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Your free fastjet magazine Issue 10 April - June 2015
Page 26
POP UP BONGOTanzania’s fashion event
Page 32
JO’BURG UNDER R250Purse-friendly in South Africa
Diamond Platnumz Page 14
SHINING BRIGHT
travelsmartSmart Thinking Smart Shopping Smart Travel
CONTENTS
Published byLAND & MARINE PUBLICATIONS LTD1 Kings Court, Newcomen Way Severalls Business Park, Colchester Essex CO4 9RA, United KingdomTel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Email: [email protected] www.landmarine.com
ADVERTISING: Catherine O’Callaghan, Sales Manager Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Cell: +44 (0)7769 110343 Email: [email protected]
on behalf of
fastjet Tanzania Head Office2nd floor, Ten West Office, 10 Vingunguti Nyerere Road, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania24/7 Call Centre: +255 784 108 900 Email: [email protected]
The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisa-tion associated with this publication. No liability can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions.
©2014 Land & Marine Publications Ltd14
38
REGULAR FEATURES
3 WELCOME A message from fastjet’s General Manager
9 FASTJET NEWS13 SOCIAL MEDIA WALL51 LOOK INSIDE Southern Sun, Dar es Salaam
52 FOOD FOR THOUGHT Tuk Tuk Thai Restaurant, Dar es Salaam
54 CAR REVIEW Nissan Qashqai
57 TECH REVIEW Virtual Reality Headsets
58 LATEST RELEASES What’s new in your bookshop and cinema
61 KIDS’ CORNER
SPECIAL FEATURES
20 COFFEE Wake up and smell the world’s best coffee
22 URU DIAMONDS Joint venture with a sparkling future
26 POP UP BONGO Pop-up shop ’til you drop
32 BARGAIN HUNTING Budgeting your bucks in Jo’burg
36 UGANDA BEEKEEPING Sugar, oh, honey, honey!
38 HARARE Get ahead of the bustling crowds…
41 MASTERCOOK ZAMBIA Ready, steady, cook!
44 NILE RIVER FESTIVAL We’ll have a paddle of fun
46 COMMUNITY HEROES Let’s try a little tenderness
48 WILLIAM ZELOTHE Sky’s the limit when you love your job
Issue 10 | April - June 2015
USEFUL INFORMATION
12 FASTJET COMPETITION Win a two-night stay in Arusha’s luxurious
Mount Meru Hotel
62 TRAVEL INFORMATION64 THE FASTJET NETWORK
COVER STORYDIAMOND SHINES BRIGHTDiamond Platnumz
48 hours in HarareWhat to do in Zimbabwe’s capital
fastjet.com 1
Welcome on board fastjet, East Africa’s most liked airline.
Fastjet has now been operating for over two years and has carried more than a million passengers. Our consistently high stand-ards, reliability and punctuality have continued to break African aviation records, with more and more customers experiencing smart travel with fastjet.
From 30 March we have added a new four-times-a-week domes-
tic route linking our two busi-est destinations, Mwanza and Kilimanjaro. We are adding even more frequencies on our domes-tic Tanzanian routes to satisfy the ever-growing demand from our customers, who want to use our reliable and affordable flights as opposed to road transport.
Dar to Entebbe
Our Dar es Salaam to Entebbe route now operates via Kiliman-jaro. Over the coming months
WELCOME ON BOARDKARIBU KWENYE NDEGE YETU
WELKOM AAN BOORD
KARIBU KWENYE NDEGE YETUKaribu kwenye ndege ya fastjet,
shirika la ndege linalopendwa zaidi
na barani Afrika.
Fastjet sasa imekua ikifan-
yakazi kwa zaidi ya miaka miwili
na imebeba abiria zaidi ya milioni.
Viwango vyetu vya hali ya juu kila
siku, kuaminika na kuzingatia muda
vinaendelea kuvunja rekodi ya
usafiri wa anga wa Afrika, na wateja
zaidi na zaidi wakifurahia ubora wa
kusafiri na fastjet.
Kuanzia tarehe 30 Machi
tumeongeza safari mpya ya mara
nne kwa wiki ndani ya nchi tukiun-
ganisha miji miwili yenye pilikapilika
nyingi Mwanza na Kilimanjaro.
Pia tunaongeza safari zaidi ndani
ya nchi ili kukidhi mahitaji ya
wateja wetu wanaoongezaka kila
kukicha,wengi wanahitaji kutumia
usafiri wetu wa kuaminika na nafuu
tofauti na usafiri wa barabara.
Safari zetu za Dar es Salaam
kwenda Entebbe sasa zitakuwa
zikipita Kilimanjaro. Baada ya
miezi michache tuta tangaza safari
nyingine zaidi za kuunganisha
kimataifa, ambazo zitailetea fastjet
sifa ya kuaminika na thamani kubwa
zaidi kwa wateja. Angalia matan-
gazo ya safari mpya na ofa maalum
kwenye mtandao wa fastjet.com na
katika ukurasa wetu wa facebook
na mitandao mingine ya kijamii au
jiunge katika jarida letu.
FROM THE CONTROL TOWERA message from General Manager Jimmy Kibati
fastjet.com 3
HIGH STANDARDS, RELIABILITY AND PUNCTUALITY
Smart travelBreaking aviation records
travelsmart4
JIMMY’S ADVICEA reminder that booking early gives you access to the lowest available fares. Book directly with fastjet at www.fastjet.com, our 24/7 call centre (+255 784 108 900) paying through mobile money (M-Pesa and Tigo Pesa) or at our listed ticketing offices and regis-tered agents. Addresses can be found on our website: www.fastjet.com.
we will be announcing even more international connec-tions, bringing the fastjet ethos of reliability and great value to even more customers. Look out for new route announcements and special offers at fastjet.com and on our Facebook pages and other social media pages – or subscribe to our newsletter.
Here are some of the extra prod-ucts you can book via our website as you book your flights:
• Smart Class – On both domes-tic and international flights this service provides you with advance premium seat allocation, an increased baggage allowance of up to 32 kg and unlimited flight date changes at no additional cost.
• Hotels – Choose from hundreds of top hotels through fastjet.com.
For our South African passen-gers, fastjet – in cooperation with Coastal Aviation – now offers an onward flight to Zanzibar when they book their flight to Dar es Salaam.
Later this year we expect to launch fastjet Zambia, which will operate domestic and international routes within and from Zambia. We are really making inroads. In 2014 fastjet Zambia’s Air Service Permit was obtained and we’re well on the way through the Air Operator Certificate process. This will allow us to launch our low cost model in Zambia bringing low fares to many more people.
Hizi ni baadhi ya huduma za ziada
unaweza kununua kupitia mtandao
wetu unaponunua tiketi.
Smart Class- Kwa safari
zote za ndani ya nchi na za
kimataifa,huduma hii inakupa nafasi
ya kupata nafasi ya kuchagua siti ya
kukaa, ongezeko la uzito wa mizigo
wa hadi kilo 32 na kubadili tarehe
za safari bila kikomo pasipo na
ongezeko la gharama.
Hoteli – Chagua mamia ya hoteli
za hali ya juu kupitia fastjet.com
Kwa abiria wetu wa Afrika Kusini,
Fastjet ikishirikiana na Coastal Avia-
tion- sasa inawaletea mwendelezo
wa safari za kwenda Zanzibar waki-
nunua tiketi kwenda Dar es Salaam.
Baadae mwaka huu tunatarajia
kuzindua fastjet Zambia, ambayo
itakua ikifanyakazi za safari za
ndani ya nchi na kutoka Zambia.
Kiukweli tunafanya jitihada. Kibali
cha Fastjet kutoa huduma za anga
nchini Zambia kilipatikana mwishoni
wa mwaka 2014 na tupo kwenye
mchakato wa kupata cheti kuende-
sha shughuli za usafirishaji wa anga.
Hii itaturuhusu kuzindua mfumo
wetu wa nauli za gharama za chini
nchini Zambia na kuweka nauli za bei
ya chini kwa watu wengi zaidi.
Jimmy Kibati
General Manager –Meneja Mkuu
Fastjet Airlines Ltd (Tanzania)
USHAURI WA JIMMYKumbuka kwamba kununua
tiketi mapema kunakupa nafasi
ya kupata tiketi ya bei ya chini
iliyopo. Nunua tiketi moja
kwa moja kwenye mtandao
wa fastjet, www.fastjet.com
na kupiga simu huduma kwa
wateja ili kulipia kupitia M-pesa,
Tigo-pesa n.k) au katika listi
ya ofisi zetu za kuuza tiketi
na mawakala wetu wa tiketi.
(Anuani zipo katika tovuti yetu)
Jimmy KibatiGeneral Manager Fastjet Airlines Ltd (Tanzania)
Look out for new route announcements and special offers at fastjet.com and on our Facebook pages and other social media pages
fastjet.com 9
Following the reconfiguration and transition of the Delta aircraft to a fastjet-branded aircraft, we set up a campaign to search for a new name, using the hashtag #nameourplane. The runners-up were Kilimanjaro and Nelson Mandela but the overall winner was Kasuku, the Swahili name for the grey parrot, fastjet’s company mascot.
And following the successful renaming of the aircraft, we introduced the hashtag #fastKasuku asking flyers and budding photographers to post their fastjet photos on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. We love admiring and sharing your images of the fleet flying overhead.
We are proud to welcome Nele De Groote to our team to take over the role of Captain. Nele has followed in the footsteps of Ann-Marie Lewis.
fastjet wishes Nele well in joining our team and we look forward to welcoming many more female colleagues to the flight-deck.
We have combined two routes, and now fly Dar es Salaam-Lusaka-Harare-Dar es Salaam. We have introduced this option as it allows us to maintain our three-times-a-week frequency on both routes. This also increases the chance of adding more frequencies to these destinations in the future.
01 #nameourplane
02 Welcome to our female pilot
03 New route configuration
From 1 February, passengers flying from
Jo’burg to Dar are allowed a maximum of 7 kg of hand luggage.
SPOTLIGHT ON TWO NEW ROUTESGreater connection for Kilimanjaro: fastjet’s exciting
network continues to grow with two new routes. The first FN0131 from Kilimanjaro to Mwanza took place on Monday 30 March. The second new route is Kilimanjaro to Entebbe.
FN0207 took flight on Tuesday 31 March. Don’t forget to book your tickets.
fastjet were recently accompanied on board the Johannesburg to Dar es Salaam flight by two champion musicians from a traditional Scottish pipe band in South Africa. They joined us to play at some of Tanzania’s local charity fundraising events, as well as celebrating the traditional Scottish Burns Night.
Piper Jonathan Visser and drummer Nick Schmidt are from the Transvaal Scottish Pipe Band, part of a vibrant network of traditional music groups established by Scottish expat communities in South Africa.
04 The sounds of Scotland fly to Tanzania
The A319 aircraft can carry up to 16 tons.
That’s equivalent to 8 adult rhinoceros.
