APRIL-JUNE 2023 GIFTED BY NATURE: THE PEARL OF AFRICA NAIROBI • MOMBASA • MOGADISHU • JUBA • DAR ES SALAAM • KILIMANJARO • BUJUMBURA • ZANZIBAR • KINSHASA • JOBURG • DUBAI AJUNA: HOME OF CONSISTENCY AND BEAUTY 36 80
Contents APRIL - JUNE 2023 REGULARS 42 80 10 CEO’S NOTE 16 BUSINESS TRAVELLER 18 TECH SAVVY Travel Apps For 2023 20 HEALTH 22 SPORTS The GOAT Debate 26 EVENTS CALENDAR 36 AMAZING SHOTS 42 WORLD STUNNERS 64 CULTURE 68 CUISINE Get Your Braai On 70 ROOM WITH A VIEW Brovad Sands Lodge 72 HOMES Feng Shui For Chi 74 BEAUTY Everyday Beauty Hacks For A Queen 76 FASHION Suubi By Seamline Atelier 80 ART Ajuna - Home Of Consistency And Beauty 84 ANIMAL KINGDOM Mandarin Ducks 86 TRENDS His & Hers Accessories 88 NG’AALI KIDS 90 INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT Movie Picks 91 BOOKSHELF 92 TRAVEL EXPERT REVIEWS 108 ROUTES 6 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 84
8 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 On The Cover: The Pearl Of Africa (Pg 36) 28 50 APRIL-JUNE 2023 GIFTED BY NATURE: THE PEARL OF AFRICA NAIROBI • MOMBASA • MOGADISHU • JUBA • DAR ES SALAAM • KILIMANJARO • BUJUMBURA • ZANZIBAR • KINSHASA • JOBURG • DUBAI AJUNA: HOME OF CONSISTENCY AND BEAUTY 36 80 Ng'aali, the name of our inflight magazine, is derived from the local Luganda name of the Crested Crane, which is the national bird of the African nation of Uganda. It appears on the flag and Coat of Arms and can be found near the country’s many lakes and rivers. Crested Cranes stand over 3 feet tall, with a wingspan of up to 6.5 feet. They live up to 22 years, but hatch in 30 days and reach maturity in 3 years. These majestic birds practise monogamy - they remain with the same breeding partner for life. Literature has it that if one is widowed, they stay single until they die. They are omnivores, so like humans, they eat both meat and plants. DESTINATIONS GUIDES AND TIPS 28 UGANDA 48 SOUTH AFRICA 50 DUBAI 52 MOGADISHU 54 SOUTH SUDAN 56 KINSHASA 58 MOMBASA 94 TRAVEL TIPS 96 TRAVEL GUIDE 97 DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS 98 DIRECTORY 105 TRAVEL HEALTH AND WEATHER CALENDAR 58
www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 9 CONTRIBUTORS KALUNGI KABUYE Kabuye is an award winning writer and photographer, and has been a journalist for more than 20 years. He has been editor of several magazines and newspapers in Uganda. SOLOMON OLENY Oleny is a creative, self driven professional travel journalist. He has worked with CNN to profile tourism in Uganda, and is a recipient of nine Tourism Excellence Awards since the start of his journalism career in 2008. MARK EVELEIGH Eveleigh, a frequent visitor to Uganda, has contributed 750+ full-length features to 100+ international publications, including BBC Wildlife, BBC Earth, Geographical, National Geographic Traveller and The Independent. MARK NAMANYA This acclaimed sports journalist has won multiple awards in his field. A former President of Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA), Namanya's command of the sports language is unrivalled. PUBLISHER Dora Barungi DESIGN Graphics Designer Esther Nabaasa PUBLISHED BY: The views expressed in Ng'aali are not necessarily those of the editor, staff or publisher. Ng'aali is the registered trademark name of the Uganda Airlines inflight magazine. CONTACT US www.ngaaliinflightmag.com Tel: +256 782 555 213 Address Acacia Mall, 4th floor LUCIA MONTES Montes, from Spain, is a 17-yearold bilingual travel writer with a Cambridge qualification in English. By the time she was 10 years old, she’d already travelled widely in almost a dozen countries…and the list is growing. HASSAN SSENTONGO Ssentongo is a writer and editor. He lives in Kampala, and currently serves as Creative Director at Satisfashion UG, an online platform that celebrates fashion. He is passionate about fashion and food. LISA IMOGEN ELDRIDGE Eldridge is a travel journalist and blogger who has travelled to 137 countries and 104 of these solo. She aims to inspire women to solo travel the world and runs Girl about the Globe, an awardwinning solo female travel blog for conscious travellers. EDITORIAL Writers Adele Cutler, Kenneth Muhangi, Mark Eveleigh, Kalungi Kabuye, Joost Bastmeijer, Solomon Oleny, Mark Namanya, Hassan Ssentongo, Lucia Montes, Lauren Juliff PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Hogel ADVERTISING AND SALES Sales & Marketing Manager Doreen Kabatesi Business Executives Atukwase Clare Murekyezi, Irene Kaitesi, Peter Kusiima, Gerald Muhwezi Brand Manager Solomon Oleny KENNETH MUHANGI Muhangi is a Lecturer of IP and ICT Law, Partner at KTA Advocates, award-winning author and trainer in IP and ICT. He also advises the Ministry of ICT on innovation and ICT policy development, and is a consultant with the World Bank.
