John Hunwick

Tanzania, as a wildlife safari destination, is known as the home of the famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. These two wildlife conservation areas together with many others in Tanzania, provide homes for the ever-threatened African wildlife. In fact, more than one-quarter of Tanzania is under some form of protection to preserve its biodiversity.

Some of the wildlife conservation parks in Tanzania and the animals that they provide a safe haven for, are given here:

Lake Manyara National park

The cleavage, known as the Great Rift Valley, can be identified from space as the most distinctive feature of the African continent. The seam of this cleavage has developed a series of fascinating and beautiful lakes. One of these lakes is called Manyara. Lake Manyara is also a national park. Manyara is a fantastic big game park. The variety of habitats parallels its exceptional scenery.

Every imaginable East African animal is found here in abundance. There are great herds of buffalo, zebra, wildebeest and several varieties of gazelle. Mahogany, sausage tree and croton are alive with blue monkeys and vervet monkeys. Some of the most amazingly large pods of hippos congregate at the rivers emerging into the lake, and the birdlife is plentiful. Lake Manyara is also known for its “treeclimbing” lions.

Mikumi National Park

Mikumi National Park covers 3237 square kilometers and lies within the Mkata River plain bordered by the Uluguru Mountain range to the east and the Rubeho Mountains on the west, an area of lush vegetation which particularly attracts elephants and buffalos. Open grasslands dominate in the flood plain, eventually merging with the Miombo woodland covering the lower hills. Wildlife is abundant with giraffes, zebras, buffalos, hartebeests, wildebeests, elephants, wild dogs, and smaller mammals and reptiles. Mikumi’s vegetation includes woodland, swamp and grassland with two water holes, Mkata and Chamgore. Apart form the saddle-bill stork, hammer kop and malachite kingfisher, there are also monitor lizards and a deadly python inhabiting the pools.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro is quite unique as its physical protection from man natural beauty ranks it among the most pristine wildernesses on earth. It is regarded as a natural wonder of the world and has been declared a World Heritage Site. It is the largest intact crater in the world, being 610 meters deep, 16 kilometers across and covering an area of 540 square kilometers. On the crater floor, grassland blends into swamps, lakes, rivers, woodland and mountains - all a haven for wildlife, including the greatest predator population in Africa. The volcanic crater is packed with wildlife, including all the big game. Its pride and joy, however, is that it remains the last great wild refuge for the endangered black rhino.

Ruaha National Park

The Ruaha National Park is Tanzania’s second largest park and the world’s largest elephant sanctuary. Although set in spectacular scenery with an abundance of wildlife, the park is one of the lesser visited in the country, keeping it an isolated and peaceful wilderness. Amongst the game found at the park are elephants, buffalos, giraffes, cheetahs, lions, leopards, a wide variety of antelope and over 465 recorded species of birdlife.

Selous National Reserve

Selous is one of the most remote and least visited game park in Africa, but at 15,000 square miles, it is the world’s largest game reserve. The name derives from hunter-explorer Frederick Courtenay Selous, a keen naturalist and conservationist as well as a hunter. He was killed in the First World War in the Beho Beho region of the reserve. The defining feature of the Selous is the great Rufiji River, which naturally splits the ecosystem into two distinct parts.

Selous National reserve can be explored by boat, sailing through swamps and lagoons where elephant often come to bathe, or even by foot, as the Selous is one of few Tanzanian reserves to allow walking tours. It has the world’s largest number of big game, more than 120,000 elephants, 160,000 buffaloes and about 2,000 rhinoceros. In addition, the Selous contains Africa’s greatest concentration of hippopotamus, crocodiles and wild dogs.

The Serengeti National park

The name ‘Serengeti’ comes from the Maasai language and appropriately means an ‘endless plains’. The National Park is as big as Northern Ireland, but its ecosystem, which includes the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the Maswa Game Reserve and the Maasai Mara Game reserve (in Kenya). It lies between the shores of Lake Victoria in the west, Lake Eyasi in the south, and the Great Rift Valley to the east. As such, it offers the most complex and least disturbed ecosystem on earth.