DID YOU
KNOW ?
@NortbertChunda
Code word: DIAMONDS
Congratulations, you’ve found the code!
Send this code, your name and contact details through a text
message to +255 766 074 500 and we’ll pick a winner through a prize draw.
fastjet.com 11
Follow us
www.facebook.com/fastjet
www.facebook.com/fastjetza
www.twitter.com/fastjet
www.instagram.com/fastjetofficial
We’re proud to have won the prestigious Stevie Award, the world’s premier awards recognising global business excellence. fastjet won the Ecommerce & Online Customer Services category for our high standards of customer service.
Since the airline’s beginning two and a half years ago, we’ve pioneered an online customer service revolution across Africa. fastjet now has the largest online following of any East African airline, with over 390,000 followers across all social media channels.
fastjet recently flew Zambia’s Red Arrows Football Club from Lusaka to Dar es Salaam for a training camp. The team, sponsored by the Zambian Air Force, have been preparing for the new season of the premier league. They had a great time on board and we wish them good luck for the season.
06 Award for fastjet 08 Red Arrows fly fastjet
We’ve reached 370,000
followers on our facebook pages
fastjet supported the Tanzania Dental Association with flights to Mwanza for six dental surgeons to provide oral health care for people in need in Shinyanga. The dentists assessed children and adults with special needs and albinism during their trip. The association do a fantastic job and we’re very proud to support them.
07 Smiles all round
05 Tune in and take offLooking to get in the mood for your fastjet flight? Well,
look no further than Mr Grey’s all-time favourite playlist. There’s nothing better to get you in the mood to fly the skies! Or do you have a favourite song? Let us know
through our social media channels and we can create a
playlist especially for you!
My Grey’s top ten songs1 Mandojo & Domokaya Nikupe Nini Peter Mhando
2 Bongo Flava Sayd Lardhy
3 Juma Nature - Mugambo JamiiForums
4 Mangwair ft Mchizi Mox - Demu Wangu - Bongo Flava HQ JackDollarFilm
5 Ray C-wanifuatia Nini juicethedj
6 Soggy Doggy - Kibanda Cha Simu diiipsetboy
7 Mr. Blue ft Lady Jaydee - Sema Peter Mhando
8 Jay Moe - Cheza Kidogo Bongo-Fleva Tanzania
9 Q-Chief ft Lady Jaydee - Zamani H360 Sports
10 TID Feat. Nazizi - Watasema Sana GrownNSexyMusic
For more of Mr Grey’s favourite tunes, head to: www.youtube.com/fastjetofficial
#ConnectingAfricaDo you fancy winning a return flight for two from Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro plus a two-night stay in Arusha’s luxurious Mount Meru Hotel?
Simply take a look at the following question and upload your answer along with a photo of yourself and your travel partner(s).
Q: How many times a week does fastjet fly from Kilimanjaro to Mwanza – our new route from 30 March?
Share your photo on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #ConnectingAfrica and you might become the lucky winner of this great hotel package.
PHOTO COMPETITION
Diamond Platnumz is not
only one of Tanzania’s
biggest success stories,
but the singer-songwriter has
emerged as East Africa’s leading
star of 2014.
Twenty-five-year-old Diamond
(real name Nasibu Abdul
Juma) is one of Tanza-
nia’s top-selling musi-
cians, has created hit after hit and
collaborated with various popular
artists. Today, he is among the high-
est earners in the East African music
industry. But what’s the man behind
Diamond Platnumz really like? Kate
Wingar finds out.
Q. What sparked your interest in
a music career?
A. Since I was in primary school,
standard five to be exact, music has
always moved me. I grew up listening
to local artists and fell in love with this
new music genre, Bongo Flava. My
travelsmart14
East Africa’s rising music star
DIAMOND SHINES BRIGHT
By Kate Wingar
interest at first was a love of music,
but it’s a desire to make a difference
in my life through music that has
pushed me to where I am today.
Q. How would you describe your
music?
A. As a revolution of the Bongo
Flava industry. Bongo Flava has
opened a lot of doors to young
artists in Tanzania and given recog-
nition to my country. Now, Tanzania
is well known not only for being one
of the most beautiful
countries in the world
but as a place that produces and
appreciates great music.
Q. Was it hard breaking into the
industry?
A. It was not easy for a non-well-
off boy in Tanzania. You need huge
financial support, which I never had.
So I had to try and make money
through small business deals such as
selling second-hand clothes, working
at a gas station and even selling my
mother’s gold ring in order to record
my first song in 2007. Unfortunately
it was a long process and a learn-
ing curve as I had friends isolate me
and my girlfriend of the time left me
as I couldn’t cater for her needs. I
was seen as a daydreamer and she
thought I would never succeed. But I
thank God, my mother and my family
for always being there to support me.
Q. Did you have any role models
when you were younger?
A. Usher Raymond, Q-Chief and
Dully Sykes were huge icons for me,
and they still are. Even after so much
success, they are still making music
and they are great examples to look
up to as a way of improving and
advancing my career and talent.
Q. Was 2014 a big year?
A. It was a great year for my music
career. I was nominated for a huge
number of awards and won most
of them, not only in Tanzania but in
Africa and around the globe, too.
fastjet.com 15
DiamondPlatnumz
King of Bongo Flava
Diamond Platnumz
INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIMOver the past year Diamond Platnumz has been nominated for and won international awards through events such as the Kilimanjaro Music Awards, the Channel O Africa Music Awards (CHOAMVA), the Afri-can Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA), the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA), the BET Awards and the Nigerian Future Awards.
Q. What has been your greatest
achievement so far?
A. Well, I’d say my greatest
achievement is being who I am
today: Diamond Platnumz. I have
always wanted to live my life and
do the things I love. I also consider
the international recognition and
success that both myself and Tanza-
nian music in general has found as
another immense accomplishment.
Q. Where is your favourite place
to perform?
A. Mombasa, Kenya!
Q. How much support have you
had from Tanzania and East Africa
in general?
A. I definitely have all the support
I could ask for from my home
country. But when I travel around
the world performing, I am proud
to represent and be recognised as
an East African artist. I have great
fans throughout East Africa and have
performed everywhere, from Nairobi
to Mombasa, Kampala to Kigali, all the
way to Burundi. The support and love
I receive from fans amazes me.
Q. What is your favourite song of
your own and why?
A. ‘Nimpende Nani’ is my personal
favourite as it took me a long time to
compose and record the song. I have
a very deep emotional connection
with the lyrics and I can relate to it so
well as it’s a part of my life story.
Q. How long does it take to
create a song?
A. Well, song creation is a
complex and tiresome process. It
involves a lot of sleepless nights and
endless studio sessions. There are
several elements of music creation
that an artist must take into consid-
eration. There’s the actual writing,
instrumentation, melody composi-
tion and then the recording. From
there, the track goes into mixing
and finally mastering. The process
could involve the artist, songwrit-
ers, composers and producers.
Thus, it’s difficult to say exactly how
long it could take. It could be a day,
a week or a month. For the most
part it’s an emotional process as my
greatest inspiration to create music
comes from life and the things I have
encountered over the years.
Q. Who has been the most fun to
collaborate with?
A. It was great fun to work with
Davido for the remix of Number
One. We had to teach him to sing in
Swahili and recalling that moment,
fastjet.com 17
DiamondPlatnumz
‘The support and love I receive from fans amazes me’
A great successInternational recogni-tion for Diamond
it was really hilarious. It was a night
of fun and in the end the song was
really dope.
Q. Is the Tanzanian music industry
becoming a force to reckon with?
A. Yes. In the past, Tanzanian
musicians have been making music
mostly just for fun, targeting only
local audiences. But recently our
artists have begun to recognise
that it’s a business. Nowadays, the
majority of Tanzanian singers are
aiming high and working hard to
promote their brands and products
in the international market as well
as Africa. The only thing lacking in
the Tanzanian music industry is a
formal structure and a proper legal
framework. But despite a number of
factors derailing the music-making
process, the Tanzanian industry
is definitely becoming a force to
reckon with.
Q. Who’s your favourite up-and-
coming artist?
A. Maromboso from Yamoto
Band.
Q. Any tips for those wanting to
make it in the business?
A. It’s not easy to penetrate
the music industry; but if you’re
talented, focused, proactive and
committed to giving the audience
what they need from you, then you
can definitely overcome any obsta-
cles that come your way.
Q. Is it hard juggling a successful
career with a home life?
A. In reality it’s not hard on
my part, but it does become a bit
confusing when people mistake
Nasib and Diamond. I have a time-
table that gives me enough time
to spend at home with family and
friends, especially when I’m not on
tour. It’s also challenging when you
become the centre of attention
everywhere you go. But I’m grateful
that my fans and friends understand
and support me.
Q. How do you wind down?
A. I watch movies – Indian and
horror movies in particular. I also like
to listen to music.
Q. Any big plans for 2015?
A. The future is mine for the
taking, but it’s not as easy as people
might think. The industry is dynamic
and I have to work hard, be dedi-
cated and stay disciplined to ensure
that I evolve with it. We have plans
for more collaborations
with big artists outside
of Africa and I’m also
hoping to add
more artists to
my label, WCB
Wasafi.
fastjet.com 19
DiamondPlatnumz
‘The future is mine for the taking, but it’s not as easy as people
might think. The industry is dynamic and I have to work hard, be dedicated and stay disciplined
to ensure that I evolve with it’
A dynamic artistWith a huge future
Coffee
I know this view may not find
universal favour (or should that
be flavour?) but where in the
world does the coffee taste quite
as good as that grown, roasted and
blended in East Africa?
Quite simply, the answer is:
nowhere.
For me, this view holds good
whether you’re sipping a creamy
latte in a Cafesserie outlet in
Kampala, enjoying a sophisticated
macchiato at a Java House in Nairobi
or consuming an extra-strong
espresso at the Africafe in Arusha.
There is a common regional
thread here, namely, that in each
case the coffee is almost invariably
spot-on and perfectly created. In
fact, East Africa’s burgeoning coffee
houses are consistently judged to be
among the best in the world.
By contrast, it’s always a bit of
a disappointment to fly to Europe
and be greeted by what, at first
taste, seems to be a slightly inferior
product – even from one of those
internationally recognised coffee
shop chains that have proliferated in
the past decade.
In East Africa, Tanzania and Kenya
can both claim top billing when it
comes to which nation makes and
serves the best coffee. And that’s
without even considering the equally
compelling arguments for coffee
makers in Uganda and Rwanda who
also believe their product is unrivalled.
But as fastjet is based in Dar es
Salaam, and purely for the purposes
of this article, we shall take it as read
that Tanzanian coffee is number one
and shall quietly ignore the compet-
ing claims of its neighbours.
Local demand
In years gone by, when there was
little in the way of local demand,
Tanzania’s best coffee traditionally
went for export. This is one of the
reasons why ‘export quality’ coffee
has always been the most prized.
