Direct Flights from the US to Accra and More…
Thursday, March 4th, 2010
United Airlines will start a non-stop daily service to Accra on June 20, 2010. Flights will depart Washington DC at 10.10pm and arrive in Ghana's capital city the following day at 12.40pm. United is offering a special introductory fare to launch the new service. They're hoping to continue the flight on to Lagos, pending approval from Nigerian officials (I'm not holding my breath).
I also bumped into the Executive Vice President for Air Arik recently. This Nigerian based airline flies direct between JFK and Lagos three times a week. You can check the availability online but you have to e-mail (uscustomerservices@arikairint.com) to make a reservation.
Read more...Direct Flights from the US to Accra and More... originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 14:36:37.
The 2010 World Cup Countdown Begins
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
In 100 days, the 2010 FIFA World Cup will kick off in Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium on June 11th. Is South Africa ready to host the world's biggest sporting event?
In true South African style, the man in charge of getting Durban ready for the tournament, kicked off the 100 day countdown by bungee jumping from the spanking new stadium. "Durban is absolutely ready," shouted Mike Sutcliffe, red-faced but grinning, seconds after an elastic bungee rope had broken his fall and left him swinging gently in the humid air." (Source: BBC). There's still plenty left to do in the nine cities that will host the World Cup, but in general, things appear to be on track. So now it's up to the fans to buy the tickets and make the event a success.
I spoke to Terry von Guilleaume of Destination Southern Africa a few days ago. His agency is one of only 3 FIFA approved agencies in the US that can distribute World Cup tickets. He still has match tickets, flights and hotel rooms available at surprisingly reasonable prices.
More About: 2010 World Cup l 2010 World Cup Tours l 2010 World Cup Stadiums
Durban's Stadium - Getty Images
The 2010 World Cup Countdown Begins originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 10:51:51.
Africa’s Winter Olympic Results
Monday, March 1st, 2010
The 2010 Winter Olympics saw athletes from 6 African nations competing. A last minute change in rules led to the withdrawal of a disappointed Philip Boit of Kenya. Philip was hoping to retire after competing in what would have been his third Olympics. As for the African athletes that did compete, personal best times and just finishing were the overriding goals. Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, the "Snow Leopard", exceeded everyone's expectations to finish 47th, out of a starting field of 103, in the men's Slalom. What a great job, and in a leopard-print outfit no less. He's planning to introduce grass-skiing when he returns home to Ghana.
The Algerian, South Africans, Moroccan and Senegalese athletes all raced their best and no doubt will bring back great memories of the Vancouver Games. For their results and more, see -- Africa At the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Africa's Winter Olympic Results originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 10:04:28.
Luxury safari
Friday, February 26th, 2010Check out this amazing tour of South Africa, Botswana and Zambia. Footage features, the Big 5, a lion kill and a stalking leopard. Travel Beyond has hosted tours to Africa since 1975….
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African Safari PhotographyChris Weston, one of the world’s most celebrated nature photographers, presents a practical and inspiring new guide on the dream trip of a lifetime:... Read More >
Homegrown Technology – Affordable, Sustainable, Ingenious
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
I've mentioned the Kenyan based AfriGadget blog before, but I just can't get enough of it. This week the tractor tire has the starring role. An old tractor tire can be turned into a handy bucket, a cattle salt lick, as well as a water trough for goats and sheep. These innovative ideas come from Maasai communities in Kitengela and Olerai, just north of Nairobi. Communities don't always have the money to spend on more "modern" technology, but just as important is the fact that they don't have to, when tractor tires work so well.
Another recent blog post introduces the fuel saving Sufuria. It's a simple idea, designed to boil water and cook breakfast more efficiently. As many of you are aware, cooking fuel -- be it gas, propane or charcoal, constitutes a major household expense in Africa. Charcoal is also particularly costly for the environment and a major player in deforestation throughout the continent. Hats off then to Dominic Wanjihia for this great invention. Hopefully his Sufuria will prove to be an instant success in the market place.
I wish more development projects used homegrown African solutions to everyday problems. If it breaks, it can be fixed using local parts and labor. And if a local person has come up with a good solution to a problem, it's surely not so hard to convince the community of its benefits.
Image of a Tractor Tire Bucket - © AfriGadget
Homegrown Technology - Affordable, Sustainable, Ingenious originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 17:27:22.
