Podcasts about Lake Turkana

Travel Tips & Adventures in KenyaJoin Scott Brady and his good friend JJ, who works for the State Department, on the Overland Journal Podcast as they delve into the principles of overlanding security. From discussing their travel in Kenya, including adventures in Amboseli and Lake Turkana, to sharing practical safety tips for international travel, they cover a range of topics. Learn about overlanding safety measures, the importance of preparation, understanding local transportation regulations, and how to handle unexpected situations. Whether it's dealing with traffic accidents, navigating foreign roads, or preparing for medical emergencies, this episode is packed with crucial insights to keep overlanders safe.

The big renewables deal undertaken by Seriti is indicative of just how passionate South Africans are to make a positive difference for the benefit of future generations, said new Seriti Green CEO Peter Venn of the multi-gigawatt deal that is poised to lighten South Africa's loadshedding burden and buttress the country's just energy transition. “We bought this business from Australia. It's now 100% South African and 59% black-owned, with passionate South Africans investing to make a difference for future generations,” Venn enthused in a Zoom interview with Mining Weekly. Standard Bank, RMB and VennEnergy are Seriti's transaction partners in the Windlab acquisition, with Seriti holding 54.19%, Venn Energy 15%, and Standard Bank and RMB each holding 15.41%. Venn, with skin in the game through VennEnergy, spoke of his ambition to build three gigawatts (3 GW) to 4 GW of renewable energy over the next five to eight years, with a particular focus on the energy transitioning province of Mpumalanga, where initial wind-farm construction is due to get under way in April. “As Windlab, we've been in Mpumalanga for the last five years, doing the necessary project development, and our short-term goal is to kick off with a 150 MW wind farm in Mpumalanga, where Seriti Resources, with its various coal mines, will be the offtaker and buyer of electricity,” Venn outlined. More than 3 GW will be based in Mpumalanga and permitting is already in hand for 900 MW, into which the 150 MW first phase fits at a capital cost of R4-billion, funded by equity and debt. In addition, Seriti Green has projects in the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape and construction of a wind project in Kenya will get under way once the Tanzanian competition authorities approve the acquisition of Windlab East Africa, which is expected next year. Given the skills shortage within the renewable energy sector in South Africa, Venn explained that Seriti Green would be assisting people to pivot out of other industries and into the renewables sector as part of the just energy transition. “We're going to be the poster child for the just energy transition. We're doing it internally. Right now I can see people in the office with the orange logos and the green logos on their shirts. “Number one is providing green electricity to the coal mines for Seriti, two is looking at the skills development within the workforce within the 16 000 people that work within the Seriti family, and three is bringing the Mpumalanga communities along with us. “There's going to be a roadmap over the next 15 to 20 years, where people transition from heavily intensive coal jobs to more renewable energy jobs. My view is that it isn't a replacement, it's an addition, so I think we're going to see significant job growth within Mpumalanga. “We're also going to see significant improvements within the infrastructure of the electricity sector within Mpumalanga, and this should all bode well for the province and the country as a whole,” said Venn. Mining Weekly: Will you be doing a lot in parallel in East Africa? Venn: We have very advanced projects within Kenya and Tanzania. We were successful in the Tanzanian tender in January this year, so our expectation is that we should start construction in Kenya and Tanzania over the next 12 months. The wind resource in East Africa, as we've seen from Lake Turkana, is a fantastic resource, and the Kenyan electricity grid is already over 90% green, which means that any product manufactured in Kenya today can get the green label and gain an advantage from being a green product manufactured in Africa. It's very exciting for us and our teams in those countries and we look forward to the approval of the Tanzanian Competition Commission so that we can move forward. What is Seriti Green's ambition when it comes to helping to decarbonise South Africa's electricity grid? We will start off with the 150 MW nameplate wind project in Mpumalanga, which will generate in the region of 500 GWh...

Bio "So the person behind the Pasta Grannies project is Vicky Bennison. That's me. I spent many years working in international development in places like Siberia, South Africa, and Turkmenistan. The next decent meal was always on my mind and I began writing about my culinary adventures: cooking zebra stew in near Lake Turkana in Kenya is just one example. I progressed onto writing books. 'The Taste of a Place' food guides told you where to find good food and wine in Corfu, Mallorca and Andalucia. I was chuffed they were recommended by The Observer, The Times, and Delia Smith Online, amongst others. I co-wrote 'Seasonal Spanish Food' with London based, Spanish chef Jose Pizarro (shortlisted for 3 different awards). My husband, Billy, and I have a home in Le Marche, central Italy, and I divide my time between there and London." (Bio used from Website with permission.) Cookbook link https://www.amazon.com/Pasta-Grannies-Comfort-Cooking-Traditional/dp/178488524X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EG713I8FRCY5&keywords=pasta+grannies&qid=1668446403&sprefix=pasta+granni%2Caps%2C652&sr=8-1 Website: https://www.pastagrannies.com/ This episode is sponsored by Culinary Historians of Northern California, a Bay Area educational group dedicated to the study of food, drink, and culture in human history. To learn more about this organization and its work, please visit its website at www.chnorcal.org If you follow my podcast and enjoy it, I'm on @buymeacoffee. If you like my work, you can buy me a coffee and share your thoughts

Dee Flower, photographer, Travel Writer and Adventurer is author of an exciting adventure-driven travel memoir, Where the Wind Wills: Life Can be as Unpredictable as the Wind by D. Flower. Dee's desire is to inspire others to embrace our diversity while celebrating our oneness. As a happily divorced woman in her forties, Dee finds it is not too late to live an adventure-driven life – where she must be willing to take physical, emotional, and romantic risks. Where the Wind Wills begins as thoughts flash in front of her: Are there any positive aspects of drowning in Lake Turkana today? The turquoise water feels warm as it encircles my body. Maybe hypothermia won't set in until nightfall. I shiver when grasping the alternative—the Nile crocodiles patiently waiting with mouths open, teeth gnashing, ready to tear into my flesh. Not, today. Not this way. I will not die today! As an avid traveler and a former park ranger, she is a member of the National Association for Interpretation, which has an international audience of over 3000 members in 30 countries. Her cover story, Rural Africa, has been published in Legacy magazine. Her photos have been exhibited along with speaking engagements at the Lost Boys Art Gallery, the annual Celebration of Cultures event in Centennial Park, and the Green Hills Library for Black History month, all in Nashville, TN, and the Sandpoint Library and the Bonner County Library in Sandpoint, ID. Website: www.DeeFlower.com