CEO’s Note 10 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 DEAR ESTEEMED GUEST, I bring you greetings from Uganda Airlines; we are always grateful for your continued patronage and are always reminded of the gracious gesture every time you are onboard. In return, we bring you the warm service of our crew, the typical Ugandan way. The year started on a high note as Uganda Airlines became the 3-time winner of the CH-Aviation Award for Africa’s Youngest Fleet. This is a reminder of our commitment to running sustainable operations that are in harmony with our environment. This year, International Women’s Day was themed “Driving Digital Innovation & Technological Advancement". The airline industry is still grappling with the dwindling number of women as active beneficiaries and participants. Innovation is another complex space where women are yet to fully integrate themselves in order to future-proof industry challenges. Regardless, we are grateful for the few that have broken barriers, stepped up against all odds, and still contribute to creating meaningful impact. My leadership at the airline is centred on creating a safe and equal space for all gender to thrive with zero tolerance for discrimination. Uganda Airlines is on a mission to create and revive aviation optimism and nurture the next generation of aviators that will take on the mantle to breathe life into the national carrier. The future where innovation knows no gender is here and women have embraced it. We have been alive to the importance of new learning, building new knowledge, and a new direction of investing in research. We are going to work with the youth to support our innovation aspirations, deal with disruptions and ensure that the airline thrives despite a disruptive environment; we learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic to live on the edge. This year, the airline has started a new campaign dubbed “a delightful flying experience”. The campaign sets to remind our guests of our commitment to providing you with unmatched and new onboard experiences. Flying is about the discovery of new things. Experience the warmness of our crew, and don’t forget to savour the Ugandan Arabica coffee and smell the uniqueness of our volcanic mountain peaks. From organic continental cuisine to gluten-free meals, whatever your preference could be at 30,000ft, we are your airline of choice. We are also excited to have started our 5th flight weekly to Johannesburg, South Africa on 1st March 2023. The move to add a 5th flight is geared towards nourishing traveller demands and developing the route following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. The added frequency will stimulate demand for travel for tourism, trade and business between the two points. Enjoy the Freedom to Explore; Explore Uganda. Jenny
side hustle Ideas For Students Research shows that one in 10 university students are currently running their own business alongside their studies, and almost one fifth plan to continue with it when they graduate. 16 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 BUSINESS TRAVELLER
Starting a business is a great way to generate income while in school. But being a student means your education comes first, so you have to choose realistic ideas that will allow you to focus on both your studies and side hustles. Running a successful business enterprise cannot be impelled by factors like age or gender. The right attitude is what you need to make your mark in this world. Many successful businessmen started their entrepreneurial journey right from their college days. We have compiled some business ideas for students that you can start in 2023. Become A Freelancer There are many freelance platforms such as Fiverr, Truelancer, Upwork, Toptal, etc. Make yourself available to take on freelance work like editing, copywriting, illustration, or whatever it is that you do best. You can also set up a personal portfolio site. Students can also explore various other types of jobs such as web design, data entry, coding, marketing, graphic design, etc. Neighbourhood Service-Based Business What services can you offer in your community? Launch a basic website to advertise your availability for personal shopping, maintenance, landscaping, or cleaning services; there are endless possibilities for things to sell other than products. Tutoring Perhaps the most organic of all the entrepreneurial options on this list, tutoring is a natural place for a student to start their professional life. If you got good grades for particular subjects, whether in primary, secondary or tertiary education, you can offer help to students who are following your path. Photography As a student, you can invest in a decent DSLR and then partner with promotion companies. Becoming their official photographer will always keep you busy as long as they have some events. Businesses are flooding their social media with pictures because these are excellent marketing tools, so photography services will never be replaced. You can go a notch higher and create a photo booth. Makeup Artist A student can join the growing makeup artistry industry by offering bridal makeup services or prosthetics and special effects. Still, school leavers attend prom each year, and they do so in thousands, so you can be their makeup artist. Social Media Influencing Are you a bit of a social media expert? If you’re able to cultivate a large and engaged following, you could monetise your online presence through sponsored content and affiliate marketing! Delivery Service If you've got a bike (or even a car) you should be able to complete each order a lot quicker. Evenings and weekends are the ideal time to deliver food takeaways and beer combos, while in the mornings, you could bring people their breakfast. Pet-Sitting All of these business ideas are worth trying, but does it get any better than getting paid to hang out with animals? From busy workers who are out during the daytime, to families going abroad for a couple of weeks, plenty of people are willing to pay someone to look after their beloved pets. Even if it's just to walk the dog for an hour or so each day. Become A YouTuber Whether it's from ads or the opportunities for sponsored content, there's some serious money to be made on YouTube. You don't need millions of subscribers to earn money from YouTube videos. Just pick a topic that interests you (games, comedy and music tend to be popular) and put together simple guides or reviews. As long as you're offering something different, there's no reason for you not to do well. Child Caretaker Child caretaking is an ideal side business for students seeking a part-time job. You just need to be patient to handle children's tantrums and deal with them responsibly. There are also several babysitting training classes to give you a hang of it. The most important thing is to enjoy the company of children. BEFORE YOU START… • DO SOME RESEARCH: WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED OR WANT? THINK OF AN EVERYDAY OBSTACLE. HOW CAN IT BE OVERCOME? START WITH A GOOGLE SEARCH. • IF YOU COULD PROVIDE OR INVENT SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE LIFE EASIER, BETTER, SAFER, FAIRER OR CHEAPER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? • WHAT ARE YOU GOOD AT OR LOVE DOING? PERHAPS START WITH THAT. www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 17 BUSINESS TRAVELLER
18 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 TECH SAVVY How do you decide where to travel? Where do you research destinations? How do you find good deals on flights and accommodations? How do you find your way around a place once you arrive? The best travel apps answer all these questions. 2023 FOR TRAVEL APPS
