Safari-Uganda Tour Operator Travel Blog

Antennes d'Afrique -Zimbabwe to host Africa Travel Association congress in 2012

2011-12-30T20:30:00.000-08:00

Antennes d'Afrique -Zimbabwe to host Africa Travel Association congress in 2012

Uganda named top 2012 tourist destination

2011-12-17T01:23:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala East Africa

An increase in the number of tourists coming to Uganda is expected after the country was ranked the number one tourist destination to visit in 2012.
The eastern african country was named top destination for the next one year by Lonely Planet the world's largest guidebook and digital media publisher.
Uganda emerged number one beating other countries that included Myanmar (Burma), Ukraine, Jordan, Denmark,Bhutan, Cuba and Switzerland.
Lonely Planet editor Tom Hall said: "It's great for outdoors, fantastic for wildlife and the people are very friendly. It makes for a good introduction to the continent".
According to Lonely Planet its Best in Travel awards decision was made after taking hundreds of ideas submitted by staff, authors and travel bloggers and tweeters into consideration.
Uganda's tourist attractions include a variety of bird species, the rare mountain Gorillas, the source of the Nile and its national parks.
Visit Murchison Falls National Park for abundant wildlife and Ndere home of Uganda's traditional dance.Thank you for your feedback

New ebook on Careers in the Travel and Tourism Industry

2011-11-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

A Guide to Careers in the Travel and Tourism Industry By Timothy M Ijala

Are you aware of the opportunities available in the travel and tourism industry? The travel and tourism industry is a growing industry employing hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. The employment opportunities are many and varied. If you love to travel the opportunities are there to travel and stay in luxury hotels for free.
This ebook A Guide to Careers in the Travel and Tourism Industry tells you more on why you should work for the industry and the work opportunities available. It is by no means exhaustive but will give you a starting point from where you can explore a career in the travel and tourism industry for yourself. I am availing it to readers of this blog for a limited time for free. Please read it and give me your feedback.
Please let me know what you think of this guide to careers in travel and tourism

Visit Ndere Center and Watch Ugandan Culture Come Alive

2011-08-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

By Timothy Ijala

If you love Ugandan culture including its traditional music then you will want to visit Ndere Center and watch Ndere Troupe perform one of their famed traditional dances that has made them world famous. The history of Ndere Troupe is one of small beginnings and goes back to 1984 when Stephen Wanjozi then a music teacher at Lubiri Secondary School in Kampala and a few students formed Ndere Troupe. Stephen wanted to preserve the pride of the Ugandan culture seen in traditional music, dance and dress which people back then were ashamed to be identified with and so there was a danger of it disappearing. There was also a need to raise money to support children who were talented, wanted to take Ugandan culture to another level but could not afford tuition. Another reason was to educate people using drama. Ndere Troupe was born then and has gone from strength to strength.

When you visit Ndere Center to watch Ndere Troupe perform, you are thrilled by the sounds of drums, xylophones, dungu, panpipe, flute and other instruments that you see and hear. This Orchestra is so popular that it attracts visitors of all ages from within Kampala and from other countries outside East Africa. You are never disappointed as you watch the dancers in their colourful traditional costumes move to the sound of the throbbing drums and the other instruments used in the troupe’s performance. Those who are so moved by the sounds of the instruments that they cannot remain seated are usually welcome to join in some of the dances. And there is always a buffet of traditional Ugandan food available for those who would want to enjoy Ugandan culture not only in music and dance but also in the taste of food. You can also take a break from the entertainment and wander on the beautiful 9 acres of green ground that is part of Ndere Center.

Ndere Center is located on the Ntinda-Kisaasi Road about 12 kms from the city center. Ndere Troupe Orchestra performs every Wednesday and Friday at 7.00 to 9.00 pm and every Sunday at 6.30 to 9.30 pm. Entry to Ndere Center is free, however there is a fee to access the open theatre where Ndere Troupe Orchestra performs. Entry fee can always be paid on arrival at Ndere Center.

Three Reasons Why You Should Visit Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

2011-05-10T06:03:00.000-07:00

Two of the older chimp residents of the Island during feeding time

By Timothy Ijala
Founded in 1998, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is home to 44 orphaned and rescued chimpanzees. They are brought here as a result of the dangers and difficulties they face in the wild including destruction of their habitat, killing of their parents, being illegally kept as pets and illegally exported to other countries. It is 100 acres of land, 95 percent of which is forest and five percent for human usage. Ngamba Island is one of the many islands located in lake Victoria. It is about 23 kilometers from Entebbe and takes about 90 minutes to two hours by motorized canoe. However if you want to get there faster you can always go by speedboat which takes just 40 minutes. Here are three reasons why you should visit the Island.
You have a chance to see and learn about Chimps. You can watch them being fed as you stand on a raised platform. Having visited the Island I found this to be very entertaining. They always know their time for being fed and you will find them already waiting at the feeding point. Apart from the feeding you will be entertained by their theatrical acts. And you get a chance to tour the facilities and learn about the lives of chimps. A day or half a day is enough to do this.
If you love birds then Ngamba Island is one great place to see them. There are about 120 species that have been seen on the island. Infact when you step onto the island you could mistake it for a bird watcher's paradise instead of a Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
And lastly did I mention crossing Lake Victoria by boat to get to the Island from Entebbe town? That on its own is an adventure and a story for another day.

Why I will never forget Masai Mara National Game Reserve

2011-03-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

A Traveller's Guide to East Africa by Timothy Ijala

Avisit to a Masai village at Masai Mara

"I hope you will be back again,"this
Giraffe seems to be saying as we left the Mara.

"Look,look, look," a friend of mine called out excitedly. I stopped the van and looked in the direction she was pointing. It was a lion rolling on the grass. Having been to several national parks in Uganda and not seen a lion this close, it was quite exciting not only to see one but to see the theatrics it was performing. As if knowing that it had an audience the lioness rolled over several times in the grass. Little did we know that this was the first of the many lions we would see until we had had enough of seeing them.

We were on the plains of the Masai Mara National Game reserve made famous by its annual migration of wildebeest from neighbouring Tanzania. We had driven for two days from Kampala,Uganda with an overnight stopover in Kericho. It would not be my first time in the Mara but this was an expedition I had organised for my friends and we spent three days seeing lions, elephants, buffaloes,giraffes and we even saw a leopard(very rare to see) in the three days we were there.
It was the rainy season and twice we got stuck but with the help of our Masai guide called Edward Lion and a good four wheel drive van we survived. we had a great time in the three days we spent at the Mara and an adventure I am not about to forget.
I will never forget one of the times we got stuck. We were on our way to see Rhinos.Though it had rained and the roads were muddy our guide assured us that everything would be okay(big mistake). As we crossed a stream we got stuck right in the middle. No amount of pushing the four wheel drive van would get us out. Stuck right in the middle of the Masai Mara along the path of elephants (or so Edward said) with nobody knowing exactly where we were in this park of 580 square kilometres! Not very exciting. I was the only one who had carried a cellphone though what good it would do in an area with almost no network and my phone charge being low (we were staying in a campsite so there was no where to charge my phone)was anyone's guess.However I did manage to send a text message to Thomas Were the manager of Mara Intrepids camp where we had fuelled in earlier in the day. I wasn't sure whether we would get a response but "a drowning man clutches at straws" as the saying goes. Oh yes and I forgot to mention that it started to rain. A feeling of despair fell on the group as we settled to the grim reality that we might have to spend the night in our vehicle in the middle of the park.
That could easily have been a reality except for the fact that my message did get through and help came. With the help of a strong landcruiser and some determined men we were soon out of the stream and on our way back to Crocodile campsite the campsite near the Talek gate where we were staying. Its true we never did get to see the Rhinos and tick that off the list of the big five to be seen but we also never got to spend the night in the middle of the bush in a van with lions, elephants and Buffaloes for company.

I never once regretted that trip to the Masai Mara and vowed I would go back to the Mara one day come rain or shine,I still would prefer shine though.

Factfile
The Masai Mara is one of Kenya's great National Game Reserves and is famous for its annual migration in July/August of millions of Wildbeest,Zebras and Gazelles and the fearless Masai people. It stretches 1510 sq KM(580 sq miles).
It takes about 6 hours to drive from Nairobi or 45 minutes by flight. You can also drive from neighbouring Uganda to the Mara but that requires a strong four wheel drive vehicle and a good knowledge of the road.The option is to fly to Nairobi from Entebbe with Fly540 which has daily connections to the Mara.
Accommodation available ranges from basic campsites to luxury tented camps. The best time to go is in the months of July/August during the annual migration.

Sweet Irish Coffee, Yes Please!

2011-03-18T05:39:00.000-07:00

A Travel Guide to Uganda by Timothy Ijala

Having looked over the drink menu that was handed to me at SoHo Cafe and Grill on Yusuf Lule road in Kampala and with the encouragement of the Manager I opted for the Sweet Irish Coffee drink.
As the name suggests the drink is made of coffee, ice cream and sugar. But wait, yes there is the word Irish which comes from the Irish whisky which is part of the "ingredients" that make up the drink. And yes it is real whisky.
After being assured that the drink will take five minutes to make and being skeptical about the timing (it would not be the first time I had been disappointed though never yet at this cafe) I sat down to wait for my drink.
True to the waiter's word, my drink was sitting in front of me five minutes later with a teaspoon to go with it. Having never had this drink before but knowing that a teaspoon is for stirring, I proceeded to stir the drink with the cream sitting on top of the cup and the hot brown sweet liquid below. And yes was it sweet! Before long I had no doubt that there was some whisky present in the drink though no one else noticed.
I would recommend Sweet Irish Coffee on a cold rainy day or if you have just eaten a hearty meal. But stay away from it on an empty stomach in the middle of a hot day. Well that is what I would recommend anyway.

Factfile
SoHo Cafe and Grill is one of the new cafes in Kampala city. It can be found on the second floor of Course View Towers on Yusuf Lule road next to the Irish embassey. The main speciality is coffee though lunch and dinner is also available. Like many restaurants in Kampala international cuisine is also available including Steak Melt sandwich,Tuna Melt sandwich and Mexican beef. The food price range is from 10,000 to 25000 Uganda shillings. Their website is www.sohocafe.co.ug

Ssezibwa Falls Resort

2011-03-12T02:20:00.000-08:00

A Travel Guide To Uganda by Timothy Ijala

Are you living in Kampala, have half a day or a full day to spare and are wondering what to do? Why not visit Ssezibwa Falls Resort. It is an ideal place to visit both for individuals, groups and families and is right next to Ssezibwa Falls.
Ssezibwa Falls Resort is a 45 minutes drive from Kampala along the excellent Kampala-Jinja highway after Mukono town. It is easily accessible by either a two wheel or four wheel drive vehicle, although at the moment, the murram road once you turn off the main highway, favours a high clearance four wheel drive as it can be very skiddy and muddy when it rains. However the road is being worked on.
Once you arrive at the resort you will be welcomed at the large parking area that the resort boasts by the friendly staff. One of the things that is impressive about the guides is how knowledgeable they are of the area. As soon as you have paid the pocket friendly entry fee you are given a quick run through the history of the place and the activities available there.

Ssezibwa Falls, Uganda

Legend has it that Ssezibwa is one of two rivers born as twins to a woman. Ssezibwa means ‘it can’t be blocked’. It is a tourism and cultural site with a lot to see and do for nature lovers. It is 200 metres at the point where the water drops then it continues its flow and finally empties at Lake Kyoga.

With 135 bird species in the area, it a bird lover’s paradise for those who enjoy bird watching. The birds that can be seen include the Mourning Dove, African Harrier Hawk, African Pied Wagtail, Mousebirds and Sunbirds. An early morning guided walk with the knowledgeable guide gives you a chance to spot some of the birds available in this area. You can also enjoy a three hour forest walk which gives you the chance to learn about the many trees that can be seen in the surrounding area including their medicinal value. Primate and Butterfly viewing are still other activities available at Ssezibwa Resort with about 20 butterfly species to be seen there. You can also go for mountain biking and boat riding.
For the adventurous, climbing to the top of the falls and watching the water drop down from the bridge that has been constructed at the top is an activity you would not want to miss.
The resort has large camping grounds which can accommodate both big and small groups. Since it is still under construction, camping is the only form of accommodation available. There is a restaurant which has available both local food and snacks. However these have to be ordered in advance so as to be prepared early.
Alternatively, if you plan to spend a full day at this excellent tourist attraction, you can pack your own food and drinks which can be enjoyed on the large camping grounds available.
FactFile.
Ssezibwa Falls Resort is next to Ssezibwa Falls which is a 45 minutes drive fom Kampala, along the excellent Jinja-Kampala highway. After Kayanja trading center on the highway, turn right onto a murram road and drive for another 1.5km before you reach the falls. Activities at Ssezibwa Falls Resort include nature guided walks,bird watching,Primate walks,camping,boat riding and mountain biking. For day or camping tours to Ssezibwa Falls Resort contact Equator Voyage a Uganda tour company on info@equatorvoyage.com or call 0772-517352.

