitors are encourage to take an hour or two, even a day or two if there is a genuine interest in the projects to visit the Community Initiatives and to spend time to see what is being achieved. If not dont worry just enjoy your safari and know you are making a difference.

These two companies are not safari companies that help the community they are a professionally run charities that allow the community to build itself a brighter future through tourism. These companies offer boutique style safaris and specialize in showing clients the real Africa in style, comfort and safety. All the profits remain in Tanzania and all the profits go into the community.

Therefore, we encourage you to come to Tanzania and enjoy yourself. By simply relaxing and enjoying your safari you can help. It is not these new style charities making the difference you are making the difference by visiting Tanzania and taking care to use a company that is committed to building a stronger community.

2006-07-20T04:29:00.000-07:00

2006-07-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

Green Travel - Making Better Environmental Travel Choices

We all hear the term global warming all the time. During recent months I have started to read travel stories how the permanent ice cap of Mount Kilimanjaro is melting, how ski resorts in the Alps are going to be closing permanently due to lack of snow fall, how glaciers are melting in the Arctic, how increasingly more frequent and severe weather disturbances are disrupting tourism, and on and on the stories go. Some of these stories even exhort us to go now before some of these scenic places will be transformed or gone forever. Climate change has now become an issue of concern for global travelers.

Travel, of course, has environmental consequences. Long-distance travel involves the creation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, airliners are some of the most intense pollutants in existence today. In addition, wherever we go, we consume food and other services, and we create waste. So what to do?

As far as airplane emissions are concerned, there are actually a few concrete things we can do. There are ways of offsetting the greenhouse gas emissions generated by air travel by means of purchasing trees that will be planted to offset these emissions. At Trees for the Future, your US$40.00 will actually pay for the planting of 400 trees which will help offset greenhouse gases. You will also get a Global Cooling Certificate and bumper sticker. On their website you will also see a list of partners, including lodges and bed and breakfasts that are powered by renewable energy sources.

The Rainforest Alliance actually offers a variety of information to eco-savvy travelers. They also offer a sustainable tourism certification to tourism establishments which is based on methods for reducing the consumption of water, energy and other resources, and to improve the management, handling and disposal of waste. They even make a toolkit for best sustainable tourism practices available for small and medium enterprises in the tourism industry.

On their website, the Rainforest Alliance also advocates a number of simple eco-friendly behaviours that we can all try to follow:

Support local economies by seeking out locally owned lodging and dining establishments, locally grown food and locally manufactured products and crafts.

Patronize green hotels whose managers have programs that save water and energy.

Stay on hiking trails. Clean up your own mess and dispose of waste properly. Keep a distance from wildlife.

Travel by mass transit as much as possible.

Avoid vehicles with two-stroke engines such as jet skis, scooters and certain boats, which are enormously polluting.

Be culturally sensitive to local customs, greetings, dress codes and food habits.

Treat others with the same respect that you would ask for in your own community.

Other eco-certification programs for tourism operators and tips for eco-savvy consumers include the following websites:

- Terra Choice

- Green Globe 21

- Environmental Choice

- Green Seal

- The Global Ecolabelling Network

- The Climate Neutral Network

Another interesting website is Future Forests: it advocates a carbon neutral lifestyle, in order to neutralize our impact on the environment. Future Forests have been proving people with a variety of environmental gifts since 1997. You can dedicate a tree, for example, for $10.00. You can even plan carbon-neutral weddings with Future Forests.

One neat thing about their website is that they offer a really cool carbon emissions calculator that allows you to calculate your anticipated flying or driving emissions. I thought lets check this out, so I entered some assumed data for a flight from New York City to London, England.

Instantaneously I found out that this flight would produce 1.22 tonnes of CO2. The calculator also tells me if I dedicate 2 trees I can make this flight carbon neutral. Alternatively I would be able to supply 2 energy saving light bulbs to a small community in the developing world. Both options would be 30. I also checked their carbon emissions driving calculator. If I travel 400 km (250 miles) every week in a car with an engine size between 1.4 and 2 litres, I would generate 4 tonnes of CO2 a year, which would take 5 trees to offset.

In addition to planting trees, you can also purchase carbon offsets. A "carbon offset" is actually an investment in a project or action with the goal of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions. Offset projects come in many varieties and may include tree planting or reforestation, building retrofits (i.e. installing more efficient heating/cooling systems) or wind power projects.

According to the Better World Club's website, this is the way it works: you can book a flight through Better World Travel - Members and get a free carbon offset for their US domestic flight ($11 value.) If you book a flight through the Internet, another travel agency or airline, send them a tax-deductible donation to offset the CO2 emissions from your flight. ($11 for domestic flights or $22 for international flights.)

So the good news is there are indeed ways of counterbalancing the environmental impact that we all have, even while we travel.

2006-07-17T20:59:00.000-07:00

An Introduction Guide to the Tanzania Safari

The Northern Game Parks in Tanzania is famous wildlife migration which continues its annual cycle through the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara in Kenya is without doubt one of the most exhilarating natural spectacles on the planet. The awesome beauty of the Ngorongoro caldera literally takes your breath away and there can be no finer view to awake to than from one of the lodges on the crater rim. The wild landscapes of Tarangire with its huge baobab trees contrast with the wide open plains of Serengeti. Lake Manyara offers the rare chance to spot tree climbing lions and a variety of adventure activities from the escarpment overlooking the lake.

Tanzania is becoming increasingly visited and deservedly so, however there is so much more to Tanzania than the Northern Circuit of parks. Most safaris want to incorporate the Great Migration as it is so spectacular and is the worlds last surviving great migration. There is a problem that the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Kilimanjaro have become so popular that drastic steps are being taken to divert people elsewhere in Tanzania. The numbers of lodes are restricted with the result that high season in August and September needs to be booked one year in advance to guarantee a safari.

Park fees from January 2006 will double for these parks to US$60 per person per day. Normally, when returning by road from the Serengeti, one passes through the Ngorongoro Conservation area in transit to Lake Manyara or even Tarangire for the last night of the safari. This results in US$120 in park fees for each person in the vehicle for one day, US$60 for the Serengeti and US$60 for the Ngorongoro.

Tanzania has so much more to offer. In the remote and almost inaccessible Western Tanzania is the fantastic Katavi National Park. There is one lodge here at the moment and visitors have one million hectares to themselves. This park is wonderful, remote and spectacular. There are huge herds of buffalo here up to three thousand strong and lions prefer to dine on buffalo, so there are lion in abundance. If you really want to feel you are in Africa proper like the early explorers [with the exception of a luxury tented Lodge] then this is your park. See my article Katavi National Park.

There is the Selous in the South and this game reserve is huge and remote, although more accessible than Katavi. The game in this park is truly wild as they have not had chance to become habituated to humans and vehicles. The lodges here are few very good, and offer a game safari along the majestic Rufiji River. From here fly to Mafia Island which offers a secluded Island holiday with fantastic diving and secure white beaches.

For the energetic there is the Udzungwa Mountains National Park, this is a park without roads, with pristine rain forests. This park was created primarily for the protection of Flora rather than fauna. See my article The Lumemo Trail - Hiking in the Rainforests of Africa

There are West and East Usambara Mountains where the worlds favorite flower the African Violet was discovered. See my article Visiting The West Usambara Mountains of Tanzania and Bird Watching in the East Usambara Mountains of Tanzania. Saadani is where the bush meets the sea, elephants and lions have been spotted on the beach. See my article Saadani - Where the Bush Meets the Sea.

The list could go on. Tanzania is so much you could spend a life time exploring this one corner of East Africa. This country is macaque of mysteries and contradictions. To discover it, to drink in the rich culture and diverse landscapes involves moving around the country, not racing from one location to the next; this results in safari fatigue. Chose wisely and take your time to discover, slowly slowly is the only way to savor and come to know, just a little, the magic that is Tanzania.