A unique combination of diverse habitats enables the Serengeti to support more than 30 species of large herbivores and nearly 500 species of birds. Its landscape, originally formed by volcanic activity, has been sculpted by the concerted action of wind, rain and sun. It now varies from open grass plains in the south, savanna with scattered acacia trees in the center, hilly, wooded grassland in the north, to extensive woodland and black clay plains to the west. Small rivers, lakes and swamps are scattered throughout. Rising in the southeast are the great volcanic massifs and craters of the Ngorongoro Highlands. The Serengeti plains are host to a dramatic annual migration of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and numerous other species of animals indigenous to the area.

Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park covers 2,600 square kilometers and is on the traditional migration route of several species of the wildlife. At dry times, the concentration of animals in Tarangire rivals that of the much better known Serengeti. Herds of migratory wildebeest, gazelle, zebra and buffalo gather along the marshy shores of Lake Natron. These pools are shared by flocks of birds: green wood hoopoes, fisher lovebirds, tallish herons, white bellied goaway birds and giant kingfishers. Resident lion, giraffe, elephant, and black rhino are common at any season;

Tarangire is noted for its baobab trees and splendid vistas of rolling savannah and acacia woodland. The strange-looking, centuriesold baobab trees are believed by the Maasai to be the first tree in creation.

Solomon Okila
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/wildlife-in-tanzania-main-national-parks-what-wild-animals-to-expect-during-your-safari-715361.html

A map of Egypt easily illustrates why the Sahara Desert is so often called a “sea of sand”. It is enormous and would appear an unwelcome place for a journey, but there are many people who visit the region just to explore the Sahara Desert. Why? Actually the desert is a diverse location full of oases, palm and date groves, hot and cold springs, villages, creatures and remarkable natural wonders.

In order to explore the Sahara Desert safely however, most visitors are encouraged to hire a knowledgeable guide with desert excursion experience. Conditions in the desert are fairly predictable, but someone without the proper equipment and knowledge of the area could easily get lost or into trouble. Luckily there are dozens of companies and travel groups dedicated to serving those who wish to explore the Sahara Desert.

Where should I visit? Many people plan their tour around visits to the five major oases. The farthest and most remote oasis is also one of the most interesting. Near the Libyan border, the Siwa Oasis is an enormous agricultural area which is a major producer of dates and olives. It is also well-known as the location visited by Alexander the Great, where he consulted with the Oracle of Amun in order to confirm his status as the true king of Egypt. Today, Siwa is populated by more than twenty thousand people, mostly Berbers, who live in the many mud-brick houses scattered throughout the area.

Another oasis popular with those who want to explore the Sahara Desert is the Bahariya Oasis. This is a far more modernized oasis than any other, as it is only three hundred kilometers from Cairo and located at the end of a well-made road leading directly out of the city. Visitors today are making the journey in order to watch the exciting and ongoing archeological activity taking place in the oasis. An enormous necropolis was discovered under the sands less than ten years ago, and experts believe over ten thousand mummies are waiting to be found.

Of course anyone who wants to explore the Sahara Desert is not limited to just the oases; there are also many beautiful natural wonders as well. The Farafra Oasis usually hosts visitors who plan to visit the “White Desert” which is a unique area of softer chalk and lime stones that have been worn by the sands and winds into unique shapes and sculptural forms. There is also a distinctive “Black Desert” in this area as well, and most who explore the Sahara Desert make a point of visiting these sites as well as the oases.

Amar Mahallati
http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/explore-the-sahara-desert-756710.html

As far as African safaris go, Zambia is the one that keeps its secret for many years and still keeps some though it is already beginning to take its crown for African safaris top destinations.

Zambia wilderness safari is absolutely an unknown realm when compared with more traditional national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves. But this still does not negate the fact that at some rate, the wilderness safaris that Zambia posses can be rated as top caliber and may even equal the qualities of other more visited hot African safari picks.

To save you from scouring over magazines, books and online, we have already collected information on some of the premium wilderness safaris, game reserves and national parks in the country. Please read on!