How to be an environmentally conscious traveller

2010-12-04T23:20:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

Nowadays it is not uncommon to hear an expression like carbon footprint. Though this may sound intimidating, this simply means the amount of carbon dioxide each individual is responsible for contributing to the environment. In an age when saving the environment is a number one agenda worldwide it is good to think about how each of us can contribute to saving the environment. For example when travelling it is possible to be unknowingly responsible for environmental degradation. Below are some ways to be an environmentally conscious traveller.
Use public transport as much as possible. Fossil-fuel-burning vehicle engines are responsible for a lot of the carbon dioxide in the environment. Therefore, the fewer the vehicles on the road the less carbon dioxide is produced. So if possible instead of driving your personal car when going to visit friends or going on holiday, use public transport. It is true that some countries may have a problem with convenient public transport, but when you travel abroad, especially in the western world you do find efficient public transport systems like trains or buses. Therefore, instead of hiring a car or using a taxi, use public transport. If travelling a short distance, consider walking. In that way your carbon footprint contribution is reduced.
Don’t throw trash carelessly. It is not uncommon as you travel to see people throwing stuff out of vehicles including plastic bottles, plastic bags and unwanted paper. However, when you think about how long these things take to decompose it can be a deterrent to throwing them around carelessly. It is important then that instead of throwing litter around, save it until you get to a place which is designated for trash then deposit all the trash you have. If you have to camp in an area, it helps to clean up before leaving the campsite and dispose off rubbish at designated areas.
Avoid crowding tourist attractions. Crowding may cause imbalance in the eco system of the area and lead to its degradation. Therefore do your research before you travel. If going to a popular tourist destination, do so at a time when not many people are visiting the same area.
Electricity production leads to the release of greenhouse gases, so finding ways to conserve energy while travelling can help reduce your carbon footprint. For example when staying in a hotel in a hot country, the temptation is there to turn up the air conditioning. However air conditioning uses a lot of energy. So it is best to keep it low or use a fan.
Stay in an environmentally friendly hotel. These are hotels that save on water by using low-flow showerheads, low-flow toilets, hotels that employ energy saving measures such as using ceiling fans, energy saving bulbs.
Plant a tree. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, recycling it into much needed oxygen. Some tourist areas have the provision where you can plant a tree when you visit. Definitely do that.

A Visit to Victoria Falls, The Smoke That Thunders

2010-09-05T23:43:00.000-07:00

Victoria Falls

One of the Lokuthula Lodges

Say something”, my wife kept urging me as she pointed the video camera at me waiting for my comment. But what could I say that would describe exactly how I felt? What words could I use that would capture the feeling at that moment? In travel writing you are discouraged from using words such as awesome, wonderful, great, and amazing to describe a feeling or scenery. And indeed I could not use any of those words because none would fit the description of the scenery before me.

However being pressured to say something I just said the word “great” then just stood in silence overcome by the scenery ahead of me. At that moment I can say I felt very small compared to what I was looking at and where I was.

So this was the mighty Victoria Falls, also known as ‘the smoke that thunders’ and one of the seven natural wonders of the world. And who would not feel small as you watched the water drop more than 90 meters with a thunderous roar that sounded like heavy rain pounding on a tin rooftop without letting up and swallowing any other sound around. So loud was the falling water that I had to shout to be heard when talking to my wife.

Victoria Falls is located on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls can therefore be viewed from either Zambia or Zimbabwe. We were on the Zimbabwe side in the small sleepy looking town of Victoria Falls with many streets sparsely populated making you think that it was a Sunday and most of the inhabitants were at home with their families. Although it did look sleepy yet one of the residents had told us that there was a time when it was bustling with so much activity with so many tourists visiting that the population of the visitors was more than that of the residents of the town.

And indeed from time to time we would see busloads of tourists arriving at the lodge where we were staying although we were constantly reminded that this was nothing compared to the numbers before. Zimbabwe’s tourism industry was surely benefiting from the Victoria Falls.

We had arrived three days earlier though we were a day later than expected because of a cancelled flight which threatened to ruin our holiday and waste the few days we had taken off from our work. It was only after calling the airline and having a very heated discussion that we were booked on another flight with a very early morning departure out of Entebbe to Nairobi and an immediate connection out of Nairobi to Harare. Another flight from Harare brought us to Victoria Falls and so it was on a warm afternoon that we found ourselves on the well kept grounds of the Lokuthuli Lodges which was dotted with apartments with neat looking grass thatched roofs.

As soon as we had settled into our apartment we made plans for the days to come as we had only six days and so it was on the third day of our stay in Victoria Falls town that we went to visit the Victoria Falls.

The lodge we were staying in had a courtesy bus which would drop its guest at the Victoria Falls entrance at certain times of the day. As we walked through the entrance to the falls after paying the entry fee we were encouraged to hire raincoats with the assurance that we would need them as the likelihood of getting wet was very high. We thought it was a way for the people there to make a quick buck from visitors to the falls. However we took their advice and hired two raincoats. I was impressed by the paved walkway as we made our way towards the falls. The area beside the walkway and surrounding the falls was bushy and very green and on one occasion we found ourselves having a monkey for company.

It did not take us long before we were forced to put the raincoats we had hired to good use. On more than one occasion I heard my wife scream that she was getting wet. And indeed even with the raincoats that we had on it was difficult to avoid getting wet because of the spray from the falling water that would be blown our way and very soon we soaking wet.

But the wetness was well worth it for to see and hear the waterfalls of the Victoria Falls roar down with so much noise and force was like nothing I had ever seen before in my travelling life. For Victoria Falls is not just one water fall as I had seen in many other places but several waterfalls including The main falls which dropped down 93 meters and Horseshoe Falls which dropped down 95 meters.

Towards the end of the morning we made our way out of Victoria Falls and finding that the town center was not far away decided to walk into town. We crowned our visit to the falls by having lunch at a restaurant that had crocodile meat on its menu and which I found very tasty. I was very glad that in spite of the cancelled flight we had made it to Victoria falls and seen the smoke that thunders.

Why Travel Insurance Is Good For You

2010-05-18T01:03:00.000-07:00

By Timothy Ijala
Maybe like me you have watched the movie Cast Away in which the main character’s toothache comes back to disturb him when he is marooned on an island. With no dentist to consult he has to resort to extreme measures to cure his toothache; knock the tooth out. He does so and survives though its not before he has passed out after the not so delicate operation.
You may not have to result to such extreme measures yourself but getting a similar problem when you have traveled abroad may cost you all the money you had planned for the trip including shopping or some other activity, unless of course you have that travel insurance that covers you for such unexpected eventualities. As you are most likely aware, if you have suffered a toothache it is not something that can wait until you get back home.
Having travel insurance can cover you in case of lost checked in baggage as you can be compensated. Without it you may find yourself having to restock your wardrobe from your pocket if the checked in baggage includes all your clothes and other necessities for your stay abroad. And if you were traveling for a meeting lasting several days and don’t have the money to buy a couple of those much needed suits that got lost with your checked in baggage, a nightmare can well describe your situation.
It is therefore better to spend a few dollars and travel with peace of mind knowing that you are covered for medical emergencies, loss of travel documents and luggage, delayed flights than to take the risk of not having travel insurance cover and have a not so pleasant experience to tell back home .

How to Organise a group trip

2010-03-19T03:59:00.000-07:00

By Timothy Ijala

To successfully organize a group tour you need to take into consideration the people making up the group and the group size. This is because different groups have different needs, expectations and interests. What works for a family group might not work for a group of teenagers or young adults who love the outdoors. Consider also the group size for the purposes of transportation, accommodation and meals if you are planning for a camping safari. You want to make sure that you have a vehicle with enough room especially if the trip will involve you traveling for many hours. After ascertaining what the group size is and the destination it is important that you go ahead and book accommodation. You do not want to wait until the last minute when everyone is all excited and gearing to go then you have to disappoint them because hotels are fully booked or the campsite is already taken up by some other group. Depending on the group size it might be necessary to have a group leader who you can deal with when planning for the trip. This is someone who can speak on behalf of the group and who can be in charge during the trip.

Something else that would be important is the itinerary. Draw up an itinerary of the trip. The itinerary shows how many days the group is going for, what are the places of interest to be visited, the stopovers, when and where to stop for meals and highlights of the trips. This is again important because an itinerary gives you a sort of plan to work around otherwise you may find people wondering off on their own from time to time and then you have to spend time looking for them and at the end of the day instead of getting a lot done on the trip you spend the time looking for people. The itinerary is also helpful for the purposes of costing the trip. Since you can see from the itinerary how many nights the group will be away for, where the group is going (which is necessary to determine how much money to budget for fuel if you are driving) this will help you to cost the trip and know how much is needed for the trip.

Take time also to brief the group before the trip. This is necessary so that you can get questions answered as to what needs to be carried on the trip, time of departure and where the the group will meet on the day of departure, clear any misconceptions any one may have and get to know if there is any one with any specific needs e.g food wise if it's a trip that involves the outdoors. If possible have two briefings. One just before you plan the trip and another a few days before the trip.

As a recap, when organizing a trip its important to get information like the people taking the trip and the size of the group, know the destination, how the group will get there and also book accommodation. It is also important to have an itinerary. Meet the group before they travel so that you can answer any questions the members may have.

Why Agnes Considers Herself Successful

2010-03-19T03:57:00.000-07:00

If you were to bump into Agnes on any week day in the busy streets of Kampala you might not take much notice of her. Her open, serious face does not reveal much about her. That is until you get a chance to talk to her and learn what she does. She runs a printing business, is a Director of a Legal publishing company and aspires to start another business in Fashion and Designing. This for a 32 year old single lady is quite an accomplishment.
“I want to make a difference in this world and that is why I do all these things. It’s not just for the money,” she says.
She will tell you that getting to where she is has not been an easy ride. Raised up in a family of nine children with parents separated nothing else but determination and focus has got her to where she is presently.
“I stopped my secondary school education in form four in Kenya and didn’t do well enough to qualify to go to the university. So for the next two years I just sat at home. Until that is I got a clerical job.”
Knowing though that the job she got was going to be temporary she decided to take an evening secretarial course so that she would have some papers to show when job hunting. Five years later she was out of a job.
Again without a job she got an invitation to work in Kampala in a publishing company.
“I decided to try out the opportunity.” However in the time she worked in the company she saw an opportunity that was to shape her course of action in the next few years.
“I realised that there were people who had small printing jobs and who were being ignored by the company I was working for because the company was only interested in big clients with a lot of money. So I thought that if I could get a computer and some capital I could service these customers and get some money, though not a lot.”
Getting capital was quite a challenge because she was paid very little and sometimes she would not be paid for two months. During the time that she worked for the publishing company she also took evening classes in computer. With the knowledge she gained from the course and from working in the printing company together with the help of a friend who managed to get her some capital she proceeded to launch her business.
“I decided that instead of making money for someone else I could use the knowledge I had to make money for myself.”
Ever thinking forward she decided to continue with her education. She says that she needed to do this in order to use the knowledge she got from her education to develop her business and maybe get a job where she could work for a few years and get capital for her business. With this in mind she again enrolled for evening classes and within one year had passed her Advanced level high school studies and qualified to go to university.
It was quite a challenge though having to balance reading with running a business. One of them would have to suffer, citing examples of the time when she was cheated of her money by someone she had entrusted her business to. She believes that were it not for having to balance the two activities together she would have performed better at the university. She only managed a lower second degree in business administration.
However she has no regrets.
“I gave it my best and I believe that is good enough. In life it is better to look back and know that you gave something your best even if you were not as successful as you would have wanted to be than have regrets because you did not give it your best.” She considers herself successful. “To me success is the ability to accomplish and achieve something; it’s about achieving a dream. I wanted to get a degree and I have it, I have a job which I can use to support myself and others if necessary so I do consider myself successful,” she says.
On her plans for the future she says, “I want to make a difference in this world. For me that would be an additional reason to consider myself successful. My grandfather is the person who really inspired me and is my role model. He helped many people and really made a difference in their lives. I want to do the same.”