Dee Flower, photographer, Travel Writer and Adventurer is author of an exciting adventure-driven travel memoir, Where the Wind Wills: Life Can be as Unpredictable as the Wind by D. Flower. Dee's desire is to inspire others to embrace our diversity while celebrating our oneness. As a happily divorced woman in her forties, Dee finds it is not too late to live an adventure-driven life – where she must be willing to take physical, emotional, and romantic risks. Where the Wind Wills begins as thoughts flash in front of her: Are there any positive aspects of drowning in Lake Turkana today? The turquoise water feels warm as it encircles my body. Maybe hypothermia won't set in until nightfall. I shiver when grasping the alternative—the Nile crocodiles patiently waiting with mouths open, teeth gnashing, ready to tear into my flesh. Not, today. Not this way. I will not die today! As an avid traveler and a former park ranger, she is a member of the National Association for Interpretation, which has an international audience of over 3000 members in 30 countries. Her cover story, Rural Africa, has been published in Legacy magazine. Her photos have been exhibited along with speaking engagements at the Lost Boys Art Gallery, the annual Celebration of Cultures event in Centennial Park, and the Green Hills Library for Black History month, all in Nashville, TN, and the Sandpoint Library and the Bonner County Library in Sandpoint, ID. Website: www.DeeFlower.com

In this podcast episode, Eugene has a conversation with Jackson Nakuwa and Mourine Apuu artists involved in the Turkana Sessions project. Turkana Sessions is a 10-track, live recorded music project by Content House Kenya. The project offers the listener a journey through the astounding culture and landscape of Turkana. It was recorded by the breathtaking shores of Lake Turkana, the pyramid hills of Eliye and the grass fields of Kerio. The project features Jackson Nakuwa, Mourine Apuu, Jackson Ekori, Elizabeth Korikel and Eddie Grey. Turkana Sessions is the third project from the Artists Xchange which brings together artists from Turkana and Nairobi. It follows the series The Flyest Wedding in Africa and Floating Flying. The three are part of the feature documentary - Turkana: Race for Resources set to be released in 2023. Jackson Nakuwa is one of Turkana's most celebrated and respected musicians. An expressive storyteller who makes music out of his unique yet, grounded perspective. Since his inception into the scene in 2006, he has released over 14 albums covering social issues within Turkana and personal matters such as his undying love for Regina. Mourine Apuu is a proud talented creative, entrepreneur and web developer. Her music draws its influence from tradition and culture shared by the Turkana people coupled with her drive to improve their livelihoods. By using the tools, skills and opportunities availed to her community, Mourine aims at changing the perspectives of both her community and that of outsiders. Currently, she runs her website Apuu Zawadi an online gift shop, alongside being a stylist and musician.LINKS Behind-the-scenes footage from Turkana Sessions - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb6_aWvwWagHGvREPLSGfH303gYDGz8DcThe Artist's Xchange programme - https://www.britishcouncil.org/east-africa-arts/projects/nana/the-artistes-exchange

Creepy Uganda   So Logan and I saw that we were rising through the ranks of Uganda's listeners for the show and thought: “Hey!  We should show our love and support to these wonderful people”. So, in order to do it right,  we are going on a trip! To Creepy Uganda.    Aside from rituals, ancient vengeful deities, and some rather haunted locations found throughout the wonderful country, there's actually quite a few beautiful areas that, as a tourist, would be something to see! Beautiful Lakes, Mountains and rich cultures are just some of the many things that are strewn about Uganda. So without further adieu, Let's Get Creepy.   The East African nation of Uganda, formally the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked nation. Kenya borders the nation on the east, South Sudan on the north, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the west, Rwanda on the south-west, and Tanzania on the south. A sizable piece of Lake Victoria, which Tanzania, Kenya, and the rest of the country share, is located in the southern region of the nation. The African Great Lakes area includes Uganda. The climate in Uganda, which is also part of the Nile basin, is variable but usually modified equatorial(Characteristics of Modified Equatorial Climate have a range of 4 to 27 degrees celsius). There are about 42 million people living there, 8.5 million of them reside in Kampala, the country's capital and largest metropolis.   Uganda was given its name after the kingdom of Buganda, which ruled over a sizable area of the country's southern region, including the capital city of Kampala, and whose language, Luganda, is extensively spoken today.   The United Kingdom began to govern the region as a protectorate in 1894, establishing administrative law throughout the realm. (A Protectorate is state that is governed and guarded by another independent state is known as a protectorate. It is a dependent region with local autonomy over the majority of internal matters that yet recognizes the authority (much like our relationship between the US and Puerto Rico) of a more powerful sovereign state without being that state's actual possession.) On October 9, 1962, Uganda declared its independence from the UK. Since then, there have been other bloody wars, including an eight-year military dictatorship under Idi Amin.   Their Constitution stipulates that "any other language may be used as a medium of instruction in schools or other educational institutions or for legislative, administrative, or judicial functions as may be authorized by law," despite the fact that English and Swahili are the official languages. Many more languages, including Ateso, Lango, Acholi, Runyoro, Runyankole, Rukiga, Luo, Rutooro, Samia, Jopadhola, and Lusoga, are also spoken in the Central and South Eastern portions of the nation.   Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the president of Uganda at the moment, came to power in January 1986 following a lengthy six-year guerrilla conflict. He was able to run and win the presidency of Uganda in the general elections of 2011, 2016, and 2021 as a result of constitutional revisions that eliminated the president's term restrictions.   Uganda's varied terrain includes volcanic hills, mountains, and lakes. The average elevation of the nation is 900 meters above sea level. Mountains line Uganda's eastern and western borders. The Ruwenzori mountain range is home to Alexandra, the highest peak in Uganda, which rises to a height of 5,094 meters.   