TECH SAVVY www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 19 When it comes to travelling, there’s no such thing as too much preparation. Even if you think you know everything there is to know about your destination, chances are there’s an app for that. These are some of the best travel apps to download before your next trip. They are available on both Android and iOS. Citymapper Citymapper helps travellers find the speediest route to their destination, providing step-by-step instructions on where to find the nearest bus and train stations. You'll be able to see when the next arrivals are, and real-time routing means you'll get updates every minute. The app also has a chat feature that allows you to update friends and family on your E.T.A. wherever you are. Rebtel The beauty of Rebtel is you don't need an internet connection to call friends and family back home. The app connects to local phone lines to provide you with cheap calls in 51 countries around the world without having to deal with the hassle of getting a local SIM card or racking up your phone bill. Roomer Travel What should you do when you've prepaid for a hotel and you suddenly have to cancel your trip? Download Roomer or go to roomertravel.com/sell. This app and website are a marketplace for prepaid hotel stays. Roomer can help you recoup money that might otherwise be lost to the travel gods, and it can save you money if you buy a hotel reservation at a discount from someone who can't use it. You can explore hotel stays that people are trying to sell by location or date. Dayuse.com If you find yourself in the middle of a long layover, Dayuse can get you into a hotel room for a few hours for up to 75 per cent less than what the typical overnight rate would be. The app features 5,000 hotels in 23 countries and allows you to make free cancellations at the last minute, in case you manage to catch an earlier flight. Hostelworld Hostelworld is where you'll find more than 17,000 hostels, hotels, B&Bs, and communal spaces in 178 countries. The app is great for solo travellers looking to meet fellow vacationers during their trip, including a noticeboard that highlights events and meetups, and a translator that will help you communicate. Skyscanner This app will make planning and booking your trips easy. Compare cheap flights, hotels, and car hire – book your whole trip in one travel app. The app will even watch flight prices on your favourite routes and let you know as soon as they change. And there are no booking fees or hidden charges – just the lowest prices. TripIt TripIt is a super handy piece of kit that will also autoscan your emails and compile all your travel plans into one place. If you are a frequent traveller or travel a lot for business, this can become a super handy PA in your pocket. The free version is excellent for most average people planning a trip, but if you are often on the road, the business upgrade will make things much more comfortable, storing all of your plans in one place. Convertr+ The free Convertr+ app is fantastic for converting currencies. It has a clear interface and lets you save multiple currencies in one view. Convertr+ offers other types of conversions that travellers sometimes need too, such as Celsius to Fahrenheit, kilometres to miles, litres to ounces, and vice versa. Movavi Movavi Online Video Editor is a web-based video editing tool that allows users to edit and enhance their videos directly in their web browser without downloading or installing them. The video editor provides basic features such as trimming, splitting, merging and adding text, music and filters. Glamping Hub Find yourself a furnished yurt, an outfitted safari cabin, or a simple bell tent for your next getaway on Glamping Hub. This site lets you book "unique outdoor accommodations," and is ideal for people who love the great outdoors but don't own any of the gear.
I was sixteen when I had my first panic attack. I still don’t know what caused it. It hit me like a tsunami: one minute I was fine, and the next I was dry heaving on the ground, drenched in sweat as the world spun in dizzying circles around me. I felt as though I was choking, gasping at the air; hyperventilating until I was too light-headed to stand. The trembling came next, causing me to shiver so violently that I was afraid I might knock myself out. As I let out a moan, waves of nausea washed over me and I knew then that I was dying. I had to be having a heart attack or a stroke or a brain haemorrhage or something equally as terrifying. Little did I know that the first panic attack was about to send my life spiralling out of control. From that moment, I became increasingly obsessed with how I was feeling until I was barely able to function. At my lowest point, I didn’t leave my house for several months. My desperate attempts to gain control of one small aspect of my life led to an eating disorder where, for six months, I lived on a single apple a day, watching in horror as my weight dropped to just 40 kilograms. I was experiencing up to a dozen panic attacks a day by this point — panic attacks over having to go to university, having to go to work, having exams, having to see friends, and, funnily enough, the fear of having a panic attack. It was hitting rock bottom that convinced me to travel the world. It wasn’t an easy decision. It felt like the biggest mistake I would ever make. When I looked at my life, I felt like a failure. I had just started university but was struggling to make friends thanks to my constant avoidance of any kind of social activity. My first serious relationship had fallen apart when my boyfriend confessed he could no longer From Crippling Panic Attacks To Travelling The World deal with my mental health issues. I was still struggling to form a healthy relationship with food and lived primarily off of chocolate bars and cheese sandwiches. I skipped lectures and avoided exams; too afraid of what would happen if I had a panic attack in a room I couldn’t escape from. My life was a mess and I was refusing to seek medical help: I was too afraid I’d be prescribed pills that would make me feel worse. So, travel. For as long as I could remember, being away from home had always calmed my mind and made me happy. I had spent every year of my life counting down the days until my annual holiday and then spending my two-week-long trip in a blissful state of relaxation. My anxiety seemed to fade away whenever I found myself exploring somewhere I had always dreamt of visiting. Four years later, I graduated from university, quit my job, and left the UK with a one-way ticket in hand. I was still convinced I was making a huge mistake, and I wasn’t the only one: even my friends were taking bets on how long I would last. My first week of travel was one of the hardest of my life. A multi-hour walk beneath the midday sun resulted in heatstroke and dehydration on my very first day, followed by a panic attack over how terrible I felt. My first attempt at eating alone had my waiter inquiring as to why I didn’t have any friends, leading to, of course, another panic attack. In the first hostel I’d ever stayed in, I found myself lying in my dorm bed, staring up at the ceiling, and wondering why I had ever thought I was strong enough to travel. I felt guilty for getting to do what so many people dream of Words by Lauren Juliff She suffered from anxiety so badly that she couldn’t step outside her front door. So what changed? 20 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 HEALTH
yet spending every moment on the brink of tears. I decided to persevere because I had little left for me back home. I had no ties, no commitments, no home, and no job lined up — all I had were the memories of watching helplessly as my life fell apart around me. I decided to persevere because I wanted to prove to everyone, myself included, that I was capable of following my dreams. I had just spent the past four years saving every dollar I made so I could do this — how could I give up after just a few weeks? Surely having a panic attack on a beach in Thailand had to be better than having one at home? Months later, I would come to realise that forcing myself to leave my comfort zone was perhaps the best way to conquer my anxiety, terrifying as it is to do. Every day on the road presented many challenges for me: figuring out public transport, attempting to communicate with someone who doesn’t speak a word of English, sampling a mysterious soup I couldn’t identify through sight or scent, forcing myself, again and again, to do something when every cell in my body was ordering me to retreat to familiarity. Anxiety used to prevent me from doing anything that scared me, but travel forced me to do everything because I had no other option. Trying new things daily transformed my life, as I slowly realised the things that had made me anxious weren’t so intimidating after all. I learned I was more than capable of doing them, and surviving