Five Reasons Why You Should Work For the Hotel Industry

2010-02-28T23:28:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

The hotel industry is a multibillion dollar growing industry. There are many job opportunities available in hotels that are both part time and fulltime. They include housekeeping, waiters and waitresses, kitchen workers like cooks and then you have other areas like management, marketing and human resources. Below are five reasons why you should work for hotel industry.
1. A hotel job gives you the chance to meet and interact with different people from senior company executives to junior level management. That means your job can never be boring. It also means you can get useful contacts that can be helpful later if you need to advance in your career.
2. Working in a hotel gives you the opportunity to grow in your career. Depending on what your career goals are you have the opportunity to rise through the ranks through on job training and experience.
3. The job opportunities are limitless. Across the world there are thousands of hotels and many hotel groups including big brands, like the Marriot, Best Western and Sheraton to mention but a few. Once you have learned the trade in one hotel you have the option of finding a job in any of the thousands of hotels across the globe including working for some of the big names in the industry which is good for your Curriculum Vitae.
4. Opportunities to work abroad. Because many of the big hotel groups are found in many countries across the globe you have the opportunity of working away from home in another country. This gives you the chance to live and experience what it is like to live in another country with a different culture. You also have the opportunity to travel and enjoy travel and accommodation rates at much reduced rates compared to what is available in the market.
5. Opportunities to work in the travel and tourism industry. The training and skills acquired in the hotel industry are useful should you choose to work in the travel and tourism industry. This greatly increases your employment possibilities as the travel and tourism industry includes but is not limited to sectors such as passenger transport, travel agencies and tour operators.

Qualities you need to work in the Travel and Tourism Industry

2010-02-28T00:51:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

The travel industry is a multi billion, global ever growing industry with many opportunities for work and advancement professionally and benefits to those who work in the industry and their families. The advantage with working in the industry is that there are certain basic qualities that once learned in one area of the industry will be useful should you choose to work in another area of the industry. For example if you work as an air hostess, some of the skills and qualities you acquire will be useful whether you choose to work later on in the hotel industry, as a travel consultant or even as a tour guide. Below are some of the qualities that are needed for you to succeed in this industry.

•A sincere interest in the people you are serving and a willingness to help them. This is very important because the people who you will be serving are different. For example there are those who may know exactly what they want, but there are also those who are not sure what they want and who you have to really spend time and go into details with. If you don’t have an interest in serving and helping people you will soon get tired and want out. On the other hand if you like helping people you can find your job very satisfying.
•Paying attention to detail. This is also very important if you are to avoid making costly mistakes in your job. Most of the time your job will deal with having to fulfil customer requests. For example if a customer wants to travel to one part of the country or world and you are not a person good at paying attention to details, you may find you have taken him or her to another part of the world(a very costly mistake). The good thing is that this is a skill that can be learned. Being organised, a good listener and asking where you do not understand can help you avoid mistakes that are costly.
•A good temper and a positive attitude to deal with whatever situation may come up in your day to day job. Dealing with people can sometimes be difficult and especially unpleasant people. There are the complainers and those who are hard to please (fortunately there are those customers who are very pleasant to deal with). A good temper will go a long way in helping you to deal with the complainers and on the days when things do go wrong.
•Presentable. Remember you represent the image of your company. So in the way you dress and groom you need to appear professional. And it is always good to smile when serving customers. People notice when you smile and are welcoming and just the way you present yourself can mean a repeat customer and respect from both your superiors and colleagues at work.

How The Carelessness of Medical Personnel Led To The Death Of Justin’s Baby.

2010-02-28T00:44:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

Pregnancy is a time filled both with joy and anticipation but also anxiety for many African women, especially if it is the first child on the way.
But many things can and do go wrong like having complications during the pregnancy or worse still a miscarriage. Some women have had the misfortune to suffer both. Justin is a case in point (name has been changed at the request of the person in the story).
After suffering a miscarriage during her first pregnancy, she was really looking forward to having a child. So when she discovered she was pregnant again she was joyful. The good news is that for the nine months she was pregnant there were no complications and so looked forward to having their first child. Little did she know that at the time of delivery, things would go wrong, very wrong.
To this day she blames the nurses who were tending to her during those last hours. “They ignored me most of the time” she says, “and it was only when I was in a real crisis that they rushed to help me.” By then, it was too late for Justin’s baby was a stillborn.
It all started when, a doctor recommended a scan to see if the baby was past the delivery date. The scan showed that indeed she was past the delivery date by over 9 days.
A second doctor, a friend of her husband, immediately recommended that she be injected with a drug that would induce labour which he administered.
Then he told her to rest in the ward and as soon as she went into labour she was to go and see the doctor in charge.
Hardly had she reached the room which was around 10.00 a.m that she started having severe labour pains.
When she went and informed the nurses on duty, they told her she was not yet at the critical stage, she needed to wait.
She did as they recommended but found the pain unbearable so again she told the nurses who were in the ward chatting away and listening to a radio. Instead of attending to her they just ignored her saying that she was complaining for nothing.

Justin painfully went back to the bed but on seeing one nurse from a different section of the hospital whom she happened to know passing by, she called to her and she came over.
Justin took the nurse’s hand and told her that she was not letting go until either she was dead or the baby was born.
By then her waters had broken and although she had told the nurses on duty they had still continued to ignore her.
Unfortunately in her effort to hold on until it was the right time to deliver with assistance from the nurses, she had squeezed the baby’s head which had by this time started to come out and the baby had died.
The nurse whom she was holding on to noticed that Justin was also beginning to get tired and lose consciousness so she called the nurses who now came quickly and this time begun to attend to her.
They put her on oxygen and helped her deliver the baby who was by now dead. It was now past midnight, 12 hours after she had first started having the induced labour pains.
Being a government run hospital, resources were scarce but that could not explain the attitude of the hospital staff. Her story is repeated many times a day in many different parts of Africa for different mothers, with different backgrounds but the same outcome, loss of a child.

How Real Is The Threat Of Global Warming To The Tourism Industry?

2010-02-19T00:16:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

The threat of global warming to tourism is very real and can no longer be ignored. Below are some real facts that show how real the threat of global warming is on the industry.
Recently in Oct 2009 the President of the Maldives and his cabinet held a cabinet meeting under the water to highlight the risk of the islands being submerged under water because of the rising sea levels as a result of global warming. The Maldives is a famous tourist destination with its unspoilt white sand beaches and high end luxury tropical hideaways. Rising sea levels of up to 58cm as predicted by the UN inter governmental Panel on Climate Change threaten to submerge most of the Maldives low lying islands by 2100.
Because of extreme temperatures as a result of global warming, the once famous tourist destinations are being abandoned for other destinations that have a more favourable climate. As these excesses in temperatures continue, once famous tourist destinations may have to close their doors because of lack of visitors to keep their economies thriving. For example researchers have predicted that in hot areas like Asia and the Mediterranean tourists will stay away because of immense heat and water shortages. Also Ski resorts may see fewer tourists as a result of less snowfall.
Extinction of species. Scientists predict that global warming could result in the extinction of animal species worldwide. As a result of global warming, some species of birds and animals that thrive in cold areas are forced to move away from their habitats in search of cooler places. One animal species that is clearly under threat of extinction is the White Polar Bear as a result of the melting sea ice which it uses as a floating platform to catch prey.
Changes in weather Patterns. For example East Africa has many national Parks which draw tourists to that part of the world every year and because of that the tourism industry has been an income earner for many people there. However because of changes in weather patterns, some places are experiencing longer dryer spells. This means that animals have to move longer distances in search of water, a lack of which may lead to a demise of hundreds of these animals, which is bad news for those in the industry who depend on these animals to bring in the much needed income.

Racial Attacks-How You Can Reduce The Risk Of Being A Victim.

2010-02-14T22:50:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

Nowadays it is not uncommon to hear or read reports of people who have been attacked when visiting away from home because of their colour, nationality or tribe. Among the victims are people working in foreign lands, students doing courses abroad or even people just visiting from another country. Here are some things you can do to reduce the risk of being a victim of racial attack when visiting abroad.
1. Avoid trouble areas. Every town or city has areas which even the locals avoid unless they are residents of the area. It is important to do your research of such places before you travel abroad. Then when in that town or city it is best to avoid such places.
2. Try and befriend the locals. People who know you are less likely to attack you than those who do not know you. Even if you live in an unfriendly neighbourhood having at least one or two people on your side may come in handy in case you are attacked.
3. If you sense there is going to be trouble where you are get away from that place as quickly as possible. Do not get into arguments or fights with the local people. If the situation is tense because of lack of agreement on certain issues in which you are involved, be the peacemaker by trying to calm things down, if you notice you are not getting anyway excuse yourself and leave the place.
4. Do not call too much attention to yourself. This is easy by the way you dress or act. Also limit your use of jewellery or leave it altogether at home as flashing expensive jewellery around may make you a victim of attack.
5. Respect the culture of the area. If it is common practise to greet people then do so. Also watch the way people dress and follow suit. You are less likely to be attacked if you show you respect the culture of the people. If possible learn a few words of the language of the area or country you are visiting. People are always flattered when they see you are making an effort to speak their language. It is also easier to sort out a misunderstanding with people who can understand what you are saying than those who do not understand a word of what you are saying.
6. If you are staying in a place for long, register with your embassy or High commission. In case there is any trouble you can get help from your embassy if they know of your presence.
7. If you are staying with friends or relatives when visiting abroad, always let them know where you are going before you leave your place of residence or leave a note behind. It could help in case you get into trouble and need to be traced.

How Companies Can Cut Costs On Business Travel

2010-02-11T02:20:00.000-08:00

With many countries just starting to get over the economic downturn that affected the world in 2009, companies that have survived are always on the look out for ways to cut costs. Business travel is one of the areas that take up a large amount of company spending. It is true that travel is necessary for businesses whether it is within the country or abroad. However there are ways to reduce on the costs of business travel and thus save your company money.
1. Use of technology. With modern technology now available like web conference and video calling, it may no longer be necessary to travel thousands of miles and spend thousands of dollars in order to attend a conference or be in the same geographically location with the person or people you are doing business with.
2. Use of one credit card to buy company travel. One major benefit of doing this is that the company will accumulate frequent flyer miles from different airlines and even from hotels which will eventually translate into various awards, like upgrades on the class of travel by an airline, free air tickets, free hotel accommodation and even airport transfers which may be a saving for the company.
3. Negotiate with airlines and hotels for special rates. It is surprising how many companies do not do this and yet the amount of money saved in business travel can be enormous if a company negotiated preferential rates with airlines and hotels many of whom are very ready to provide this if it will mean the organisation patronising their services.
4. Have a company travel policy. Lack of a company policy on travel can lead to unnecessary travel abroad, including excessive spending on air travel and hotel accommodation. A company should have strict policies on when travel can be undertaken and by whom and staff members should be made aware of these policies. Also there should be accountability for any business travel done including reason for travel, class of travel, hotels stayed in and number of days spent on business travel.
5. If your company uses a travel management company to handle its travel and hotel bookings, it is important that they are aware of your company’s travel policy and your company’s desire to minimise on travel costs. You should use a travel management company that is willing to work with you in minimising these costs. If possible compare the rates of several travel management companies to determine if your company is getting the best rates available in the market. This comparison should be done on a regular basis. Also from time to time, you should ask your travel management company to issue you with reports of all the travel done by your company to help you know how much you are spending on travel and these reports will also help you monitor your company’s travel.

