Take a walk on the wild side in Kenya with Kim Jagtiani

Kim Jagtiani French-kissing a giraffe in Nairobi

Get acquainted with Kim Jagtiani and the ten best things that Kenya has to offer. Kim Jagtiani is an Indian Canadian television personality who hosts TV programmes, including regular appearances on Daily Planet on Discovery Channel Canada up to September 2008. She is also a VJ and is considered to be a household name in India. Jagtiani won Miss India Canada in 1999, and has modelled for Seventeen and Cosmopolitan. Dancing and performing is her passion. She was one of 50 semi-finalists for The Best Job In The World. Some of Kim's future plans include theatre and movies. But for now, she is promoting Kenya, with the 10 hottest things to do here. Have a look at the video below. Have you done some or all of these 10 things to do in Kenya? Is the list complete? What is missing apart from a night out with Rafiki? Is Kenya indeed Africa in microcosm?




























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Strolling through 'History' on Soysambu

Destination - May 2010 issue

I have been buying the new local travel magazine Destination since its launch issue in March 2010. Why? I don't know. I guess because Twende is dead, and because I just have too much money (it retails at Ksh 350/- per issue) and time (you can flip through it in about 15 minutes, and read through it in about 2 hours) to spend.

Well, I was shocked when I read the article announced on the front page as Strolling through History in Soysambu and entitled On the Shores of Elementaita inside the magazine (pages 12 to 16). The article left me perplexed and insulted.

Why am I vomiting over this particular article? Because it is focusing too much on Tom Cholmondeley, and I feel the time is just not ripe for that. As you may know, Tom Cholmondeley is a Kenyan farmer of British ancestry. He is the great-grandson of the famous Lord Delamere, one of the first and most influential British settlers in Kenya. While Kenya's political elite families are now the largest property holders in the country – partly through corrupt deals – land ownership by white families remains a source of discontent among many of the landless poor.

In April 2005, Tom Cholmondeley shot Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) game ranger Samson ole Sisina on his ranch under the claim of self-defence. The murder case against Cholmondeley was dropped before going to trial. In May 2006, he was taken into custody and held at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison for shooting stonemason Robert Njoya Mbugua on his Soysambu estate. Cholmondeley's murder trial began on 25 September 2006. His trial gripped Kenya, it was one of the most sensational trials in Kenya's post-independence history. On 7 May 2009, he was acquitted of murder, but found guilty of manslaughter. He was sentenced to serve 8 months in prison and was released on 23 October 2009.

Now, let's be clear, I have nothing against Tom Cholmondeley, and I don't want to get into any discussion about whether he was guilty or not. He's a nice chap, and I actually love the work he has been doing on his Soysambu Conservancy and I agree with most of his ideas. I only have a problem with the author of the article, Brennen Matthews, who is also the Managing Editor of Destination. The way he writes about the place and mentions Tom about ten times without interviewing or quoting others is quite insulting to me. I hope the families of the victims never need the article. I am not related to any of the victims, but I still felt very bad about it. Here are some quotes:


"...a very special place that is blessed to be home to not merely a wide variety of wonderful wildlife and awesome scenery but fascinating history as well."

Then tell us about the fascinating history of this special place, dude!


"...envision how this small slice of Africa must have looked 100 years earlier when first visited by Lord Delamere."

Me, I would like to envision how it must have looked even before his first visit!


"...I was fascinated by the history that blankets this land known as Soysambu, history that belongs not merely to this land or the family who own it but history that belongs to Kenya as a whole."

The author then starts to describe this so-called history starting with the arrival of Lord Delamere, just like there was no history to this land before that... Sickening really. 'History that belongs to Kenya as a whole'? I don't feel part of that history for sure.


"History hangs from the walls in the form of pictures and paintings, books and old keep sakes, perfectly designed to jog the memory back to yesteryears."

"Chatting over a cup of tea, Tom's zeal for the local people and the 48,000 acres under his care is immediately evident."

Tom's zeal for the local people? Well, the article mentions potentially interesting people such as Mama Jane, a local business lady who started with a single small shop and now operates four. And another entrepreneur who began with a single table and now operates a thriving nyama choma joint. Well, the author should have gone out and interviewed them as well! I am sure Mama Jane also has a last name, and the entrepreneur also has a name... These people also have families, and these families also form part of the history of Kenya!





Sarah, the hot committed education
officer at Soysambu Conservancy

The Saturday Nation did a much better job when they featured Soysambu last month. The Nation article is letting Tom rest for a while, and I find that prudent and sensitive indeed. Rupi Mangat, the writer of the article, quotes interesting people like Narinder Heyer, a nature enthusiast with the Kenya Museum Society, and Sarah Omusula, the young education officer at Soysambu Conservancy. Destination could also have talked to one of the other guest bloggers of the excellent Soysambu Conservancy blog, they have excellent stories to tell, and they are also Kenyans.