One of the largest lakes in the world, Lake Victoria, which has several islands, has a significant effect on most of the country's southern region. The most significant cities, including Kampala, the capital, and Entebbe, a neighboring city, are found in the south, close to this lake. The country's largest lake, Lake Kyoga, located in the middle of a vast marshy landscape. Uganda is a landlocked country, although it has a lot of big lakes. Lake Albert, Lake Edward, and the smaller Lake George are additional lakes to Lakes Victoria and Kyoga. The Nile basin encompasses practically the whole country of Uganda. On the border with Congo, the Victoria Nile flows from Lake Victoria via Lake Kyoga and into Lake Albert. South Sudan is reached by continuing northward. The Suam River, which is a component of Lake Turkana's internal drainage basin, drains a region in eastern Uganda. The Lotikipi Basin, which is mostly in Kenya, receives water from the far north-eastern region of Uganda.   There are 60 protected areas in Uganda, including ten national parks. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Rwenzori Mountains National Park are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. What in the hell is UNESCO? It stands for Unidentified Neural Electron Sexual Conspiracy Organization and of course that's incorrect and stupid. It ACTUALLY stands for The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. A specialised agency of the United Nations aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture.The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to a group of mountain gorillas, the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to gorillas and golden monkeys, and the Murchison Falls National Park is home to those evil fucking hippos.   The military in Uganda is known as the Uganda People's Defense Force. There are about 45,000 soldiers on active service in Uganda's military. Only the United States Armed Forces are deployed to more nations, according to analysts, than the Ugandan army, which is actively engaged in a number of combat and peacekeeping missions in the area. Uganda has troops stationed in the Central African Republic, Somalia, South Sudan, and the northern and eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.   The landscape and wildlife of Uganda are the main attractions for tourists. In 2012–13, it contributed 4.9 trillion Ugandan shillings (US$1.88 billion or €1.4 billion as of August 2013) to Uganda's GDP, making it a significant source of employment, investment, and foreign money. Photo safaris across the National parks and wildlife reserves are the primary draws. Other highlights are the mountain gorillas, which may be found in Uganda's aforementioned Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (MGNP), which are two of the continent of Africa's oldest cultural kingdoms. With more than 1073 species of birds reported, Uganda is an ornithologist's paradise, ranking fourth among bird species in Africa and sixteenth worldwide. The Great Rift Valley and the white-capped Rwenzori mountains are only two of Uganda's many landscapes.   Unfortunately like everywhere else, Uganda has a plethora of things that have happened there that aren't exactly what some may consider “pleasant”. For lack of a better term and because we're adults, let's just say some Pretty fucked up shit had happened, actually. Genocide being a fairly big thing. But we want to dive into the lesser known side of Uganda.   Like maybe some cryptozoology? Hmmmmmm?   A large cryptid bird named Bagge's Black Bird was once sighted in Uganda's Lake Bujuku, which is located south of Mount Speke in the Ruwenozori Mountains. They were purportedly observed in large numbers in 1898 at a height of 9,000 feet, according to Stephen Salisbury Bagge, a guide for the government. Bagge described them as black birds the size of sheep with an alarm call resembling that of a bull. Not much else to go on here since this was the only sighting allegedly of the creature. But who knows! Maybe it was a pterodactyl, or better yet, a rather large black bird that was living rather well and just so happened to be bigger than the rest.   Denman's bird was another cryptid bird that Canadian mountaineer Earl Denman purportedly claimed to have seen diving "swiftly and nearly vertically in the high mountain air" in Uganda's Ruwenzori Mountains. Ben S. Roesch speculated that they could have been Verreaux's eagles, which are common in the region and frequently observed diving to grab hyraces (rock rabbits) and hares (the thing that doesn't grow on my head) when hunting in pairs.   The irizima, also known as "the thing that may not be spoken of," was a cryptid that was seen in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo near Lake Edward. One of the least well-supported of the African neodinosaurs, it has been compared to both the mokele-mbembe and the emela-ntouka.   Neodinosaurian cryptids like the mokele-mbembe or li'kela-bembe have been seen mostly in the Republic of the Congo and Cameroon, where it is thought to live in marshy or swampy wetlands, lakes, and rivers. Several other bodies of water have also reported seeing it, but the Likouala region and Lake Tele are particularly linked to it. Many cryptozoologists have long assumed that the mokele-mbembe is a big amphibious animal with a bulky body, a long neck and tail, and a small head. However, a wide range of different reptilian and mammalian identities have also been proposed.   A neodinosaurian cryptid known from the rainforest swamps and rivers of the Republic of the Congo and the southwest Central African Republic, the emela-ntouka (Bomitaba or Lingala: "killer of elephants" or "eater of the tops of trees") is described as a horned animal and has been likened to rhinoceroses and ceratopsian dinosaurs. It is often used as a synonym for the older but now less well-known chipekwe water rhinoceros from Zambia, as well as the ngoubous from Cameroon, the ntambue ya mai from the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and certain accounts of forest rhinoceroses. The morphology of the emela-ntouka has been described as well-defined but puzzling. It is described as an amphibian with an elephantine, rhinoceros-like appearance, a big horn on its nose, and a bulky tail resembling a crocodile. The emela-identity ntouka's has historically been the subject of two extremely divergent conflicting theories: either it was a big semi-aquatic rhinoceros or, primarily due to its bulky tail, a living ceratopsian dinosaur. Many cryptozoologists no longer subscribe to the latter notion, as the emela-ntouka is now thought of as a mammal. One ethnic group, the Aka, refers to the emela-ntouka as mokele-mbembe, a practice that has generated considerable misunderstanding.   