Andrew Kabuura,sports journalist for Vision Voice and New Vision newspaper shares his story

2010-01-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

For Andrew Kabuura, it’s his wildest dream come true. That is for someone who really enjoyed watching football when he was young and especially the football commentators.
‘I really admired the way they would commentate during a match and their witty remarks.’ But he never thought he would get to be like them. ‘So I was content with just playing soccer at the school leagues.’
But he never stopped watching and listening to his favourite football analysts and commentators like Thomas Mulamba and Ahmed Hussein. Then the big break came.
‘I saw a note from the sports editor of one of the daily newspapers, it was a Saturday, asking anyone who thought they had something to say to on sports to write an article and submit it in together with a photo. So I did just that.’ For two weeks he never heard anything from the newspaper nor did he see any of his articles printed. ‘So I assumed they were not going to print them.’
Then one day he had the shock of his life when the newspaper called him up and asked him to go to their offices. When he got there they said they wanted to take his photo and print his articles. And for the next two weeks they run his articles. After sending in his third article the newspaper editor called him in and asked him if he could work in radio as a sports journalist. With someone who had no formal training in journalism it was quite a shock. But he agreed to audition for the position and the rest is history. He got the job and has his own show every day in the evening where he covers all sports for Vision Voice which is the name of the radio station he works for.
‘Determination and interest got me to where I am. I really like being a sports journalist and though some days I have to work late into the night I don’t mind it because I am doing what I like doing.’
But the best was yet to come. ‘I have just been nominated one of the 36 best sports journalists in Africa and I am just back from Nigeria where I had gone and where I received my first training in Journalism.’ Only two of the 36 were nominated from Uganda.
They were asked to submit three clips of presentations they have done. The best six will be sent to South Africa all expenses paid to report on the 2010 world cup.
Having been in sports journalism for just over a year he is still surprised when people call him and tell him how much they like his programme. ‘The best was when I received a call from Ahmed Hussein who has been a sports presenter much longer than I have telling me how much he enjoyed my programme. I couldn’t believe it and to me that was a highlight of my career.’

How to handle an angry customer

2010-01-02T07:09:00.000-08:00

There are many reasons why a customer will be angry with you. Generally though, a customer will usually be angry at you because of some mistake he believes you have made that has caused him some inconvenience. And normally what he just wants is a solution to the problem that he believes you have caused real or perceived.

The first thing therefore to do especially when you know as the service provider you are at fault is to apologise. It’s amazing what effect that can sometimes have. Avoid taking the customer back and forth, transferring him from one person to another or even telling him the person who dealt with him is not around so 'can you please call later or tomorrow'. That will just make the customer angrier. Instead of trying to find excuses or worse still distance yourself from the problem or try and blame it on one of your colleagues it is better to find a way of solving the customer's problem. Blaming it on your colleague gives a bad picture of the company. It shows a lack of unity at work which might create a bad impression on the customer (pointing fingers at each other in front of the customer is anyway unprofessional). So try and find a way of solving the customer's problem immediately after apologising to the customer.

Avoid getting into an argument with the customer.The saying that the customer is King should always apply. Arguing with the customer can result in a shouting match which is not helpful to the company image especially when other customers are watching.

Also not only should you fix the problem as soon as you can but try and go the extra mile. Maybe if it is poor service at a hotel offer a free night at the hotel's expense. If you can quickly solve the customer's problem most likely when he is telling his friends about you, it will not be in a negative way. Most likely he will tell his friends how he got into this problem and how you were able to get him out of the problem quickly and he might even recommend your company to his or her friends.
It is important to note that the company in training its staff on customer service should include training on how to handle an angry customer or how to handle complaints from a customer. Sometimes why angry customers are not given the attention they feel they deserve is because of poor training on the part of the staff by their employers. So the staff have no clue of how to handle a situation involving an angry customer. This unfortunately might mean a loss to that company because if the angry customer decides not to deal with your company it is most likely that he will go and tell his friends about you which might mean a further loss of customers for you.

What Airlines are doing to Survive the world economic turmoil

2010-01-01T03:23:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala
The last ten years have seen great changes in the world economy which has affected many industries including the airline industry. Increase in fuel costs, terrorist attacks, fierce competition and the economic recession have greatly impacted on the operations of the airline industry with many big names being greatly affected to the extent that some airlines have closed down or filed for bankruptcy (this is especially the case in the US). What can be done for airlines wishing to survive the economic downturn and fierce competition raging worldwide?
1. Join alliances. It no longer is safe to operate alone. This has led to the formation of what are known as alliances. This is where two or more airlines come together and agree to work together and benefit from doing so. Examples of these alliances are Sky team and Star Alliance. Alliances are beneficial in many ways. They include shared maintenance costs, economies of scale, more markets, access to the most advanced technology, etc.
2. Loyalty schemes. Also known as Frequent Flyer programs in airline lingo. These are used by airlines to reward customers who patronise, travel or use their services frequently. The rewards may include upgrades, priority consideration at check in, free tickets, free hotel accommodation in certain hotels to mention a few. Examples of these programs are Sheba Miles for Ethiopian airlines, Executive club for British airways or Cathy Pacific’s Asia Miles. There were fears that with the economic downturn airlines would not continue to honour their frequent flyer programs. However unless an airline falls apart overnight (which is very possible) they will generally continue to honour their FFP. Some however are now charging a fee for one to enjoy the benefits of their frequent flyer program. Others make sure that there are very limited seats on certain routes which can be used in exchange for miles flown. Also it is hard to tell exactly how many miles you need in order to fly for free on certain routes. The number of miles needed today to fly for free on one route may be increased tomorrow which can be very frustrating if you think you have saved enough to go on holiday which holiday you may have planned for some time.
3. Improved customer service. Customer service both on ground and in the air always has and always will attract customers to an airline. The past ten years have seen the rise in budget airlines especially in Europe and America which attract customers by charging low air fares. However some customers have said that they would rather pay more and get good service. It is no surprise that these customers are fiercely loyal to a specific airline even though others may come offering much cheaper fares. Airlines are responding to this by investing heavily in the quality of service that they offer both on ground and in the air. This includes in-flight entertainment, more comfortable seating and fast check in for their passengers.
4. Cost cutting. Many airlines are cost cutting through cutting back on staff wages and layoffs. Others are grounding aircraft, have stopped ordering new aircrafts and are suspending or withdrawing flights on certain routes where they were operating. Although layoffs save the airline a lot of money in terms of reducing its operating costs, it does also affect staff morale which may affect customer service and still cause the airline losses which is what it is trying to avoid. And it has not like in countries such as the U.S been successful in reducing the losses suffered by the airlines. It would be much more prudent for airlines to involve their staff members in finding ways to cost cut.

Top Skills and Values Employers Seek from Job-Seekers

2009-12-24T00:47:00.000-08:00

Top Skills and Values Employers Seek from Job-Seekers

Masai Mara Safari - Lonely Planet Travel Video

2009-12-22T18:07:00.000-08:00

2009-12-22T03:01:00.000-08:00

New Federal Transportation Rule Limits Airline Tarmac Delays

2009-12-22T02:19:00.000-08:00

New Federal Transportation Rule Limits Airline Tarmac Delays

Aviation Safety in Africa, what is the solution?

2009-12-15T23:10:00.001-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

Africa’s aviation safety is probably the worst in the world compared to other regions. According to IATA(International Air Transport Association) the average of aircraft total losses in Africa is more than 9 times higher than the world’s average. Statics highlight that the rate of fatal accidents per million of departures is 8 times higher in Africa than the world’s average. What is the reason for this?
Ageing aircrafts, lack of maintenance and technical faults are among the factors to blame for the accidents on the African continent. As one US aviation official is quoted as having said ‘just whole sale disregard for safety’.
Take for example the crash of the Airbus A310-300 belonging to Yemenia in June this year. The flight was on its way from Sanaa to Moroni when it crashed in the Indian Ocean with more than 150 people on board.The crashed aircraft had been cited for technical faults earlier, according to France transport minister Dominique Bussereau, and “banned” from French airspace. However it could still fly over African airspace.
"From Paris to Sanaa everything is fine, by the book. But from Sanaa to Moroni, they board you like you were getting into a minibus in the bush; no one has assigned seats, it's first come, first serve,'' said Mouijui Abdou, a Comoran who went to Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport following news of the crash.
Also according to a United Nations report the average age of an aircraft in Africa is 20years as opposed to 10 years for the rest of the world. A significant number of Africa’s airport do not meet ICAO (International Civil Aviation Authority) standards and recommended practices. According to the same report, Africa had about 4000 airports and airfields in 2007 of which only 20 percent had paved runways. Runways, taxiways, parking spaces, passenger and freight terminals...are in such a poor condition that they require a major rehabilitation and upgrading.
What then is the solution?
African states need to establish effective safety oversight systems. This includes qualified personnel to exercise safety oversight in accordance with international standards. This unfortunately is a challenge because most qualified personnel have to be trained abroad and the costs of training aviation personnel are very high. There is therefore a need for money to be invested in the training of personnel.
More money also needs to be invested in aviation infrastructure including buying more modern aircrafts and getting rid of ageing aircrafts. Since Angola took the decision to ban the use of ageing aircraft from the former USSR in civil air transport services in 2003, no aircraft accidents have been reported so far in that country.
Operating regulations aligned to international standards need to be put in place and strictly adhered to. Regular audits of aviation operators need to be done with serious action being taken aganist airlines and operators on the continent that violate air safety measures. IATA is taking a lead role in this for its 240 member airlines through the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) program. This is a quality audit program under the stewardship of IATA which is internationally recognised and is an accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline.
In some countries where safety oversight systems may be available this may be based on an outdated legal frame work or laws and regulations that date back 30 or 40 years ago. These need to be revised to handle the issues affecting aviation safety today.
African governments also need to be actively involved and proactive on behalf of aviation safety. To quote the words of IATA’s Director General and CEO, “Governments also have a role. The challenge is for governments to cooperate and jointly provide and recognise standards, licensing and training”. He added, “Safety is a team effort. IATA is working closely with all its members to deliver results. Safety oversight is a government responsibility. They must be equally committed to providing resources and leadership. Working together we can make Africa’s skies safer”.
As a last resort, there may be need to blacklist or ban aircrafts that do not meet safety requirements from operation. Already the EU has gone ahead and blacklisted several African airlines that it considers not safe for its nationals to fly with.

Safety in the African skies, what is the solution?

2009-12-15T23:08:00.003-08:00

Africa’s aviation safety is probably the worst in the world compared to other regions. According to IATA the average of aircraft total losses in Africa is more than 9 times higher than the world’s average. Statics highlight that the rate of fatal accidents per million of departures is 8 times higher in Africa than the world’s average. What is the reason for this?
Ageing aircrafts, lack of maintenance and technical faults are among the factors to blame for the accidents on the African continent. As one US aviation official is quoted as having said ‘just whole sale disregard for safety’.
Take for example the crash of the Airbus A310-300 belonging to Yemenia in June this year. The flight was on its way from Sanaa to Moroni when it crashed in the Indian Ocean with more than 150 people on board.The crashed aircraft had been cited for technical faults earlier, according to France transport minister Dominique Bussereau, and “banned” from French airspace. However it could still fly over African airspace.
"From Paris to Sanaa everything is fine, by the book. But from Sanaa to Moroni, they board you like you were getting into a minibus in the bush; no one has assigned seats, it's first come, first serve,'' said Mouijui Abdou, a Comoran who went to Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport following news of the crash.
Also according to a United Nations report the average age of an aircraft in Africa is 20years as opposed to 10 years for the rest of the world. A significant number of Africa’s airport do not meet ICAO (International Civil Aviation Authority) standards and recommended practices. According to the same report, Africa had about 4000 airports and airfields in 2007 of which only 20 percent had paved runways. Runways, taxiways, parking spaces, passenger and freight terminals...are in such a poor condition that they require a major rehabilitation and upgrading.
What then is the solution?
African states need to establish effective safety oversight systems. This includes qualified personnel to exercise safety oversight in accordance with international standards. This unfortunately is a challenge because most qualified personnel have to be trained abroad and the costs of training aviation personnel are very high. There is therefore a need for money to be invested in the training of personnel.
More money also needs to be invested in aviation infrastructure including buying more modern aircrafts and getting rid of ageing aircrafts. Since Angola took the decision to ban the use of ageing aircraft from the former USSR in civil air transport services in 2003, no aircraft accidents have been reported so far in that country.
Operating regulations aligned to international standards need to be put in place and strictly adhered to. Regular audits of aviation operators need to be done with serious action being taken aganist airlines and operators on the continent that violate air safety measures. IATA is taking a lead role in this for its 240 member airlines through the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) program. This is a quality audit program under the stewardship of IATA which is internationally recognised and is an accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline.
In some countries where safety oversight systems may be available this may be based on an outdated legal frame work or laws and regulations that date back 30 or 40 years ago. These need to be revised to handle the issues affecting aviation safety today.
African governments also need to be actively involved and proactive on behalf of aviation safety. To quote the words of IATA’s Director General and CEO, “Governments also have a role. The challenge is for governments to cooperate and jointly provide and recognise standards, licensing and training”. He added, “Safety is a team effort. IATA is working closely with all its members to deliver results. Safety oversight is a government responsibility. They must be equally committed to providing resources and leadership. Working together we can make Africa’s skies safer”.
As a last resort, there may be need to blacklist or ban aircrafts that do not meet safety requirements from operation. Already the EU has gone ahead and blacklisted several African airlines that it considers not safe for its nationals to fly with.