2006-07-17T01:19:00.000-07:00

2006-07-16T06:09:00.000-07:00

Mount Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro is remote, alluring and, simply put, awe inspiring. Starting off on the dusty plains of equatorial Africa and trekking to near arctic conditions at the summit; you will pass through tropical rain forest, moorland and alpine desert onto snow and ice. Your fist trip to this mountain will be nothing short of dramatic.

Located in Northern Tanzania and bordering Kenya, Kilimanjaro dominates the landscape. This, the worlds largest fee-standing mountain is in fact an extinct volcano and must be one of lifes most impressive sights.

This mountain attracts nature enthusiasts as well as mountain climbers with the its distinctive eco-systems; also the accent to this majestic peak is a non-technical climb. Having said this it also affords a full mountaineering experience, as the assent has its challenges and rewards. You must be in a strong physical condition attempt the climb which typically takes five days. It is better, if you are able, to coordinate your assent to the summit with the light of the full moon.

As the climb is classed as non-technical often climbers will underestimate the fineness level required to enjoy their trip and to succeed in climbing to the summit. You should be comfortable in walking four to eight hours per day. The accent to the summit being the most demanding day of all; usually taking eight hours on the steep accent to Uhru Peak and another seven hours on the decent; this requires both strength and endurance. The secret, if there is one, is in taking the climb slowly; Kilimanjaro stands at an extreme high altitude and all too often this is underestimated; Uhuru Peak stands at 5,680 meters above sea level.

Best Times to go really depend on what you want as Kilimanjaro can be trekked all year, with advantages and disadvantages each month. Mid December to March are the warmest months and fairly free from clouds. April and early May has heavy clouds, rain and even occasional snow blizzards; the mountain has few climbers this time of year. By late June to the end of August it is very cold at night with a clear sky above 3000 meters and fantastic views. September and October the mountain is warmer with October usually having little or no rain and mild temperatures. November to mid-December has the short rains with the possibility of thunderstorms in the afternoons - and occasional heavy snow towards the summit.

Kilimanjaro offers thrilling adventure taking you to the highest point in Africa. It is accessible to all but the mountain demands to be treated with respect. Try to climb with a company that embraces fair trade practices and responsible tourism. Train in the months leading up to your climb and enjoy so as to enjoy this unique experience in the unique setting.

2006-07-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

Mighty Kilimanjaro - The Worlds' Most Accessible Summit

Snow-capped Kilimanjaro, floating above the clouds is no doubt one of the most beautiful and impressive sights in the natural world. Even hard-boiled non-believers, in their unguarded moments, empathise with the Maasai who call it the House of God. The mountain is one of the Seven Top Summits of the world it has the highest point on the African continent. Though there are higher mountains, they form part of mountain ranges, Everest for example. But Kili, as it is popularly known, is the highest freestanding mountain in the world. It rises gently from 3,000 feet, reaches for the heavens and only halts after a 16,000 feet ascent. The diameter at the base is an amazing 64 kilometres.

Kilimanjaro is located to the northeast of Tanzania, on the border with Kenya. There is a popular myth of how the mountain came to be part of Tanzania, which was at one time part of the German Empire. Queen Victoria is supposed to have granted the mountain to her German grandson Wilhelm (later Kaiser Wilhelm II) as a birthday gift. It is also said that the Germans had been grumbling at the blatant unfairness of missing a snowcapped mountain within their empire while the Queen has two the second being Mount Kenya.

Though historians have discredited the myth, it has refused to die and it is still a source of amusement for many. Unwilling to allow the truth to stand in the way, some anti-colonial historians fume with indignation, citing how the boundaries of Eastern Africa were arbitrarily decided in the capitals of the imperial powers. To most people in the west, Kilimanjaro has long been associated with Ernest Hemingway on account of his 1936 short story The Snows of Kilimanjaro. In 1952, Hollywood fascinated by the magic of Kili the book evokes, turned it into a movie with Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner in leading roles.

Kilimanjaro is young as far as mountains go, and geologists allow it only 750,000 years. The mountain is made up of three dormant volcanoes -Kibo (19,340 feet), Shira (13,000 feet) and Mawenzi (16,896 feet). Kibo occasionally belches some steam and sulfur. The highest point on Kibo is Uhuru Peak, where you see some awesome glaciers and fantastic views of the country below. Though Kili is only three degrees south of the equator, the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi are covered in ice and snow year round. Many learned people in Europe hotly disputed that a snow-capped mountain could be found at the equator when the German missionary Johann Rebmann reported it in 1849.

Going up the mountain, you move from tropical to artic conditions. There are five distinct climatic zones, with each zone taking approximately 3,300 feet. The zones are- the lower slopes, then forest, then moorland, alpine desert and the summit. The lower slopes are cultivated and agriculture flourishes. The forest region is dry in the north and wet towards the southern slopes. The forest carries many tree species including podocarpus, camphor, fig and olive trees and bamboo. The only animals to be found here are blue and Colobus monkeys and a variety of birds including hornbill and turaco. At the moorland region, you find the giant groundsels and lobelias common in the high altitude mountain regions of eastern Africa. Further up, vegetation and animal life are sparse.

Kili is the worlds most accessible summit. Any reasonably strong and ambitious person, without using any special mountaineering equipment can conquer this giant. It is however hard work. Altitude and the resulting thin air will be the main challenge and not your failing strength. To avoid succumbing to high altitude sickness, you guides will constantly advise, you take the mountain slowly, slowly or pole pole as they say in Swahili. You should therefore avoid a quick ascent and take time to acclimatise to the mountains oxygen challenged air. By ignoring such good advice many young males fail to reach the summit, when older more deliberate climbers make it.

To enjoy the natural beauty and majesty of Kili, you do not even have to climb it. By using a four-wheel drive vehicle, you can ascend to the Shira Plateau, which is perched at 12,000 feet. The first person recorded to have reached the summit is the German climber Hans Meyer in 1889. Unlike todays climber, he did not have the benefit a route map and he only made it on the second attempt. Having been taught a lesson in humility, for the second try, he brought along an Alpine expert and a local guide. Meyer named the summit after the Kaiser Wilhelm II, but this was years later revised to Uhuru or freedom in Swahili. Since the days of Meyer, the icecap has receded and scientists worry that it will vanish altogether in 20 to 50 years. So, hurry up and climb Kili while it is still such a pretty sight.

Today, few climbers few use the difficult route pioneered by Meyer. The climb normally takes five to six days and involves four to five overnight stays in comfortable mountain huts. The Marangu route, which was established way back in 1909 is the easiest and most popular and is used by over 90% of climbers. Experienced climbers prefer the more scenic and difficult Machame route. Climbers are not entirely without a sense of humour and they refer to Marangu as the coca cola route, and Machame as the whiskey route. Other routes are Shira, Mweka and Umbwe.

Shira is a scenic route that takes you through the Shira Plateau,which you reach by four-wheel drive vehicle. The route gives you great views of the Rift valley and Mount Meru. Using Mweka, you reach the summit and return to base in 4 days. But as you may suspect, it is quite steep and therefore not easy at all. The Umbwe route is even steeper and quicker and you take only three days up and down. The route is spectacular, but it is for the fit and experienced and not casual climbers. In addition, there are technical routes such as the Western Breach and Lemosho routes.

Regardless of the route you pick, all Kili climbs start at Marangu Gate. This is where you get your permit and pay entry fees. On the typical Marangu route climb, spend four nights up the mountain. The route is clearly marked right to the summit. You start by trekking through the forest zone to Mandara Hut (9,000 ft) for the first night. Onward through moorland, you halt for a second night at Horombo Hut (12,450 ft). Then through the alpine desert, your third night finds you at Kibo Hut (15,450 ft). But you really do not sleep there as you go for the summit just after midnight. You then descend back to Horombo Hut for your last night after an overall trek of about 77 kilometres. If you want to spend more time up high to acclimatise, you can overnight twice at Horombo Hut.