Let me end this post with some good news as well. Serena Hotels is currently establishing the new Lake Elementaita Serena Camp, which will be located along the shores of Lake Elementaita within the Soysambu Conservancy. The new camp will comprise 25 luxury tents, a dining and lounge area, spa and swimming pool enjoying magnificent views of the lake. The Lake Elementaita Serena Camp is scheduled for opening on 15th December 2010. Maybe a nice place to spend a few nights during the end-of-year holidays then, to discover a more balanced view of our common history. Any takers?Source URL: https://pussyhotnaked.blogspot.com/search/label/domestic%20tourism
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Two excellent updated travel guidebooks on Kenya

I am a collector of travel guidebooks on Kenya. It allows me to know my country better and discover new and exciting places, including the Hippo Point Tower (on the shores of Lake Naivasha), one of the top retreats in the world, one of the most luxurious and less known of Kenyan hideaways, where I would like to book the master room for my dear e-friend Pink M one day: "Custom-built by Dodo Cunningham-Reid for seasoned romantics, guests are able to enjoy breath-taking views over Oloidien Bay and follow at eagle-eye the movements of the hippos grazing at the foot of the Tower. The rustling of the lake and the sounds of the bush create at all hours a magical symphony of peace and tranquillity, broken only by the splashing of water as the hippos venture out into the bush under the cover of darkness. From the first floor verandah nature lovers can enjoy safe and relaxing sunset viewing while the top meditation room is reserved to those who want to plunge silently into the essence of Africa. A romantic morning breakfast is served outside, under the towering acacias, while in the evening intimate candlelit dinners bring the guests back to bygone days of wild simplicity and unspoiled elegance."

Okay, enough on that particular place, and back to the travel guidebooks now. Amazingly, several of the best travel guides about Kenya have been written by foreigners. And interestingly, after spending only a couple of months here in Kenya, many of them seem to know our country better than most of us... So, it is time for Kenyans to catch up! Now is a good time, since two of the most respected travel guides have just been updated: Lonely Planet and Footprint.

The new Lonely Planet Kenya Country Guide (7th edition) contains a color wildlife chapter, interviews with locals and a green index with listings for an ecofriendly trip. Note that the book is not available in hardcopy until May 14 or even June, but you can already preview and download individual chapters or the whole book here with 'Pick and Mix'. And yes, Lonely Planet got it very right where it says: "Kenya may be a somewhat more intimidating destination than it once was, but it remains one of the undisputed highlights of Africa. Check your inhibitions, ignore the hype, bring your sense of adventure, and get ready for some truly inspiring and life-changing travel." And about our beloved Hippo Point: "We could try and tell you about the absolute lavishness of the main house and the tower, but you'd never believe us - we still can't believe it, and we saw it!"

The second edition of the Footprint Kenya Handbook has also been fully updated and revised. It includes a full-colour 32-page wildlife guide and accommodation listings for all, from luxury tented camps to blissful coastal hideaways. And yes, this book mentions thousands of interesting little things: the cuisine at Hippo Point is superb for example.

I don't really endorse one guide over another, but I am slightly more biased towards the Footprint because it brings me some more surprises, some things I hadn't heard or read about anywhere else. But both books are well-researched and will serve you well.

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Gorillas getting drunk, elephants getting aroused

Some stunning pictures were taken by Andy Rouse in Rwanda suggesting that gorillas can get drunk on bamboo juice. The Daily Mail reports: "Sitting back in the foliage as if it was a cocktail bar, the mountain gorillas had been gorging on alcoholic sap from fresh bamboo shoots and were looking distinctly the worse for wear. Some were propping up the bar with a bleary air, while others staggered to their feet obviously hoping the mountain police would not ask them to walk in a straight line." The captures under the beautiful pictures are hilarious, e.g. for this picture the capture reads: "Who are you looking at? A fighting drunk Kwitondo takes offence when he's reminded that it's his round."



In other tourist and animal news, the Telegraph presents 20 of the most ridiculous complaints made by holidaymakers to their travel agent. Not surprisingly, I think the first one is the most interesting: A tourist at a top African game lodge overlooking a waterhole, who spotted a visibly aroused elephant, complained that the sight of this rampant beast ruined his honeymoon by making him feel "inadequate".

High time to take a break now and go on a well-deserved safari!Source URL: https://pussyhotnaked.blogspot.com/search/label/domestic%20tourism
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Camping with Butterflies and Snakes

Nature Kenya is organizing a camping trip from 5th to 10th November 2008 to Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. 