Now that we understand those two similar cryptids we go back to the irizima. It was initially brought up by Captain William Hichens, who said that there were two conflicting accounts of the creature, including a "gigantic hippopotamus with the horns of a rhinoceros" and an animal with hippo-like legs, an elephant-like trunk, a lizard's head, and an aardvark's tail. Hichens said that such a creature had been spotted by an unknown big game hunter, who then told Herbert Francis Fenn about it, inspiring him to look for neodinosaurs in the Congo. A Brontosaurus, described by Hichens as "a massive marsh animal, ten times as big as the biggest elephant," was discovered in a Congo swamp by a "madcap man" who had been searching for the monster, according to Hichens. Hichens, according to Bernard Heuvelmans, mistook information about the Great Brontosaurus Hoax and Captain Leicester Stevens' excursion for information about Lake Edward. Also, it sounds like they found the funny mushrooms.   The brontosaurus hoax was pretty interesting as well. Allegedly, the news paper in the area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo wanted Captain Stevens to find this cryptid found in the marshes of Lake Edward. The twist is that the original reports were of a ceratopsian dinosaur not a brontosaurus that was written in the news.   Hunter Roger Courtney later made reference to the Lake Edward monster, describing it as a huge, black beast that spews tremendous waves and spouts. When the hunter persuaded his companions to aid him onto the water, the monster had already dove, according to Courtney, who claimed that a Dutch hunter had spotted the animal from the shore of Lake Edward. In addition, Courtney had heard rumors about "dinosaurs" from the adjacent Ituri Forest, which he took to be true.   According to E. A. Temple-Perkins, who studied the irizima in Lake Edward, the monster—especially as it was described by Courtney—may have originated as a local legend intended to explain why waterspouts naturally occur. Given the lack of reliable material from Lake Edward, Bernard Heuvelmans believed that Captain Hichens had accidentally introduced the Lepage-Gapelle fake monster there, leaving Roger Courtney's brief report as the only description of the Lake Edward monster. Karl Shuker, however, asserts that these two contradictory descriptions demonstrate that the term "irizima" is likely used to describe both of the two primary African neodinosaur types found in Lake Edward, the long-necked mokele-mbembe type and the horned emela-ntouka type. Shuker hypothesizes that the irizima, which Hichens described as having numerous horns, may be the same animal as the emela-ntouka and the ngoubou, which resemble Arsinoitherium (a large two horned mammal that went extinct and resemble rhino but the horns being on its brow instead of its snout).   A group of semiaquatic cryptids known as water lions, water leopards, or jungle walruses have been found in rivers and occasionally wetlands throughout tropical Africa, particularly in the Central African Republic. The majority of the time referred to as huge cats , they can be identified by their protruding fangs or tusks and their penchant for hippopotamus slaughter, so they're not all bad. A number of competing theories exist, and some water lions have also been identified or confused with neodinosaurs, water rhinoceroses, and pseudodeinotheria. Ingo Krumbiegel and Bernard Heuvelmans theorized that water lions represent a surviving species of sabre-toothed cat adapted to an amphibious lifestyle and that sounds terrifying. The majority of water lion sighting reports were gathered in the 20th century, however reports of the n'gooli or “water panther”, continue to come from Cameroon.   The Nandi bear, also known as the chemosit (Kalenjin: "devil"), is a cryptid that has been seen in western Kenyan highlands as well as Uganda. It is described as a deadly creature with a matted mane that resembles a bear. Cryptozoologists have determined that the Nandi bear is a fusion of several different cryptids, including maybe two real unknown animals: a huge hyena and a giant baboon, however identities of a living chalicothere (the weird horse/gorilla looking thing) and an unknown bear have also been proposed. Since the 20th century, there have been few or no sightings, and it has been hypothesized that the Nandi bear, if it ever existed, is now extinct. Maybe another version of the sasquatch?    Hope the Cryptids were a little more easy going because now we dive into some… shit.   Sir Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Mutesa, often known as Kabaka Mutesa II, led a fascinating life. He ruled as Buganda's 36th kabaka (king) from 1939 until his passing on November 21, 1969. In addition, he served as Uganda's first president from 1963 until 1966, when he was ousted and taken into exile by Prime Minister Milton Obote.   Following the passing of his father, King Daudi Cwa II, he succeeded to the throne of Buganda in 1939. He was overthrown twice: once by the colonial governor-general Sir Andrew Cohen in 1953 so that he could be replaced by his half-brother, whom Cohen believed he could better control; and once more in 1966 when Prime Minister Obote forced him to leave for Britain, where he died in exile. Following his first exile of two years, Mutesa II was permitted to reclaim the throne as part of a negotiated agreement that established him as a constitutional monarch and granted the Baganda the opportunity to choose delegates for the kingdom's parliament, the Lukiiko. He had thirteen wives and eleven children by marriage and six through other means.   Initially joining forces to demand self-rule, Sir Edward Mutesa II, KBE and Prime Minister Milton Obote went on to win the 1962 election. Mutesa II was named non-executive president, primarily serving in a ceremonial capacity, but after independence, their relationship started to sour. Obote allegedly instructed Idi Amin-led soldiers to raid his stronghold in 1966. Mutesa II had to escape to the UK once more. Obote declared himself president and assumed total control while he was overseas.   The largest of Uganda's several ethnic groups, the Baganda, were led by Mutesa II as monarch. Despite taking advantage of it, Obote used his position of power to get rid of both the traditional kingships and the independence of the province administrations because Buganda had only agreed to join the state if it had a high degree of autonomy. In 1993, Mutesa's son was elected as the 37th kabaka under a revised constitution. Within Uganda, Buganda is currently a constitutional monarchy. In Uganda, Mutesa II attended King's College, Budo. As a student at Magdalene College in Cambridge, England, he enlisted in an officer training corps and received a captain's commission in the Grenadier Guards. Buganda was then a part of Uganda's British rule. Many of the traditional leaders or kings served as the British's representatives in Uganda. The late fourteenth century is when the Buganda kingly line began. Oddly enough, Obote was deposed in a coup in 1971 by none other than Amin, the head of his own army and closest supporter.   At the age of 45, Mutesa II passed away from alcohol poisoning at his London apartment in 1969. The British authorities determined that he committed suicide, despite his followers' claims that Obote regime assassins were responsible. In 2009, four decades after Mutesa II's passing, a family friend and fellow Ugandan exile living in London told the BBC, "We got warning, people used to write and say somebody has been sent, be aware, take care."   