The benefits of Wheatgrass juice

2009-12-12T00:08:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

While travelling a few weeks ago, I came across a book detailing the health benefits of different fruits. This included pineapples, apples, avocadoes to mention a few. But what struck me most was a discussion about the benefits of wheatgrass juice. There was a story of a man who was suffering from Leukaemia and was in his last days when he was introduced to wheatgrass juice. To cut a long story short the man greatly improved, regained his energy and went back to work. Well, I am not endorsing wheatgrass juice as a cure for cancer, though it has been said that it prevents certain cancers, but I know what I read. I decided to do some more research on wheat grass juice and below I have outlined some benefits that you can get from the juice if taken on a regular basis.
• Wheat grass energizes and removes fatigue. This is because the juice is immediately absorbed into the bloodstream and immediately gives energy. All you need to do to feel the amazing benefits of wheatgrass is to drink a ¼ cup or 4 tablespoons of it. You’ll feel refreshed and energised throughout the day.
• Wheatgrass juice is 70% Chlorophyll. Chlorophyll improves blood sugar problems, neutralizes toxins in the body, washes drug deposits from the body and purifies the liver.
• Wheatgrass juice enriches the blood, removes blood disorders and lowers blood pressure. It has been proven to build red blood cells quickly after it is taken. It purifies the blood and so cleanses organs like the kidneys and the liver.
• It is good for skin problems and improves complexion, cures acne and removes acne scars
• It eliminates toothaches if held in the mouth for five minutes
• It cleanses the body. Wheatgrass juice is a powerful cleanser. It is highly regarded for its ability to cleanse the blood, organs and gastrointestinal tract. It helps to detoxify the body. It can remove heavy metals from the body
• It improves digestion

Below is a recipe for making Wheatgrass juice which I got from the book how to make 75 great juices by Joanna Farrow:
50g/20oz white cabbage
90g/3 and ½ wheatgrass
1. Using a small sharp knife, roughly shred the cabbage
2. Push through a juicer with wheatgrass. Pour the juice into a small glass and serve immediately.

Fewer cars for a cleaner enviroment

2009-11-26T21:48:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

One of the major reasons given in Africa for climate change is the destruction of forests. This is a fact that cannot be denied because we know of many areas on the African continent that were once covered with forest but are now semi-arid leading to a shortage of water, crop failure, drying up of rivers and lakes leading to drought and death of humans and animal. A good example of this is Lake Kamnarok in Kenya.
However there is another major reason accounting for climate change which is just as important but has not been addressed with the seriousness that it deserves. The automobile. Many of us love the convenience of the automobile especially those who have a personal car. We can use it to get to work, go shopping, visit friends and even go on holiday. Very few of us can picture our life without a personal car. However there is a downside to the car that can no longer be ignored. Its effects on the environment. Research has shown that motorized transport contributes greatly to noise pollution, environmental pollution and global warming which is the subject of heated debate across the world. Most vehicles depend on the use of petroleum products for fuel which results in the emission of toxic chemicals into the air. Automobiles are now the prime source of atmospheric pollution. They are largely responsible for the smog that covers most of the world’s cities. This pollution can be fatal to infants, the elderly and asthmatics. According to the World Bank, 90% of children in major African towns and 29% of those in Mexico City are now said to be suffering from lead poisoning.
It is an issue that can no longer be ignored. Pollution caused by motorized transport is dangerous to our environment.
Added to that is the issue of traffic jams that is plaguing many cities across the globe. In major cities worldwide it is not uncommon to be stuck in traffic jams for hours on end. Examples can be seen in cities like Seoul and Rio de Janeiro. Or even closer home Nairobi and now even Kampala. It is very frustrating to be stuck in a traffic jam for even as much as an hour after a long day at work or school.
How then can we work towards an environment which is free or at least has less noise pollution, is cleaner and not plagued by congestion on the road?
One way to combat environmental pollution caused by motorized transport is to consider using bio fuels like ethanol which is environmentally friendly and can even contribute to the economic well being of a country. Bio fuels like ethanol are made from starch crops an example of which is sugar cane. Brazil is a good example of a country that is benefiting from the use of ethanol as a biofuel.This will greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles which means a cleaner and safer environment.
Another way is to discourage travel by personal car and encourage the use of public transport like buses. If for every one bus ten cars are off the road that is definitely better for the environment. It will help reduce noise pollution and the emission of carbon dioxide.
Additionally people should be encouraged to use more non-motorized transport like bicycles and walking. These can be done by building walkways that are safe for pedestrians and cycle lane networks.
Lastly if people could travel less then that would certainly ease congestion and pollution to our environment. Instead of travelling to the market or bank if people can be encouraged to purchase groceries online and transact business online then this would mean reduced travel.
These are issues that need to be taken seriously. Motorized transport is a real danger to our environment. We must act now to make our environment safer, cleaner, and friendlier and save the earth for future generations.

How safe is global air travel?

2009-11-22T21:13:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

The crash of an airbus A310-300 owned by Yemenia (Yemeni Airways) near Comoros Islands on 30 June barely a month after another tragic crash of an Air France A330 Airbus flight 447 enroute from Rio de Janeiro to Paris which killed all 228 people onboard raises questions about air travel safety. The Yemenia aircraft with over 150 people onboard was enroute from Sana’a to Moroni, in the Comoros when it went down in bad weather in the Indian Ocean Archipelago. Only one person, a 14 year old girl is known to have survived. According to French air officials the plane had been banned from the country’s airspace after numerous faults were discovered in a 2007 inspection. But Yemenia executives have said that the airline passed international safety audits in the spring of 2008 and that the plane in question underwent a thorough maintenance check in May.

So how safe is flying especially with quite a number of these planes still in operation?

Air travel is (in most areas of the world) the most heavily regulated form of transportation. Safety considerations have top priority in all operations. That is why organisations like the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a UN specialized agency and the global forum for civil aviation, exist.

Addressing air safety investigators in the U.S, Nicholas A Sabatini, Associate administrator for Aviation safety said about aviation safety in the developed world, “You must fly every day for 43,000 years to get to an even chance of being killed in an airline accident. Or how about: An accident with fatalities occurs about every 15 to 16 million flights. Or try this: You are about 40 times safer in an airliner than on the safest highway system in the country (the Interstate).” Yes, aircraft accidents are terrible, but they are very rare, largely thanks to improved technology, better manufacturing, smarter training and many other advances. However the U.S is not the only country where Air travel safety is treated seriously.

According to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), “air transport is one of the safest forms of travel.” It adds that “As air traffic continues to grow a common initiative is needed at the European level to keep air transport safe and sustainable. The Agency develops common safety and environmental rules at the European level. It monitors the implementation of standards through inspections in the Member States and provides the necessary technical expertise, training and research.”

Last year the Director General and CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Mr Giovanni Bisignani said of air travel, “Air travel is the safest mode of transportation. In the ten years from 1998, the accident rate was reduced by almost half - from 1.34 accidents per million flights to 0.75. And the number of fatalities dropped significantly in 2007. That’s good news. But our goal is always to do better: zero fatalities and zero accidents.”

Africa reportedly still had the worst safety record in the world of 4.09 hull losses (An aircraft damaged to the extent that it is not economically feasible to repair it) per million flights. According to Mr Bisignani, “It is still six times less safe to fly in Africa than the rest of the world.”

One reason maybe as one U.S official is quoted as having said, “just wholesale disregard for safety.” However IATA is working to improve the safety record of member airlines in Africa. And the future looks promising.

In its 2009 annual report IATA says that “the fatality rate for air travel in 2008 was at its lowest level since 2004 at 0.13 per million passengers.”

The question therefore is not about the safety of air travel. To put it in the words of United States Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood; regaining the public's confidence in air travel, on every plane at every airport, is imperative. Speaking at an air- safety summit Mr LaHood said, "Let this be a wake-up call: We can and we must regain the public's trust," he said. "We must inspire confidence in every traveller, every time he or she steps on a commercial aircraft of any size at any airport in our country. This is an enormous responsibility and one that I consider my highest duty to uphold."

A cheap way to enjoy a great vacation

2009-11-19T21:28:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

Do you want to go on vacation without busting your pockets? Is your excuse “times are hard, got to pay the bills so can’t afford one?”
Why not try a camping trip? It is inexpensive, it’s fun and one might also add it’s a healthy way for a family to bond together because there are lots of things to do together. And the experience can live on for many years.
So what then do you need in order to enjoy a memorable camping trip?
It is much more enjoyable when you do it as a group. You can get together some friends or arrange for the family to go. And it’s much more cost effective too. If you are going as a family get the whole family involved in the planning process, including the kids.
You probably already have a tent but if not invest in one or two that can accommodate at least three people each.
It is possible to buy a nice tent for as little as £30 which is less than the cost of sleeping in many hotels in the world. You also could invest in a sleeping bag.
Remember though that this is a one time investment because you will be able to reuse this equipment for years to come.
The other option is to carry a few blankets which you can sleep on and cover yourself with depending on the time of the year and the weather.
Next question is where do you want to go? It really depends on the interests of the group. The beauty of a camping trip is that you can camp in the neighbourhood if there are camping facilities there or go hundreds of kilometres away from home.
In many countries there are many places where you can find camping facilities and you can usually read about these places before you go. Of course where you go will dictate what other equipment you will need to carry along.
If you are going to camp in the bush then you will need to carry more stuff than if you were going to camp in a park in the neighbourhood.
But you will find that most of what you need will be in your house. If you are going camping in the bush, you will need to carry a stove to cook with, cooking and eating utensils, which you probably already have at home, a map, flashlights, a first aid kit, food and water.
The only things you may need to spend money on are food and fuel for the vehicle. Food you would still buy if you were at home. As for fuel, if you divide the cost by the number of people traveling, you will still find that you are not spending a lot.

Don't just settle for the Routine Holiday

2009-11-17T22:13:00.000-08:00

By Timothy Ijala

When nearing a public holiday or planning to take a vacation there is always some anxiety on what to do with the days available. Some people would like to go on holiday but have no idea where to start from. Of course a short walk to a travel office or an airline company will always yield some information of a holiday destination and the cost. However this may not be your idea of an ideal holiday or travel destination. Fear of wasting the free days you have available may force you to settle for what is available.

However this does not have to be so. With the advent of the internet it is now possible to get information on any destination in the world at the click of a mouse. Additionally more and more places are now accessible because of less travel restrictions, more travel options and lower travel costs. This means that it is now possible for you to enjoy any form of travel adventure that you may have dreamt of. Is it climbing Mount Everest, Gorilla trekking in Uganda, Elephant safaris in India or camping on the open plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania. Whatever you think makes your holiday an adventure is now possible with a little bit of prior planning.

Holidays and Cash - A fun and exciting way to qualify for cash and travel rewards!

2009-11-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

What if. . . you could enjoy the holidays you dream of rather than the ones you can afford? What if all your dream holidays were paid for by an exciting new travel rewards program that could also generate new weekly cash income? What if you could earn money while on permanent vacation? Learn more at http://www.holidaysandcash.com/tijala805 or phone +256751517352 to learn more.

2009-01-21T03:09:00.000-08:00

Camping in the Rain - How to Stay Comfortable and Dry When Everything Around You Isn't
By Jewel Stam

When most people hear they might end up camping in the rain they change their mind about their camping trip. But part of going camping is experiencing nature. And part of experiencing nature is going to be camping in the rain at some point in your camping life.

While many things about the rainfall are beautiful....the sound...the smell...the knowledge that the environment requires it, many things about camping in the rain are not so beautiful either. There is nothing fun about having a wet sleeping bag, wet clothing, or a puddle in your tent. Add some cool temperatures into the mix and you have a recipe for camping disaster....and a spouse or family that never wants to go camping again.