too. My panic attacks faded away, I fell in love with trying new foods, I gained confidence and social skills, and a love of challenging myself to do the things that make me nervous. Ten years ago, I was battling anxiety so severe I was unable to step outside my front door. Now, after four years of travel, I can barely remember the last time I had a panic attack — they occur a couple of times a year now, rather than 10 times a day. Rather than food being my biggest barrier in life, it’s now one of my favourite parts of travel — I’ve even eaten cockroaches in Thailand, lizards in Vietnam, and brain tacos in Mexico. After discovering the transformative effects of travel, I found a way to continue indefinitely, turning my travel blog into a business, writing a book about my experiences, and forging a career as a freelance writer. I’m a different person from that nervous girl who strapped on an overstuffed backpack and trembled her way to the airport four years ago, and it’s all down to travel. Lauren has been a contributor to Ng'aali Magazine for a while. She is a full-time traveller and is the author of the popular travel blog Never Ending Footsteps. Her book, How Not to Travel the World, chronicles how she conquered debilitating anxiety through being the unluckiest traveller in the world. For more of her enchanting stories, visit https://www.neverendingfootsteps.com/ www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 21 HEALTH
22 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 SPORTS THE GOAT DEBATE AN ENJOYABLE EXERCISE IN FUTILITY Words by Mark Namanya J ust over two years ago, Diego Armando Maradona passed away in Buenos Aires. The Argentine legend was, for many fans worldover, considered the greatest footballer that ever lived. His death triggered an outflow of emotions from those who followed his illustrious career from Argentina Juniors via Boca Juniors and Barcelona to Napoli. In mid-December last year, Lionel Messi inspired Argentina to a Fifa World Cup trophy in Doha, Qatar. It was the only trophy missing from his rich collection and by conquering world football’s biggest tournament, it was, in the eyes of his millions of followers, the crowning moment GENERATIONAL SPORTS DEBATES ARE NOT LIKE COURTS WHERE DISPUTES ARE SETTLED BY THE JUDGE. IN THE END, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO WHO WANTS TO BELIEVE WHAT.
From top right to left: Lionel Messi, Lebron James and Roger Federer are all GOATs in their fields. www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 23 SPORTS as the best to lace football boots. And in late December, just before the turn of the year, Brazilian soccer legend Edson Arantes Do Nascimento, commonly known as Pele, died after a protracted battle with cancer. Pele was dominant in the late 50s and 60s and is the only man in history to lift the FIFA World Cup thrice. His goal tally - believed to be in excess of 1200, may never be surpassed. Pele played in an era where television was not as developed as it is today, but the older generations of fans who watched him in his prime have no doubts about Pele being the finest footballer ever. The GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate will never end, nor relent. It is almost impossible to compare exceptional superstars who competed in different generations, and sometimes under different rules and laws of the game. There is no standard metric to definitively compare a footballer who shone in the 50s and 60s to another who shone in the 80s and 90s, or Messi, a genius who excelled in the 2000s and 2010s. There is a compelling case for Pele, a very legitimate argument for Maradona, and an equally justifiable pitch for Messi. Generational sports debates are not like courts where disputes are settled by the judge. In the end, it all comes down to who wants to believe what. The GOAT debate is not limited to soccer. Most basketball enthusiasts will swear by Michael Jeffrey Jordan as the GOAT. It is a matter that is neither subject to discussion or debate. It is
24 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 SPORTS a case that was long closed and, in their eyes, should never be reopened. Jordan was the NBA superstar of the 80s and 90s who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships. But today, the NBA has a certain LeBron James, who has only recently become the highest points scorer in the history of the league after he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s points total of 38,387 in February. A growing legion of NBA fans, particularly the younger ones, are convinced that LeBron has built a career strong enough to be labelled the GOAT. Although he has won four rings (compared to Jordan’s six), Lebron's all-round game as a defender, creator and scorer has never been matched in history. Likewise in the NBA, some older fans of basketball rate 60s giants like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell higher than LeBron and Jordan in the pecking order. Kareem is also mentioned in the argument. Moving away from basketball, there is a very indistinguishable GOAT predicament in tennis. For so long, Roger Federer was the gold standard for excellence in tennis. He was the record Grand Slam champion in men’s tennis and was viewed as comfortably the best there ever was. Then came Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic and since then, the GOAT conversation in tennis has become a tireless exercise in how to agree to disagree. Nadal and Djokovic possess more Grand Slam titles than the retired Federer and with both looking likely to extend on their illustrious haul, the GOAT comparison in tennis can only become more complex. Cricket fans of the 90s witnessed two batting demigods in Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar, who piled a host of incredible records that stand to the present day. But not a day passed without fans intellectually challenging one another on who was the superior great between Windies legend Lara and Indian batting genius Tendulkar. The common conundrum with GOAT debates is that fans - and pundits too - fronting one side tend to try to find fault or poke holes in the other legend to push the claims for their own. Indeed, Pele didn’t play in Europe. It is a fact that Maradona was banned because of using drugs. It is not disputed that Messi lost more finals than he won for Argentina. But in reality, there is little sense in pointing out the real or perceived weaknesses or failings of one all-time legend solely to elevate the other. GOATs are GOATs and there is no amount of counterargument to put down achievements etched in stone. In Formula One racing, Michael Schumacher or Lewis Hamilton is the GOAT depending on who you listen to. Yet the fact remains that it is not logically possible to match eras that are more than 20 years apart, especially in a sport with ever-changing dynamics like F1. Boxing aficionados mostly cite Muhammad Ali as the GOAT. But others will pick Sugar Ray Robinson, another American who fought from 1940 to 1965. There are also whispers of champions who retired undefeated like Rocky Marciano and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Golfers will routinely compare Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods, while in athletics, Carl Lewis is a formidable rival to Usain Bolt. Sport wouldn’t be sport without a contest - in more ways than one. It is why generations of yesterday engaged in GOAT debates and the discussion and arguments of today will be carried on by future generations. Maradona and Pele are now resting for eternity and one day, Messi will join them. But the debate will rage on. It is these bar arguments that fuel our adrenaline rush. Sports fans love their teams winning. They love their icons emerging triumphant. But there is no quantifiable method to decide GOAT arguments. It will always remain that way. THE COMMON CONUNDRUM WITH GOAT DEBATES IS THAT FANS - AND PUNDITS TOO - FRONTING ONE SIDE TEND TO TRY TO FIND FAULT OR POKE HOLES IN THE OTHER LEGEND TO PUSH THE CLAIMS FOR THEIR OWN...BUT IN REALITY, THERE IS LITTLE SENSE IN POINTING OUT THE REAL OR PERCEIVED WEAKNESSES OR FAILINGS OF ONE ALL-TIME LEGEND SOLELY TO ELEVATE THE OTHER. GOATS ARE GOATS AND THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF COUNTERARGUMENT TO PUT DOWN ACHIEVEMENTS ETCHED IN STONE.