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park
In spite of its difficult-to-pronounce name, Mosi-oa-Tunya still has something exceptional to scream for, the mighty Victoria Falls. This sight is probably the reason why the park is named as such, which if literally translated we may arrive at the meaning of “the smoke that thunders”.

And the name really says the truth. It thunders roughly that the sound along is enough to make you stand awestruck and if you get nearer, you might feel the violent rushing of water.

The park also harbors some of the remaining rhinos that luckily escaped extinction. And if wilderness becomes favorable to you, you may also catch some glimpses of the baboon, impala, giraffe, eland and sables.

Lochinvar National Park
The bird paradise of Zambia. The credit of being a bird’s paradise is given to Lochinvar since some 400 plus species of birds live in here. The big games though are scarce which is only limited to some herds of buffalo, hippos, spotted hyena, leopard, zebras and wildebeests.

Kafue National Park
The largest of all wilderness parks in Zambia, Kafue nurses the densest population of wildlife in all Zambia. Thousands of red lechwe, endless hoard of antelopes, sable, waterbuck, puka, roan, oribi, hartebeest, and vast number of predators to name a few. In fact, the only animal that you wont see in her are the zebras.

South and North Luangwa National Park
How would one describe Luangwa Park? It is simply the greatest wildlife sanctuary in the world since it harbors a biodiversity that is second to none with a touch of isolation and unadulterated wilderness, which makes it almost without compare. Being unspoilt by travelers except only for the locals and some fortunate foreign travelers, this park is truly a sight for creation in the making.

Its beauty is unrivalled, its resources vast. Tanzania is simply a place of great marvel. Its wildlife sanctuaries are fresh and unspoilt. Wildlife roam in its area as it was intended after the creation. They are free; they flourish at their own rate at their own fashion.

It is no wonder why Tanzania safari is placed among the world’s finest in game viewing.

Aside from the games, Tanzania safari is also well known for its enormous gatherings of wildlife habitats and ecosystems. The Northern Circuit is the most popular entry route towards Tanzania safari which covers the Ngorongoro and Serengeti, places that appeal most to nature and wildlife lovers. Nonetheless, sanctuaries like Tarangire, Arusha and the Lake Manyara are no less dazzling than the two. All these combined makes Tanzania Safari an unimaginable haven for the congregation of animals.

On top of the wonders are the world-known big five, which covers buffalo, elephant, rhino, lion and leopard. Complemented by endless array of plain animals such as the zebra, Thompson gazelle, eland, wildebeest, oryx and others that are included in the same genre. Add to the count the merciless predators that help balance nature like the cheetah, vultures, jackal, wild dog and hyena. Not only does Northern Circuit collects its fame from these animals, it is also recognized for its over 500 bird species which turns it into an ornithologist’s paradise.

As we have earlier noted, the Arusha town is the starting point for northern adventure. It sits nearest to Mount Meru and only distant enough so travelers will get to see the mighty and awesome Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain found in all Africa.

Arusha, aside from the wild animals that it nurses, is also a refuge for rich tapestry of ecosystems that thrive on grassland, heath, montane forest, alpine desert and soda and fresh water lakes.

All these aside, Tanzania is made more distinguished by the largest caldera there is in the world- the Ngorongoro Crater. A natural world wonder itself, Ngorongoro Crater gives refuge to some 30,000 wild animals.

Truly, the Tanzanian safaris will let you witness how nature works, how the dance of life interplay with the death and survival of animals that it constitutes and how the balance of nature is maintained.

Low Jeremy
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/experience-life-at-zambia-wilderness-and-marvel-at-tanzania-safari-101676.html

In the western World, Libya is best known for its eccentric dictator - Colonel Gaddafi and this is a shame as the country has so much more to offer the visitor. It has some great classical remains, vibrant city life and some of the most unusual prehistoric rock art in the Sahara region.