Rather than packing up and going home, or staying cold, wet, and miserable, let's talk about some camping tips to help you be prepared the next time you are going camping and it rains.

Always Pack A Few Items In Case Of Rain

Since we are usually car camping, it is easy for us to throw in a few extra items to help us stay dry in the event of rain:

Rain Ponchos - A rain poncho will be invaluable to help you move around in comfort in the rain, and in case you end up setting up your campsite in the rain.
Tarps and Ropes - Extra tarps and ropes are a lifesaver when you are camping in the rain. Use these to cover your gear, put a rain fly up, or to put a rain fly over your tent.
Extra Large, Heavy-Duty Plastic Trash Bags - Many times I have the kids actually pack their clothes in these. Place the empty trash bag right into the duffle bag or suitcase, open it up, and push sides all the way out to the sides of the bag, using the trash bag as a liner inside your duffle bag. Now pack all of your clothes inside the bag as you normally would. Don't forget to twist closed the top of the bag to make sure it is thoroughly closed. Now if your duffle bag or suitcase should get wet, you still have dry clothes.
Extra Large Ziplock Bags - I love those jumbo-sized ziplock bags. Again, these are perfect for clothes. Pack your clothes by outfit (one complete outfit for each day per bag) or by clothing type (all socks in one bag, shirts in another bag, etc.) Also great for keeping your phones, cameras, and papers dry.
Umbrella - I don't think I have to explain this one!

When setting up your tent it pays to be prepared just in case the weather takes a turn for the worse. It is much easier to take a few extra minutes to set it up properly in beautiful dry weather, then to have to move it or set it up in wet weather. Make sure you don't set your tent up in a spot that will puddle if it does rain. Using a tarp, set up a rain fly right over your tent for added protection. Don't let your gear or air mattress touch the sides of the tent or water will start to leak in.

A dining fly set up in the middle of your campsite not only keeps you sheltered from the sun during the day, but is a great place to congregate during a rainstorm. Pack some family games or other rainy weather activities to have on hand to keep you and your kids occupied. Or just sit back, relax, read a good book and enjoy the sound of the rain falling on the leaves around you and on the tarp above you.

Not too far from civilization? A last resort, and one I have used once or twice in my years of camping, if the rain turns to downpour and lasts for an unreasonable amount of time don't suffer. Pile into the car and explore some local indoor attractions, walk around the mall, see a movie, or head to the bookstore until it passes.

So the next time you are going camping and the forecast calls for the possibility of rain, don't cancel, just prepare in advance, go ahead...go camping in the rain and enjoy a different side of nature than you were expecting, but one that is just as beautiful...especially if you are cozy, comfortable, warm, and dry while it is raining all around you.

Learn to put up a tarp or dining fly and find more tips to help you stay dry the next time you finding yourself camping in the rain. Camping Jewel has been camping for over 11 years, rain or shine, and shares how to keep comfort and fun a part of your camping trip at http://www.your-camping-guidebook.com/camping-in-the-rain.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jewel_Stam

A local dish called Nsenene

2008-12-05T00:45:00.000-08:00

One of the attractive things about the city of Kampala is the variety of food you can get in the city. Just go to markets like Nakasero market and you will be amazed at the variety of food available. From fruits to vegetables, to grains to meats, its all there. If you are not interested in cooking though and want ready made food its still available. From take aways which serve the usual fries and chicken to big resaurants which serve indian foods, oriental dishes and traditional dishes its all there depending on the money in your pocket.
One of the foods which is not always available because it is seasonal but is considered a delicacy by the locals is nsenene. Nsenene is the local word for grasshoppers and yes they are considered a delicacy. They appear in the months of April, May and November. During those months they can be found almost anywhere in the city especially in the evenings as they are attracted to artificial lights. During the day you will find children busy collecting them around the city. And for some they take it a step further and make it a source of income making sometimes millions of shillings out of them. Didn't I say they are a delicacy? And they are eaten by all people irrespective of class.
For those who have made it a source of income they have set up floodlights on top of the roofs of their houses. In the evening and at night the grasshoppers flock to the floodlights where they fall on the roof of the house and then slide to drums that have been strategically placed below the roof. From their they are collected, prepared and sold to the public.
You can buy nsenene in their natural form and prepare them yourself or you can buy them already prepared and eat them as a snack! To prepare them you remove the wings, antennaes and legs. Then you wash them in water that has been salted and put them in a saucepan to cook without adding fat. When they turn yellow they are ready to eat! They are crunchy and taste very nice! At least for those who are brave enough to eat them! Which includes the locals. So the next time you are in Kampala in the month of April/May or even November be on the look out for this local delicacy so full of protein. You may have a story to tell after eating them. Of course just don't eat too much as the common saying too much of everything is bad applies also to this delicacy. Enjoy!

When visiting Sipi Falls,stay at Lacam Lodge

2008-06-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

A Travel guide to Uganda by Timothy Ijala

Five hours from Kampala in the Eastern part of Uganda is Lacam Lodge. It is the ideal place to stay when you are visiting Sipi Falls. Lacam Lodge has self contained bandas with hot showers and it is built and managed in a very enviromental friendly way.At night there is no electricity so the place is lit up using Kerosene lamps and there is always one available for each banda. It is advisable though to carry a torch. There is also the option of camping. If you choose this option it would be good to carry some warm clothing as it does get a bit chilly at night. There is fullboard accommodation available including a four course dinner and a very tasty and filling English breakfast. The heavy breakfast is necessary because of some of the activities involved one of which involves hiking up the hills to visit one of the Falls ( there are actually three). It can take you between four to six hours to see all the three falls. However you can opt to visit any of the three and not all of them. Other activities include absailing. One interesting thing about Lacam Lodge is that because it is built on the slopes of a hill at any one time you are either climbing up (especially when you need to go to the restaurant or the viewpoint where you can see one of the Falls) or climbing down. You don't have to worry about missing the gym when you are there, because the climbing you will do will more than make up for the days you are not going to the gym.
Sipi Falls is the kind of place you can visit during the weekend. It is a nice weekend getaway for the whole family. Together with your stay at Lacam Lodge you will return to the city feeling relaxed and refreshed for work or school.

Backpacking Gear List - How To Make A Backpacking Gear List That's Right For You

2007-12-12T05:04:00.000-08:00

When making a backpacking gear list, try to break it down into individual sections. I.e. section 1 would be SHELTER and SLEEP, which would include your tent, sleeping bag, kip mat, etc. This way each section can be made personal to you.
Every backpacking trip you take will be different from the previous one and will depend a lot on, where you are going, what type of terrain you will be travelling over, what time of year you will be going, and of course the weather you are likely to expect.
Whatever type of backpacking you intend to do, there will always be certain items of kit that will be standard, and these are the items to concentrate on first. Then you can add or take things out according to your personal needs and preference. Below is a basic starting list.
SHELTER.
-Tent.-Sleeping bag.-Bivi bag (for nights under the stars, or if you don't want to put the tent up.)-Kip mat.-Groundsheet.-Spare pegs and guy lines.
COOKING.
-Cooking stove, (with spare fuel and lighter.)-Cooking pots, (with lid that doubles as a plate.)-Frying pan, (non-stick.)-Knife/fork/spoon/can opener, etc.-Food, (personal choice.)-Water, (enough for a days hike + for cooking.
FOOTWEAR
-Strong walking boots or shoes-Light shoe or runners, for around camp.
SPARE CLOTHING
-2 pairs wool socks (merino wool if possible.)-2 pairs under-pants or cycling shorts.-1 long sleeve tee-shirt-1 pair lightweight trouser or shorts.-1 fleece jacket or sweater-Waterproof jacket and trousers.-Warm fleecy hat and light sun cap.
FIRST AID KIT
-Small elasticised bandage for sprains, + small roll of bandage.-Blister kit.-Plasters (assorted sizes) + roll of plaster.-Antiseptic wipes.-Safety pins.-Pain killers.-Any personal medication.
WASH KIT
-Soap/ shampoo/flannel/towel, etc.-Shaving gear/lightweight mirror.-Toothbrush/toothpaste.-Toilet paper.-Soap for washing clothes + small line with clothes pegs.
ACCESSORIES
-Hiking pole-Torch (with spare batteries)-Compass/maps.-Whistle.-Binoculars/camera.-Personal items (radio/mp3 player etc)
All theses items should be packed in waterproof bags or containers or inside a waterproof backpack liner. If backpacking with a partner or in a group, you can divide some of the heavier things between you, i.e. one carries the cooking gear while the other carries the food.
Obviously this is only a basic starting point, and will depend on the individual persons needs and wants. But I hope it will be of help to get you started on the right track. Good luck and HAPPY HIKING.
Mike Legg is a seasoned hiker with many years experience of backpacking in Europe. For more information on this or other aspects of backpacking go to http://www.buytryreview.com/category/backpacking
Article Source: http