+256 782 555 213 +256 772 666 370 +256 771 979592 www.twende-uganda.com Acacia Mall 4th Floor, Room 349, Plot 14-18 Cooper Rd OUR SERVICES • DESTINATION MARKETING • TICKETING • HOTEL BOOKINGS • SAFARIS • HONEYMOON PACKAGES • DESTINATION WEDDINGS
Events Calendar Looking for something to do in Kampala this quarter? Whether you're a local, new in town or just cruising through, we've got some ideas for you. POATE 2023 DATE: 26TH - 29TH APRIL 2023 VENUE: SPEKE RESORT MUNYONYO This year's edition of the Pearl of Africa Expo will bring together all tourism stakeholders and other service providers, presenting a unique opportunity for networking with global tourism and travel trade partners. It is slated to take place at Speke Resort Munyonyo. For details, visit www.poate.co.ug BLANKETS & WINE DATE: 30TH APRIL 2023 VENUE: LUGOGO CRICKET GROUNDS Similar to the popular Coachella Music and Arts Festival in the US, this is a quarterly picnic-style music festival that showcases different genres of Afrocentric music. Revellers sit on picnic blankets, sip wine (or a drink of their choice), and watch the performances with family and friends. EAST AFRICA PETROLEUM CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION DATE: 9TH - 11TH MAY 2023 VENUE: KAMPALA SERENA HOTEL The conference offers a wide range of technical presentations reflecting developments in the oil and gas industry in East Africa and around the world. It is a forum for discussing legal and policy frameworks and the overall business environment in the region. It also allows stakeholders to interact with EAC senior government officials and decision-makers. 26 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023
Debunking The Falsities About The Ik/Tueso The Ik people were once ignorantly vilified as a paradigm of human nastiness. They were portrayed as 'loveless people’ and as ‘unfriendly, uncharitable, inhospitable and generally mean as any people can be’ by a British anthropologist. Jack Orchard visited their homeland in Northern Uganda and made some great new friends. PHOTOS ON THIS SPREAD BY ROD WADDINGTON https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/ 28 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 DESTINATION UGANDA
I n 1972, the Ik of Northern Uganda, also called Tueso, became famous in a book called The Mountain People by anthropologist Colin Turnbull. According to Turnbull, daily life among the Ik seemed to be a constant series of almost unbelievable atrocities: teenagers gleefully stole food directly from the mouths of the starving elderly, a mother celebrated when a predator relieved her of the responsibility of caring for her child, grandparents joyfully watched a baby crawl into a fire... It made powerful reading and at the time, it shook the world of travel literature. It is hard to survive here,” an old man told me. “Sometimes witches bring curses to make you weak. They ride on hyenas and whoop around the village to make you die faster.” I had only been among the Ik people for a couple of hours but anything seemed believable. Mzee Mateus Yeya Acok, a headman in Uganda’s most mysterious tribe, was sitting outside the hyena-proof stockade that surrounds Nalemoru, which means simply ‘village on a highpoint’ in Ik. Perched on a wind-swept ridge high over Uganda’s beautiful Kidepo Valley, Nalemoru is well named. Images of Turnbull’s brutal characters flickered through my brain as Kidepo Valley National Park ranger Phillip Akorongimoe parked his Landcruiser and we began our climb up Morungole Mountain, with two AK47-toting troopers from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces. While things have been peaceful since the disarmament that took place when I last travelled to the region in 2008, there are still regular patrols in this area, which borders Northern Kenya and South Sudan. 'Morungole was considered sacred,' wrote Turnbull, 'I had noticed this by the almost reverential way with which the Ik looked at it - with none of the shrewd, cunning and cold appraisal with which they regard the rest of the world...' Within an hour of climbing, I was struggling to remind myself that 50 years after those words were written, I was on my way to a rendezvous with the “nastiest” people in the world. This was particularly hard to imagine because Mzee Hillary, a 64-year-old Ik man with a charmingly open smile and a chatty demeanour, had joined our little convoy to guide us to his highland home. As we trekked, he pointed out the sacred fig trees where animal sacrifices are made to bring rain and showed me shady trees where wild honey www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 29 DESTINATION UGANDA
is collected to be used in Ik marriage ceremonies. There were groves of medicinal bushes that serve as a natural pharmacy, treating everything from earache to constipation, to scorpion stings. We were joined by a group of Ik women and children carrying water from the stream. They seemed determined to fill every minute of the three-hour walk with happy chatter and laughter. I wondered if these people could be the same tribe that Turnbull travelled among for almost two years, complaining that his efforts to understand them were constantly frustrated by their moody silence. Back then the Ik still lived in the lowlands and although Turnbull tried to convince guides to take him to the peak, he never visited Morungole and describes it in his book as 'a dark mass, always hidden in a haze'. Our trail was along a narrow ridge, and it seemed that if I threw a stone out over the great sweeping curve of Kidepo Valley, it would almost land in South Sudan. About 30 miles away in the other direction lay the Turkana country of Northern Kenya. Over the centuries, the Ik had become accustomed to persecution from all sides: they were trapped between warlike tribes such as the Toposa and Didinga of Sudan and at the mercy of cattle-crazed Turkana warriors from Kenya. “We would buy cattle from the Turkana, but they would follow us home and steal them back. During these raids, many Ik often died,” one old man told me. “It was like a deadly game of football,” my guide Phillip explained. “Sometimes the different tribes played at home. Sometimes they played away. And always the Ik were caught in the middle.” The misty summit rose steeply against gathering storm clouds when we finally reached the Ik’s highest village. The thatched roofs of the bandas (huts) were barely discernible behind the thorny stockade that protects the precious goats from leopards and raiders... and protects the people from hyena-mounted witches. Mzee Paulino Lukuam greeted me with an exchange of the triple-grip handshake that is habitual among many African people. I knew that it had taken Colin Turnbull a long time before he’d been allowed to see inside a village, so I was surprised when Mzee Lukuam invited me to his private compound within minutes of meeting. I had to crouch to crawl through the low door into the round mud-andthatch banda (which measured about three "IF TURNBULL EVER CAME BACK, I WOULD SIMPLY TELL HIM, 'PLEASE. THERE IS NO BUSINESS HERE THAT WE ARE GOING TO WELCOME YOU FOR. PLEASE LEAVE US AND GO HOME.'" 30 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 DESTINATION UGANDA