According to JM Kavuma-Kaggwa, an elder from Kyaggwe, Mukono District: “There were rumours that Obote was spending Shs 250,000 per week (a lot of money then) to track down the Kabaka. Their mission had completely failed until luck struck when the late Oscar Kambona of Tanzania who fell out with President Nyerere and fled into exile in London, organised a birthday party in November 1969 in Sir Edward Mutesa's honour.”   “Also in attendance was a beautiful Muganda girl who had reportedly been recruited by the GSU to go to London, befriend Sir Edward, be close to him and poison him. She came close to the Kabaka during the party. It was reported that the Kabaka invited the girl to this birthday party and that was the time she managed to poison him because she was the one in charge of the Kabaka's drinks that evening.”   After Obote was overthrown in 1971, Mutesa II's remains were brought back to Uganda and given a formal funeral by the new president, Idi Amin, who had led the attack on Mutesa's palace in 1966 as the army commander. Definitely an interesting story to say the least. This next event is a little more… unsettling.   On the last night of her life, Rose Nakimuli shut down her little hair salon in rural Uganda at around nine o'clock. The 27-year-old made her way back down to the neighborhood bar for a late-night beverage after walking home to change and turning on her porch light for the evening. Later, while she was strolling along a country road next to a two-lane highway on her way home, a friend leaned out of his small bar to greet her. The following morning, a neighbor discovered her dead; slouched behind banana trees in front of her house. Nakimuli was stripped and forced to kneel on her knees. Her vagina had been penetrated with a cassava stick. Her spouse recognized her by the maroon sweater that was hanging from a tree close by. Considering the porch light was still on suggests that she never actually made it home.   Nakimuli is one of 23 women who have died mysteriously and horribly on the outskirts of Kampala, the expanding metropolis of quickly urbanizing Uganda, from May to November of 2017. The murders have caused fear in the neighborhood, sparked doubts about the nation's dedication to protecting women, and increased scrutiny of the police force, a potent institution criticized for acting with impunity and serving as an extension of the government's ruling political party, the National Resistance Movement.   All of the victims were female, ranging in age from 19 to 38. Four of the individuals have been recognized as sex workers, along with a number of traders and a high school student. Many of the victims had no nearby family and lived alone. Three of the women, at least, are yet unidentified. Many of the murders, according to the police, were committed by witchcraft practitioners who sought financial gain through human sacrifice. Others, according to them, are the result of spousal abuse, drug use among unemployed youth, land disputes, and lone women who fail to take the necessary safeguards.    Twelve or more suspects have been taken into custody. Some have apparently been tortured into confessing. However, not much evidence connecting the suspects to the crimes has been made public.   Locals and activist organizations charge the police with being overburdened and conflicted over the murders of over twenty women.   “What makes me to feel that there is an element of injustice is that it took Rose to die in order for somebody to move,” said Nakimuli's husband, Anatoli Ndyabagyera.   Community watch groups have been established, a curfew has been implemented to prevent women from travelling alone at night, and the local informal economy has collapsed in the interim. Some of the safety measures have not been applied since Idi Amin's regime and the civil conflict that ensued after his overthrow in 1979.   Interior Minister Jeje Odongo blamed a couple of businesspeople at the head of a vast criminal network connected to "the Illuminati" in September 2017 for most of the killings. According to Odongo, the guys, Ivan Katongole and Phillip Tumuhimbise, performed rituals using the victims' blood and body parts in order to increase their wealth.   In Uganda, magic and mysticism still have great power. The rituals that these beliefs usually take the form of can occasionally become more evil. In the past, killings for ceremonial purposes have often involved children in particular.   Jordan Anderson, a researcher who has studied magic in East and Central Africa, claims that the latest killings of women, however, have little in common with conventional ritual homicides. One reason is that it's unusual to preserve a sacrificial body.   “You are killing the person because, in the first sense, you want to use that body part in the ‘medicine' or the potion that you are going to put together,” he said. “It's the particular part of the person you want, not the death per se."   Black magic can also be useful cover for a murderer trying to hide their tracks or an easy scapegoat for incompetent security forces.   “If you have this motif in the media, people can pick it up and copycat it,” Anderson said. “If there's insecurity in this area, if there are murders taking place, this is a great excuse for the politicians, the police and, above all, the people doing the murders.”   In an interview at one of the clubs where she was last seen alive, her husband noted that Nakimuli was regarded as being "extremely sweet." She was unable to stand by as a child sobbed. He couldn't bring himself to clean up her house for two months following her passing.   In small communities like the one where Nakimuli passed away, rumors are easily disseminated, and Ndyabagyera is still dubious of the police's version of what happened to his wife. He thinks Nakimuli's cousin may have set her up as part of a long-standing vendetta.   The small village of Katabi, where Nakimuli and 11 other women were murdered, is located along the main road from Kampala to Entebbe, which is home to the president of Uganda's palace and the country's primary airport on Lake Victoria. Museveni frequently travels this route on his way from his residence to the capital. He didn't go to the town, however, to pay his respects to the deceased until late September.   Museveni interviewed the victims' friends and neighbors during the unexpected visit while keeping a clipboard in his hand and taking careful notes.   The majority of the twelve slain women in the Katabi area were brutalized in ways akin to Nakimuli. Many had been assaulted with cassava sticks, stripped naked, and strangled.   On the opposite side of Kampala, 20 miles north, the bodies of an additional 11 women were found during the same time frame. There, victims were allegedly sexually assaulted and strangled, yet there were no sticks in their genitalia.   An individual named Ibrahim Kaweesa, a chicken dealer who had previously served ten years in prison for robbery, has been connected to those killings. Which seems like a huge escalation. The interior minister claimed that Tumuhimbise, a teenage shopkeeper, employed Kaweesa to murder a dozen women "for ritual performance to protect or improve his wealth."   As part of a loose network supporting law enforcement, 40-year-old Charles Waswa assisted in the arrest of Kaweesa and claimed, "They removed the blood."   