The virtuous Cycle of Achievement

2007-10-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

There is a cycle that is evident in the lives of all the super achievers. It is not a vicious cycle of failure, despair, distress and more of the same. It is a magnificent process that winners keep going through. This cycle is presented below.
DESIRE
The glorious march from slavery to liberty, from poverty to riches, from failure to success and from one level of success to another level is always presaged by one phenomenon. This phenomenon is what we will call CREATIVE DISCONTENT. It is a simmering dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs that makes people restless on the inside. It is this restlessness that gives birth to a desire to succeed.
All great achievements and actions with far reaching consequences begin with a desire. Desire is the fuel that propels a man forward like a juggernaut. It is the force that catapults a man beyond the point of return. A man with a desire is like a keg of dynamite in a bonfire. Such a man is simply unstoppable. It does not matter whether the agenda is as wicked and nefarious as Hitler’s or as honorable and selfless as Mother Theresa’s, a burning desire will carry a man across the boundaries of achievements that most mortal man can only dream of. The people of fiery desires find their way to the top even if they meet with opposition along the way. The simple truth is that most people never achieve much because they never desired much in the first place. There is a sense in which people can be likened to volcanoes. The person without a desire is like a dormant or sleeping volcano. He has the potential to erupt with devastating effects but his impact is never felt because he is dormant. Unfortunately most people live and die this way. The second type is the active volcano.
Desire is not something that can be given by one person to another.
Describe
The next step in the virtuous cycle is to describe succinctly and elaborately what you desire. What is it exactly that you desire? What does su Whatever, it is that you desire you must take a notebook and describe a vivid picture of what it looks like. This helps clarify and fortify your desire. Describe the theatre of your dreams. In this respect the pictures book can also be very handy. Regale yourself with the images from the future. You can never reach a destination that you have not first seen in your mind’s eye. A vivid description also serves as a compass pointing you to the direction in which you must go. It will protect you from mirages that taunt and tease you along the way, and deliver you from the counterfeits that present themselves as substitutes. Above all, it will tell you when you have reached your desired habitation.
Decide
Desire and description must be followed by a firm decision. The decision about who you want to be or become; what you want to have or own has already been made during the description phase. In this phase there are two critical decisions to make.
The first decision that you must make is to decide to lead your life boldly into a brave new world. Most people abdicate the leadership seat of their lives and cede the power of attorney to the circumstances. Great achievers muster all their faculties. They reign over their lives. They have a firm and resolute decision to preside as captains over their souls. They have a strong internal locus of control. In order to rebound from your current predicament to a higher level; it is imperative that you make this decision. The future is there for the taking, and the person with a resolute decision about the brave new world that he seeks stands at a vantage point.
The second decision you need to make is about the price you are prepared to pay for the success. Success, real unadulterated success comes at a premium. The price for success must always be paid in full. There are no bargains. The price that you are prepared to pay for you to attain your goals is a measure of your commitment. For most people success comes when they have reached a point where they are prepared to pay all there is to pay. It is at this point of no return that the situation normally turns around and begins to favor the man of resolve. The price for success in any endeavor is spelt COMMITMENT and this is non-negotiable.
For Julius Caesar the moment of decision was at the Rubicon. For as long as he stood on the legal side of the stream, he was standing on the threshold of great new possibilities. He had to decide whether he wanted to boldly lead his life and those of his troops into a brave new world. He also had to decide what price he was prepared to pay. Crossing the Rubicon meant he would not be returning to Rome in honor and triumph, but as a rebel and a state enemy. As in any war there were no givens. He could have lost the war and be banished or executed. He had to decide whether he was prepared to face all these possible consequences. And decide he did. It was at this point that he uttered the famous words, “We may still have to draw back, but once across that bridge we shall have to fight it out.” Every super achiever and every one who desires to rebound to great heights will have to face his or her own Rubicon.
Plan
Intelligent action proceeds from an intelligent strategy and plan of action. Therefore the fourth phase of the virtuous cycle is the Planning Phase. In this phase one must plan his course the way a pilot plans his flight.
Every pilot has a detailed Flight Plan. The flight plan spells out all the necessary details. It reveals the planned departing time, the different altitudes to be used at the different stages of the flight and the speed, the direction, the stopovers, the times, the destination and the time of arrival. Flying a plane is considered serious business that is why efforts are made to draw up flight plans. Like wise, the business of living is so important that it should not be approached without a serious flight plan.
The flight plans should be done at different levels and they must dovetail neatly into the vision. There must be the long-term plan covering a ten year outlook period and beyond. This must be supported by medium term plan and yearly plans. The yearly plan should itself be made up of the monthly plan, the weekly plan and daily plan. Never start a month without a monthly plan, complete with timetables and resource allocation plans. The monthly plan should answer the following questions:
What do I intend to achieve this month?How do I intend to achieve it?What actions should I take?When should I do what?What resources do I need and in what quantities?Where am I going to get these resources?Is there another way of achieving the same objectives? If yes, what is it? If no, can I invent a new way?Where do I need assistance?Who can assist me?When and how am I going to request for assistance?
If answered honestly and thoroughly these questions can form a frame- work upon which a monthly plan can be built. Answers from these questions can be used to draw up the weekly plans and the daily blue print. The important thing is never to start a day or a week without a blueprint. Everyday, every week, every month and every year take quality time to review your progress and make the necessary adjustments.
Declaration of Intend
With the flight plan in place, the next phase is to make known your intentions. This is the declaration of intend. Let your intentions be published. Let all the relevant people know what your determination is. When Caesar shouted, “Let the dice fly high!” he was making known his intentions. Upon becoming prime minister of Britain in 1940 at the height of the Second World War, Winston Churchill made his intentions clear when he told the House of Commons, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat…. You ask what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us. You ask, What is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory-victory at all costs, victory in spite of terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be.”
Declaring your intentions binds you to your chosen course of action. Once your intentions are in the public domain your reputation is at stake. If you do not do what you declared that you were going to do, you make yourself a liar and you savage your own reputation. Declaring your intention is therefore an accountability mechanism. Declarations of intend are not acts of arrogance. They are actually dynamos that generate power for action. It is a war cry. The truth is that intentions that are not declared publicly are rarely pursued and achieved.
ACT
All the preceding steps have been building up to this one. MASSIVE ACTION. After the declaration of intend a roll out of massive action must follow. Begin where you are and begin now. Action is now and not tomorrow. Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today. Everyday take action towards your goal. Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your mighty. Spare no effort, and spare no sweat. Act with confidence, and act with passion.
Engage the heavens, engage people and engage yourself and engage everything that can be engaged. Act confidently, act boldly and act with conviction. After all the action, act again. After you have done all that is in your power, be assured of this one fact-You still have not done all in your power. There is still much more that you can do. When you have finished all that you know to do, look for new ways that you do not know yet and implement them. Let the critics, if there be any, sharpen your discernment but do not allow their hyperbole to dissuade you from the course of action. Rest, if you may, but do not throw in the towel. Live your life with a keen bias for action, for it is from action that results are born.
Remember this, there is no achievement without action. Disengagement from action is departure from the road of success.
Review
As you act keep reviewing your results to check whether they are consistent with the expected outcomes. Is there a good alignment between your results and your goals? If need be take corrective action. The review process should usher you into a new loop of the virtuous cycle.

When At Murchison Falls National Park, Stay at Red Chili's Rest Camp

2007-09-14T01:27:00.000-07:00

A Travel Guide to Uganda by Timothy Ijala

Murchison Falls National Park is 6 hours drive from Kampala in the North Western part of Uganda.It is the largest National Park in Uganda , a huge area of 3,840-square-kilometres and has the Nile River cutting right across it. It boasts an abundance of flora and fauna. Some of the animals that can be seen at the Park include Lion, Leopard, elephant, Giraffe, Hyaena and Buffalo. The best experience you can have while at the park is a three hour boat ride on the Nile river. You will be able to see some of the animals listed above and in addition to that loads of hippo families, crocodiles and many birds including KingFishers, Beeaters, the Giant Fish Eagle and Comorants.
The beauty of visiting this Park is that there is so much to see and the visit need not be expensive. A round trip visit for two nights three days can cost you from about $350 including transport, accommodation, Park Fees and a game drive. This is also because of the availability of camping facilities with showers and a restaurant which prepares fine meals and has a well stocked bar and a fire place where you can sit and enjoy reviewing the experiences of the day while you listen to the snort of the hippos coming from the river which is not far away from the rest camp. There are also bandas with shared facilities or those which are self contained and all this adds up to a comfortable stay at the Park.
Of course like the name suggests there is also a water falls called Murchison Falls that drops 43 feet down. The water falls can be viewed from a viewing point at the top of the falls which is about an hours drive from the rest camp or can also be seen from the boat when you go on the three hour boat trip. If you are feeling adventurous and energetic you can always climb to the top of the Falls from where the boat lets you off. However you have to sign a disclaimer to do this.
Like most Parks in East Africa Murchison Falls also has luxury lodges like Paraa Lodge and Sambiya River Lodge located in the Park.

More about creating a camping supply list

2007-09-13T00:49:00.000-07:00

There is more to a good camping checklist than a tent, sleeping bags, and clothes. (Read the first part of Creating a Camping Supply List for more info on these items.) You will also want to include the right food, cooking and kitchen supplies, and a variety of other camping items on your checklist.
Camp cooking and preparing your favorite camping recipes is one of the best parts of a camping trip. Take care to include everything you need to prepare your meals, eat, and clean up. Many campgrounds provide charcoal grills at each campsite as well as picnic tables. If you are planning to use the facility grill, remember charcoal, and bring a table cloth, as well as table clips for breezy days.
You may also want a camp stove or a camping grill. Bring along plenty of fuel to last through your trip, matches, and fire starters, as well. Skewers, camp forks, camp grills, and broiler baskets are all ideal for cooking over the open fire. You will also want camp cookware, pots, pans, and a Dutch oven, depending on the camping recipes you plan to prepare. Don’t forget the cooking utensils, spatulas, knives, and lids for your pots, as well as potholders or oven mitts. An extra folding table may come in handy for camp cooking and you will want plenty of garbage bags to dispose of your trash and leftovers.
Avid campers often keep a set of dishes for camping trips, while some use paper plates and plastic utensils. Whichever you prefer, be sure to include them on your camping supply list. Plates, bowls, cups, mugs, and eating utensils are a must. You may also need measuring cups, a can opener, and other specialty utensils like peelers or shredders. Other important camp cooking items include dish soap, a dishpan, dish cloths and towels, and scrub pads for dirty pots and pans. Heavy duty aluminum foil is a camping necessity and you will want to remember cooking spray and storage containers as well.
Your camping supply list may include several coolers and, after a few family camping trips, you will see how useful more than one cooler can be. The Coleman 50 Qt. ice chest and 9 Qt. Excursion cooler combo is ideal. A chest cooler is great for your campsite to hold soft drinks, juice, water, and perishable foods, while a smaller 6 pack cooler is perfect for visiting the beach or taking to the pool.
There are several other items you should considering including on your camping checklist. Keep your maps, guidebooks, and any reservation confirmations nearby for easy access. Don’t forget sunscreen, bug repellant, and lip balm, as well as a pocket knife or multipurpose tool, flashlight, a camping lantern, and extra batteries, bulbs, and fuel for gas, kerosene, or propane lanterns.
Regardless of where you are camping or how long your trip will last, one of the most important items on your camping checklist is a good first aid kit. It is a good idea to carry an emergency kit in your vehicle at all times and especially important while camping. If you are planning day hikes, boating outings, horseback riding, or other outdoor activities, you will want a smaller first aid kit that can fit inside your daypack as well.

All work and no play at work.....

2007-09-11T23:21:00.000-07:00

Having fun at work is an important element in maintaining morale and boosting productivity. Sterile, dull and play free working environments are likely to lead to an increased turnover of staff, because staff like to socialise at work. This article examines some practical ways in which play can be incorporated in the workplace for the benefit of both the employer and the employee.
Designate Play Zones
One of the biggest problems with staff engaging in non work activities is that they can disturb other employees around them who are tying to work. Organisations need to designate zones where staff can switch off from work for thirty minutes without it impacting upon other employees. Consider creating a games room that can be equipped with pool tables, entertainment systems, sofa's and an ample supply of refreshments. By doing this staff will quickly associate their desk with work and are likely to be more respectful of those around them.
Designate Play Periods
A good employer will quickly realise the positive effect play has on staff morale and will seek to designate specific periods in the working day for this activity. Overworked staff are likely to try and take time out to have fun anyway but formalising it in this way reduces the potential for staff to waste further work time. The time that employees are least productive is immediately after lunch and scheduling thirty minutes non work time is a clever way of allowing staff to let off steam without effecting productivity.
The other alternative is to encourage staff to take an additional thirty minutes time out when they decide they need it.
Organised activities.
Consider organising formal activities during staff breaks which employees can participate in. Pool competitions, running clubs, football games, aerobic workouts, yoga or pilates sessions or gym sessions can all help staff to let off steam. Exercise increases the heart rate which in turn boosts concentration levels and these organised activities can have a real positive effect on productivity and encourage team building among staff. Better still why not ask staff to volunteer to run these activities so that they take ownership of them.
Charity Events
These can be an excellent way of incorporating play into the workplace whilst boosting the organisation's image. Set a specific day each month, such as the last Friday in the month, and allow staff to dress down and wear casual clothes on that day if they pay $2 to a chosen charity. Invite local press to the event and get community groups involved. This way staff can enjoy themselves, raise money for charity and the organisation can reap the benefits of a positive corporate image, everybody wins.
Facilities.
Remember that staff only get involved in organised activities if they have appropriate changing or shower facilities. No one wants to engage in a physical activity in their work clothes and then sit sweating in the office for the rest of the afternoon.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

2007-09-11T07:35:00.000-07:00

Boeing 787 Dreamliner Will Provide New Solutions for Airlines, Passengers
Responding to the overwhelming preference of airlines around the world, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' new airplane is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a super-efficient airplane. An international team of top aerospace companies is developing the airplane, led by Boeing at its Everett facility near Seattle, Wash.
Unparalleled Performance
The 787-8 Dreamliner will carry 210 - 250 passengers on routes of 7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles (14,200 to 15,200 kilometers), while the 787-9 Dreamliner will carry 250 - 290 passengers on routes of 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles (14,800 to 15,750 kilometers). A third 787 family member, the 787-3 Dreamliner, will accommodate 290 - 330 passengers and be optimized for routes of 2,500 to 3,050 nautical miles (4,600 to 5,650 kilometers).
In addition to bringing big-jet ranges to mid-size airplanes, the 787 will provide airlines with unmatched fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance. The airplane will use 20 percent less fuel for comparable missions than today's similarly sized airplane. It will also travel at speeds similar to today's fastest wide bodies, Mach 0.85. Airlines will enjoy more cargo revenue capacity.
Passengers will also see improvements with the new airplane, from an interior environment with higher humidity to increased comfort and convenience.
Advanced Technology
The key to this exceptional performance is a suite of new technologies being developed by Boeing and its international technology development team.
Boeing has announced that as much as 50 percent of the primary structure - including the fuselage and wing - on the 787 will be made of composite materials.
An open architecture will be at the heart of the 787's systems, which will be more simplified than today's airplanes and offer increased functionality. For example, the team is looking at incorporating health-monitoring systems that will allow the airplane to self-monitor and report maintenance requirements to ground-based computer systems.
Boeing has selected General Electric and Rolls-Royce to develop engines for the new airplane. It is expected that advances in engine technology will contribute as much as 8 percent of the increased efficiency of the new airplane, representing a nearly two-generation jump in technology for the middle of the market.
Another improvement in efficiency will come in the way the airplane is designed and built. New technologies and processes are in development to help Boeing and its supplier partners achieve unprecedented levels of performance at every phase of the program. For example, by manufacturing a one-piece fuselage section, we are eliminating 1,500 aluminum sheets and 40,000 - 50,000 fasteners.
Continuing Progress
The Boeing board of directors granted authority to offer the airplane for sale in late 2003. Program launch occurred in April 2004 with a record order from All-Nippon Airways. Since that time, 47 customers have placed orders for 684 airplanes from six continents of the world, making this the most successful launch of a new commercial airplane in Boeing's history.
The program has signed on 43 of the world's most capable top-tier supplier partners and together finalized the airplane's configuration in September 2005. These partners have started detailed design and, with Boeing, are connected virtually at 135 sites around the world to work toward major assembly in 2006. Eleven partners from around the world started facility construction for a total of 3 million additional square feet to create their major structures and bring the next new airplane to market.
The 787 program will open its final assembly plant in Everett in 2007. First flight is expected in 2007 with certification, delivery and entry into service occurring in 2008.