This situation has changed, however,
and customers in upmarket cafés
across the country are probably
enjoying what is export-grade coffee
– even if this is not readily available
in the local market and is otherwise
found only in high-end supermar-
kets and specialist outlets.
Perhaps it’s because the
beans don’t have a long way
to travel from farm to cup,
or because roasting and
grinding is in the DNA of its
people, but East Africa really
has a claim to fame here. In the
past few years, the finest coffee
has given rise to a lively café culture
– one that is at variance with the
common but misleading world view
of Africa as a poor continent in need
of handouts.
East Africans have been quick to
develop a fondness for top-quality
coffee and to embrace a lifestyle
once seen only in American TV
sitcoms like ‘Friends’ and ‘Frasier’. So
we now have the obligatory coffee
shop meetings and hurried morning
take-outs on the way to the office –
or, when time allows, a comfortable
corner seat with a newspaper and the
inevitable laptop or tablet. It’s not
Manhattan or Seattle, but it’s some-
thing pretty close – only better.
travelsmart20
Wake up and smell
THE WORLD’S BEST COFFEE
East African coffeeRises to the challenge
By Gary Gimson
fastjet.com 21
PLANTATION VISITSThere’s a delightful extra dimension to the coffee-consuming process in East Africa that is not always found elsewhere, and that is a visit to a plantation.
In Tanzania, for example, some of the coffee plantations are as well known as the brands. The Shangri-La Estate (famous for its Ngorongoro Mountain Coffee label), the Blackburn Coffee Estate and the Ngila Estate are just some of the places where visitors can taste the home-grown coffee in situ and watch the aromatic Arabica AA beans being roasted.
All of these farms and brands like to emphasise their eco-credentials and consequently they charge a premium price for their coffee – and there’s nothing wrong with that.
At Blackburn the estate is largely reserved for nature, so there is a lot of local flora and fauna on view. Special bio-corridors have been estab-lished to divert larger animals such as elephants around the farm.
Some farms also encourage stay-overs and offer high-end accommodation within the plantation. One such is the Shangri-La’s The Manor at Ngorongoro, a splendid Cape Dutch-style house with stables – highly recom-mended but, as you might expect, on the pricey side.
Meanwhile, a more homespun type of coffee, produced by growers’ cooperatives such as those around Mount Meru, is becoming more popular.
These Fairtrade-style operations, such as the local brand Wild Tracks, claim to pay small coffee farmers a much higher price – some-times up to three times the going market rate – for their produce, which is very laudable. And there is a certain type of consumer who is happy to pay over the odds for coffee if other-wise impoverished farmers are going to benefit from their largesse.
But is the cooperative coffee actually any good? The answer is an unequivocal ‘Yes!’
Tanzania and Kenya can both claim top
billing when it comes to which nation makes and
serves the best coffee
travelsmart22
JOINT VENTURE WITH A
SPARKLING FUTURE
Q. How did URU Diamonds begin?
A. George and I were dealing in
gemstones, mostly diamonds and
tanzanite. This is what inspired us to
start making jewellery using these.
It took years to develop the first
designs as we wanted the bracelets
to complement the rough stones.
Q. What is the manufacturing
process like?
A. Everything is handmade at the
URU factory. We import the silver
and threads because we don’t want
to compromise on quality. It’s a very
long and detailed process, but to
begin, the pieces are first carved
out of wax. Over the years we have
perfected a technique of setting
and casting the stones directly into
gold or silver, which can take 10 to
15 hours. After the silver pieces have
been polished, they are woven onto
URU straps in our thread depart-
ment. The straps are created from
as much as 40 metres of thread and
the thread work alone can take up to
five hours.
Q. Where do the diamonds come
from?
A. We are currently using stones
from all over Tanzania but we are
also working on new ideas that
include diamonds from other parts
of the continent. We are actually
working on a documentary series
about how URU travels around the
bush in Africa in search of stones.
The programme will show how the
company builds relationships with
small-scale miners.
Q. What is your most popular
piece of jewellery?
A. The URU Gold collection is
always a best-seller. We sell in 15
different countries and all kinds of
people are URU fans, which is great.
We are also proud that many celebri-
ties also wear the brand, including
Beyoncé and Orlando Bloom.
fastjet.com 23
Luxury jewelleryURU Diamonds
By Kate Wingar
When gemologist George Assaf and Danish entrepreneur Iver Rosenkrantz joined forces to create a collection of luxury jewellery, no one could predict how successful they would become. With a shared passion for rough gemstones, they developed the URU Diamonds brand. Six years later, URU Diamonds is one of Tanzania’s most sought-after jewellery ranges. Iver spoke to fastjet about the joint venture.
URUDiamonds
Q. How often do you bring out
new designs?
A. We continuously create new
designs for URU Diamonds custom-
ers and have lots coming out in the
near future. At the moment we’re
exploring various materials. Our
latest collection features ostrich
leather.
Q. How many employees does
URU have?
A. Our team consists of 40
employees, all of whom have been
trained by us. We are building a
luxury international brand, which
is quite unheard of in Tanzania, but
this is a challenge we have taken on
with pleasure. URU Diamonds is a
company that will change the lives
of many Tanzanians, from the staff
who have gained skills and industry
experience to the thousands of
small-scale miners who make a living
by supplying URU stones.
Q. Are you surprised by the
company’s success?
A. Yes. URU Diamonds’ prod-
ucts are sold in some of the most
exclusive stores around the world.
We have been presented alongside
Bono’s brand EDUN at the New York
Fashion Week for the last two years.
And considering the brand started
underneath a palm tree at the beach
in Dar es Salaam, yes, it still hasn’t
sunk in.
Q. Are you proud of your
achievements?
A. George and I are so grateful for
the way URU has been received and
how much people appreciate what
we do. So much time and effort has
been invested into the company, so
we are very proud and happy.
Q. What does the future look like
for URU Diamonds?
A. We want to be the biggest
luxury jewellery brand in Africa.
Even though our workshop is the
biggest in East Africa, we are hoping
to expand further. URU is constantly
evolving. This is what we are all
about and what makes us different
from other diamond companies.
fastjet.com 25
URUDiamonds
The future’s brightFor URU Diamonds
COMPETITION Will you be our shining winner? Solve the clue for a chance to win a URU Diamonds bracelet.
Would you like to win a URU Diamonds bracelet? To win this exclusive, elegant piece of jewellery, simply use the clue below to locate the code word hidden on another page of this travelsmart magazine.
CLUE:
Over 360,000 ‘likes’ to our name,
go to the News Desk to solve this game.
PopUpBongo
From retail shops in old school
buses and restaurants in front
rooms to gigs in gardens,
galleries in launderettes and cine-
mas in disused petrol stations –
pop-ups have taken off around the
world and have been on the African
retail horizon for a while now.
As more brands and young entre-
preneurs catch on to the advantages
of the new trend, we can expect to
see an array of unique businesses
popping up at venues across Africa.
Now, Tanzania has its own pop-up
fashion event to shout about. Pop
Up Bongo is Dar es Salaam’s first
fleeting retail shop that is open for
just a day.
Pop Up Bongo
Pop Up Bongo was started by Tanya
Mulamula, founder of the fashion
and lifestyle public relations firm
Studio Red, and Natasha Stambuli,
who owns the up-and-coming
vintage clothing store Secret Habits.
Tanya and Natasha wanted to
create a platform for modern brands
to showcase their products outside
of fashion shows while offering a
memorable, fun and exclusive shop-
ping experience for the rest of us.
Bongo is a slang word to describe
all things Tanzanian, and the fashion
event certainly encompasses that.
Held every three to four months,
at various locations and with new
brands participating each time,
Pop Up Bongo generates a lot of
excitement and buzz for Tanzanian
businesses.
The first Pop Up Bongo – at The
Terrace, Slipway, Dar es Salaam
on 28 June 2014 – featured local
brands Secret Habits and Atsoko.
Around 80 customers stopped by to
indulge in an afternoon of shopping,
music, cocktails and entertainment.
Bongo’s second and third pop-up
shops drew more than 200 shop-
travelsmart26
By Kate WingarAll pictures courtesy of OGS Studios
Happy shoppersGrab a bargain
Bongo is a slang word to describe all things Tanzanian,
and the fashion event certainly encompasses that
POP-UP SHOP ’TIL YOU DROP
pers, desperate to grab a bargain.
The fourth Pop Up Bongo was
held on 7 March 2015 at a new loca-
tion, the Triniti Bar in Oyster Bay. A
large collection of local designers,
luxury brands and great boutiques
made for a splendid day out. While
the DJ kept those who were not
shopping entertained with a mix of
popular music.
Fourth event
Pop Up Bongo initially started with
just two brands, but the fourth event
proved how far Tanya and Natasha
have come as 10 brands took part.
And local designers were the biggest
hit with the estimated 300 attend-
ees. Tanya spoke to fastjet about the
latest pop-up show:
“People want a social experience
with great music, food and drinks.
The fourth edition merged shop-
fastjet.com 27
ping with all of that. A few of the
fantastic brands at the forth event
included: Happy Socks, Nyumbani
Designs, Schwari Collections,
Secret Habits, City Soles, H
& A Dress to Impress and
AFR Clothing. Ladies who
wanted a glimpse of the
latest collection and to
purchase a one-of-a-
kind piece surrounded
Nyumbani Design’s stall.
“Meanwhile, Happy Socks Tanzania
had the men lining up to get a pair of
funky, crazy coloured socks, boxers
or briefs. Our Henna artist, Sybha
Sheikh, treated shoppers to tempo-
rary and safe body art using tradi-
tional, modern and custom designs.
Schwari Collections
“Schwari Collections, a family-run
fashion label headed by Francesca
Scalfari, travelled from Zanzibar to
participate. The collection, which
was inspired by the Zanzibari coast,
proved popular and offered a wide
variety of clothing for shoppers to
purchase.”
Pop Up Bongo not only encourages
designers and business entrepreneurs
to push the boundaries by evolv-
ing with modern society, but also
helps them to catch the eye of new
customers as well as interacting with
fastjet.com 29
PopUpBongo
BONGO BRANDS Here’s a selection from the many brands that have been involved since the inception of Pop-Up Bongo.
Enjipai creates gorgeous hand-crafted accesso-ries and leather products including Maasai jewel-lery, wallets and belts. Accessories are a girl’s best friend, after all.
PSJ Couture produces fitted tailored suits and causal wear mixed with Western and East African prints – great for men who don’t like to follow the fashion crowd.
Secret Habits sells second-hand clothing at afford-able discounted prices. We do love a bargain.
Puku is a powerful, portable and battery charger for smartphones and tablets. This electronic item has become the perfect fashion accessory, and allows us more time to take selfies – is there anything handier?
Atsoko is a popular makeup store that aims to provide quality, but affordable makeup. Atsoko is one of a few stores to sell the much sought-after Sleek Make Up and Depend Cosmetics – Yippee!