Kaweesa resided two-thirds of the way down a short row of apartments, surrounded by women cooking outside and shrieking children. He was labeled by his neighbors as an arrogant and dangerous womanizer.   Kaweesa's neighbor Annette Namkose, 29, stepped in to prevent them from dating. She alleged through a translator that in response, he threatened to kill her, saying, "I'll kill you like I did the ones in Entebbe."   She declared, "He's not a neighbor you want to be with.   Police said that after being detained, Kaweesa swiftly confessed to the crimes. He allegedly led detectives around a number of the crime scenes without being asked.   “I don't believe we have arrested each and every person who knew about this matter,” said Kasingye, the police spokesman.   “I cannot say 100% there isn't going to be any (more) crime because it has never happened anywhere in the world. But at least it (the arrests) shows us we can stop criminals. We can arrest them, we can prosecute them and we can do this throughout the whole country.”   Unfortunately cases like these happen too much in many places around the world. Uganda seems to be trying to get ahead of the curve with the installment of the Anti-Human Sacrifice and Trafficking Task Force following the Anti-Trafficking Act in 2009.    Although reports have shown that the task force has been severely underfunded for a while, we do hope that things start to turn around.   Speaking of human sacrifices, this is a report from only a few weeks ago:   Human sacrifices continue unabated in the remote and rural areas of the landlocked East African country of Uganda despite authorities enacting tough laws and threatening death sentences.   According to officials, 132 incidents of human sacrifices have been recorded in the last three years. The numbers have spiked from 22 sacrifices in 2019, 45 in 2020 and 65 in 2021.   Most victims of such “ritual sacrifices” are children, apparently because they are easier to abduct and seen as “pure” and so of "higher ritual value".   Anadolu Agency quoted authorities as saying on Sunday that the sacrifices are being carried out by witch doctors or local traditional healers, dotting rural areas.   Admitting that human sacrifice is a big problem, Lucas Oweyesigire, the police spokesman for the Kampala region, said most such practices take place in rural areas.   The so-called leader of traditional healing and witch doctors, Mama Fina, has also condemned human sacrifice and described those recommending the sacrifice of human beings as “fake”.   Taking advice from witch doctors   Police spokesman Fred Enanga said only last month they "arrested a man identified as Musilimu Mbwire on suspicion of killing his two sons in human sacrifice.”   According to preliminary investigations, a rich man had paid Mbwire money and convinced him to sacrifice his two sons at the instructions of a witch doctor.   Superstitions lead people in rural areas to seek help from witch doctors, who in turn offer weird prescriptions, including human sacrifices to turn around their luck.   A more worrisome part of the superstition is to undertake human sacrifice to put the body at the foundation of a building to bring good luck.   Timothy Mukasa, a local leader in Kampala's suburb of Kireka, said many multi-storey buildings in the town have been built on a human body.   “The witch doctors tell owners to put a human body at the foundation of the construction of the buildings,” he said.   In 2014, authorities apprehended and later sentenced a tycoon Kato Kajubi for sacrificing a child and then putting his body in the foundation of a building that he was about to construct.   David Musenze, a journalist who studied psychology, said there are not many qualified counsellors to attend to psychological and mental issues of people, which makes them take advice from witch doctors.   "People go to witch doctors to help them get jobs, be promoted at jobs, or kill their enemies, along with many other problems," he said.   So, what about hauntings, you might be thinking to yourself. Well, we found a story from someone living in Uganda from the “your ghost stories” website. I had always thought this sort of nightmare was happening to me alone until I have come across this site. I always took my suffering silently especially the unexplained sickness which always followed devil attacks.   It all started on 28th November 2004 one hour to midnight. Whilst walking home after branching off from the main road. I heard footsteps of someone walking behind me and whoever it was seemed to have been in a hurry, I glanced back and stepped aside to see who it was and let him/her pass as I was in a narrow path.   I saw a hazy form I can't clearly explain here, my hair stood on my head like when you encounter something fearful. A cold shiver enveloped me and a gust of chilly wind wrapped my entire body, like I was putting on a cloak. I let out a silent incoherent scream and ran towards home which was just nearby. That occurrence signalled the beginning of my suffering to date.   Since then, whenever I sleep I am woken up by something touching my foot or a feeling of a being lying beside me, in the morning I find scratches on my body and at first I thought it was me scratching myself during asleep so I used to trim my nails, but the scratches continued.   During the attacks, I fall in a sort of hypotonizing stance. I neither can move nor make any sound except my feet which I use to struggle and try to shrug of the being.   In the past two years the demon has turned sexual, it would turn in a woman form, hugging me in bed trying to initiate sexual intimacy, when I wake up my reproductive organ feels so cold and shrunk. There's pain also in the pelvic area for most of the day.   I have tried all sorts of remedies e.g. Blessed water, salt, prayers etc. But none seems to work, Any suggestions on how to get rid of this demon is welcome.   And lastly, the Haunted Palace of Kabaka Kabak's Palace, also known as Idi Amin's Torture Chambers or Haunted Mansion or Lubiri Palace is located in Lubiri area of Kampala on Mengo Hill Road. It was the home of the Bugandan kings but these days it largely remains unoccupied due to the horrific events that took place under the rule of Idi Amin and President Milton Obote. President Idi Amin built his torture chamber here where hundreds of people were reportedly tortured to death. Their spirits are believed to have haunted the palace which is closed to the public these days for repair and clearing it from the so-called spirits.   MOVIES-Top movies set in africa 30 Must Watch Movies Set in Africa - IMDb

This week: Sam Szoke-Burke, senior legal researcher at the Columbia Centre on Sustainable Investment in New York, and Ikal Ang'elei, co-founder and director of Friends of Lake Turkana in Kenya talk about the impact of the renewable energy sector on the human rights of local peoples during the deployment phase of wind and solar projects. Land rights abuses are among the key risks for companies and their suppliers.   Plus: microplastics found in beef and pork by new Plastic Soup Foundation sponsored research; the Lisbon Declaration signed by 150 nations at UN oceans conference; Mighty Earth keeps pressure on the soy sector and links to Cerrado biome conversion; and, Volvo set to leave European auto industry group over speed of conversion to all-electric vehicles, in the news digest. Host: Ian Welsh