Why not try Unique Adventure travel?

2007-09-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

Unique adventure travel is the latest craze in tourism and many tour operators are offering unique adventure travel tours. You can find a unique adventure tour to suit all of your needs so no matter where abouts in the world you are travelling to, you should easily be able to find something to suit you.
What Does Unique Adventure Travel Mean?
To many people, unique adventure travel means different things. That is because everybody’s idea of what is unique and what isn’t, is always different. You could find snorkelling unique, whereas somebody else may just think that is an ordinary travel activity. So, basically unique adventure travel is something that you class as different.
It could be that your idea of a unique adventure travel tour combines a few different activities such as hiking, cycling and water sports. Even an adventure tour combining golf, tennis and swimming could be unique to you. Or perhaps bird watching and camping is more your idea of unique? Whatever you think makes a different holiday, that is basically what a unique adventure travel package consists of. You can plan your own unique adventure travel, or you can enlist the help of a travel agency if you would prefer.
Going on an Expedition
Another form of unique adventure involves going on an expedition. Now an expedition could take as long as you want it to. So you could go on an expedition for a week or two, or even for up to twelve months. You can travel the whole world if you wanted to but that could take quite a while! It all depends upon where you want to go, as to how long your expedition will last. Also, you need to think about what you want to do on your expedition. Finances will also play a big part in it too. So before you can plan your big expedition, you need to know what you want to do, how much money you have to spend and how long you can go for.

Service with a Smile

2007-06-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

Service With a Smile

By Suzanne Richardson

Your customers don't care how bad you're feeling today. Even the nice ones.

Maybe your dog died. Or you just broke up with your girlfriend. Or you didn't get a wink of sleep. But the second you reveal any of that to your customers - via a lackluster expression or tone of voice - you risk losing their business. Fortunately, there's a very quick and easy way to prevent your customers from sensing that all is not well in your personal life. Smile.

That's it. The simple act of plastering a big (even fake) grin on your face will make you look and sound happy, alert, and interested in what your customer has to say. And it works with telephone conversations as well as conversations in person.

I called up a drycleaner the other day to see if they could get a coffee stain out of a linen dress - a dress I need to wear this weekend. The woman on the line sounded bored out of her skull. And maybe she was. Had she merely smiled, she would have sounded like she actually gave a damn about my problem. Instead, I got the impression that she hated her job and maybe even her life. I knew without a doubt that she'd rather be doing anything than helping me out. So I found another drycleaner.

When you're smiling, you sound friendly, compassionate, and sincere. And that can convince your customers that you are thinking about them and only them - not the feud with your brother or the termite damage to your house. So when they talk to you, they'll have confidence in your ability to deliver good service and resolve any problems they may have. They'll trust you right off the bat. And as long as you don't disappoint, they'll return to do business with you again and again... and bring their friends.

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet’s most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.

Seychelles,A thousand Miles from the African coast

2007-06-21T05:05:00.000-07:00

1000 (1200 to be exact)miles from the African coast is the group of islands called the Seychelles. The people there speak French and Creole but also English.The main activity is tourism.Now if there was a place I knew I would go only in my dreams, that place was Seychelles. So imagine my surprise when there was an opening to go to Seychelles.Thats the advantage of being in the travel industry.You get opportunities to travel to places you never thought you would ever go to.I took the invite and once again, no regrets.
Although I went to Seychelles a few years back I do remember the flight from Nairobi to Mahe Island. It was on KQ Boeing 737. Took about four hours. What I really remember is the hot air that hit me as I came out of the plane. Instantly my nose went blocked! It was about 4 a.m so I twas not very awake. After clearing immigration we found ourselves at the first of about three different hotels we were to stay in.
Now the weather in Seychelles like Mombasa is funny. At least on the first morning I woke up to daylight in Seychelles. One moment it was very sunny, the next moment it was raining. Quickly we had breakfast on this first morning then we got on the bus to begin our tour which if i am not very wrong covered about twelve if not more hotels. Everything about the hotels in Seychelles is what you read about and see in travel magazines. I still remember the words I read from a brochure I got in the Seychelles. 'Nothing a man could ever build compares to Nature. The only thing we have added are details.'No truer words could have been said about the Seychelles.The very white sandy beaches, the water so clear and blue you can see the white sand below, the hospitality of the people and the hotels! Big luxury hotels with food and drink so much it never got finished. Throughout the tour we ate and drank like kings and queens. Every hotel we visited offered us a cocktail drink!There came a time we just didn't want to see food! We were always full. Also the good thing about Seychelles is that the population is not high so so don't get crowds at hotels or at the beaches.
And it is such a romantic place. The perfect place for a honeymoon. Reminds me of something else I read in a brochure I got from the Seychelles. 'My wife wanted Romance, I wanted Paradise And here we are.' Many people do actually go to wed in the Seychelles as I found out when I went there.
Aaaah! I have been trying to remember this particular hotel we stayed in. I remember walking out in the evening. The air was a bit warm but there was a gentle cool breeze blowing. Perfect it was just felt so perfect, the only thing lacking was someone to share the experience with, the moment. Even now my heart warms up to think of that place. Yes it was the Plantation club Hotel. Located on the main Island of Mahe,it has 200 large air conditioned rooms, scattered in the midst of 185 acres grounds.If only I could capture time and the exact moment in time that is one place I would like to capture and hold on to. I remember that first evening we were at the Plantation Club hotel. There was a cocktail before dinner. It was a Saturday if I remember correctly. That was the time they would introduce the newly weds. The couple would walk into the cocktail room with the bride still dressed in her gown. There was someone playing an entry song for them on a piano. Then they would be introduced as Mr and Mrs so and so. it was beautiful just very beautiful. It was out of this world!
The last night we spent at a hotel called the Berjaya Mahe beach Resort. We were lodged in the fourth floor I think. Just imagine going to sleep hearing the weaves breaking aganist the rocks below you for the hotel was built on the sea shore I should say. It was pleasant sleep for you were not sure if you were awake or dreaming.
However before long it was over. But it was one of my best experiences ever. A visit to the island a thousand miles from the coast.
Do I ever think about going back? You bet I do.
Kenya Airways does flights to Seychelles twice a week from Entebbe and Nairobi on Thursday and Sunday. For special packages please contact eqvoyage@yahoo.com

Seeing is believing...

2007-05-31T23:05:00.000-07:00

Maybe but for now read on. The Airbus A380-800 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world. Dubbed the Superjumbo has the following seat capacity.In a three class configuration(First class, Business class and Economy class) it has a carrying capacity of 525 passengers. However that transforms to 853 passengers in full economy configuration! Read on...One of the airlines set to buy the aircraft is planning to include casinos, double beds, a gymnasium and showers on its A380s! Welcome to the world of flying.....Question though. How long does it take to check in 525? Well when you see it just let me know.........

Why Safari

2007-05-31T08:43:00.000-07:00

Ok you might wonder why the title of my blog is Safari? Thats because I like going on safari.Have you ever been on a safari in the Wild?
Ok this is how someone described it...
For some it involves trekking through scrub bush, being at one with nature, getting up close to the animals (hopefully downwind) and the thrill of knowing that at any moment they could come across something wild and distinctly animal. This would probably appeal to outdoorsy adventurous types. Or those who consider themselves outdoorsy adventurous types. Or those who have never been outdoorsy and adventurous in their entire sedentary lives but who now feel the need for an outdoorsy adventurous experience.
What could be more invigorating and empowering than trekking lions and elephants, animals far mightier and more dangerous than us? The adrenaline rush when the guide suddenly beckons you to be quiet, to duck down and to follow her slowly, would be heady enough to rocket you to the sky. You probably wouldn’t even feel your feet move as you tiptoed forward and stopped as your eyes followed her finger to the pride of lions drinking from the muddy pool. The awe you would feel as you watched them drink side by side with some giraffe, too full to show any interest in them having just eaten their fill of spring buck, would probably be indescribable and be burned into your soul forever.
For the very hardcore adventurous types there is safari camping. This involves actually camping in a game park over night, or over several nights. You are not the only one if you think that this sounds a little dangerous. Nor are you the only one if the thought of sleeping in a flimsy tent and sleeping bag while nocturnal predators roam makes you a little uncomfortable. Sleep in such circumstance might in fact be hard to come by. Presumably that all adds to the thrill. Some people actually thrive on it, are totally comfortable with it and can sleep with a rhino taking a leak right next to them. Power to them. Its total environment envelopment, completely letting go of your city life and embracing nature in its rawest form. Again, it appeals to some. It appeals to rather a lot actually.
For the softer, more delicate types, for those who do not like hoofing it through scrub grass and sweating through their khakis, there are alternative options that are no less fulfilling or awe inspiring. Luxury safaris. Now what could be better than that? In touch with nature, up close and personal with large and wild animals and best of all, flushing toilets, 2-ply loo paper and hot water available whenever necessary. It’s like a little piece of heaven.
You get to travel in comfortable rough terrain vehicles. Ok rough terrain vehicles are not exactly the most comfortable in the world but these are as comfortable as you can get them and some are air-conditioned. Now that is cool. You cover more ground so your chance of seeing more animals is increased. You may get out of the vehicle at your guide’s discretion, so you can still get that thrill of sneaking up on some unsuspecting elephants scratching themselves on tree trunks, or a mother rhino suckling her baby, just watch out for daddy, he’s protective and is deceptively fast. Then just as you begin to get uncomfortable in the heat or cold, its back to the bus and off you go again.
If it’s a really good luxury safari, they pack a good lunch and provide something to soothe your parched throat in the form of good wine. If it’s only a good luxury safari they’ll make you wait until you get back to the lodge and/or chalets before cooking up an excellent 3-course meal with before the mentioned wines and maybe some beer for those whose tastes run that way. Meals are usually outdoors so that you can get the most out of your nature experience.
Now let your imagination run riot with a big crackling fire, too many stars to count and so bright that you can almost see by them. Relax with your glass of wine or beer, or soft drink if alcohol is not your style, we like teetotalers too, and listen to the noises that the animals make. They are scary at first, especially when it sounds like they’re coming closer and closer and they could be a little on the hungry side. But the guide explains that they don’t like the fire and so keep their distance (secretly you wonder what happens when the fire goes out and you’re in your bed, but you try to push that out of your mind) and that the noises that they make are just their way of communicating with each other. So you relax a bit more and commune with nature some more, and look forward to your bath that opens out onto a deck with a view across the park and to the chocolates that are on your pillow. This is a safari the luxury way.
Anyway you choose to do it and whatever your preference your safari is your own unique experience. It is treasured within your soul and somehow helps bind you closer to the majestic continent that is Africa.
I have done a few interesting ones, daring I may also add! But I believe the experience has been worth it. Getting lost, getting stuck in the mud, in the middle of animal country! Nearly slept in the bush at the Mara!There is lots I could tell. The experience is inspiring!
Ok the next safari will be to Jinja. To camp! No wild animals its true! But its near enough to the real thing. Speaking of animals,it reminds me of when we went camping at Queen Elizabeth. Then these two elephants came to the campsite in the middle of the night. They were huge! And my heart just sank because am thinking if these two elephants decide to walk over our tents then we are done! Anyway nothing happened thank God. But wait. Then the lions came that night. As in the case of the elephants I was the first to hear them, so I woke Pat up. Then we went out and stirred the fire. ..