It does remain a difficult part of the World to visit, but with good preparation a visit should be problem free and well worth the effort. Whilst in the country, you must remember that it is an alcohol free area and the penalties if you are caught are extremely high. You must also remember not to speak too freely about the governing authorities, this is not the west and they do not take kindly to criticism.

The best time to visit is winter and spring when the temperatures are not so high and stay at a moderate level. The summer time brings 30C on the coast and as high as 50C in the desert interior, a little too hot we think!

Health-wise - Malaria is a risk in the extreme south west of the country in the spring/summer time and Schistosomiasis is evident in the rivers and streams, so take care not to swim in them. Again, precautions against sunburn and dehydration should be taken, as the sun can get very hot here, as you can imagine.

Visas and Documents - A visa is needed for travel to Libya for all western citizens and they are not the easiest to obtain as there are not many Libyan Embassies around. Visa applications need to be translated into Arabic and this can be done at the Embassy for a fee. Independent traveller visas are notoriously difficult to get, though things are getting easier.

Cost - Libya is not the cheapest destination in North Africa and the official exchange bureaus do not give a good conversion rate. Unofficial currency changers on the streets offer a much better rate, but you will attempt this at your own risk. The Libyan authorities look dimly on these kinds of “criminal activities”. Daily costs for the budget traveller will have to be at least $80 a day to be realistic; this will include local transport, food and a nights accommodation.

The Sights - Tripoli, the capital of Libya is a fascinating place with some lovely examples of the traditional architecture and culture of the region. Everyone who visits Libya will visit the city for at least a while and this is no bad thing as Tripoli is its heart and it really gives you an inside look into the odd totalitarian regime that runs the country.

There are two famous classical sights in Libya, Leptis Magna was a Roman ruin close to Tripoli and Cyrene is a ruined Greek settlement to the east of Benghazi. Both are captivating day trips and the well preserved sites are refreshing when compared to similar sights across the Mediterranean, which are usually packed with tourists. While the chances are you will share your experience with a tour group, it is still possible to find yourself alone in your exploration, surely a dream for Hellenistic and Roman history buffs.

The superb desert scenery around the country is enough to make you want to visit on its own, the best examples being around Ghadames, a charming Oasis town close to the Tunisian border. The mud brick housing around the town really takes you back to the days of old and is a great place to escape the crowds of the capital.

Further to the south by the Niger and Algeria borders, is the Acacus Mountains which has some of the best prehistoric art in the whole of Africa. Organised tours can be organised in Ghat, the gateway town. Please note permits will need to be organised in Tripoli to visit the extreme south.

Martin Kleis
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/libya-an-alternative-travel-destination-for-the-audacious-traveller-119617.html