This week, we're heading to Kenya to learn about a very special and exciting opportunity to travel and learn from these specialists in their fields. Dr. Leakey is a paleontologist and anthropologist who spends a great deal of her time doing field work near Lake Turkana. From the famed family of Louis Leakey, she comes by her passion for “fossil hunting” through her DNA. Dr. Tim Collins is a cetacean researcher meaning he spends his time with whales, dolphins and porpoises and Julie Church is a self described marine conservationist whose passion for the “blue planet” is illustrated through her work.On today's episode, we are talking about how a trip to Kenya to learn about the origins of man, the behavior and patterns of whale migrations and the flora and fauna of the lakes in Kenya can make for a meaningful, educational and beneficial travel experience. The whale population that migrates up and down the East African coast has recovered to a degree that now it's easier than ever to witness the great migration of whales in Kenya as well as wildebeest. Tune in to find out more about this exciting opportunity coming up in September 2022 and the prospects for future trips!  Today on The Intrepid Traveler: ∙Louise's passion for continuing the work in the field of paleontology begun by her grandfather Louis Leakey∙Tim's experiences with cetaceans on both coasts of the African continent  ∙Julie's interest in pulling it all together and connecting the dots through conservation ∙The possibility of doing a migration “double”∙Exclusive behind the scenes opportunities not available to the general publi ∙How sustainability is connected to the core of tourism in East Africa  Connect with the guests: Seas4life - safaris, conservation, educationJulie Church on LinkedIn Louise Leakey on LinkedIn Tim Collins on LinkedIn Thanks for tuning in!  Thanks for joining us on today's episode of The Intrepid Traveler podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, please rate and review our show to help us reach even more aspiring travelers. Don't forget to check out our website, visit us on Facebook, Instagram or follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on our latest epic travel adventures!

Welcome to part 4 of my mini-series about Kenya and The Masai Mara. Click here to go to part 1, part 2, and part 3. After our exciting hot air balloon trip, I went to the Maassai village in the Mara. This was my last day in the Mara. I had spent two nights in Lenchada Tourist Camp in the Masai Mara game reserve in Kenya. And when we were asked if we wanted to go for a visit to a real Maasai village, I was the only one in the group who was interested. So, I got a private tour for a few hours.  WELCOMING MAASAI  A young boy from the village picks me up, and after a short walk just outside the fence that surrounds their little village, I meet up with Sammy, who would be my guide for the tour. A group of eight tall slim young Maasai men stood in a half-circle in front of me, singing, dancing, and jumping. They all wore their attractive colourful Maasai shuka – an African blanket they traditionally wear as a sarong. It's thick enough to be used as a light blanket for chilly mornings and afternoons. Each Maasai does not wear the exact same colours, but most of them wear red because it symbolizes their culture, and they believe it scares wild animals away.  JUMP JUMP JUMP They jump high, straight up in the air. Later I learned that the higher they can jump, the less dowry they pay to the woman's family before marriage. The young Maasai men then invited me to join the dance. First, they draped me in a red shuka – and had a laugh watching this pale middle-aged, slightly overweight Scandinavian dude trying to jump. In the moment, I felt I did pretty good but looking at the pictures, I can see that I barely left the ground. So, it would be expensive for me to get married in this culture. ONE BIG FAMILY In this village, there were 20 families with 200 people from the same grandfather. They do not intermarry in their village. As mentioned, they are a semi-nomadic tribe that stay in the same place for around nine years, and they move to another place when the houses are eaten by termites. They are polygamous – which means that the man can marry as many women as he likes (or can afford). SIX FACTS ABOUT THE MAASAI PEOPLE Here are some hardcore facts about the Maasai people.  1. Most Famous African Tribe The Maasai is an ethnic group living in northern, central and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among the best-known local populations internationally because they live in or near the many game parks of the African Great Lakes. And then we know them for their distinctive customs, dress, and beautiful jewelry. The men very often also have a distinct tall and slim frame. More on that later 2. Population There are around 2 million Maasai people. 1.2 million are in Kenya and around 800,000 in Tanzania.  3. Language The Maasai speak the Maasai language, Maa – but except for some elders living in rural areas, most Maasai people speak the official languages of Kenya and Tanzania, Swahili and English. 4. Body Modification The piercing and stretching of earlobes are common among the Maasai as with other tribes, and both men and women wear metal hoops on their stretched earlobes.  5. Tall People They are considered one of the tallest people in the world. According to some reports, their average height is 6 ft 3 inches (190 cm).  6. When a Maasai Dies They typically don't bury people in the ground when they die – as they feel that it ruins the earth. They instead have a "scavenger burial" where they cover the dead body with oxblood or cattle fat and leave it in a bush for the wild animals to eat. The deceased is considered a good person if they are eaten on the first night.     A LOOK IN THE HISTORY BOOK The Maasai tribe has not had an easy life. According to Maasai belief, the tribe originated in northwest Kenya, just north of Lake Turkana. As they are semi-nomadic, the Maasai tribe lives off the land. After a few years in one place, they move to the next area to survive. Before the European settlers arrived, the Maasai people owned almost all of the most fertile lands in Kenya. But their man-made spears were no match for armed British troops, so the Maasai tribe lost the battle for their best land in 1904 and signed their first agreement with the Europeans.  While their land was some of the best in Kenya, the Europeans were not content and further fought to get more. So, in 1911 a small group of Maasai signed another agreement giving up even more land. Despite not being fully understood, these Maasai were tricked into signing away valuable land. A total of around two-thirds of their land was lost, resulting in devastating consequences for the Maasai people. POLYGAMY AND LION KILLING Back in the Maasai village, Sammy told me more about Polygamy in the tribe. Sammy has four children and only one wife, but his father has eight wives. And eight mothers-in-law.  