On the Machame route, you spend one night more on the mountain.You overnight at Machame Hut, Shira Hut and Barranco Hut. You connect to the Mweka route and continue to Barafu Hut. After tackling the summit, you descend for your last night at Mweka Hut. On the next day, you rejoin other mortals at the base of the mountain. You are advised to pick the route that best fits your experience. Most aspire to reach Uhuru Peak - the highest point on Kibo -and indeed all Kili. Others are satisfied with Gillmans Point, the slightly lower peak on Kibo. But Mawenzi, actually lower than the Kibo peaks, is more jagged and requires mountaineering experience. Many climbers find scaling Kili, whatever height they reach, a very satisfying experience.

But do not be too disappointed if you do not reach the summit.Different estimates indicate that only 15-30% of climbers get to the top. Climbing Kilimanjaro is for those who are physically fit and mentally prepared. It is your ability to muster that extra dose of determination that will count when the going gets tough. In terms of physical preparation, start by taking hikes uphill with a pack strapped on your back. This rehearses the climb, minus the altitude of course. Think also of putting in some aerobic training at the gym and by jogging. If you are having heart or lung problems, better not risk the climb. In all cases, it is a good idea to talk to your personal physician to ensure that you do not bite more than you can chew.

It is best you buy a climbing tour package to take advantage of those with local knowledge. The typical package will bundle together: return transfers - Moshi or Arusha to Marangu Gate, park and rescue fees, services of guides, porters and cooks, accommodation in mountain huts and all meals on the mountain. In addition, you need to hire locally or bring along equipment and sleeping bags. Some useful stuff to gather include - waterproof hiking boots, rain suit, flashlights, sunglasses, prophylactics for high-altitude sickness, hand gloves and night shoes. You need a daypack to carry a few essentials, as the porters carrying your equipment will usually hike their own way. Some items to carry on your back include bottled water, extra clothes, camera and sunscreen. Besure to review and book our very good value Kilimanjaro Climbing offers.

You can climb Kili, any time throughout the year. But it is obviously less fun during the March to June period when it rains the most. The second and lighter rains come from late October to early December. The best time is when it is warm and dry - January, February and September. July, August, November and December also good, though cooler. Due to the variation of conditions along the route- from tropic to arctic - it is convenient to dress in layers you can either shed or add on. Generally, in the northern Tanzania region, you can expect temperatures to average from 15C in May to August and 22C over December to March. At the mountain, temperatures drop by roughly 1 degree Celsius for every 650 feet ascended.

Many climbing enthusiasts want Christmas and the New Year to find them up the mountain, and unless you book early, it is difficult to get a slot. The best way of relaxing after the trek is by taking a safari in the unrivalled wildlife sanctuaries of northern Tanzania or heading to the beaches of Zanzibar. We have covered these attractions in earlier editions of this newsletter here.

You can book your safari or Zanzibar stay and Kili climb together - have a look at our Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar Hotel offers. If you want to put together your own safari, then visit the Tanzania Car Rental and Tanzania Hotels and Lodges pages of our website.

Kilimanjaro is 475 km to the northwest of Dar es Salaam. The base for climbing Kili is nearby northern Tanzania towns of Moshi or Arusha. Kilimanjaro International Airport services the region. But it is usually cheaper to disembark at Nairobi in Kenya and then to take a shuttle bus to Arusha.

2006-07-14T16:33:00.000-07:00

On Safari in Northern Tanzania - Back to The Sixth Day of the Creation

Tanzania's natural endowment as a wildlife safari destination is unrivalled. Wild animals roam in vast areas as God intended on that sixth day of the creation. These areas are designated as national parks and game reserves and have a high reputation for being uncrowded and unspoilt. The magnificent collection of game sanctuaries to the north of the country, near the border with Kenya, is referred to as The Northern Circuit. This is the most popular and accessible wildlife safari route in Tanzania. I can positively say that this is one of the finest game viewing areas anywhere in the world. The game aside, the spectacularly diverse cluster of eco-systems and habitats is a dazzling experience for many a visitor.

The stars of the Northern Circuit are the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, very dear to the hearts of nature lovers. But no less sparkling and indeed complementing the two are the other members of the circuit: Arusha, Tarangire and Lake Manyara. In terms of wildlife, the abundance and diversity of the wildlife here is difficult to imagine. On top of the heap are the highly regarded "big five": elephant, buffalo, rhino, leopard and lion. And then a wild array of plain animals: wildebeest, zebra, eland, hartebeest, oryx, reedbuck, giraffe, Thompson gazelle, and many more of the same genre. But do not forget the merciless predators: cheetah, wild dog, jackal, hyena and vultures. The Northern Circuit is an ornithologist's paradise too, and over 500 species of birds are on record. On safari, you will be a witness of the shocking and fascinating dance of life and death on daily play by this combination of animals.

The starting point for northern safaris is usually Arusha town. The town sits near the base of Mount Meru and is in sight of mighty Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain. From Arusha, the nearest protected area to see wildlife is Arusha National Park, just 32 km away. In this park of 137 sq km area, you will see baboon, colobus and vervet monkeys, duikers, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, leopard, hyena, zebra and a wide range of antelopes. More than 400 species of birds have been recorded, including Eurasian migrants, who visit between October and April. One of the unique attractions of the park is that walking safaris are allowed and you can get off your vehicle for a nature walk. Due to its proximity to Arusha, the park is very popular for day trips.

Wildlife aside, Arusha National Park is a treasure with a rich tapestry of habitats including grassland, montane forest, heath and alpine desert and soda and fresh water lakes. Three spectacular features stand out: the Momela Lakes, Mount Meru, and Ngurdoto Crater. Mount Meru stands at 4,575 m and is Africa's fourth highest mountain. It is however overshadowed by nearby Kilimanjaro, which rises above it by over 1300 m. It is regrettable that the snobbish instinct of many climbers makes them to overlook Mt Meru. The mountain can be scaled in three to four days with overnight accommodation in alpine huts.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve, is located in the Great Rift Valley, a monumental fracture of the earths crust. The area is filled with volcanoes, mountains, plains, lakes and forests. Covering 8288 sq km, its main features are the Ngorongoro Crater, the Empakai crater, the Oldonyo Lengai Mountain and the archeological site of Olduvai Gorge. Olduvai Gorge is the prehistoric site where Dr. Louis Leakey discovered the remains of Homo habilis ("Handy man") regarded by scientists as mankind's first step on the path of human evolution. Be sure to have a look at the remains of our worthy predecessor, whose valiant industry spurred by necessity, got him making simple stone tools.

Unlike in the national parks, the colorful Maasai people, their livestock and wildlife coexist within the conservation area. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest Caldera in the world that has its walls intact. The crater floor is a drop of 600 m and covers an area of 260 sq km with a diameter of 19 km. This magnificent natural amphitheatre is a stunning attraction in its own right and is one of the wonders of the natural world. The crater supports a year round resident population of a variety of wildlife. You will have no trouble spotting lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and many species of plain animals- wildebeest, zebra, reedbuck, Thompson gazelle and many more. The crater floor is dotted with watering holes and holds almost 30,000 wild animals. Ngorongoro is four hours by road from Arusha or one hour by air. And from either Lake Manyara or Tarangire you will be on the road for two hours.

Lake Manyara National Park spreads between the cliff of the Great Rift Valley and Lake Manyara, a shallow soda lake. The park covers 330 sq. km, 70% of which is occupied by the lake. The varied ecosystem consists of ground water forests, acacia woodland and open grassland along the lakeshore and sustains a wealth of wildlife, including the Big Five -lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo. Other animals to be seen in the park include baboons, impala, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, ostrich and hippo.