Poor King Tut
Thursday, February 18th, 2010
DNA analysis has not been kind to the legacy of young King Tutankhamun. Scientists have recently discovered that the royal boy died from a bout of malaria at the age of 19. Combine this with a club-foot and a cleft-palate, and what we see is not so pretty. Good thing he was a King, albeit a minor one. But that may have been part of the problem, the DNA evidence also suggests his mother and father were siblings. Inbreeding generally poses problems for royalty and certainly in the case of King Tut.
The public has long been fascinated with King Tutankhamun, mainly because the discovery (in 1922) of this 3,300 year-old mummy was accompanied by lots of gold treasure. An amazing traveling exhibit "Tutankhamun and The Golden Age of The Pharaohs" features many of Tutankhamun's burial objects, including his royal diadem and one of the four gold and precious stone inlaid coffins that contained his mummified internal organs. The exhibit is in San Francisco until the end of March and will open in New York on April 23 (2010). But of course, it's the Egyptian Museum in Cairo that holds most of Egypt's treasure, and that's one museum that nobody should ever miss. It holds more than 120,000 artifacts including King Tut's underwear and socks.
Image of King Tutankhamun's Funeral Mask - © Getty Images/Richard Nowitz
Poor King Tut originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Thursday, February 18th, 2010 at 16:34:35.
The Versatile Ostrich
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
I love ostriches and luckily, when you're on safari, you won't have much difficulty seeing them. Wild ostriches live throughout Africa, mostly in the drier areas and at low elevations. There are 4 living sub-species and they all inhabit different parts of the continent.
The ostrich is the world's largest bird and it won't surprise you that it can't fly. But boy, can it run. It's large powerful legs can propel this huge beast to speeds of up to 45 miles (70km) an hour. Those powerful legs can also kick like a mule and kill a man, so it's best not to corner an ostrich. Just in case you do anger it, keep in mind that ostriches can only kick forward, not backwards.
The fact that the ostrich can run like the wind has made ostrich racing a popular sport, especially in South Africa. Riding an ostrich is on my list of top 50 things to do before I die. If I can't make it to Oudtshoorn, in the Karoo (the ostrich capital of the world), I could try my luck in Phoenix, Arizona at the Ostrich Festival that's held every March.
It's my unscientific opinion that the ostrich must be one of the most versatile animals in the world. Ostrich farms are very popular, you can find them as far afield as Texas, Israel and Namibia. Ostriches are farmed for their eggs among other things. One egg can easily make an omelet for a dozen hungry men. Their shells have been used to make ornaments and necklaces for thousands of years by many African tribes. The shells are also handy for storing water.
The Versatile Ostrich originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 at 21:59:50.
Climbing Kilimanjaro: Cutting Costs Can Lead to Porter Abuse
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
If you're planning to trek up Mount Kilimanjaro, please spare a thought for the porters who will make your trip possible. Too often, people look to cut the costs of their trek. A Kilimanjaro trek should cost between $2500- $4000. Some of the price discrepancy reflects the route you choose to take, the quality of the food, and the quality of your equipment. But anything cheaper, and you should understand that the tour operator may be saving costs by overloading and underpaying your porters. Do not cut costs and go cheap when you climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
An organization called Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) is doing its best to encourage all Kilimanjaro operators to adhere to basic rules regarding equal pay as well as safety for porters. A porter does not need to be educated, employment is scarce and life is hard. It's the perfect recipe for abuse and exploitation to take place. Porters die from exhaustion, and hypothermia every year, because they're overloaded and there's no way they can carry enough food, clothing or shelter for themselves. It is partly your responsibility as a climber to find out from KPAP if the company you are trekking with adheres to their basic guidelines. Please watch this video to get an idea of the stakes, it ends with this quote:
Don't agree to get a cheap trip unless you are prepared to watch a young lad in tears trying to drag your 40 kilos of baggage up the mountain. You're putting him in danger as well as making him suffer.
Read More: KPAP l How to Climb Kilimanjaro l A Kili Trek in Pictures
Image of porters packing up before going up Mount Kilimanjaro - © Erika Bloom
Climbing Kilimanjaro: Cutting Costs Can Lead to Porter Abuse originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 at 12:17:30.
