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World Islands

Seychelles is more than just beaches

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Seychelles, your seduction started years ago and I am happy I accepted to be seduced. Perhaps it was the images of your clean clear waters, white sandy beaches, couples holding hands as they walked into the sunset or maybe learning  that Seychelles citizens are called Seychellois and not Seychellians that sealed the deal.  Even though I didn’t have a Mr. Wangechi to walk with me into the sunset, I decided I would dance to your music and be lost in your beautiful crystal clear eyes, you would be my Mr. Wangechi. I truly had a great time in all the dates we had as shared below. 1.Hanged out with fishermen Fishing is a major part of the peoples culture and major form of employment. I took time hanging out with some of the fishermen and enjoyed hearing their fishing escapades. I chose the easier way out, thus only assisted them…

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Africa

Busted in Seychelles

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Seychelles is one of those countries or should I say Islands, which had enticed me for the longest time. Perhaps it’s the glossy pictures of white sandy beaches and clear waters or couples walking hand in hand into the sunset that got to me. This seduction is what made me board a flight and eventually touch down at the Seychelles International Airport, to begin my adventures. My arrival was indeed a “Bang” of an entry, starting off with mother of all near mishaps- Immigration Issues. As we disembarked, everyone but me was chatting with their “person” read “spouse” or “friends”. I was travelling solo, so maybe, this is where the red flags started to be raised. Kindly note, their airport is so small, that as the door from the runway opens, you find yourself smack at immigration and everyone from the flight can see everyone.  I decided to join the…

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Asia

Cultural Wulai

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Wulai means hot springs in the Atayal tribe and is a town situated in the mountain area of Taiwan. The area is cool, serene, and very beautiful. I was drawn to it more by the fact that the majority of the residents are the older generation and thus lots of history and culture to learn. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the government offers free bus rides to the senior citizens on specific days of the week to travel to and from Taipei to Wulai. My highlights were: a) The scenery The landscape which is mainly mountainous, is covered in green cover and rained while I visited. I enjoyed walking through the area and watching the descending fog cover the hill tops.This town is famous for their hotsprings but  I didn’t get a chance to sample them due to the weather. b) The Delicacies: You have to sample some if…

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Africa

Shashamane, the home of Rastafarians

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Rastafarianism was made popular by the great singer Bob Marley. They are easily identified by their “Rasta colours”, their dreadlocks and their Reggae music. With time however, I wanted to learn about who they really are, what they are truly all about and what it means to be “Rasta”. I thus have put Jamaica on my bucket list to experience this, as it is the country most associated with them. However, when I heard that they are found in great numbers in my neighbouring country Ethiopia, in a town called Shashamane (Amharic)/ Shashemene (Oromo), it was only fair that I start my “Rasta” interaction there.  I came to learn that Emperor Haile Selassie had offered 500acres in this area as a home for all Rastafarians, and it is for this reason and more, that you will meet Rastafarians from across the globe calling this place home. Things to do in…

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Africa

The beauty that is Awasa

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Awasa also known as Hawassa is a beautiful city located 270km Southwards of Addis Ababa, in the central region of Ethiopia  and is found in the Great Rift Valley. It is a beautiful city,  well organized, lots of culture on display and the people are very warm. Things to do in Awasa: Visit St.Gabriel: This is one revered Orthodox Church that is not only an art piece, but also a true beauty. In the Orthodox Church, women wear long dresses and are expected to cover their head with a scarf or shawl. The men and women do not mix in the church and hence, they also enter the church from different doors. 2.Visit Lake Awasa As you drive to Awasa, you will see a major lake flowing for most of the distance. This lake is 16km long and about 9km wide. The lake is multipurpose for both residents and wildlife.…

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Africa

Addis Ababa, A wonderful melting pot

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I grew up learning about Ethiopia, previously known as Abyssinia, as it is a neighbour to Kenya. We learnt of how Ethiopians had managed to defend their borders from being colonized during the Scramble for Africa, how it was ruled by Emperors with one of the popular ones being Haile Selassie, that it has over 80 ethnic groups and how deeply cultural they are. It is for these reasons and more that led to my actual arrival into Ethiopia years later, with my first stop being Addis Ababa, the capital city. Highlights of my trip:  1) Witnessing a Coffee Ceremony: Whenever Ethiopians have a guest, they are honoured by sharing the “Coffee Ceremony”. They prepare a cup of coffee from scratch, the traditional way. The coffee beans which already have their husks removed are sorted and washed thoroughly. I didn’t  know they are almost cream in colour yet we grow…

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Africa

Tanzania 101

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It is officially known as the United Republic of Tanzania The official language in Tanzania is  Kiswahili It is bordered by 8 countries, Kenya and Uganda to the north; Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo to the West, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the South . It is home to mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free standing mountain in the world and the highest mountain in Africa standing at 5895m Tanzania is home to the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic crater, Ngorongoro. It has a diameter of 19kms and is 600m deep and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Three of the largest lakes in Africa are found here-Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria and Lake Nyasa It has over 120 tribes and a population of about 56 million Some of the worlds oldest settlements have been found in Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania and it is a UNESCO World Heritage The island of…

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Africa

Tips for conquering Mt. Kilimanjaro

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Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest free standing mountain in the world and the highest mountain in Africa, standing at 5895m. Mountain climbing is not an activity I engage in regularly, choosing rather to be strategic in the mountains I hike. I have hiked Mount Kenya, the highest mountain in Kenya and the second highest in Africa and thus attempting the highest after it came almost natural. As they say, “Go Big or Go Home”. I am happy to state that I did successfully accomplish this mean feat and super proud of that. Below are some of the tips I believe will greatly assist anyone planning to attempt the same.  1. Travel Light: I know, they always say this but somehow we never listen, please travel light. I know the porters will carry your luggage, so no stress on your end but, be humane and only carry what you need. There is…

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Africa

Conquering Mount Kilimanjaro

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I was enticed to hike  Mount Kilimanjaro due to its numerous accolades that range from, Worlds Highest Free Standing Mountain at 5895M/19341 Ft AMSL , Highest Mountain in Africa, Uhuru Peak the highest point in Africa and being one of the Worlds Largest Volcanoes. I thus mentally prepared myself to do all it would take to ensure that I succeeded in Conquering Mount Kilimanjaro. When I conquered Mount.Kenya 4895m, which is the second highest mountain in Africa, I resolved that it was only befitting to climb Mt.Kilimanjaro next because as they say “Go Big or Go home.” That is how I found myself venturing into Kilimanjaro National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to Mount Kilimanjaro.  Due to not being an ardent regular hiker, I opted to use the Marangu route, which is considered  easier  and would take 7 days. Day 1: Marangu Gate 1860m to…

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Africa

Things to do in one day in Isiolo and Archers Post

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Isiolo We arrived in Isiolo from Meru after a near mis-hap and after discovering that the two towns were only about 53km apart. Isiolo is mainly inhabited by the Borana community and since I know little about the community, I thought it would be a great, mind opening experience. The area also has a high Muslim community who are dominantly conservative, thus, I would advise one to dress modestly. Upon arrival, we were met with challenge upon challenge. One, the ladies seemed averse to talking to strangers which means we had near nil interaction with them. Two, we had been advised not to engage the men as it is culturally inappropriate.  After several attempts, we gave up, clearly, we wouldn’t have the cultural integration experience we had hoped for. Three, when we asked the other locals for suggestions on places of interest in Isiolo, they all seemed to have no…

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