There is controversy about keeping the African Grey parrot in captivity with some people even building a chicken coop to keep them in. It is much better to appreciate this lovely bird in the wild. The African Grey Parrot is restricted to the equatorial forest belt from Guinea-Bissau to Kakamega forest in western Kenya. In Uganda, It is found in appropriate habitat across the south of the country, north to Kaniyo Pabidi in Murchison falls protected areas, across the Mabira Forest and Ssese Islands. Different tour companies can organize have guides that can spot this bird.
This beautiful Parrot has two described races or forms which are physically different in appearance, the paler nominate, which is scientifically known as Psittacus erithacus in central east Africa and the darker P.E. timneh in the west with a cline of escalating size from West to East. The sexes are similar, the male becoming darker with age and the young bird is told from an adult by a grey, not yellow iris.
It is a big Parrot, slightly covered in size by the grey headed parrot piocephalus suahelicus (seen only in Uganda at Mgahinga and Bwindi, ruhiza national parks) and usually seen flying overhead in flocks of 2-20, uttering a series of screams, screeches, pops, whistles and croaks. Its demand as a very popular household pet is proving to be the cause of its increasing rarity in the wild, through illegal collecting as well as habitat destruction.
There are only 21 species of parrot in Africa compared to 52 in Australia and 70 in south America.
Traditionally, this species would have been far more wide spread within the forest biome, but the fragmentation of forest cover over its range has reduced it to isolated population in pockets of forest.
In Kampala, we see them usually in the morning and evening coming to and from perch. They are particularly fond of oil palm fruits, of which there are many mature trees in Kampala, planted years ago as ornamental specimens.
Birds flock together at night at traditional communal roost sites(in Gabon traditional roosts of 5-10,000 birds have been recorded!) and depart in the morning to fruiting trees sometimes flying great distances to feed.
Being confined to the equator, it does not have seasonal migration pattern but flies far and wide in response to fruiting trees in different seasons. During the rains it will capitalize on fruiting forest trees not traveling very far, but during the dry season it will often move away from the forest into agricultural areas to feed on maize, causing considerable damage to subsistence crops. It can be seen flying over Lake Victoria between the Sesse Islands and Forest patches in and around Masaka, distances of up to 50km.
African greys nest in large trees, in old growth forests that have plenty of dead wood to support naturally occurring cavities. They will use woodpecker holes and lay 2-4 white eggs.
Parrots are the only birds that have a movable maxilla, the upper bill attached hinge like to the skull. They can exert tremendous power with the bill, which is used to open the more stubborn of nuts and fruit. They have the most remarkable feet, using them not just as other birds do, but as hands to hold food items like a stick of sugar cane in the same way that we way that man would. Instead of normal bird feet, three forward one back, they have two toes pointing forward and two back (Zygodactyls). These feet combined with the bill, which it uses to hold onto branches, enable the bird to climb very well along flimsy branches to reach fruit at the tips, giving it an advantage over other birds its size, which are physically unable to climb in the same way.
Given their impressive natural vocabulary and range of calls, they are very well disposed to pick up new sounds in and around their environment. This is a particular attraction for the bird as a pet, which will imitate everything from cell phone to the toilet being flushed!!
Parrots generally live to a great age the famous sulfur-crested Cockatoo at London zoo lived to 126 years old!!
Without the pressures of survival in the wild, African Greys will live up to 60 years in captivity, and around 40-50 in the wild.
If their breeding habitat is removed, they will be seen mistakenly thriving for years, but not breeding. Eventually the population becomes too old to breed and suddenly over a short period of time dies off.
The main predator, other than man , to prey upon African Grey Parrot is the Black sparrow hawk, the largest of the Accipiter family, sometimes seen around Kampala and Entebbe.. The predator is by nature secretive , ambushing its prey from thick cover. Others include Ayres’s Hawk Eagle and African Harrier Hawk ( or Gymnogene) the latter using its specialized long, double jointed legs to reach into the parrot’s nest-hole to reach the chicks.
With old growth forest severely depleted outside of major reserves, breeding habitat can be simulated in suburban areas. Firewood collection has put great pressure on hole nesting species and those which feed on invertebrates, through the collection of dead wood, which in a forest is as important as live wood.
An exciting activity to experiment with is to install parrot nesting boxes. Anyone in Kampala with a garden having medium to large trees, that attract feeding greys, can try putting up different designs to see if they become occupied.
A basic box shape 250 by 250 cm wide by 600cm long with an entrance hole 12 cm diameter may attract parrots to it. It can also attract bees, so caution is advised as to where it is actually placed. I had a pair of brown parrots nest in a box in Muyenga a Kampala suburb as well as a pair of Burchell’s starling at Kawempe. Black and white casqued Hornbills may also greatly appreciate a tea-chest or beer keg sized nest- box, which they readily take to.
There may be as many as 2000 pet African Greys in Kampala ‘, most having been caught in the wild. Bird breeders who rear African Greys are supposed to fit a closed ring to the leg of the Chick before it grows too big. Therefore an adult with closed ring will probably be a captive bred bird.

Tanah Hadijah
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/the-african-grey-parrot-63994.html

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Tour operators should begin now to gear up for the popularity of Ain Soukhna on the Egyptain Red Sea coast. This destination is no longer simply a destination for travelers in a vw camper van or just for Egyptian familes, it has so much to offer tourists seeking either a primary or secondary beach vacation.