C ombine your Kidepo Valley Safari with a unique visit to the ‘Ik’, guided by experienced indigenous guides. Visit kara-tunga.com; ugandasafaritours.com; africasafaritravellers.com; and ugandabudgetsafaris.com metres in diameter). I’d read that Ik parents evict their children to sleep outside, curled like dogs, from the age of three, but Mzee Lukuam and his wife shared their little hut with seven children. “Ik culture has never been infiltrated by Western ways,” Phillip told me as we ducked through the asak - the low tunnel out of the family compound. “They’re still proud of a culture which has remained untainted. A unique thing about the Ik compared with other tribes in this area is that there is virtually no sex outside marriage for women. Most will only ever sleep with one man all their life.” I wondered how this tradition could have remained alive when, according to Turnbull’s experiences when he lived here from 1965-66, Ik women "regarded their bodies as their greatest assets in the game of survival". I was no closer to solving the mystery of the British anthropologist’s bitter relationship with the tribe. The Ik have been surrounded by mystery for thousands of years. Nobody is sure where they originated but linguists have noted similarities between the Ik language and speech from southern Egypt. I’d heard mystifying rumours that their language was peppered with words that sounded Latin and Phillip had told me that some Spanish travellers he’d brought here were even able to decipher occasional words. I questioned old Mzee Acok in Spanish with no success whatsoever, but finally, he was able to explain the mystery. Apparently, an Italian Catholic Priest called Father Florence had lived among the Ik in the ‘60s and ‘70s and had left many words behind including a tradition of Christian names. When Kidepo Valley National Park was gazetted in 1958, the British colonial government forced the Ik to stop their traditional hunting and move to the foothills. By the early 1980s, pressure from neighbouring tribes, along with drought and famine, forced the Ik to take to the peak of their sacred mountain. The Ik, now dwindled to a total population of about 10,000, have retreated as far as they can possibly go. Only once did the Ik take Turnbull close to Mount Morungole - to what they called their ‘Place of God’: '...the Ik had become increasingly uncommunicative,' he wrote. 'Never again would they take me near that place, or talk about it. But, as little as I knew, I felt that for a brief moment, I had made contact with an elusive reality, a reality that was fast retreating beyond Ik consciousness.' Mzee Acok was a young man when Colin Turnbull came to visit and remembers the anthropologist (who died in 1994). When I showed him a copy of The Mountain People, he was excited to recognise some old friends in the aged black-and-white pictures. I didn’t mention the contents of the book, but: “I heard that he wrote some impolite things about us,” the old man said. “If Turnbull ever came back, I would simply tell him, ‘Please. There is no business here that we are going to welcome you for. Please leave us and go home.’” Mzee Acok is now almost 90 years old and believes that he has been blessed with a long life because as a boy and young man, he always obeyed his parents. As he spoke, the younger people and children huddled around us, listening to the old man’s reminiscences in respectful silence. “When I was a boy, we would sit on the plains staring at the peaks of Morungole with its colobus monkeys and great stores of wild honey,” he said. “Now we sit on Morungole shivering in the cold, gazing over the savannah far below with the endless game that is now forbidden to us. Life has always been hard for the Ik but we’re tough. Times will keep changing but in another thousand years, there will still be Ik on Morungole Mountain.” GET IN THE KNOW • The Ik believe that Morungole’s 2,759m peak is the domain of their all-powerful god Didigwari. • Kidepo Valley National Park boasts 500 bird species and 86 mammals (28 can be found nowhere else in Uganda). • Uganda’s remotest reserve, the 1,442sq.km Kidepo is often described as Africa’s most beautiful national park. • Neighbouring tribes have such faith in the Ik’s rain-calling abilities that they hire them to make the necessary animal sacrifices. • Tobacco and wild honey are considered an indispensable part of the bride price in Ik marriages. • Children’s sleeping quarters are separated from the parents’ side by cooking stones. There is no mattress or mat, save for a trough scooped out of the earth floor to mark the bounds of a bed. • The Ik are polygamous and men can marry as many wives as they want depending on the number of beehives one has. A respectable man owns as many as 50 beehives and can give about five to 10 hives as bride price. • Sex and marriage within the same clan are taboo and adultery (by women) is punished by death. Every woman has a hut and the men make rounds among their wives in the neighbourhood. • The Ik are warm-hearted people and once you reach their villages, you will be greeted warmly with traditional dancing, often in Ik finery. www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 31 DESTINATION UGANDA
32 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 DESTINATION UGANDA WORDS AND PICTURES BY LISA IMOGEN ELDRIDGE, AUTHOR OF GIRL ABOUT THE GLOBE T here is a mix of emotions when you go gorilla trekking. There’s the excitement of seeing these magnificent creatures in the wild, and there’s the nervousness of actually coming close to them. If I had to be honest, this was never on my bucket list. In truth, gorillas scared me a little and I never had any real desire to see them, but I was heading to Uganda, one of the three places in the world where you can see them in their natural habitat, and I was not going to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I visited the Rushaga area of the park and stayed at the beautiful Ichumbi Lodge. Nestled on a hill, the lodge lies close to Rushaga Gorilla Gate and is cosy and homely, with spectacular views of Bwindi Forest. I was scheduled to track the Rushaya family and on the appointed morning, my fellow trackers and I excitedly followed our appointed rangers into the forest. After a while, our feet were wet from wading through the streams but we finally touched dry land, venturing further into the jungle. The sun was shining and everyone was optimistic, talking and getting to know one another. Suddenly, we heard a noise. The ranger stopped and put his finger to his lips to signal us to be quiet. And then I saw it. A flash of black hair in the bushes. Right in front of us sat a giant silverback, looking completely unperturbed. As I edged closer to see the gorilla, the ranger motioned for me to stay back just as I heard a thud and felt vibrations through the earth. A female gorilla ran past me, a baby clinging to her back. She passed so close to me that I felt the wind from her speed. The ground shook as I stood there, feeling both shocked and exhilarated.