Lake Manyara is famous for the elusive tree-climbing lions, which can occasionally be seen along the branches of the acacia trees. It is also an ornithologists' paradise and is host to over 400 species of birds. The water birds hovering around the lake include pelicans, spoonbills, Egyptian geese and hammerkops. In addition, migratory flamingoes arrive in hundreds of thousands creating a spectacular sight over the soda lake. You will arrive at Lake Manyara after driving from Arusha for two hours or flying for just half an hour.

Tarangire National Park is a one and half hour drive from Arusha making it very popular for day trips. Tarangire is a park of giant baobab trees, rolling savannah and acacia parkland. It is famous for its dense wildlife population, which is most spectacular in the dry season between June and September. It is during this period that thousands of animals- wildebeest, zebra, eland, hartebeest, waterbuck, giraffe, impala, gerenuk, buffalo and oryx migrate from the dry Maasai steppe to the Tarangire River in search of water. The predators -lion, leopard and others- as is the custom in the savanna follow closely by. If lucky, you will spot the peculiar tree-climbing python, kudu and roan antelope, a rare experience in the northern safari circuit. Birds are also abundant here and over 550 species have been recorded.

Serengeti National Park is Africa's most famous wildlife sanctuary and Tanzania's largest national park. The park is located 6 hours by road from Arusha or one hour by air. It lies in a high plateau between the Ngorongoro highlands and the Kenya/Tanzania border and almost touches Lake Victoria in the west. Appropriately named "endless plains" by the Maasai people, it features short and long grass plains, acacia savanna and woodland in parts of the north and east.

Within its 15,000 sq km area, Serengeti hosts 3 million large mammals. More than 35 species of plain animals- zebra, wildebeest, eland, giraffe, and others are found here. And so for the big five: elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino. The park is the staging-zone for one the most spectacular events in the natural world- the annual migration of wildebeest. This commences around June when over 1 million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle head for the Maasai Mara in Kenya in search of pasture. Following on their heels are the predators of the savanna- lion, cheetah, wild dog, jackal, hyena and vultures.

If you can spare the money, viewing the migration afloat a balloon is an unforgettable experience. The best time to view game is from December to May when the grass is short. Avoid late June-October, when most of the animals will have evacuated with the migration and are best seen in the adjacent Maasai Mara in Kenya. The keen ornithologist will have a good time trying to sight the 500 species of birds on record.

Camping sites can be found in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and all the national parks of the northern circuit. Facilities are pretty basic and this is where budget travelers prefer to spend their safari nights. If you can afford it, overnight at the luxury safari lodges and tented camps. In this class of accommodation expect to find all the creature comforts associated with rated accommodation. See our Tanzania Hotels & Lodges page for info and book accommodation for your safari.

It is generally recommended to take an escorted tour package that includes transport, guide, park fees and accommodation. Tour guides have valuable useful local knowledge about the animals, where to find them and how to get where you are going. Check out our very good value escorted Tanzania Safari offers of various durations and budgets. But if you know the country well and have good knowledge of animals, then hiring a self-vehicle is an option. See our Tanzania Car Rental page to do your reservation for a self-drive or chauffer driven vehicle.

The relatively high elevation in northern Tanzania means that it never gets too hot. Indeed the nights and early mornings can be quite chilly. You are well advised to take along a heavy sweater and a windbreaker or jacket. Expect temperatures to average from 15C in May to August and 22C over December to March. The weather is best between June and September, but do not bet on seeing any animals in the Serengeti. For a safari covering all the parks of northern Tanzania, September to March is a good time. But remember that some of the other parks in the region offer nearly year round game viewing opportunities. April and May can be a challenging period for dong a safari for as this is when the weather is at its rainiest

On safari, bright coloured clothing may get you in trouble with wild animals. If you are wise you will pack brown, beige and khaki clothing. Short sleeve shirts, shorts and trouser for men are adequate. For ladies, short sleeve blouses, slacks and skirts are ideal. Though the northern region is well outside the predominantly Muslim coast areas and ladies do not have to dress too conservatively, modest attire is still a good idea. Remember to bring along a pair of sunglasses to shield you from the sometimes harsh tropical glare. Binoculars will come in very handy for spotting animals.

2006-07-13T21:57:00.000-07:00

Cultural Tour on Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

This Village on Mount Kilimanjaro is not for tourists. This is for your hardened traveler. Someone who wants to see a place untouched by commercialization; unspoiled and clean; a place that has magic and something to share. Tourist by definition tend to rush from one place to the next not really experiencing anything; not seeing anything. One destination blurring into the next; everything beginning to look the same, yesterday the same as today which will be the same as tomorrow.

This village in Northern Tanzania it is a place where you have to walk to experience the life of the community. No safari vehicles here.

Only half an hour from Moshi Town in northern Tanzania is this special place where coffee and bananas are grown to sustain life. People here are poor and life is hard. We as visitors can never appreciate how hard that life can be.

The best way to reach this place by local bus from the centre of Moshi Town. As you wind your way up this rather unfashionable side of Mount Kilimanjaro, the bus shuddering every inch of the way; ever upward; you will notice how green and fertile the surroundings have become. Anything will grow here on this fertile land. It rains often on the mountain and the green of the scenery is a sharp contrast to the dusty browns left behind in Moshi Town.

When the bus finally gives up the journey begins with a 15 to 20 minute walk ever upwards. There are some spectacular views to be glimpsed through the trees of Moshi Town far far bellow. It is cooler up here and so very quiet. I love to visit this place where there are no tourists at all.

Everyone is so friendly and you really feel you are experiencing something special; something that not many tourists get to see. There are still some large traditional houses here, made from dried banana leaves no windows, one door only and a chimney up through the centre of the roof.

It is hard to take it all in; African mountains are just so very special. Be careful to look where you walk and where you stand as the lines of large ants cross the paths and should you inadvertently stand on one of these lines - the ants [large ants] will climb up your legs and begin to chew.

This village is an ideal place to spend a day with a local family and even sleep for the night. This is a cultural tour, a real cultural experience, not the pseudo-cultural tour offered by many tour operators. If you have the time add a week or two [or longer] onto your safari and spend time working in the local clinic a new addition to the village - or at the local primary school. To do this you are giving something to the village they will learn from you; as you will learn from them. You will learn a lot about yourself as you spend time in this chagga culture high above the bustling town bellow.

If you want to see and experience African Culture then this village is an ideal place. Set on Kilimanjaro and close to the tourist area; yet set apart and untouched as yet from the throng of commercialization.

2006-07-13T03:35:00.000-07:00

Chips My Eye Food in Tanzania What to Expect

When on safari in Tanzania, or climbing Kilimanjaro or simply relaxing on the tropical coast or Zanzibar Island what is the local food like? Bellow are a few of the local dishes you may find.

Chips-my-eye [Chips ] is a traditional dish here in Tanzania. It is egg and chips but not your north of England two fried eggs and a side order of chips no it is a chip omelet. Chips are placed into a shallow frying pan and then as they sizzle away two beaten eggs are pored over the top, this is then cooked into a solid omelet stuffed with chips and very nice it is too. It is not so healthy but give it a try when you visit Tanzania it is nicer than it sounds.

Katchubari: a traditional salad sliced tomato and onion [sometimes cabbage or cucumber may be added] with lime juice and a little crushed bell pepper to give it a kick. The bell peppers are called pilipili mbuzi in Swahili, which is a translated goat pepper.