This article is about Egypt a country in North Africa. Large areas of land form part of the Sahara Desert and are sparsely inhabited. Around half of Egypts residents live in urban areas, with the majority spread across the densely populated centres.

The location of Ain Soukhna is found along the Egyptain Red Sea coast. It has often been referred to as a town, but is really not. It can be translated as hot spring and the name originates from sulfur springs in Gebal Ataqa, a nearby Eastern Desert mountain.

It is a region that stretches from just south of Suez down the coast for about sixty kilometres, and mostly consists of a port along with a series of resort complexes, with a few independent restaurants, gas stations and other facilities scattered along the coastal road.

It seems only natural for this region to be so developed, considering that it represents the closest beaches to Cairo, one of the largest cities in the world. It is a leisurely two hour drive from Cairo and when a new highway that is currently under construction is completed, the ride will probably take only an hour.

Traditionally, it is a purely Egyptian retreat, only recently becoming an international destination. In fact, most of the the resort complexes consist mainly of vacation villas owned by upper and upper middle class Egyptians. However, many though certainly not all of the complexes also provide hotel accommodation. As an international tourist destination, Ain Soukhna makes considerable sense particularly if a beach vacation is secondary to other tourism. A well arranged tour around Ain Soukhna could allow a visit to the Suez Canal and the Eastern Desert.

Accommodation involves four and five star hotels. Only a few years ago it would not have been capable of really accommodating large tour groups with good facilities, but today, that no longer applies. There are at least two very fine, large resorts with others under construction. Besides the hotels, there are also many fine private villas within the compound. Common facilities include just about every beach activity one might imagine.

Entertainment including a soon to be completed golf course. It actually has one of the largest and finest Spa and therapeutic centres in the Middle East. In addition, there are currently, spread between the two hotels, seven restaurants, and about four bars, though just outside the complex we also noted a KFC and Pizza Hut.

Douglas Scott
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/ain-soukhna-along-the-red-sea-113048.html

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Kenya is a land of kaleidoscopic contrasts. Much of its recorded history centres on the Coast. Ptolemy, the great geographer, wrote in the second century AD about Mombasa under the name of Tonike, and the long white coral beaches, verged with palm trees were familiar to Indians, Arabs and Portuguese, as well as later travelers. But now most visitors’ first impression is of the the utterly different scenery outside Nairobi, of the sweeping Athi plains and game straying among the thorn bushes of the Nairobi National Park.

North-west of the capital again, with upland farms reminding one of a sunlit England, with chickens housed in English-style chicken arks as wll as in fenced compunds. Higher still the thick rain forest of Mount Kenya and the Aberdares are as mysterious as the perpetual snow on the Equator is paradoxical. Finally, the arid semi-desert of the north, bordering on Ethiopia and Somalia, seems in yet another world.

Kenya fires the imagination of everyone who comes here. It is not surprising that over the years since independence it has become internationally recognised as one of the most magnificent and exciting holiday areas anywhere.

Geographically the country covers 582,647 sq km (225,000 sq miles) and lies across the Equator. Its Indian Ocean coastline is 608 km (380 miles) long, while its centre is cut by the Great Rift Valley, running north to south and containing a variety of lakes. The largest river is the Tana, which flows in a wide curve eastwards from the slopes of Mt. Kenya (17,058 ft) to the Indian Ocean.

Kenya is home to Arabs, Asians and Europeans as well as more than 48 main African tribes. Some like the Masaai, are famous as warriors. Others like the EL Molo up at Lake Turkana or the Waliangulu Elephant hunters near Tsavo Park, are few in number, shy and still backward. The largest are the Luhya (24%); followed by the Kikuyu (21%) where the head of state comes from; the Luo (20%) on the famous Lake Victoria; the Kalenjin (17%); the Kamba (10%) centred on Machakos and Kitui; the Meru (10%) and the Kisii (6%). The non-African community who include the Asians, Europeans, Americans and Arabs comprise 2% of the population.

The total population stands at 29.3 million. A century ago there was great rivalry between the tribes, but today everything is concentrated on collaboration and Kenya’s motto of Harambee, which means ‘Let’s all pull together’. The Harambee concept has come under a lot of fire recently and politicians have been barred from officiating in any such ventures.