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34 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 DESTINATION UGANDA others followed. No sooner had they come down than they were off again. (These apes move fast!) When we caught up with them again, it was the most amazing experience. The silverback was sitting by a tree, his back supported by the trunk. His demeanour was so calm and he seemed completely unfazed by the humans just feet away. I watched in awe as his human-like hands picked the leaves and put them into his mouth, lazily chewing as he looked around. Someone once said to me, “It’s as though you can see into their soul.” And they were right. When he did look at us, his brown eyes seemed almost human. Gorilla trekking isn’t just about following apes in the wild. It’s connecting with nature and the humbling privilege of getting so close to these gentle creatures. You lose all sense of time as you enter their zone, amazed by their every move and sound. After what felt like ages, the ranger beckoned us to come even closer. To my right was a young male, happily chewing on some leaves as his other arm swung from a branch just an arm’s length away from where I was standing. I was hesitant, but being at the front of the group, I shuffled forward just as he reached out to touch me. Startled, I moved out of his way but slipped and fell into the arms of the ranger. It was like a scene from a movie! Later on, I was told that he had playfully thrown leaves at me but I hadn’t realised. He needed a playmate and seemed to have chosen me. After a rewarding few hours, we grudgingly pulled ourselves away from the gorillas. Exhilarated and happy, we began our descent down the top of the forest just before a clap of thunder vibrated across the skies, and then the heavens opened and the downpour descended upon us. My feet slipped on the once-dry ground as I held tightly onto Eric, my porter’s hand, as he guided me safely back. However, the rain didn't bother me. The euphoria of our interaction with the gorillas was pulsing through my veins. We were all smiling and chattering through the rain. The noise of chimpanzees screaming in the rain echoed around us. Throughout the storm, the forest felt even more magical, and we crossed the river, past goats and sheep on the way back to our starting point. I finally let go of Eric’s hand and glanced at the top of the misty forest, smiling with the knowledge that the mountain gorillas were in there, and that the next morning, they would encounter brand new humans, as excited as we We watched the family as they went about their normal lives, (which seems to be just hanging around a forest). We watched their every move, mesmerised by these gentle yet strong creatures. Soon, they ran off and we followed close behind, with guides ahead to track their movements. Soon we came to a thick area of the forest where a family of gorillas rested in the trees. Gorillas can weigh up to 260kg, yet they were sitting on the treetops, happily picking and eating leaves while we stood underneath, desperately trying to catch a glimpse. We waited. And waited. But they didn't show any signs of coming down soon. The ranger started making gorilla sounds to coax them down, and eventually, it worked as one giant silverback climbed effortlessly down the tree trunk as the Above: The group's first sighting, a giant silverback, calmly feeds on some leaves, unpertubed and unfazed by their awe.
www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 35 were to witness these gentle, humble creatures in their natural home. Gorilla trekking is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I am so glad that I did it, especially in such a beautiful park and with amazing company. It will leave a lifetime of memories and a lasting imprint on me. There are only three places in the world where one can see gorillas in the wild - Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. A trekking permit costs 700 USD in Uganda, 1,500 USD in Rwanda, and 450 USD in DRC. I recommend Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda if you’re unsure which destination to choose; it has the highest gorilla numbers in the world and is less costly than Rwanda. TREKKING WITH WOMEN TOUR UGANDA My amazing gorilla trekking experience was part of a 4-day women's safari with Women Tour Uganda. In addition to the trek, I visited a Batwa village and learned about their culture and traditions. The tour lasted over 4 days as Bwindi is 540km from Kampala, the capital, and along the way, I stopped at the Uganda Equator and tried some traditional food. If you’re unsure who to book your Uganda gorilla trek with, I highly recommend Irene Nalwoga of Women Tour Uganda. I honestly felt as though we were on holiday together as we had so much fun. Women Tour Uganda employs 90% women and because Irene is also a solo traveller, she understands the need for empowering women through travel and the challenges of travelling alone as a woman to a foreign country. All tours are specifically created for women to encourage them to travel and meet others in a group environment. They have both group and solo traveller safaris. They also offer private safaris if you prefer to go alone. There are several gorilla trekking packages in Uganda. A typical weekly tour includes gorilla trekking, boat cruises, game drives, a nature walk, and a visit to the top of Murchison Falls in Murchison Falls National Park. The 14-day tour includes gorilla trekking, game drives, a boat cruise, rhino trekking, chimpanzee trekking, and the Batwa Cultural Trail. Also included are a yoga session and nature walk, complimentary cooking, and fittings for the Gomesi, a Ganda traditional attire that you can take back home as a gift from Women Tour Uganda (mine is pink!) At the end of two weeks, you will have experienced so much culture and know more about the country, its wildlife and its customs. The tours aren’t just limited to seeing gorillas. You can join a wildlife safari for 3 to 8 days and spot lions, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, elephants, giraffes, buffalos and several other animal and bird species in the many National Parks of Uganda. Morning game drives are the best for spotting wildlife. You can take a hiking and rafting safari in Jinja - Eastern Uganda, and experience rafting along the famous River Nile. Combine your trip with golfing and tee off on one of the most beautiful courses in Uganda. Women Tour Uganda donates 10% of their profits from each tour and safari to the purchase of Ultra Always menstruation pads for girls in orphanage schools and homes. For the best tips on how and where to travel solo, visit girlabouttheglobe.com; an award-winning solo travel blog to inspire and empower women to travel the world alone. Sign up to receive a free Solo Travel Card with a 5% discount from Women Tour Uganda.