Happy Socks Tanzania helps your feet stand out from the crowd with its bold designs and bright patterns. Just remember that socks with sandals are a fashion disaster waiting to happen.
Nyumbani Design is a jewellery brand inspired by the beauty and colours of the Swahili coast. Each piece is sculpted by hand from different sections of wood, ensuring that no two pieces are the same.
Henna Hub Fancy trying something different? Visit the Henna Hub and try out an interesting pattern with some henna art. Fun, fashionable and only temporary.
current customers.
“Pop Up Bongo has
been received so
positively and has
had a great effect
on Tanzania’s fashion
industry,” said Tanya.
“Before we launched
the idea, there were shopping
festivals and so forth, but no pop-up
shops. Fast forward to today and
we can see the trend rising in Dar es
Salaam. It’s a great privilege, as well,
that many of these schemes are using
Pop Up Bongo as a reference when
creating their new projects.
“Pop-up Shops are taking over the
retail world by giving shoppers an
alternative and innovative shopping
experience that is different to the
traditional retail shops.
People hang out in bars
and restaurants at the
weekends, so we have
followed customers
and taken the shopping
experience to them,
creating an exciting
afternoon of shopping,
music and drinks.”
When asked about
the response Bongo has received,
Tanya said:
“Brands have been so pleased
and positive about the awareness,
increased visibility and sales that Pop
Up Bongo has generated for them.
The fourth edition of Pop Up Bongo
really shows that such a platform is
needed, as there were more brands
requesting to take part than allo-
cated slots. So many were put on a
waiting list. The demand is there.”
So, having conquered Dar es
Salaam, what’s next for Pop Up
Bongo?
“We focus mainly on Tanzanian
brands and hope to expand out
of Dar es Salaam, popping up
shops in major cities around the
country. But expanding to other
countries in Africa is definitely a
long-term vision. There’s a possibil-
ity of taking the most promising
Tanzanian brands and travelling to
other countries and having Pop Up
Bongo in Nairobi, Johannesburg,
Kigali or Cape Town. That is an excit-
ing thought; but for now Dar is our
priority.”
Bongo fans
Pop Up Bongo has fans from all
walks of life, including musicians
and fashion bloggers to socialites
and entertainers. Tanzania’s trendy
fashionistas support Bongo’s local
designers and love to be seen in
their clothes. There is something
for everyone, with beauty prod-
ucts, makeup, clothing, jewellery,
fastjet.com 31
PopUpBongo
FIVE ADVANTAGES OF A POP-UP SHOPThe buzz factorPop-ups generate a lot of attention and draw in crowds. They create a buzz around a product or promotion.
Easy on the pocketPop-up venues are cheaper to rent because they are temporary and tend to be smaller than a conventional shop. This makes them ideal for new businesses.
Short-termInstead of being stuck in a long-term commit-ment, pop-ups give businesses more of a free rein. Brands can open at certain times of the year and close during the slower months, change venues every month or even transform the service from one week to the next.
Spontaneity The uncertain and brief nature of pop-ups encourages impulse buying. Shoppers are more likely to buy an item presented as ‘limited edition’ or at a discounted price and will be tempted to take the plunge rather than miss out on a bargain.
AwarenessThe new trend allows businesses to extend their brand and build awareness, interact with customers in person and gauge their response to new products.
shoes and handbags all to be
found among the participat-
ing Bongo brands. If you’ve
missed out on the first four
Pop Up Bongos, make sure
you don’t miss a bargain at
the next one in August.
A demand for fashion
From Tanzania’s trendiest
R250 250
BargainHunting
travelsmart32
BUDGETING YOUR BUCKS
IN JO’BURGSightseeing doesn’t have to be expensive, especially
if you do it right. Here’s what you can see and do in Jo’burg for only a few bucks.
By Iga Motylska
R250 250
Eish* times are tough, that much is true; but travelling need
not send you home broke. Here are some mahala (free) and
affordable things to do in Africa’s city of gold. All of them cost
less than R250, which will make you want to extend your stay –
not only because you can afford to, but because you want to.
Africa’s rooftop
When was the last time you stood on the continent’s tallest skyscraper? Well, for R15 – less than you would pay for lunch – you can take the eleva-tor to the 50th floor of the 223 metre high Carlton Centre (open from 9 am daily, 150 Commis-sioner Street, Tel: +27(0)11-308-1331). From this glass gallery, you can watch toy cars weave their way through grid-iron streets that stretch to the horizon. From this lookout point you can effectively see a 3D map of many of the places you’ll visit next. Don’t forget to take your camera to capture this grand city-scape from all sides.
Jazz it up
The Orbit jazz club and bistro is the new home for jazz in Johan-nesburg. It hosts local and inter-national musicians as well as poets and spoken word artists (Tuesday
to Sunday, 8.30 pm, 81 De Korte Street, www.theorbit.co.za, concerts from R40 to R120). The melodies from a German piano can be heard in the
restaurant downstairs and if you’re a wine connoisseur, and happen to be in town
on the last Saturday of the month, then you can’t forgo an afternoon wine tasting at The Orbit (www.thewin-eschool.co.za, R195).
Digging for gold?
The gold mines are the reason why we call Johannesburg the city of gold. Learn about its begin-
nings in the late 1800s on a two-hour mine tour at Gold Reef City (Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 3 pm, Northern Parkway and Data Cres-cent, Ormonde, www.goldreefcity.co.za, R180). Put on a hard hat and descend 75 metres by lift into the depths
of the earth. While it’s nowhere near the 3.9 km depth of some of the world’s deepest mines, such as Mponeng in South Africa, you’ll get an idea of what it’s like to be a Jo’burg miner and learn about this key industry. Later you can try your luck at panning for gold in ice-cold waters and watch molten gold being poured. The mine site has been converted into a themed amusement park which is included in the cost of your ticket.
fastjet.com 33
IN JO’BURG
*Eish is a South African exclamation of surprise
Pan for goldGold Reef City
The Orbit
Go sandboarding
Yes, I know Jo’burg doesn’t have a desert or even sand dunes, but it does have the East Rand mine dumps. Sandboarding is one of the fastest-growing ‘under-ground’ sports in South Africa and Pure Rush will fulfil your need for speed by strapping your feet into a sandboard. After a lesson with an instructor you’ll be gliding along the sand dunes of Mount Mayhen, even without prior experience (Saturday and Sunday, 10.30 am to 3.30 pm, www.pure-rush.co.za, R250).
Be wowed by Wits
Wits University won’t easily bore you as there is lots to keep your mind occupied, from an hour-long show of the heavens at the Wits Planetarium (www. plane-tarium.co.za, R40) to the Wits Art Museum (WAM), which houses a collection of historical and contemporary African art from across the continent as well as travelling exhibitions and events (Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm, free: donations welcome). While you’re there, it’s worth visiting the Wits Origins Centre to trace the history of mankind to its African source 80,000 years ago. The museum focuses on the san and khoi people (Monday to Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm, corner Yale Road and Enoch Sontonga Avenue, R60).
See, now that didn’t break the bank, did it?
fastjet.com 35
BargainHunting
Stay occupiedWits University
Laugh out loud
Get a taste of South African humour at the comedy night in Kitchener’s Carvery Bar, which is over a century old and still has its original fittings and trimmings (every Tuesday, 8 pm, 71 Juta Street, Braamfontein, www.face-book.com/barkitcheners, R20 to R30). This is the place to enjoy traditional pub food like burgers, fish and chips and samosas.
Otherwise, each Sunday night there’s The Box stand-up comedy gig at POPArt Performing Arts Centre in Maboneng (Sundays, 7.30 pm, 286 Fox Street, Mabo-neng, www.popartcentre.co.za, R50). You can dine first at one of the many restaurants and cafés along Fox Street (www.mabo-nengprecinct.com/entertain-ment/restaurants). There’s the Chalkboard, which makes pizzas and sells craft beers; House of Baobab, which serves a Sunday Afrikan Buffet; and Pata Pata, which also has a selection of Afri-can cuisine. If you really want to go authentic, try the Sha’p Braai Stand on Kruger Street for some traditional street-style South Afri-can barbecue (known as braai).
Pure RushEast Rand mine dumpsM
acus Malum
ba
UgandaBeekeeping
When the phrase ‘endan-
gered species’ is
mentioned, often images
of elephants, giraffes, rhinos and
other animals come to mind. But it
is actually one of the lesser-known
and increasingly threatened species,
the humble bumble bee, which is
facing a steep decline in numbers in
various parts of the world.
In Uganda, however, the bee
population is flourishing thanks
to the fertile land and dedication
from beekeepers and beekeeping
organisations, including the EWI –
EastWest Innovations – who have
been producing delicious honey
for over a decade, whilst ensuring
sustainability, quality and traceability
of their product.
The life of worker bees – those
that produce honey – is just 45 to 60
days long, and during this short life,
each bee will produce only about
half a tablespoon of honey. It is
therefore incredibly important that
the colonies of bees are kept in tip-
top condition in order to produce
the best-tasting honey for scores of
happy honey lovers. The beekeep-
ers themselves, however, have
possibly the best outcome from
this situation, as the farmers will
have the opportunity to learn about
apiculture and the methods needed
to produce high-quality products
which meet the demands of local
and international markets.
The main role of a beekeeper is to
ensure that the bees and their hives
are in good condition, so that the
best-quality honey can be produced.
When the honey, beeswax or propo-
lis is ready, it is then up to the keeper
to extract it from the hive and check
the honey’s quality, making sure it
meets the industry standards.
Learn to bee a keeper
The benefits of beekeeping are so
great, not only for the farmer, but
also for the bees and the commu-
nity, that there are many schools
and training schemes set up around
Uganda in order to help farmers
start a career in beekeeping, or
expand on existing skills. This formal
training helps the farmers to learn
the requirements needed to be a
successful beekeeper and help them
to bring in a regular supplementary
or main income.
travelsmart36
Making a beeline for Uganda’s apiculture industry
SUGAR, OH, HONEY, HONEY!
Delicious honeyUganda’s flourishing
bee trade
By Kirsten Alexander
The training classes run by East-
West Innovations Uganda involve
both practical and theoretical
lessons, so the aspiring farmers can
get hands-on with the bees and learn
how to look after them practically,
as well as learning the theoretical
side of beekeeping, such as bee
biology. Established in 2010 as the
first beekeeping training school in
Uganda, the BEST programme (Bring-
ing Ecology and Society Together)
has seen many people graduate from
their programme as trained beekeep-
ers, and in turn, help Uganda’s apicul-
ture industry to flourish.
fastjet.com 37
BEST OF THE BEEHoney is the main product from bees, but there are also large, international markets for other things that the bees have been busy making.
Beeswax: A multipurpose wonder product with seemingly endless benefits. Beeswax has a multitude of uses, from prevent-ing rust and making colouring crayons to waterproofing shoes and styling hair – the list goes on.