Japati: or elsewhere roti. These are eaten with coffee or tea for breakfast and sometimes they accompany main meals. Tanzanian cooking can unadventurous and not very appealing to a westerner but luckily, over the last few centuries the Indian influence [especially on the Swahili coast] has introduced some wonderful dishes. There is a place on the north coast of Dar es Salaam that makes a wonderful Japati stuffed with fresh tuna and a little green pepper and spiced with local garlic and fresh ginger.

Chai tangaweizi: This is a milky tea spiced with ginger; the milk, ginger and local tea leaves being boiled together in one pan. Give it a try it is very good and is best sweetened. There are many variations of spiced tea, as spices are readily available and not expensive thanks to Zanzibar and Pemba Islands. Black tea is great in the hot afternoons when spiced with local spices or lemon grass.

Samaki wakupaka: One of many dishes using coconut milk. This is fish coated in coconut milk this is a coastal or Zanzibarian dish. Also Kuku wakupaka which is chicken coated in coconut sauce

Marahagwe: dried beans boiled in a tomato sauce. Tastes very nice when coconut milk is added during cooking. Many dishes add coconut milk or peanut flour to make the food taste richer.

Matoki: or green cooking bananas or plantain. There are many varieties of bananas; in fact north of Arusha town there is a cultural walk, which winds through several banana plantations with over thirty varieties of banana! The Matoki variety comes from Uganda and is often served mashed. It is softer and more yellow than most variants. In my opinion also the best.

Ugali: this has many names throughout Africa and here in East Africa it is Ugali. This is maze flour cooked with water into a stiff porridge a little thicker than mashed potatoes. This is staple diet for many Tanzanians. It is eaten with your right hand and squashed into a ball and then eaten with food [Especially nice with Mchicha see bellow] with foods cooked in a sauce once you have your ball of Ugali the thumb is pushed into the center of the ball to form a spoon with which you can scoop up your food.

Mchicha: this is a local spinach there are many many verities of spinach available in Tanzania. Some of them require a little longer to cook that the western varieties but they all have an excellent taste from the very bitter to sweet. Mchicha is one of the most popular spinaches and has small oval leaves and thin stems very good with Ugali.

Most hotels are now serving a selection of traditional dishes. However, if you find yourself on the coast or in Zanzibar speak to the local people and see where they eat. Even in the towns, there are excellent restaurants that serve the local as well as international foods.

2006-07-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

The Thrill of Adventure in All Seasons

The popularity of Adventure & Specialty Travel has been growing rapidly in the recent years. More and more travelers are showing interest in going to exotic places or safaris, in activities such as diving with sharks or swimming with dolphins, riding camels in desert, and so on.

From bird-watching to extreme sports, from walking trips to adventure-flights, sky-diving, from romantic escapes to mountain climbing, from snowboarding to yachting ... adventure travel offers travelers the thrill of life in many ways, in all seasons, all around the world!

Haven't you heard of the skydiving granny in the U.S.? Yes, if you would like to read the story and watch the video of a courageous granny who skydived successfully, just go to MSN.com and write 'skydiving granny' in the search bar. It is a thrilling experience for an old lady, and for the watchers as well. Adventure attracts people no matter what their ages are.

Thousands of people from around the world rushed to Turkey to watch the total solar eclipse which was best viewed from southern Turkey, on March 29, 2006. Thousands of people, including NASA astronomers, gathered in the 2,000 year old well preserved Roman theater in the seacoast resort of Side, in Southern Turkey, to watch how the shadow of the moon masked the sun. Special eye glasses were given to those thousands of anxious sungazers.

Some 10,000 skygazers witnessed how Venus suddenly appeared when the sun was totally masked by the moon. When the sunshine disappeared the heat from the sun stopped, too, it became chilling and people shivered for a few minutes. A breathtaking bright diamond ring appeared in the dark sky, for a moment.

Finally, when the sun gradually started to shine again, thousands of people cheered, whistled. It was a very happy welcoming to the good old sun after a disappearance of around 4 minutes. While a string quartet was playing classical music, free beer was offered to sungazers. It was really a thrilling experience!

Regardless the fear and risks of terror threats in the recent years, life goes on ... People still enjoy whitewater rafting, golfing, hiking, walking, while backpackers searching new places to discover, others are perhaps preparing for their first cruise on a love-boat.

Especially in the peak travel seasons millions of travel agencies, hotels, motels, hostels, bed & breakfasts, restaurants worldwide, are still extremely busy striving to provide their customers with the best possible services, in a way to beat the active competition out there.

Outdoor adventurers enjoy life swimming, snorkeling, diving, sailing, fishing, treasure hunting, surfing, kiting, biking, kayaking, skiing, hot air ballooning; while other groups visiting historic sites admiring the magnificent museums, palaces, ruins of ancient civilizations, temples, and battle fields.

To experience the excitement of climbing Kilimanjaro, or Botswana Wildlife Safari for example, Everest base camp trek, Mont Blanc trek, Outdoor Alaska, Mongolian Wilderness Adventure, to join the Antarctica Cruise or Nile Cruise, to visit the last home of Virgin Mary in Turkey, or to be amongst the Maharajahs, the idea of taking a rail journey, or going to African Safaris attract millions of adventure travelers to tour operators organizing Adventure Tours worldwide.

But, where can you find the best companies offering adventure and/or other travel and tour packages you are interested in? How can you compare their services and prices? Isn't it a very time consuming effort to search, find, compare and choose the best offer to suit your interests and budget?

The good news is, now this process is much easier than it was 5-10 years ago. Those looking to find the best travel deals, dream vacation packages to suit their personal special interests and budgets can find almost everything they're looking for at thousands of travel related websites all over the Internet. Online shopping has been rapidly replacing traditional shopping, recently.

That kind of online travel directories and guides are great sources providing travelers with practical information, comparing and shopping opportunities in one website, saving them tremendous amount of time, efforts and money.

You can review, compare, choose the company and the tour package, make your reservations, even purchase your air tickets affordably online, in just minutes, not hours. Save your valuable time, money and efforts.

Happy journey! Enjoy your adventure!!

2006-07-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

Budget Safaris: Is This the Better Option?

Tanzania is fast becoming, if not already, the most sought after destination for an African Safari. This reputation and desire for this special place is not unfounded. However is the budget option the better option, as Tanzania is fast becoming an expensive destination. Expensive that is if you want to go to Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti and Kilimanjaro. Budget safaris has become, for many, the only option.

Why is Tanzania so expensive? Is this a matter of cashing in on a new found popularity? The short answer to this question is no, it is not; the reason is the sheer volume of tourists. Tanzania wants to keep numbers to sustainable levels. The sheer numbers wanting to tour the popular parks is damaging the fragile eco-system.

Tanzania has many fascinating parks with much to offer. All the game parks have high densities of animals. It is cheaper now to choose parks in the south or the west.

A friend of mine recently came to visit and decided he should go on a short safari. He was on a tight budget and went with a tour operator that offered a good deal. It was a short two day safari to see Lake Manyara and then Ngorongoro crater. This first morning he was due to leave at 9h00; however departure was actually 10h30. The car broke down on the first day and everyone had to push the car to start it again. Repairs to the car were carried out at the camp site after the game drive.

There was a guaranteed four people in the car ensuring good game viewing and a window seat for everyone. However, six people were in the car and things were cramped. The second day in the crater the game viewing was only for five hours and not the full day promised. My visitor was pleased to return home and has been put off safaris for life.

A safari is hard work; the euphoria overcomes the hardship endured in getting to see the animals. To fully appreciate the safari it is better to spend a little more money on comfort. To have a reliable comfortable car with only a few fellow safari-ests is essential. The roads can be rough and to have room to bounce around and absorb the bumps and bangs of the roads is essential. Following the great migration in the Serengeti might involve fighting off swarms of hard biting tsetse flies this is not easy when six people, the driver cook and camping equipment are squeezed into one slow-moving safari land cruiser.