Uganda is a country of beautiful scenery and offers diverse activities like gorilla and chimp trekking, bush safaris, multi-day mountain treks, and white-water rafting. Winston Churchill called it ‘the Pearl of Africa’ for its beauty, abundant wildlife and diversity. Joseph and Ursula Burgi visited in 2022 and traversed Lake Mburo, Murchison Falls and Kibaale national parks, as well as Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. They share some great shots. Africa The Pearl Of Joseph and Ursula Burgi are travellers, photographers, dreamers and explorers from Switzerland. They try to travel through truly off-the-beaten-track countries and destinations, sharing their experiences along the way. For more of their amazing photography, visit atimelessvoyage.com Photos by Joseph and Ursula Burgi 36 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 AMAZING SHOTS
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World's Most Beautiful PLACES WORSHIP OF WORLD STUNNERS
With their awe-inspiring architecture, magnificent facades and sheer size, they are often the most beautiful buildings in the world. And no matter the religion, travellers from around the world can appreciate the work that led to their creation. We bring you some of the most captivating places of worship around the world. 1 WESTMINSTER ABBEY Since 1066, this magnificent church has held coronations of 39 English and British monarchs and is a burial site for 18 English and Scottish and British monarchs. At least 16 royal weddings have occurred here since 1100. WORLD STUNNERS
2 TEMPLE OF ALL RELIGIONS, KAZAN, RUSSIA This most unusual place of worship incorporates architectural elements from a multitude of religious buildings. Inside, vivid mosaics, figurines and murals are dedicated to the saints of every religion. 44 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 WORLD STUNNERS
3 SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE, ABU DHABI Its piercingly tall minarets, 80 marble domes on the roof, gold-topped pillars, pure white marble, shimmering chandeliers and detailed floral designs on the floor make this mosque amazingly beautiful. HABITUM, FICAE www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 45
4SHWEDAGON PAGODA, MYANMAR According to legend, this shrine was constructed by two brothers who met Lord Gautama Buddha. Its crown is decorated with more than 5,000 diamonds and 2,000 rubies, and the tip features a single 76-carat diamond. WORLD STUNNERS
5 MOSCOW'S ST. BASIL'S CATHEDRAL This beauty delivers a more traditional sense of awe with its colourful swirling peaks. The structure almost seems to be made of candy. WORLD STUNNERS
Uganda Airlines makes direct flights from Entebbe to Johannesburg five times a week. 48 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 DESTINATION SOUTH AFRICA Smell The Wildflowers Of Namaqualand Most of the year, the remote region known as Little Namaqualand is parched, a seemingly sunbaked wasteland in South Africa’s Northern Cape. But for a short period in July, as the winter rains begin, the area bursts to life with billions of blooms. Endless carpets of flowers in every hue cover its diverse topography, from desert plains to fertile valleys to towering mountains. But what truly sets this spectacle apart is the sheer variety of flowers. More than 3500 species grow here, more than half rare or endemic, meaning they live nowhere else on Earth. The most iconic is the Arctotis, commonly called the African daisy. Gazania glows with hot yellow and orange petals, and Carpobrotus, commonly known as pigface, creeps along the ground. The best places to take in the ephemeral flowery show are Richtersveld, with a backdrop of yawning canyons and jagged mountains; Skilpad Wildflower Preserve west of Kamieskroon, part of the bigger Namaqua National Park, a fabulous spot to gaze at the famed Nama daisies; and the 14,973-hectare (37,000-acre) Goegap Nature Reserve outside Springbok; with some 600 indigenous plant species. PLANNING TIP Accommodations in the park (primarily campsites and chalets) are in high demand during this short blooming season. You can either make reservations as soon as they open (usually 11 months in advance), or find places to stay in the nearby towns of Kamieskroon and Garies.
Sky Views: The Address Sky View Hotel Perched atop the Address Sky View hotel at 219.5m above ground, this architectural marvel boasts mesmerising perspectives of Downtown Dubai's pristine expanse below, and the sublime city skyline beyond. It comprises three distinct offerings for unforgettable and thrill-inducing sightseeing escapades — the Observatory, Glass Slide and Edge Walk. 50 NG'AALI APRIL - JUNE 2023 DESTINATION DUBAI Whether it’s ziplining between skyscrapers, gliding over desert sands or flying over the Arabian Gulf, Dubai has an adventure for everyone. Below are some top picks. Freefall At Skydive Dubai If you've been toying with the idea of going skydiving, then Skydive Dubai offers the perfect excuse for you to take the plunge. Visitors can freefall from 13,000 feet over the beautiful Palm Jumeirah and admire the sparkling waters of the Arabian Gulf and iconic cityscapes along the way. Want to swap city views for the Arabian desert? Easy. They also have a desert drop zone, located about 30kms from the city centre. If you like something a little less adventurous, book a gyrocopter ride at Skydive's Sky Hub instead. This is a small two-seater aircraft similar to a helicopter that will give you an unforgettable bird's-eye view of the emirate from 1,500 feet. Urban Ziplining At XLine One of Dubai's must-try adventure attractions is XLine Dubai Marina. Hold tight as you glide across the city at 80km per hour, all the while soaking up views of the glitzy yachts and shiny highrises, before landing on the terrace of Dubai Marina Mall. Officially the world's longest urban zipline, XLine measures one kilometre in length and features an incline of 16 degrees. There are two concurrent ziplines, so you can share the thrilling experience with a friend.