Propolis: Honey bees collect propolis from the natural flora to use as a sealant in their hive. In humans, however, propolis is said to be beneficial in treating minor health complaints such as cold sores and acne, and also support-ing the immune system.
Royal jelly: Getting its name from its use to nurture the queen bees, royal jelly has been said to be beneficial for skin and hair, thanks to its high percentage of vitamins, amino acids and miner-als. It has been suggested that royal jelly can be useful in reduc-ing cholesterol, and is also good for improving skin when taken as a supplement or as an ingredient in skincare products.
The benefits of beekeeping are so great for not only
the farmer, but also the bees and the
community
Harare
Often considered one of the most attractive capital cities in southern Africa, Harare oozes African
summertime all year round, making it an exciting and unique destination.
travelsmart38
48 hours in Harare
GET AHEAD OF THE BUSTLING CROWDS…
Five-star hotel
Meikles Hotel is located in the city centre, with excellent access to shops, restaurants, bars and attractions as well as great transport links. This five-star hotel offers a wide range of luxurious accom-modation with views over the gardens of Africa Unity Square and has excellent facilities including a pool deck and gym.
Take a break
Whether you only have time for coffee and cake, or are devoting time to a long lunch, make sure you head to Pistachio. The ambience of the restaurant adds to the delicious food and drinks, making Pistachio a top choice when in Harare. The fresh juices are unmissable.
Nature’s finest
Just outside the city’s hustle and bustle is Thetford Game Reserve, which offers spectacular views over Lake Mazowe and is home to over 900 animals. Take a game drive or a walking trail to experience the best of Zimbabwe’s wildlife.
Fantastic fusion
Tucked away in four acres of beautifully landscaped garden is Amanzi, a fusion restaurant with an exciting and tempting menu and an impressive wine list. From roasted quail to kudu fillet to grilled baby octopus, diners will surely not be disap-pointed. Amanzi has also introduced a popular tapas menu to tickle those taste buds. Head there on a Thurs-day evening for live music to accompany the beautiful food and surroundings.
As the cultural hub of Zimbabwe, there is a vibrancy to Harare that makes it very appealing to both tourists and business visitors. Get ahead of the crowds of tourists and check out Harare before everyone else, with fastjet’s guide to spending 48 hours in Harare.
fastjet.com 39
The wild side
Enjoy a unique morning experience at popular animal sanctuary Wild is Life, where endangered and orphaned animals have been given a new home. Visitors can get a close-up view of these extraordinary animals, including lions, giraffes, zebras and more.
Shop till you drop
Head to Doon Estate, just outside Harare, if you fancy a spot of retail therapy. The perfect mix of food, shop-ping and culture, Doon Estate is a great place to step out of the city for an after-noon and browse for some memorable gifts to take back with you. Don’t forget to check out the sculpture park nearby.
Get cultured
The Book Café is an arts community centre that offers live music every night except Sunday, as well as poetry readings, film screen-ings and, of course, a great café. It’s the perfect place to spend an evening absorbing the local culture over a good cup of coffee.
Cocktail o’clock
Cocktails lovers should head to the Maestro Restro Lounge and Bar to experi-ence some amazing drinks and great vibes and prepare themselves for an exciting evening. Check out their events calendar, as they often have music evenings including jazz and house music.
Wild is LifeZim’s animal sanctuary
For me, cooking has always
been a skill I have desperately
tried to master, but with little
success. Being able to cook is a very
handy, attractive and impressive
talent to have. But it seems that,
whatever I do, I can never get it
quite right. My timing is off, I use
too many ingredients, I aim to make
something far too extravagant and
beyond my capabilities that just
leads to a mess on the plate. And I
have even tried to bake a cake with
the oven turned off.
So when African Sunsets Events
Management came up with ‘Master-
cook Zambia’, I knew I was in luck.
‘Mastercook Zambia’ is a reality TV
show that provides some of the coun-
try’s best professional and amateur
chefs with the opportunity to break
into the Zambian culinary scene. In
a format similar to the BBC’s popular
‘MasterChef’ programme, 15 contest-
ants from across Zambia are selected
to take part in a competition to cook
various dishes and perform cookery-
related tasks before a panel of judges.
Contestants
Contestants are then eliminated
after every task until the four final-
ists are left standing. The final four
competitors will take part in the
grand final in Livingstone that will
culminate in the crowning of our
‘Mastercook Zambia’ professional
and amateur winners.
Last year was a significant one for
the foodies of Zambia. Diners have
become more adventurous, restau-
rants have raised their game in a bid
to keep up with the rest of East Africa,
and a general love of quality food has
spread like wildfire. But would the
chefs live up to expectations?
fastjet.com 41
MastercookZambia
READY, STEADY, COOK!
Chefs battle it outMastercook Zambia
‘Mastercook Zambia’ is a reality TV show that provides some of the country’s best professional and
amateur chefs with the opportunity to break into the Zambian culinary scene
By Grace Nyondo
MastercookZambia
The first task took place on 6
December 2014 and provided a
perfect opportunity for the ambi-
tious cooks to show off their talents.
The Lusaka chefs had to produce a
five-star menu and fine dining expe-
rience for VIP guests at a red carpet,
black tie event held in the city’s
Portico Italian Restaurant.
‘Matebeto Challenge’
On 7 February 2015 the ‘Master-
cook’ chefs took part in the
‘Matebeto Challenge’ at Kunzubo
Lodge in Roma. Competitors had
to cook their favourite Zambian
dishes on behalf of a bride’s family
to present to the groom’s family.
Zambia’s native cuisine is based on
nshima, a cooked porridge made
from ground maize. Nshima is
normally accompanied by a tasty
relish made of meat and tomatoes
or dried fish and vegetables or
vinkubala and beans.
Despite blood, sweat and tears
going into their dishes, the chefs
successfully showcased Zambian
food and culture through the tradi-
tion of Matebeto.
‘Mastercook Zambia’ is due to
be broadcast in April this year and
I can’t wait to pick up more expert
culinary tips and quirky cooking
knowledge. To keep up to date with
the competition, follow: www.face-
book.com/Mastercookzambia
travelsmart42
THE CONTESTANTSPROFESSIONALS Darryl Freeman Executive Chef, David Livingstone Hotel
Kelvin Lifumbo Junior Sous Chef, David Livingstone Hotel
Moses Shabalala Executive Chef, Waterberry Lodge, Livingstone
Jessie Chipindo Head Chef, Dulce and Banana Restaurant, Lusaka
Wezi Longwe Sous Chef, Misty Restaurant and Jazz Bar, Lusaka
Kennedy MwanzaExecutive Chef, Chrismar Hotel, Living-stone
Martin BwembyaExecutive Chef, FQM Executive Lodge, Ndola
Alexander PhiriExecutive Chef, Michelangelo Restaurant, Ndola
Martin MphangaHead Chef, Misty Restaurant, Lusaka
Jamey TownsendHead Chef, Four Seasons Bistro, Lusaka
Richard NgomaSous Chef, Katuta Lodge, Chipata
AMATEURSKakoma MutendaLusaka
Shantal MeyerLivingstone
Prudence Mulenga PtchujarNdola
Chrispin SitaliLivingstone
THE JUDGESPixie Kasonde-Yangailo Food writer for AWIL and administrator of the Kupikilila Recipe Exchange Group
Nick Moyo Shaka’s Grill Restaurant and Chang Thai Restaurant
Alessandra Troielli Portico Italian Restaurant and Casa Portico Restaurant
Mastercook chefsTaste success
BOOK NOW FOR THE NEXT ISSUE
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NileRiverFestival
It’s pretty famous and regu-
larly mentioned. We’ve all had
in-depth conversations about it
(or heated debates in my family’s
case), it’s often featured high on
the list of ‘must see’ destinations
for most people, and it’s one of
the Seven Natural Wonders of the
world. But how many of us can say
we’ve been kayaking on it?
Yes, I’m of course talking about
the River Nile.
While not all of us are as adven-
turous as we like to think, 30
competitors put the rest of us couch
potatoes to shame by taking part in
the internationally renowned Nile
River Festival. The 10th anniversary
of the competition in January this
year once again drew in kayakers
from around the globe.
The Nile River Festival makes the
most of a 40 km section of challeng-
ing white water, perfect for playboat-
ing, near Jinja in Uganda. The four-
day annual event, hosted by Kayak
the Nile, kicked off on 22 January with
opening celebrations and the keenly
anticipated first contest.
While the competitors eagerly
lined up, ready to drop off the
intimidating kayak ramp as the sun
set over Bujagali Lake, spectators and
supporters, including concerned girl-
friends and blubbering mothers, had
an optimal view from the cruise boat.
Ramp approaches
Some contestants took a standard
approach to the ramp, opting for
‘airscrews’ and ‘back pan ams’ off
the lip, whereas others were more
resourceful, choosing to ride jerry
cans, or each other. As you might
expect, there were some entertain-
ing crashes and utter carnage with
the top prize being awarded to Yusuf
Basalirwa for his impressive air skills
and stylish landings. Also of note was
the runner-up, Craig Dahl, the young-
travelsmart44
Nile River Festival
WE’LL HAVE A PADDLE OF FUN
est competitor at just 11 years old.
The second day featured the
almighty endurance race. Competi-
tors had to paddle 30 km in pairs
from the Bujagali Dam to the Hairy
Lemon Island, overcoming rapids
from Grade 1 to Grade 5 along the
way (Grade 5 has a skill level of
‘expert’ with continuous rapids,
large waves and rocks that can cause
serious injury or even death). At the
end of their mammoth paddling
effort, contestants had to negoti-
ate a slip-and-slide obstacle course
before clocking a finishing time.
The first five pairs finished within
a tantalisingly close seven minutes
of each other. The fastest time, a
blistering two hours and 32 minutes,
was recorded by local competitors
Jackson Two and Musa Mutamba,
who have now won this event of the
festival for the second year in a row.
After a complete domination by
Ugandan paddlers the previous day,
day three of the festival saw the
international competitors gaining
one back. Kayakers from countries
including the USA, Germany and
Great Britain showcased their talents
in the Nile Special Freestyle battle.
The scoring system encourages
paddlers to ‘go big or go home’, with
each competitor’s three most stylish
tricks counting towards a final score.
Sam Ward won the final, setting an
extremely high standard with his
huge airscrews and blunt/back pan
am combos (which look similar to a
cartwheel). Just behind in second
place was Junior European cham-
pion Bren Orton, who chooses the
Nile every winter as his off-season
training ground. In the women’s
category, Emily Ward placed first,
followed closely by Lowri Davis and
Jessie Stone.
Challenge
The grand finale and formidable
challenge of day four was held at
the notorious Itanda Falls. The rules
challenged paddlers to be not only
quick but imaginative down the
awesome Grade 5 rapid. Spectators
were treated to a new event record of
one minute 15.65 seconds set by Yusuf
Basalirwa in the head-to-head heats.