I would also recommend a good lodge or tented camp. Yes they expensive; however they are luxurious, in good positions within the parks, close to the animals and truly you experience Africa in these camps. You feel less of a tourist and more of an explorer.

To go budget is a mistake. To try to afford the best safari is a must in-order to really enjoy the safari experience. There are many parks in Tanzania which have low park fees; as few visitors are heading to these remote parks; yet. There are mountains and areas that are not national parks and therefore no park fees to pay and they are fantastic places to visit. To spend time researching and then to find an operator who is willing to help and advise you is the key. It need not cost a fortune. Try to avoid the budget safari and take time to find the better alternative.

2006-07-10T14:12:00.000-07:00

2006-07-09T18:47:00.000-07:00

Kilimanjaro - Altitude Sickness

Every year a small number of tourists die climbing Kilimanjaro. What action should one take to avoid altitude sickness?

To be fit and ready to climb is essential. When climbing take your assent slowly, this will be emphasized again and again as you climb in Swahili pole-pole [slowly slowly]. Anyone is susceptible to altitude sickness and your guide will be on the lookout for any tale tale signs.

Before you climb the mountain, try to avoid an overnight in Moshi town. It is better to stay as close to the Kilimanjaro Park Gate as you can. As you sleep in the mountain village, your body is starting to acclimatize. If you can spend two nights before your climb all the better.

Acclimatization is the key. An extra day spent on your climb is a worthwhile. It is offered as an extra at a cost of usually US$120 per person. I would recommend spending this extra money; it increases your chance of success in reaching the top of the mountain. If you feel tired, if you are vomiting if you are passing blood tell your guide. These are all signs of altitude sickness. If you start to suffer then to get to a lower altitude as quickly as possible is the best advice. Do not hang on thinking you will be fine, get off the mountain as quickly as possible.

Once you have succeeded in climbing to the top and have taken your pictures then a quick decent is also advisable there will be one night only on the mountain during your decent.

To recap, a pre-night close to the park-gate helps acclimatize. Spend an extra night on the mountain to help your body adjust; and most of all do not race up the mountain walk slowly and enjoy your climb.

2006-07-08T23:35:00.000-07:00

Preview: Helga Smith - Servas Traveller, Marathon Runner, Conqueror of Mount Kilimanjaro

When I first met Helga Smith at the Canada-US Servas Conference, she gave me a brief introduction to her life decade by decade, and every decade held something else that was interesting and completely different. Helga will have a chapter in a book called "Women Who Rock", which is to be published in the near future. The book features a variety of female movers and shakers who stand out not so much for their financial and entrepreneurial success but for their unique way of overcoming major challenges in their lives, their athletic accomplishments and community involvement.

The story starts in 1963 when Helga escaped from just outside of Berlin, in East Germany. A year and a half later she came to the United States without knowing any English. She got a job as a domestic and soon started to work in an office. Then she married an American who did not speak any German. Five years later she had three children and was single again.

Without any source of income, Helga briefly went on welfare but also managed to complete an associate degree in computer science. She worked for two major financial institutions in New York, developing skills in graphic design and business presentations. Typical of so many other Servas members, she dedicates her spare time to community activities. She volunteers for numerous worthy causes and trains with blind people.

As a matter of fact, Helga came to running in her late 50s. She initially accompanied her daughter, another enthusiastic Marathon runner, but got inspired to start running herself. Since then, Helga has completed several Marathons, including the highly competitive Boston Marathon.

Helga's athletic achievements don't end here: she decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Foundation for International Community Assistance. She raised $10,000 to help women in Tanzania obtain small loans for business creation. Mount Kilimanjaro was a special challenge for Helga: although any reasonably fit person can do it in theory, only 50% of the people starting the trek actually make it to the top. Interestingly, most of the failed attempts come from men in their early 20s who underestimate the power of the mountain and difficulties hiking in high altitude.

Of course Helga is also a committed Servas traveller and has been part of the organization since 1985. Being located in New York City, a very popular travel destination, she has hosted several hundred Servas travellers. In return, she has visited more than 50 countries. Helga thinks outside the box and has passed her unconventional ways of thinking on to her children: her daughter has cycled around the world and now works for International Development. Her daughter has lived in Egypt for four years and is now assigned to another Middle Eastern country. Her son also lives in New York City, together with his Ecuadorian wife. They are both recognized and respected graffiti artists, producing murals for the City, for fun and for pay.

Now, that Helga is semi-retired, she has joined another group of peace-builders: the "Non-Violent Peaceforce". This is an organization that trains people to physically put themselves in harm's way where a human buffer zone can be useful to defuse a potentially dangerous situation. She said that this would be a cause that she would be willing to take a risk for.

Very soon we'll be able to hear Helga's story, her athletic achievements, community endeavours and future plans for activism.

2006-07-08T03:35:00.000-07:00

Tanzanian Safari: a Place of Wonder and Discovery

Tanzania is a place of wonder and discovery, it was the entry point for many early explorers and the same is true today; there is much on offer and there are many places to discover. Not many visitors to Tanzania discover the wonder of this friendly African paradise. They rush by from one high point to the next; like sheep who never lift their head out of the grass and thereby miss the splendor around them; every day the same as the last. This saddens me as Tanzania can be a place in which to fall in love with Africa. Tanzania is a place that lives inside you; and calls you back again and again. Although, for many it is another destination to merely claim and photograph.

The Udzungwa Mountains National Park is a national park with no roads. This park has wildlife but was created primarily for the protection of flora rather than fauna; this park is unique in Tanzania. It is a must to get out your vehicle and walk in the mountain rain forests. Like all places it takes time to discover and an afternoon stroll on the peripheries of adventure is simply not enough.

It is possible to find many places to walk and discover the delights of this East African country without ever stepping inside a National Park. There are the East and West Usamabara Mountains or the Pare Mountains with a prolific birdlife, these very African mountains are a delight to discover and explore.

There are villages around Kilimanjaro, high above Moshi Town where the local people growing coffee and bananas. Some villages such as my favorite, Uru, are close to the tourist circuit, so it is easily accessible in the north without having to taking a special journey and you can spend days here and never see a safari vehicle or another tourist.

Cultural visits can expand your whole experience; add time and experience to your adventure in Tanzania without costing a fortune. It is important to do this with gentleness and respect; remembering that you are the visitor here. All too often this simple truth is forgotten; remember to respect local customs and dress codes.

When we talk about cultural tour I am not talking of the organized cultural tours but a genuine encounter with Tanzanian people. This is best done though a charity that is willing and eager to organize cultural visits. By spending only a day or two working voluntary will enable you to experience Africa in way most people will never know. To volunteer even for a short time will be the experience you will share with friends for the rest of your life.

To move around Tanzania on local transport is something you should do with care. If traveling by road choose your bus company with caution and the cheaper the ticket the less safe the bus. There are good bus companies that travel around Tanzania and I would advise you pay the extra money for both comfort and safety. Trains are not usually an option for tourists, with a few exceptions they are normally unreliable and slow. The few destinations that are usable have first class tickets sold out well in advance; especially at holiday time; to book in advance is essential.

You may get hassled as you walk around the cities by taxi drivers or young men selling curios. Remember, Tanzania is a poor country and these young people are attempting to earn a living to feed a family; and competition is fierce. To know a few words in Swahili, such as si-ombi [I dont need] will come in handy. Remember not to be rude, be firm but friendly. This is all part of the joy of traveling. To barter, or to try to get rid of a persistent young man selling curios should be done with respect and without anger.

The towns and villages are a cultural dream with the warm friendly people welcoming visitors. Tanzania is a country where hospitality is a tradition; the traveler is welcomed and honored. Is it safe to travel alone; in the big towns such as Dar es Salaam it would be advisable to take the normal precautions any tourist must take. Tanzania is a safe country and its people are peace loving.