Traditional dances and costumes are cherished as part of the country’s cultural heritage. They are brimful of vitality too and the Chuka drummers, for instance, have drawn crowds to overseas performances in London and elsewhere not to mention the famous Muungano choir and the Kamba dancers. Broadly, there are three ways of getting to see traditional dances:

If there’s a celebration such as on one of the National holidays of the country, there are likely to be public performances.

If you are on a tour, you may find an exhibition arranged at some point, for instance at the Bomas of Kenya in Langata. Perfomances can be seen here from monday to Friday starting 2.30pm-4.00pm, Saturday-Sunday from 3.30pm-5.15pm and public holidays from 3.30pm-5.15pm.

Many Hotels also have their own organised performances. Indeed the fierce dancer wielding a spear may be the same man who earlier carried your suitcase to your room!

One word of caution here. If you happen accidentally upon a local Ngoma which is Swahili for a dance or celebration, make sure to ask if you may stay and watch, especially before taking photographs. These are private affairs.

When the British colonised Kenya they introduced both Asian and European minorities. The Asians came mostly to work on the railway, then branched into trade. Since independence the Asian community has continued to grow in number and in prosperity.

Public holidays, when banks, shops and government offices close are Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day (May 1), Madaraka Day (June 1 or the following day if June 1 falls on a Sunday), Kenyatta Day (October 20), Jamhuri or Independence Day which may soon be christened Mashujaa Day (December 12). Additionally the Moslem holidays of Id-ul-Azha are observed by all people of the Islamic faith.

Henry Kimathi
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/kenya-an-open-wonder-249648.html

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The Third most populous city in South Africa is Cape Town. The local government is the City of Cape Town it is governed by 210 city council members who report to the 28 member executive council. The mayor is Helen Zille of the Democratic Alliance and she was chosen by the city council.

Robben Island a penitentiary island, which is 10 kilometres out to sea. Nelson Mandela was held here for many years. On his release he made his first public speech from the balcony of Cape Towns City Hall on 11th February 1990. This speech was the beginning of a new era for the country and four years later the first democratic election were held.

The major problems in the city are HIV, Aids, tuberculosis and drug related crimes. There have been murders targeting Somail shopkeepers. The poorer suburbs often have the highest crime rate.

The city has several well known tourist attractions Table Mountain, Table Mountain National Park, City Bowl and Table Mountain Cableway.

Table Mountain is a prominent land mark overlooking Cape town it is a flat top mountain and forms part of Table Mountain National Park. At the top the cable station offers walking trails and a view point. Rock climbing on the mountain is popular.

Table Mountain National Park has two well know landmarks the Cape of Good Hope and Table Mountain. The park was previously known as the Cape Peninsula National Park and is managed by South African National Parks.

The City Bowl is a natural amphitheatre- shaped area bordered by Table Bay. Included in this area is the harbour Devils Peak, the central business district of Cape Town and the Company Gardens.

The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway is one of Cape Towns popular tourist attraction it is a cableway to the top of Table Mountain. From the top cable station you can see views over Cape Town, Robben Island and Table Bay.

The famous Boulders Beach is best know for its colony of African penguins that settled there in 1982.

Beautiful beaches lay between the mountains of the peninsula. Wind surfers and kite surfers go to the west coast beaches where the wind and surfing conditions are good. False Bay beach water is often warmer then the water located on the Atlantic Coast.

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is a working harbour and attracts the highest rate of tourists than any other attraction. It offers entertainment and a variety of shopping. The marina houses the luxury apartments and world class hotels.

Douglas Scott
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/history-of-cape-town-107310.html

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The closest major city to Johannesburg is South Africas capital Pretoria, 58 kilometres to the north a mere hop in your trusty VW t25. The country’s other major city, Cape Town, is 1 400 kilometres south west of Johannesburg. It is in the north of the country. The city is inland from the coast.