In the final, however, it was all
about style and creativity. Crowd
favourite Sadat Kawawa took the
win with his slick tricks and smooth
technique. David Luhiho and Musa
Mutamba, both from Uganda,
followed closely and tied for second
place, opting for cartwheels and
kickflips on their way down the
main line. Having entered the final
round a strong favourite, Basalirwa
took an unfortunate swim after an
equipment malfunction and left the
crowds on the edge of their seats as
he was left to swim over the most
treacherous part of this challenging
and dangerous rapid.
After a solid overall performance,
Musa Mutamba claimed the prize for
overall event winner. Local competi-
tor Aminah Nailrya also put in a stel-
lar performance to win the overall
women’s category.
Each year the Nile River Festival
goes from strength to strength. The
calibre of paddlers who compete,
alongside the progression of
Uganda’s kayakers, has meant that
international enthusiasts and well-
known sponsors are starting to take
notice. The high standard of competi-
tion, as well as the fun and laid-back
atmosphere, makes the festival an
outstanding weekend event for
contestants and spectators. The 2016
festival is set to be even bigger, with
the largest cash prize to date, more
live music, more for spectators and
more for competitors to be a part of.
See you there!
The Nile River Festival makes the most of a 40 km section
of challenging white water, perfect for playboating
fastjet.com 45
Stiff competitionFrom international competitors
Fun in the sunKayakers from
around the globe
CommunityHeroes
Whenever you pick up a newspaper, watch TV or listen to the radio, you are bombarded with bad news. Very few ‘success stories’ make the front page. But fastjet plans to change this. We want to focus on people who are willing to do something for others, whether it’s giving up spare time, parting with money or simply being kind. We think they deserve recognition. These are fastjet’s Community Heroes.
Genious Musokotwane
Genious Musokotwane is a 22-year-old youth activist who, since 2008, has been fighting against forced child marriage and exploitation in the southern province of Zambia.
Genious, is the founder and executive director of Musokotwane Compassion Mission Zambia (MCMZ), a non profit organisation that aims to improve and encourage youth development. The MCMZ ‘Get Back to School Aid’ programme strives to prevent children from dropping out of school at primary level and promotes equal opportunities in education.
Since 2008 Genious and the MCMZ have sent over 100 primary school leavers back into education, supporting them with school basics such as exercise books, uniforms and school fees.
Child Rescue Aid is another initiative developed by Genious. In collaboration with Zambia Police Service
and the Victim Support Unit, each year over 20 children forced into marriage are rescued and rein-stated back into school. The services offered to victims include temporary shelter, food, medical care, life skills training, counselling and guidance.
Genious told fastjet: “Our main goal is to amplify the voices of the voiceless and give hope to those who have lost it. It’s fundamental that people support their local communities for they face truly complex problems that are beyond poverty levels. It’s great to be part of something which will, in turn, change the lives of African children and
people in the community.”
travelsmart46
In a world full of bad news and harsh deeds…
Let’s try a little tenderness
Mercy Kitomari
Since becoming a full-time CEO and self-made entrepreneur in September 2013 Mercy Kitomari, has created jobs for various disadvantaged people. Mercy’s team now consists of employees from all backgrounds.
Mercy is the entrepreneur behind Nelwa’s Gelato, an organic ice cream company based in Tanzania, and she supports her community by sourcing ingredients from local fruit farmers. She has also been featured in Fema Magazine for inspiring many to stay positive in the face of bureaucratic corruption.
Mercy continues to motivate young people and women through public speaking. Her recent BBC interview, entitled ‘African Dream’, has inspired a wide following.
“Many young people and women have dreams but don’t yet have the guts to take a leap of faith,” Mercy told fastjet. “I believe in equality and feel that you cannot just take in life, you have to give back. There-fore, my local community has become my ambas-sador. I am hoping to create more jobs in the future and I would love to inspire girls to be independent while leading a life of purpose.”
Carley Andrews
In 2007 Carley Andrews moved from Australia to Tanzania. Within two years she had co-founded Ujamaa Children’s Home in Arusha.
Ujamaa isn’t just an orphanage; it’s a home provid-ing care to vulnerable children throughout the region. Carley and her team offer the highest level
of supervision and education by maintaining small numbers and raising the children in a close-knit family environment where they live together as brothers and sisters – a bond that continues for the rest of their lives.
Carley told fastjet: “We give our kids the chance to live happy and fulfilled lives as adults by providing primary and secondary education as well as support with further study, such as university. This is a long-term commitment and we are excited to see our children grow into the exceptional adults we know they have the potential to become. ”
There are currently 10 children living in Ujamaa but Carley and her team hope to take in more this year once the building of a permanent home (housing up to 20 children) is completed.
fastjet.com 47
To learn more about the organisation, visit: www.ujamaachildren.com
‘I believe in equality and feel that you cannot just take in life, you have to give back’
‘We give our kids the chance to live happy and fulfilled lives’
travelsmart48
William Zelothe loves
flying. In fact, when
travelsmart asked him
about his sports and hobbies, he
said: “Flying is the only hobby I
have – which is lucky, as it’s part of
my daily activities.”
William, aged 30, is the first
Maasai and the first Tanzanian to be
employed by fastjet as a pilot. Now
he hopes his example may inspire
fellow countrymen to seek a career
in the aviation sector and share the
thrill of being part of the flight deck
team. “I’m looking to many more
Tanzanians to join,” he said.
With the rank of Senior First
Officer, under the overall charge of
the captain, William is part of the
Airbus 319 flight crew deployed by
fastjet on its domestic and inter-
national routes. Within Tanzania
he flies between Julius Nyerere
International – the airline’s hub in
Dar es Salaam – and the key destina-
tions of Kilimanjaro, Mwanza and
Mbeya. Out of Tanzania, he flies to
Lusaka (Zambia), Harare (Zimbabwe),
Johannesburg (South Africa) and
Entebbe (Uganda).
As the airline’s Senior First Officer,
what does his job entail? “It involves
operating under company stand-
ardised procedures; planning how
to conduct each phase of the flight;
prioritising what has to be done on the
flight deck in each phase and at what
time; sharing duties with other crew
members; monitoring the progress of
the flight; and having options ready if
things don’t go as planned.”
Does he find the job demand-
ing? “Nothing is challenging if there
is proper planning and a positive
attitude,” says William. For him, the
most rewarding part is “making our
customers happy through safe and
comfortable flights”.
Priorities
Safety is a priority for any airline, and
fastjet is no exception. William was
involved in setting up the airline’s
safety system in his other role as
Flight Safety Officer.
William, who joined fastjet when
the airline commenced operations in
late 2012, is glad to have been given
the opportunity to further his avia-
tion career.
“I would have said it was a bright
future if the world was operating as
one village,” he told Travelsmart.
“Since it could grant access for many
people like me to advance their
career while sharing their talents.”
Away from work, in his leisure
time, he likes to watch documenta-
ries. But, as he says himself, his only
real ‘hobby’ is flying.
fastjet.com 49
WilliamZelothe
SKY’S THE LIMIT when you love your job
fastjet’s first Maasai pilotWilliam Zelothe
CAREER SO FARWilliam was born in Arusha and grew up in Dar es Salaam. He has been a pilot since 2006.
2007-2008: Pilot with Tanzania National Parks
2008-2012: Pilot, safety manager, training captain and proficiency/route examiner with Northern Air
2012: First officer with Fly540
October 2012 to date: Senior First Officer and Safety Officer, fastjet.
Senior First Officer William Zelothe, who is the first Maasai to become a pilot with fastjet, talks about his favourite hobby – flying.
‘Flying is the only hobby I have’
LOOK INSIDESouthern Sun, Dar es Salaam
fastjet.com 51
It’s not often you find a medium-
sized hotel with the atmosphere
of a small luxury boutique; but
for me, the Southern Sun in Dar es
Salaam has just that.
Despite having 152 rooms, the
Southern Sun pays a lot of atten-
tion to detail, making sure every
guest feels well looked after. From
the polite doormen and welcom-
ing front office staff to the caring
waiters and helpful managers, every
member of the Southern Sun family
goes that extra mile to ensure your
stay is a memorable one.
This friendly business hotel is a
great meeting place with ameni-
ties that include a business centre,
Wi-Fi services, a shop, a gym (where
I spent little time) and a bar (where
I spent a lot of time). The relax-
ing pool and gardens are just what
you need after a day of meetings
and conferences. Guests can even
step into Dar’s beautiful botanical
gardens from the hotel grounds.
The Southern Sun also has the
advantage of a wonderful location.
With the beach just a five-minute
walk away on one side and the heart
of the town and the central business
district on the other, the Southern
Sun caters for everyone’s needs.
Quality food
But it’s the quality of the food that
really makes the Southern Sun stand
out from the crowd. The Baraza Grill
serves delicately spiced seafood
curries that are also purse-friendly;
and I loved the calamari. But for a
first-timer, the succulent tuna steaks
are out of this world.
They say breakfast is the most
important meal of the day, and the
Southern Sun offers one of the best
By Grace Nyondo
Friendly staffRelaxed atmosphere
BOUTIQUE-STYLE SERVICE IN A BUSINESS HOTEL
breakfast spreads in the capital.
From Danish pastries, cereals and
fresh fruit to cold meats, fruit juices
and omelettes, the Kivulini Restau-
rant has all you could wish for in a
mouth-watering buffet breakfast.
And I haven’t even mentioned
the luxurious rooms. Whether it’s a
standard room, an executive room
or a suite, guests can be sure of a
comfortable night’s sleep.
The Southern Sun proves that bricks
and mortar are just one element of
a good hotel. It’s the happy staff and
little extra touches that radiate the
feeling of a relaxed family hotel. The
cordial atmosphere between staff and
guests makes the Southern Sun one of
Dar’s most pleasant hotels and one of
my favourites.
Every member of the Southern Sun family goes
that extra mile to ensure your stay is a memorable one
Attention, all lovers of Thai
food – we have found just
the right place to go out for
a casual dinner and enjoy authentic
Thai flavours right in the heart of
Dar es Salaam.
The Tuk Tuk Thai Restaurant
is currently rated number one
by TripAdvisor, which gave us an
excellent reason to check it out for
ourselves.
Unique
The first thing that caught my atten-
tion even before I visited Tuk Tuk
Thai was a huge white wall with a
big red-and-yellow tuk tuk hanging
on the top and numerous colourful
messages handwritten in various
languages by the happy customers.
Unsurprisingly, I spent a good
five minutes staring at the colourful
scribbling all over the wall, which
probably catches the attention of
every visitor coming to dine at the
restaurant. One message read ‘Best
sushi in town’ while another said
‘Always and forever Tuk Tuk Thai’.
One that particularly made me
chuckle said: ‘I am a sushiholic’ while
another customer added: ‘Me, too –
Michael’ just underneath it.
Ramma Gajjar, director of the
restaurant, says: “It was an empty
wall when we started our restaurant
in October
2014 and in
just these
few months
we have run
out of space
to write on,
so we have started using the glass
window panels as well.” She pointed
out that the glass walls of the restau-
rant were also covered with scribbles
and doodles.