Arabuko-Sokoke forest (41,600 hectares) is the largest single block of natural coastal forest remaining in East Africa. Diverse populations of animals are present, which include 250 recorded species of butterfly. The trip will include activities such as bird and nature walks, visits to local communities and trips to Gede and Bio-Ken Snake Farm, housing the largest collection of snakes in East Africa.

Cost: KSh 4,500 per person, including transport from Nairobi, food, camping fee and park fee. Non-members will pay an additional KSh 1,000 for temporary membership. Payment to be made at the Nature Kenya offices at the National Museum in Nairobi (phone numbers: 0722/888178, 0722/336456, 020/3749957/6090.Source URL: https://pussyhotnaked.blogspot.com/search/label/domestic%20tourism
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Lamu Cultural Festival

Mark your calendars: 28-30 November 2008





Lamu Old Town is a unique and rare historical living heritage with more than 700 years of continuous settlement. In 2001, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Since then the Lamu Cultural Promotion Centre, a community based group, has been organizing an annual cultural festival to promote and preserve the unique Swahili heritage of the Lamu Archipelago.
The trade winds of the Indian Ocean have been bringing visitors from the world to the East African coast for over a thousand years. The local people of Lamu have a long established tradition of welcoming travelers. In the same spirit, the Lamu Cultural Promotion Group bids you a warm ‘Karibu’ to this year’s Lamu Cultural Festival to experience hospitality that has remained unchanged over the centuries.


The three day festival showcases traditional dances, displays of handicraft and competitions on water and land (Swahili poetry, donkey races, dhow races), and musical performances from both local and visiting artists sharing a united heritage. This year’s programme will feature the Arab-Andalusian group ‘Musica Antigua – Eduardo Paniagua’ from Spain as well as popular Taarab musicians from Zanzibar. The Spanish group, led by the award winning conductor, Eduardo Paniagua, specializes in interpreting medieval Arabic Andalusian music and play the lute, the hurdy-gurdy, the tromba marina, flute, organ and the darbuga (drum). There will also be displays of traditional handicraft, henna painting, Swahili food and a Swahili bridal ceremony. Lamu Fort will host an informative exhibition on the history and origin of ‘Swahili Doors’. National Museums of Kenya and the Research Institute of Swahili Studies of Eastern Africa will be organizing a workshop on the Lamu politician/poet (1760 – 1830) Zahidi Mngumi, which will culminate with the presentation of copies of manuscripts to Lamu Museum from the State Museums of Berlin and Hamburg. Lamu Museum will be offering guided visit to Takwa Ruins on Manda Island on Sunday morning. Following the introduction of film shows at last year’s Festival, a series of films are scheduled once again in Mkunguni square on Sunday evening.
Lamu offers accommodation to suit all pockets. Transport by road to Lamu is safe. Public transport from Mombasa leaves daily at 7, 10 and 11am (Tawakal Bus, Tel. Mombasa 041 222975). The journey from Mombasa to Mokowe on the mainland takes six hours, followed by a half an hour boat ride to Lamu Island. 


Other attractions include:
• Lamu Museum, exhibiting Swahili culture and the mainland’s non-Swahili groups
  
• Lamu Fort, dating back to 1821, having been built by the Sultan of Oman shortly after Lamu’s victory over Pate and Mombasa in the battle of Shela
  
• German Post Office Museum
  
• Swahili House Museum
  
• Takwa National Monument on Manda Island (a settlement dating back to AD 1500, with ruins of a Great Mosque and a pillar tomb)
  
• Ruins of Shanga, an 8^th century Swahili settlement, on Pate Island, containing remains of the coral walls of 160 houses, two palaces, three mosques and hundreds of tombs
  
• The early Swahili settlement of Pate, once a power in the region
  
• Numerous sites and monuments that showcase Swahili civilization at its height in the 15^th century
  
• Donkey sanctuary for the old beasts of burden
  
• The dhow making village of Matondoni
  
Through the Festival, the people of Lamu continue to share their heritage, both tangible and intangible with the wider world, promoting dialogue and understanding among pepoles and culture while at the same time playing an important role in promoting sustainable cultural tourism.


A wonderful opportunity to experience the beauty and traditions of this mystical, exotic and serene archipelago!
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Two long week-ends are coming your way!

Please be reminded that we are approaching two long week-ends (10-12 October 2008, and 18-20 October)? Well, I think we should take advantage of the long week-ends to enjoy our country and promote domestic tourism. 


Too expensive? Maybe not. The Africa Point Travel Club for instance is offering a 3 nights, 2 days Lake Elementaita Getaway (destination: Elementaita Flamingo Camp and Cottages) at KSh 5,950 per person, inclusive of all meals and transport from Nairobi. 


So, have you made any plans for the long week-ends? Should we thank Kenyatta and Moi for the long week-ends? Can we have a Kibaki Day and Raila Day as well please?
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