The city is a cosmopolitan melting pot with all the conveniences the foreign visitor could want coupled with the unique charms of Africa. It is where the money is and the action is. It is the most powerful commercial centre on the African continent. It is a city that works, literally, the phones dial, the lights switch on, you can drink the water, there are multi lane freeways, skyscrapers, conference centres and golf courses.

There are no mountains to block growth therefore the city is a shapeless sprawl. Johannesburg is 115 years old. It started life as a gold rush shanty town. It was barely in its teens when it sparked an Anglo Boer war that changed southern African history, over a dispute about who controlled Johannesburg.

In less than 30 years the city had outpaced every rival to become southern Africas major commercial centre. For a foreign visitor, it is cheap. In fact an international survey of 22 leading cities found that Johannesburg was the cheapest to live in less than half the price of London and a quarter the price of Tokyo.

Highlights to be seen include some of the following.

Cradle of Humankind is set of caves west of Johannesburg where many experts believe mankinds hominid ancestors first appeared.

Established in 1912, Alexandra is one of the earliest urban black settlements. It is the site of a multi million presidential development initiative.

Botanic Gardens are one of the finest succulent collections, in addition to wide open green spaces, sparkling dams, roses, herbs, birds and trees galore.

Monte Casino Bird Gardens is a new attraction with some 200 species of birds and over 1500 species of small animals. A feature being is the walk in aviary containing 100 species of birds.

The township whose name became synonymous with anti apartheid resistance. On one street, the Tutus once lived.

The jail that held leading activists from Nelson Mandela to Mahatma Gandhi is reborn as the constitutional court and as a museum graves.

A visit to Johannesburgs new Apartheid Museum is a moving experience, you almost feel you were there among the demonstrators facing down the police.

A bus tour takes visitors to sites of intriguing murders in the city.

Take a trip down an old gold mine which even boasts the worlds deepest pub

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Everywhere, food production is becoming a negative economy, with farmers spending more buying costly inputs for industrial production than the price they receive for their produce. The consequence is rising debts and epidemics of suicides in both rich and poor countries. Cows in the European Union receive on average $2 per day in subsidies. Animals such as chickens are intensively reared rather than allowed to roam free or reared in chicken arks. Over 1 billion people live in the world on less than $1 dollar a day.

Many farmers who traditionally grew pulses and millets and paddy have been lured by seed companies to buy hybrid cotton seeds and other GM crops, which were supposed to make their lives easier and wealthier. Instead they faced bankruptcy and ruin.

Their native seeds have been displaced with new hybrids which cannot be saved and need to be purchased every year at a high cost. Hybrids are also very vulnerable to pest attacks. All pesticides have to be bought from the company that sold them the seeds; there have been reports of blatant profiteering from these companies.

It is experiences such as these which tell me that we are so wrong to be smug about the new global economy. It is time to stop and think about the impact of globalization on the lives of ordinary people. This is vital if we want to achieve sustainability.

We are repeatedly told that without genetic engineering and globalization of agriculture the world will starve, it is constantly promoted as the only alternative available for feeding the hungry.

Farmers in the Third World are encouraged by the IMF and the World Bank to produce cash crops for export. There are usually commodities that can be easily bought and sold on the World Markets. With fluctuating world prices, Fair trade is what can drag farmers and communities out of poverty. In some African countries it is cheaper to buy American sugar and coffee than it is to buy locally produced goods. This is because of over production and subsidies in the West which means that they then dump these goods on Africa destroying local markets.

When patents are granted to companies for seeds and plants, as in the case of basmati, saving and sharing seed is defined as theft of intellectual property. Corporations which have broad patents on crops such as cotton, soya bean and mustard are suing farmers for seed-saving and hiring detective agencies to find out if farmers have saved seed or shared it with neighbours.

As Gandhi reminded us, ‘The Earth has enough for everyone’s needs, but not for some people’s greed.’€

This article has been adapted with the kind permission from Food Patents ‘€”Stealing Indigenous Knowledge’,Anup Shah,2006

Davinos Greeno
http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/globalization-and-poverty-84540.html

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