Variety
Tuk Tuk Thai serves a variety of
authentic Thai food and Japanese
cuisine including sushi and sashimi
as well as a chef’s special that
consists mainly of a range of fusion
dishes combining traditional Thai
spices with a dash of contempo-
rary flavours along with a touch of
travelsmart52
FOOD FOR THOUGHTTuk Tuk Thai Restaurant, Dar es Salaam
THAI FOOD HEAVEN
Delicious foodFusion dishes
The beautifully presented platter of food was a tribute
to the skills of the chef
Swahili. The restaurant’s head chef,
Amnat Poonon, has over 25 years
of experience in Thai and Japanese
cuisine and has worked at vari-
ous restaurants around the world.
Speaking about working in Tanzania,
Amnat said he enjoyed cooking for
the diversified range of diners in Dar
es Salaam and providing them with
an authentic Thai experience.
After getting to know so much
about the restaurant, we could not
wait to try the food for ourselves.
After flipping through the extensive
menu, however, we still had no clue
about what to order. Ramma came
to our rescue with some of the best
food suggestions.
Authentic food
We started our meal with a serving
of green papaya salad and spicy mint
beef salad. Next came prawn tom
yum soup, a platter of sushi, the very
authentic pad Thai, and a serving of
beef cashew nut and Thai fried rice.
The beautifully presented platter of
food was a tribute to the skills of the
chef.
Before digging into our meals, we
spent at least five minutes admir-
ing how beautifully Amnat had
decorated each plate with a small
orange rose carved from a carrot,
with green leaves popping out of
the sides carved from the stalks of a
cauliflower. The food was perfectly
seasoned and was a unique blend of
Thai spices, from the punch of the
Thai ginger to the kick of kaffir lime
leaves, every mouthful was a delight-
ful blast of flavour.
After a great dinner at Tuk Tuk
Thai, the only thing I wanted to do
was write a few words of apprecia-
tion on the popular white wall.
As we left the restaurant, I am
convinced, if there is one restaurant
I see myself visiting again, it has to
be Tuk Tuk Thai.
fastjet.com 53
By Sakina Nanabhai
Eye-catchingDar’s number one restaurant
WHAT TO ORDERStarter: Order chicken satay, a popular Asian skewered chicken dish, served with peanut sauce and cucumber.
Vegetarian option: Spring rolls or vegetarian tempura.
Salad: Go for the refreshing papaya salad to start the meal. The tart flavour of green papaya, with just the right amount of heat from red chilli and fish sauce, makes it a great option to start your meal with.
Soup: Tuk Tuk Thai offers a choice between chicken or prawn tom yum soup. Diners can select the form of protein that suits them best. Vegetarians can request for a vegetarian option for themselves.
Main: Sushi of course, if you’re a sushi fan. The extensive menu makes it hard to decide what to order, but for first timers we would recommend, pad Thai, stir fried prawns, beef with cashew nuts and Thai fried rice.
Vegetarian option: Vegetarians can opt for red or green curry with Thai fried rice, and vegetar-ian option for pad Thai.
OUR VERDICTATMOSPHERE: ★ ★ ★ ★
SERVICE: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
FOOD: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Tuk Tuk ThaiGround Floor, Diamond Plaza, Mirambo/Samora Avenue, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Tel: (+255) 766 872 925 Facebook: facebook.com/tuktukthaiTZ
It’s a jungle out there.
Well, that’s what car compa-
nies must believe, as they foist
SUV after SUV upon us. Do we really
all need to be driven around in what
is effectively a jacked-up hatchback?
Apparently so, because we go on
buying them by the truckload. To be
fair, some compact SUVs are good,
while some are very average indeed.
So, what to make of Nissan’s
Qashqai? Firstly, that odd-sounding
KING OF THE (URBAN) JUNGLE
CAR REVIEWNissan Qashqai
name. It comes from a nomadic tribe
that lives in the mountains of south-
west Iran. Nissan has now consolidated
the naming of its compact SUV. Previ-
ously, some parts of the globe had a
Dualis, while others had a Tekna. Now,
they’re all branded as Qashqai.
Step inside and, despite its
compact classification, there’s
plenty of legroom up front and
enough for rear-seat passengers as
well. The boot is quite large for the
segment, too, at 430 litres. Build
quality is excellent and the plas-
tics are all high-grade. Choose the
top-of-the-range model and there’s
even lane departure warning, satnav,
Bluetooth phone and audio and
traffic monitoring. It certainly comes
packed with kit.
Choice
There’s a choice of a 2.0 litre petrol
or a 1.6 litre turbo diesel. No prizes
for guessing that the diesel is the
pick. It’s torquey, reasonably quiet,
economical and matches up better
than the petrol version with the CVT
automatic transmission. It also has a
stop-start function to save fuel when
you’re waiting at a set of lights.
Nissan has had a few hit-and-miss cars over the years but the Qashqai is definitely a hit
travelsmart54
By Karl Peskett
fastjet.com 55
The steering is direct and well
weighted and the suspension copes
with rough terrain remarkably well.
Throw it into a corner and it stays
true to the line, while a quick stomp
on the brakes sees it haul up in eye-
popping fashion. Dynamically it ticks
all the boxes.
Nissan has had a few hit-and-miss
cars over the years but the Qashqai
is definitely a hit. It’s small enough to
be wieldy but large enough to carry
the family. It’s safe (five stars Euro
NCAP), miserly, well built and drives
with enough verve to keep enthusi-
asts happy.
As life gets ever busier, the
Qashqai is definitely the kind of car
to take into the urban jungle.
A huge hitQashqai ticks all the boxes
Teddy Leung / Shutterstock.com
TECH REVIEWVirtual Reality Headsets
fastjet.com 57
The way forwardVR headsets
Computer gaming enthusi-
asts are eagerly awaiting
the new generation of
virtual reality (VR) headsets that
are expected to be launched in the
coming year.
Marking a complete sea change
in the industry, these devices are set
to transform the gaming industry
forever, bringing with them a science
fiction-like experience.
In general, users strap on a
headset and are transported into
the computer game with a highly
realistic rendering of landscapes
and characters. It is almost possible
to believe you are really there when
fully immersed in the game.
The technology has been around
for a while, but recent develop-
ments have led to advances that
make the experience more real then
ever before. Most devices are still in
development, with development-
only models available to order, but
full commercial models are widely
expected in the next 12 to 18 months.
Arguably the most widely known
is the Rift from Oculus VR, which has
been in development for some time.
Facebook acquired the company
last year in a US$ 2 billion takeover,
so it is the highest-profile of the five
devices described here.
The Rift uses custom technology
PUTTING SOME VA VA VROOM INTO VR
to provide 360 degree real-time
head tracking, allowing the user to
look around the virtual world just
like in real life with a 100 degree
field of view. What the user sees is
no longer limited to the screen, but
to what his or her eyes can see. This
creates an impressive VR experience.
The Oculus Rift Development Kit 2 is
available at US$ 350 from www.oculus.
com while a full commercial launch is
expected some time this year.
Oculus has also teamed up with
Samsung to develop the Gear VR
to work with the Galaxy Note 4
smartphone, which clicks into the
headset. The Samsung Gear VR
Innovator Edition is available for US$
199 at www.samsung.com.
Project Morpheus
Along similar lines, Sony is work-
ing on Project Morpheus, a VR
headset to work with PlayStation 4.
Morpheus is still only a prototype,
but it is quite advanced compared
with some headsets. It has a 1,080
pixel display that gives a crisp image
and a 90 degree field of vision. The
images the user sees can also be
relayed to a TV screen. No price has
yet been announced.
In a separate development,
Razer, a gaming hardware company,
Sensics, a VR company, and a group
of other companies have created the
Open-Source Virtual Reality (OSVR)
ecosystem in an attempt to produce
a VR standard for the industry. Its
OSVR Hacker Dev Kit, including a
headset and software, is in the hands
of developers and is expected for
public release in mid 2015 priced at
around US$ 200.
At the other end of the spectrum
is the Google Cardboard which,
unlike most of those described
above, is already available commer-
cially. This is a do-it-yourself
cardboard construction that uses a
smartphone, some plastic lenses and
a magnet to repro-
duce the VR experi-
ence. User reviews are
surprisingly positive
for such a simple idea,
and for just US$ 20 on
amazon.com it is a little
easier on the wallet.
Barone Firenze / Shutterstock.com
Giuseppe C
ostantino / Shutterstock.com
BOOKWORM
GHANA MUST GOBy Taiye Selasi
WIFE OF THE GODSBy Kwei Quartey
OPEN CITYBy Teju Cole
THE THREE: A NOVELBy Sarah Lotz
Kweku Sai lives in Massachusetts with his wife Fola and
their children Olu, Kehinde, Taiwo and Sadie. Kweku is
a respected surgeon of Ghanaian descent, but things
begin to fracture when he is wrongfully dismissed from
his job and, in shame, tries to hide it from his family. He
decides he must go back to Ghana, leaving behind his
Nigerian-born wife and their four children, who spiral
out into various parts of the world – London, New York
and New England – and begin uncertain journeys.
Many years later, tragedy reunites the Sais. But the
family has suffered so much since Kweku left that no
one is sure what the future holds.
Darko Dawson is a man of many talents: dedicated
husband and father, detective inspector and an ace in
his field. He is asked to lead a murder investigation in
Ghana. Leaving his wife and child behind in Accra, he
travels to Ketanu, where a young medical student has
been found dead in suspicious circumstances. Although
Dawson speaks Ketanu’s indigenous language, he is not
met with warmth and hospitality by the local police, who
fear an outsider’s interference. Dawson is familiar with
Ketanu, however. This is where his mother was last seen
alive before she inexplicably disappeared many years
ago. He tries to solve the murder and along the way
discovers some things closer to his own heart.
Born in Lagos to a Nigerian father and German mother, Julius never felt as
if he fitted in, whether it was at the Nigerian Military School or studying
medicine in the United States. Having recently broken up with his
girlfriend, and feeling the strain of his work as a psychiatric fellow, Julius
starts walking through the city to Central Park, to diners, to the movies,
to the subway, to Ground Zero. Walking helps to relieve the stress for
Julius as he takes in the streets of Manhattan, meeting strangers, friends
and crowds of people as he goes. He embarks on a journey that is both
emotional and physical, while trying to understand how he fits in with his
surroundings.
Four commuter planes crash within hours of each
other, sending the world into panic as the causes are
investigated. There appears to be no connection
between the tragedies, which occur on different
continents. Terrorism and environmental factors are
dismissed. One thing that links the crashes, however, is
that in three of the four aircraft a child survivor is found
in the wreckage. These children, dubbed ‘The Three’
by the press, all begin to exhibit disturbing behaviour,
assumed to be the result of trauma. One evangelical
minister, however, decides that The Three must be
harbingers of the apocalypse, so the children go into
hiding. Their behaviour gets more and more disturbing,
so that even their own guardians begin to wonder how
and why these three particular children survived.