So, welcome and discover a land unspoiled for the present.

2006-07-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

Goal Setting Secrets of the Real Life Indiana Jones

Remember when you were 15? Can you recall some of the dreams you had then? How many have you accomplished?

My reflection on that is what attracted me so strongly to the story of John Goddard, of whom the LA Times called, "The real life Indiana Jones," and one of his expeditions, "the most amazing adventure of this generation."

When he was 15, Goddard was inspired to create a list of 127 life goals (he called it My Life List). By his last count, the young seventy-something has accomplished 111 of these PLUS 400 others he set along the way!!

Heres just a few of the ones hes reached:

Hes climbed many of the worlds major peaks including the Matterhorn, Ararat, Kilimanjaro, Fiji, Rainier and the Grand Tetons.

He followed Marco Polos route through all of the Middle East, Asia and China.

Hes run a mile in five minutes, broad jumped 15 feet, high jumped five feet and performed 200 sit-ups and 20 pull-ups.

He was the first person to explore the 4200-mile length of the world's longest river, the Nile. (It was the number one goal of the 15-year-old Goddard and the one the Times called the most amazing adventure of this generation.). He has also been down the Amazon, Congo and others.

John has been to 122 countries, lived with 260 different tribal groups, explored the underwater reefs of Florida, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Red Sea, and more.

He has flown 40 different types of aircraft and still holds civilian air records; has read the Bible cover to cover and learned to speak French, Spanish and Arabic.

The last two on his original list included marrying and having children (he has six) and living to see the 21st Century, which he has done in style.

And Im just getting started. But I think you get the point.

More than just one of the greatest adventurers the world has ever known, Goddard is an incredibly wise person, as this quote of his demonstrates: "If you really know what you want out of life, it's amazing how opportunities will come to enable you to carry them out."

How did John Goddard manage to live such an incredible life of achievement? Two simple, easily duplicatable secrets: He chose BIG dreams and he WROTE THEM DOWN.

Theres no power at all in small dreams. When the dream isnt big enough, its too easy to give in to the obstacles that appear in our life. Its very difficult to maintain the persistence that all great achievement requires when the dream is small or ordinary.

Harland Sanders was 65-years-old, with little more than a $105 Social Security payment in his pocket, when he started Kentucky Fried Chicken. He is said to have been rejected by over 1,000 banks before he became successful. If he hadnt had a big dream his self-esteem could never have withstood such rejection.

One of the biggest dreamers in the world is Mark Victor Hansen. Working with his partner, Jack Canfield, their idea was rejected by 140 book publishers as unsellable. Today, their Chicken Soup series includes more than 70 titles that have sold more than 90 million copies in 39 languages. Mark says, The more goals you set - the more goals you get. Think big, act big and set out to accomplish big results.

Not only must your dreaming and goal setting be big, but it must be in writing. Brian Tracy says that this act alone increases your odds of success by 1000%! Like many people, Id heard that I should write my goals down, but like most people, I rarely did. Looking at Brians formula another way, the failure to write your goals and dreams down means that youve got less than a 1-in-10 chance of succeeding. Can it be any wonder then that most people dont live their dreams?

Who knows where your life can go after it is driven by life goals. You may find yourself landing on the moon someday, which happens to be one of the few original dreams that John Goddard hasnt realized.

Whatever you dreams may be, when you're doing your goal setting, make them BIG and WRITE THEM DOWN! Dont be like the chap in this poem that Napoleon Hill included in the original edition of Think and Grow Rich:

"I bargained with Life for a penny, And Life would pay no more, However I begged at evening When I counted my scanty store. For Life is a just employer, He gives you what you ask, But once you have set the wages, Why, you must bear the task. I worked for a menials hire, Only to learn, dismayed, That any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have willingly paid."

2006-07-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Tanzania Explained Some Notes

Most Safaris in Tanzania are usually based around the popular northern circuit of National Parks, which will typically include Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti and Lake Manyara. Kilimanjaro is also in the North of Tanzania and the wonderful Western Kilimanjaro area where game viewing is on the Kenyan border with Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. Arusha, is in the north and most safaris start and end in this [in every sense of the word] provincial town.

Dar es Salaam, one of the great cities of Africa, is the base for the southern circuit which includes wilder and much more exciting parks and reserves such as the Selous, Ruaha and Udzungwa Mountains. Tanzania has Chimpanzees in the western part of the country and here scattered along the inaccessible west from Lake Tanganyika to the great Lake Victoria are National Parks every bit as game rich as the Serenegeti; but as yet not many tourists know of these gems. They are difficult to access; with some of them boasting one lodge to a million hectares of park!

Some people say Tanzania is becoming touristy and if you go to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti in August and only safari into the Central Serengeti then yes I would agree this small section of Tanzania, at this time of year, is a little commercialized.

After the safari and Kilimanjaro climb there are the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar and the fifty or so islands that make up this spiced archipelago. There is also the Swahili Coast of the mainland beckoning the exploration of suburb beaches and small ancient towns. Tanzania is not famed for its food but here on the Swahili coast there is a magic blend where Africa and the spices of the east have met together.

The political situation in Tanzania is very stable, the people gentle and peace-loving. Hospitality is an art form in Tanzania with everyone truly enjoying the arrival of guests into their homes.

Mid July to September are the busy times for tourists in Tanzania and if at all possible avoid taking a safari at this time. March to mid June are low season and this time luxury safaris can be secured at bargain basement prices. However, there is a chance of the long rains at this time; although I have known it rain more in January and February in the so called long rains.

You can visit Tanzania at any time of the year with each season having its own beauty.

The dry season offer the best trekking condition on Mount Kilimanjaro and for traveling in parts of the country with poor roads. Tarangire National Park in the north of Tanzania is a must in the dry season, its year round supply of water act as a magnet to many animals. Olivers Camp or Swala Camp are recommended for the Tarangire.

The wettest months are usually late April to June and at this time some camps and lodges will close as access becomes difficult. The lodges that stay open are easily accessed by tarmac roads or by air.

A note on the migratory herds of wildebeest and zebra; they are in the Southern Serengeti, where the grasslands are rich between December and March. Their young are born between Feb and March which encourages dramatic predator action. Then in May as the plains of the south and east dry out there is movement to the north and west, where there is more grass and more dependable water. In a dry year, the first wildebeest could be near the Mara River bordering Kenya in early July; in a wet year as late as mid August. The Migration need not all pass into Kenya and many stay behind or cross and re-cross the border areas. This carries on through till October / November, when they will start to move back south through the Serengeti.

2006-07-05T13:35:00.000-07:00

Hooks, Lines & Sinkers

Hands up if the title to this article made you think that you'd strayed into a fishing feature?

Perhaps you didn't quite go that far, but hopefully you were puzzled or curious enough to wonder what on earth those three angling associated words have to do with writing. The answer of course is nothing at all if you are thinking of metal barbs, yards of tangled nylon and blobs of lead weights.

Think, however, of the good opening lines used to begin most successful short stories, novels and articles then the "hook" in our title takes on a whole new range of meanings and equates very well with the world of creative writing.

What most beginners fail to understand when they first begin writing, and this applies as much to articles as it does to short stories and novels, is that when they submit their work to an editor, competition judge or publisher there is only a brief moment to impress which is why a lot of attention needs to be paid to that first opening sentence.

Hooking your reader with a good beginning isn't a guarantee to success, but it will serve to focus attention and make the judge, publisher or editor take more notice of the rest of the article, story etc. If nothing else, it presses an subconscious alert button in the reader's mind that marks up the writer as a professional who knows his or her craft.

This in turn builds expectation and again focuses attention. As long as the rest of the piece lives up to its early promise, you can be sure that your effort will at the very least receive close inspection and hopefully much more!