MUST READ...
LATEST RELEASES
travelsmart58
BLOCKBUSTERS
STAR FILMS...
UNFINISHED BUSINESSStarring: Vince Vaughn, Tom Wilkinson, Dave Franco, Sienna MillerDirector: Kenn ScottGenre: Comedy
STILL ALICEStarring: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kate BosworthDirectors: Richard Glatzer, Wash WestmorelandGenre: Drama
HOMEStarring: Rihanna, Steve Martin, Jim Parsons, Jennifer LopezDirector: Tim JohnsonGenre: Family comedy
GET HARDStarring: Will Ferrell, Kevin HartDirector: Etan CohenGenre: Comedy
Vince Vaughn places Dan Trunkman, a hard-working
businessman who wins a lucrative deal in Germany. He
and his two employees – ‘too old’ Timothy McWinters
(Wilkinson) and ‘too young’ Mike Pancake (Franco) –
head to Europe to finalise the details. When he finds out
they are facing stiff competition from his ex-boss (Miller)
they go all-out to try to impress the client, but find
themselves in a series of hilarious situations.
Winner of an Oscar for Best Actress, Julianne Moore stars in
this heart-breaking drama about life and loss. Alice Howland
is a linguistics professor at Columbia University and a mother
of three. She begins to suffer mental lapses, so undergoes
tests that reveal she has early-onset Alzheimer’s and that
her children are also at risk of the disease in later life. Alice
decides to live in the moment and to reconnect with her
daughter Lydia in a bid to hold together her identity.
The Boov are an alien race looking
for a new home and decide the Earth
would be the perfect place. Led by
their confident leader, Captain Smek,
Boov invade Earth and all humans are relocated. Except one,
named Tip, and her pet cat. They encounter a lonely Boov
called Oh who has been banished from the group for causing
chaos, and the three of them set out on an epic road trip. Along
the way, Oh starts to realise that making mistakes is all part of
being human, and they both discover the true meaning of the
word ‘home’.
James King (Ferrell) lives a life of luxury as a millionaire
investment banker. But he lands himself in trouble when he
is wrongfully convicted of fraud. The judge delivers a 10-year
prison sentence in the notorious San Quentin and gives King
30 days to get his affairs in order. He begins preparations for
his time inside and desperately turns to car wash boss Darnell
Lewis (Hart) for some advice. King’s assumptions are wrong,
however, as Lewis is a good law-abiding citizen who has never
set foot in a prison. The two set out on a hilarious buddy
adventure as Lewis nonetheless tries to harden up King.
fastjet.com 59
www.fastjet.com/travelsmart-inflight-magazineSubscribe for FREE and receive each issue direct to your inbox
VIEW TRAVELSMART ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
Not flying?
RIDDLE ME THIS......riddle me that
A rich old lady died and left all her money to her children and grandchildren. At the end of her will she stated that she had one last thing to give away: her precious diamond. She gave a clue to where it might be. She said “It’s in a cylinder surrounded by a thousand squares.” One grandchild said, “I know where it is!” and found it. But where was it?
CORNER
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10 DIAMOND FACTS! The word diamond comes from a Greek word meaning unbreakable The diamond is the hardest natural material found on Earth The diamond is a birthstone for people born in the month of April Most of the Earth’s natural diamond deposits are found in Africa Most diamonds found in nature are between one and three billion years old The diamond is the world’s most popular and sought-after gemstone To produce a single one-carat diamond, 250 tons of earth will be mined Naturally occurring diamonds are often brought to the Earth’s surface by deep volcanic eruptions The largest diamond ever found was the Cullinan at 3,106 carats The colour of a diamond is usually pale yellow to colourless, but diamonds can also be brown, blue, green, orange, red, pink or black
JOKE TIME...How does a diamond feel when it wakes up in the morning? Shiny and bright.
What did the ruby say to the diamond? You’re so clear you make me blush!
Where can you always find diamonds?In a deck of cards.
Answer: In a roll of toilet paper.
VISA INFORMATIONMost nationals require visas to enter East Africa.
Citizens from the five East African states require no visas while those from the Common Market of East and Southern Africa (COMESA) member states have
relaxed entry requirements into East Africa.
However, East African member states have their own visa requirements for various nationals.
Tanzanian visasAll foreigners from non-Commonwealth countries are required to have a valid visa unless their countries have agreements with Tanzania under which the visa requirement is waived.
Exemptions: Citizens of Commonwealth countries are not required to obtain visas unless they are citizens of the United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, New Zealand or Australia.
Tanzanian visas are issued by the following:
• The office of the Director of Immigration Services, Dar es Salaam, and the office of the Principal Immigration Officer, Zanzibar.
• Entry points to the United Republic of Tanzania: principally Namanga, Tunduma, Sirari, Horohoro, Kigoma Port, Dar es Salaam International Airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport, Zanzibar Harbour and Zanzibar Airport.
• Any other gazetted entry point.
• From Tanzania High Commissions or embassies abroad.
For more information on Tanzanian diplomatic missions visit: www.tanzania.go.tz
South African visasVisitors’ visas are a requirement for many travellers entering South Africa on a temporary basis. The purpose of visit can be for either business or leisure but is restricted to 90 days or less when using a visitor’s visa. For longer trips a different type of visa is required and information regarding this can be obtained from the Department of Home Affairs.
The visa application must be produced on arrival and visitors are restricted to the activities given as the reason for travel during the visa application process. For a smooth trip, ensure that visas are applied for before depar-ture as they are not issued on arrival in South Africa. Moreover, the visa must be fixed to a passport and shown to immigration upon landing. Visa applications do not need to be submitted in person but can be submitted on behalf of the traveller, for example, by a travel agent.
Non-South African nationals travelling to South Africa must provide evidence of an onward ticket (return ticket). Buses and train tickets are not accepted. If travelling with children under 18 a long form birth certificate in English language is required for each child as of 1 June, 2015
There are other visa requirements that must be adhered to for entry into South Africa:
• A valid passport needs to be produced which must not expire for at least 30 days after the duration of the intended visit
• At least two full, unused pages left in the passport
• Travellers also require a completed application for visa form
• A yellow fever vaccination certificate if over one year of age and travelling from a yellow fever belt country
• Documentation confirming the purpose of stay
• Two colour passport photographs
• A return or onward ticket is also a necessity
There is a fee associated with obtaining a visa, this fee can change often but can be checked by contacting the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa. For this and further information on visa requirements for entering South Africa visit www.home-affairs.gov.za
BAGGAGE SAVVYAirlines have varying baggage rules that can often be confusing and can lead to unforeseen costs at the
airport. An outline of the fastjet baggage guidelines will help make your flight smooth and enjoyable.
If booked prior to departure each passenger is entitled to one bag that can be checked in and placed in the hold at the cost of $6 (domestic) / $15 (international). If hold baggage is not booked in advance it is still possible to check one bag per passenger into the hold while at the airport on the day of departure, this is at the cost of $15 (domestic) / $30 (international).
TRAVEL INFORMATION
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All baggage being checked into the hold must weigh less than 20 kg but if baggage weighs more than 20 kg arrangements can be made to carry it at an additional cost of $6 per kilo. However, maximum weight for any single piece of hold baggage is 32 kg due to health and safety restric-tions and no passenger can check in more than 50 kg of baggage.
Each passenger is entitled to carry only one item of hand luggage, which could be one brief case, one handbag, a rucksack or a suit or dress carrier. Hand baggage can measure a maximum of 56 x 45 x 25 cm and anything measuring larger than this must be checked and placed in the hold. However, hand baggage must be able to be placed in and retrieved from the overhead lockers safely but there is no weight restriction on hand luggage. If hand baggage is larger than the specified dimensions it will be necessary to check this into the hold at the specified fees and charges. Infants travelling without a seat do not have hand baggage allowance.
For further rules on fastjet’s baggage allowances please visit: www.fastjet.com
HEALTH Vaccination requirements for international travellers
• No cholera vaccination certificates are required of travellers coming from all over the world.
• Only valid yellow fever vaccination certificates are required of all travellers over one year old,
arriving from yellow fever infected countries mainly in central and West Africa, South and Central America South East Asia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh.
• Vaccination for international travellers are obtainable from all inter- national air and sea ports, city and major municipal councils
NB: Make sure you get your yellow fever shot in good time since the yellow fever certificate is valid for travel use 10 days after vaccination.
FLEET INFORMATION
Airbus A319 - Quick factsLength: ......................................................................................... 33.84 m / 111 ft Height: .................................................................................. 11.76 m / 38 ft 7 in Wingspan: .......................................................................... 34.1 m / 111 ft 11 in Maximum capacity: ........................................................................ 156 seats Cabin length: ........................................................................... 23.78 m / 78 ft Range: .......................................................................... 6,850 km / 3,700 Nm Maximum speed: ......................................................................... Mach 0.82 Number of aircraft: ........................................................................................... 3
Greener flights through innovative designfastjet operates a fleet of A319 jets manufactured by Airbus as part of the A320 family of aircraft. Identical to the A320 except in length, the A319 is a single aisle twin-engine jet designed to carry 156 passengers. These highly efficient aircraft have a low environmental impact. Moreover, comfort has been improved for the smaller jet and the state-of-the-art A319 has a wide single-aisle fuselage, which gives a generous seat width, thus helping to maintain the high level of comfort that modern air travel-lers have come to expect.
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24/7 CALL CENTRE: +255 784 108 900To book tickets or for any customer service enquiries.
TANZANIA fastjet Tanzania & Dar es Salaam ticketing & reservations office Samora Tower, Shop no.1, Ground floor, opposite the NHC House, Samora Avenue Tel: +255 784 108 900Email: [email protected]
fastjet Arusha ticketing & reservations office Corridor Springs Hotel, Ground floor, Ingira RoadTel: +255 784 108 900
FASTJET CONTACTS
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THE FASTJET NETWORK
fastjet Ten West ticketing & reservations officeTen West Office, 2nd floor, 10 Vingunguti, Nyerere Road, Dar es SalaamTel: +255 784 108 900
fastjet Julius Nyerere International AirportTel: +255 784 108 900
Mbeya Airport at SongweTel: +255 784 108 900
Moshi OfficeKaunda Street, Opposite Kilimanjaro Crane HotelTel: +255 784 108 900
Mwanza Airport Tel: +255 784 108 900
Mwanza Town OfficeMwanza Hotel, Kenyatta RoadTel: +255 784 108 900
SOUTH AFRICAfastjet South Africa Reservations Office Holiday House, 156 Bram Fischer Drive, Randburg, 2194Tel: +27 11 289 8090 Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
ZAMBIAc/o Voyagers Suez Road, LusakaTel: +260 211 256 864
ZIMBABWEc/o Star Travel, 180 Fife Avenue, HarareTel: + 263 864 455 66 77
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