So, just how do you come up with a good hook? It would be nice if I could say that there was some magic formula available but unfortunately I haven't found it even if it does exist! Still there are several things that you can do to get things moving.

First of all don't sit staring at your screen trying to think of a good opening line when you have a mind boiling with ideas struggling to spread themselves over the page! All this will do is make you tense up with frustration and dam your creativity.

Instead, start hitting the keys and slap those ideas across the screen! Once you have the basic outline down then you can start the editing process, including the opening sentence. If at this stage you are still stuck, try leaving the work for a few days, there's a good chance you'll come up with something when you're mind is focused on something else and the first flush of enthusiasm has cleared from your brain.

Analogy, such as I've used to the fishing world, often provides a good hook. In the case of this article I used it in the title but hooks are used just as often or more so in the opening sentence. My actual opening "hook" made use of a question, which again is a very good way to start, as questions by their very nature demand a response from the reader, even if it is only to read to the end of the sentence!

I took this a step further by demanding physical action, "hands up", which of course is a ridiculous thing to expect a reader to do when there is no way of knowing whether they have complied or not! It is this stupidity that hopefully grabs attention and carries on from where the title left off. PR writers are well aware of this process and often mis-spell words to create a similar effect .

Quotations and deliberate mis-quotations also make good hooks either from songs, proverbs or other literary works, but also try putting together unusual combinations of words.

For instance, you wouldn't think that brussel sprouts could possibly have any effect on good or evil and I'm sure they haven't! One of my son's however has different ideas and his annual grumble during our recent Christmas meal gave me a marvellous opening line, or hook, for what will be a festive article taking a close look at this, in my opinion, much maligned vegetable!

What was it? Oh yes, when faced with a heap of those shiny green gems he muttered murderously, "If it wasn't for brussel sprouts there'd be no evil in the world ..." now is that a hook or what?

Which brings me on to another point. Hooks, I've found seem to have a power in their own right and often serve as a catalyst to the story or article itself which is why you should be on the alert for when they occur.

The brussel sprout incident is a prime example. Writing in any shape or form was the furthest thing from my mind, but the startled looks and laughter from the rest of the family were enough to confirm what I'd immediately thought, here was a hook begging for exploitation and with a enough power of its own to begin generating several lines of thought.

Being aware of hooks and the power they have on the reader is something every writer has to get to grips with if they want to achieve success so it is a good idea to train yourself to both generate hooks and be on the alert for them by listening to what other people say.

Having a small notebook handy makes a lot of sense, but reading what other people have done before you will also pay dividends. Try this quiz of opening lines to famous novels. It's not easy, but don't worry about your score, the real benefit of the quiz is seeing what worked for the author.

The scent of slaughter, some believe, can linger in a place for years.

When Mr Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday ...

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth ...

Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were.

The stranger came early in February one wintry day, through a biting wind and a driving snow ...

"The marvellous thing is that it's painless," he said. "That's how you know when it starts."

Last night I dreamed of Mandalay ...

A wide plain, where the broadening Floss hurries on between its green banks to the sea, and the loving tide rushing to meet it ...

Mr Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the hen-house for the night, but was too drunk to remember to shut the pop-holes.

"Tom!"

Well, what did you think? Some were definitely intriguing but others in my opinion left a lot to be desired which just goes to show that the proof of the pudding is in the eat... er reading so don't fall into the trap of thinking that the beginning is the be all and end all!

Oh and before you ask, I haven't forgotten the lines and sinkers either, call those plots and twist endings and to find out more sign up for the WriteLink Short Story Writing Workshop, it's free! www.writebytes.co.uk

ANSWERS:

The Loop by Nicholas Evans

The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkein

The Bible

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

The Invisible Man by H G Wells

The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway

Rebecca by Daphne De Maurier

The Mill on the Floss by George Elliot

Animal Farm by George Orwell

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

2006-07-04T17:41:00.000-07:00

Luxurious Train Trips Around Southern Africa

The Rovos Rail

Since its establishment the Rovos Rail has earned an international reputation as one of the worlds most luxurious travel experiences. The extravagant elegance alludes to an era of romance and opulence. A train trip on the Rovos Rail allows passengers to experience the magic and mystery of Africa in complete luxury.

The Rovos Rail operates two classic train each consisting of 20 carriages most of which date back to the 1920s. 72 passengers can be accommodated on these glorious trains which have been meticulously restored to allow you to enjoy a luxurious and comfortable African escape.

Fine Dining

The accent on the Rovos Rail is focused on fresh local ingredients and traditional dishes. A full breakfast is served each morning consisting of a variety of hot and cold dishes.

Lunch and dinner are three course affairs on board this magical train. The starter is followed with a choice of a fish, meat or vegetarian dish, after which guests can sample some of the most delicious deserts imaginable. At each meal passengers can chose from a selection of wines from acclaimed South African cellars which have been chosen to compliment the meals. The trains dining rooms are formal and tables are adorned with crisp linen, fine china and gleaming silverware. Guests will thoroughly enjoy the fine cuisine in five-star luxury whilst some of the most magnificent scenery imaginable unfolds beyond the windows.

Rovos Rail A Selection of Trips

The luxurious Rovos Rail travels to a host of South African and Southern African destinations. From the roaring desert sands of Namibia to the smoke that thunders at Victoria Falls, the Rovos Rail transports visitors in style to some of the most magnificent destinations Africa has to offer.

One of the Rovos Rails most popular journeys is the week long trip between Pretoria and Cape Town. On the 1600 kilometre route you will experience an eclectic blend of gorgeous scenery from dramatic mountain ranges and endless grassland plains to the modern urban centres and picturesque winelands.

Cape Town is one of South Africas most popular tourist destinations and a scenic, luxury rail trip is a fantastic way to get there.

Another fantastic journey is the 6100 kilometre journey from Cape Town will transport you through South Africa and across Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania. Known as the Authentic African Adventure this journey this spectacular train safari offers spectacular scenery the highlight being the Victoria Falls. Once reaching your final destination, Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania guests can visit Zanzibar, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the wildlife delights of the Serengeti.

The 550 kilometre trip between Cape Town to Knysna is one of the most glorious ways to take in the beauty of South Africas Garden Route. Departing from Cape Town and steaming through with views of the winelands, wheat fields and gorgeous mountains to a stop at George where visitors will board the antique Choo-choo train to Knysna. Knysna is the heart of South Africas lake district and visitors will be kept busy with a host of sporting and recreational activities as well as sampling the magnificent oysters for which the town is renowned.

South Africa is a haven for golfing enthusiasts and a nine day golf trip on the Rovos Rail is one of the most fantastic ways to see South Africa as well as taking in some of the best golfing opportunities the country has to offer. Commencing in Pretoria the journey will take you through the Drakensberg, the Kruger National Park, Swaziland and Durban to Sun City where you will end your trip. Along the way you will tee off on some of SAs finest courses including the Royal Swazi Golf Club, Durban Beachwood Country Club and the Champagne Sports Resort. At all the stops along the way there is plenty of entertainment to keep the non-golfers in your party occupied including game drives and a trip the internationally renowned Sun City resort.

The journey from Pretoria to Namibia is one of the most scenic. The 3400 kilometre journey takes you from Pretoria to the sands of the Namib Desert with plenty of stops along the way. Some of the stops on this adventure include: a visit to the big hole in Kimberly, the Fish River Canyon, a game drive and lion feed in Windhoek, a trip to the wildlife paradise known as the Etosha National Park. A luxurious train trip on of the most beautiful routes in Africa will be one of the most remarkable holidays you will ever experience.

The pride of Africa

Fondly named the pride of Africa the Rovos Rail trains provide domestic and international visitors to experience some of the greatest landscapes, dining and attractions Southern Africa has to offer.