This is when I meet up with a group of other young men from the village, and they did a dance for me. They mostly dance during celebrations like initiations when a group of young buys hit puberty. They normally do the dance when they celebrate that the boys are old enough for circumcision and then go into the forest for a couple of years – and, according to Sammy, finish up with killing a lion.  According to Wikipedia and many other sources, it's a common misconception that each young Maasai man is supposed to kill a lion before he can enter adulthood. They say that lion hunting was an activity of the past, but it's been banned in East Africa and that lions are only hunted when they threaten the Maasai livestock. But according to Sammy, it still happens. So, in other words, when the boys are around 15, they are circumcised and then go with a group of 30-50 boys and two elders from the village out into the forest and stay there for a couple of years. This practice is done every few years with boys from the same age set. Here, they learn how to be a Maasai warrior, how to hunt, jump, sing, make fire, and about herbal medicine, and according to Sammy, end up killing a lion.  Another young man, the 24-year-old Augustus, highlights that they don't do it just for fun; it's a tradition. Sammy mentions that he indeed has killed a lion, and sometimes, the experience can go both ways. The lion can kill you, or you can kill it. After you kill a lion, there is a celebration back in the village.  Genital Modification Sammy and Augustus mentioned circumcision. This happens to both girls and boys to initiate them into adulthood. This ritual is typically performed by the elders, who use a sharpened knife and makeshift cattle hide bandages for the procedure. The boy is expected to endure the operation in silence in the male ceremony. Even expressions of pain will "bring dishonour upon him".  Any unexpected movements of the boy can cause the old Maasai with the sharp knife to make a mistake in the delicate process. This can result in severe lifelong scarring, dysfunction, and intense pain. So, don't make a sound, don't move, and don't even make a funny face when an old guy from your tribe chops off the tip of your penis without any kind of sedation. Ouch! If that doesn't prove you're a man, nothing will.  But for the Maasai, circumcision is a crucial public celebration of manhood.  THEY LOST 400 COWS The singing and the jumping were taking place just outside the fence that is built to protect their cattle at night from wild animals.  As we enter the village, Sammy tells me something that breaks my heart. Until recently, they had 500 cows in the village but lost 400 cows due to the drought. Let me just pause it first to put into context just how big a deal this is.  The Maasai people believe that cattle are the gods' gift to them. They are semi-nomadic and move with their animals across the plains of Kenya and northern Tanzania, setting up home where they find the best grazing sites. Their cattle are the wealth of the village, units of currency, givers of milk to live, and on special occasions, meat and blood. Their lifestyle concentrates on their cattle which make up the primary food source. Amongst the Maasai the measure of a man's wealth is in terms of children and cattle. So, the more, the better.  During the drought, there was not enough grass for the cows, and with that, no food for the Maasai, as they don't grow any plants. As we continued walking, Sammy pointed to the field where I could see a dead cow carcass lying. It was indeed a sad sight.  The Maasai graze the cattle in the park at night which is a risky affair. We would see herds of cows heading to the national park for grazing during our nightly game drives. The warriors would lead the cows to greener pastures. However, there were light rains on our days there, which may be a good sign that there may be grass soon.   MAKING FIRE The Maasai then teaches me how to make fire the old traditional way. They have a piece of flat wood (which he called the sandpaper tree) and a wooden stick. They place the wood on a machete on the ground and start spinning the stick with their hands and the tip of the stick in one of the holes. Three guys are sitting on their knees and take turns in spinning the stick.  Surprisingly fast, smoke starts building from the friction point between the hard and the soft piece of wood. Sammy is standing ready with a handful of dried grass and cow dung – and at some point, they tip the glowing part first on the metal of the machete and then into the dried grass and dung.  Sammy blows into it and the smoke is building. When we see fire, he puts it on the ground and says, "so, now we make barbecue".  They only make fire once every few years and keep it burning around the village. They also "borrow" fire from one house to another. And then (of course), they ask me to try too… Did I make a fire? Well, naturally, I had a lighter in my pocket. THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE SAVANNAH I get invited into Sammy's family's small hut made of wood and cow dung. The Maasai have to use readily available materials and indigenous technology to construct their unusual and interesting houses (Manyatta). They are built by women and take two months. We enter the small house and take a seat in the main room, which is only 3 by 4 meters (10 by 12 feet). It serves as a bedroom, living room, and fireplace for the entire family. In the middle of the room is a fireplace, what functions as the kitchen where they cook.  DO THEY LIVE LONG LIVES? As I'm sitting on the dirt floor of this small hut, smelling the smoke of the fireplace in front of me, it seems very primitive. And I can't help thinking about how childbirth was given that they are so far away from hospitals and doctors.  It's like Sammy is reading my mind and tells me that they have a medicine man and a midwife in the village. Sammy also tells me about natural medicine and even says that there are very few maternal deaths.  And then he tells me that his grandfather lived till the age of 122 years and his grandmother till she was 118 years old. According to Sammy, many Maasai people live for more than a century. I was a bit perplexed. Sammy was even more surprised when I told him that life expectancy in Denmark is 83 for women and 80 for men.  After my visit, I did a bit of research on life expectancy among the Maasai people. Was it true that they live as long as Sammy's grandparents did? And no. According to a few different websites I've looked at, the average life expectancy for the Maasai people is the lowest in the whole world. The average male lives to the age of 42, and the women until the age of just 44.  Sammy was off when he said most people live up to 100 years. Or maybe his family just was lucky with his grandparents getting very old. CHEERS IN THE LOCAL BREW They offer me to try their local brew, which contains some of their herbal medicine and honey. I take a sip. It tasted good, and then Sammy and his brother (sitting next to me) told me to finish the cup. A little part of me is thinking: "What is this?" and "how is it made?" But I want to be polite, and what is the worst that could happen? So, bottoms up, Palle! I gulp down every drop, and they seem surprised and impressed.  They also have a little guest room in the hut, and Sammy promised to host me. So, now I have a free place to stay when I'm back at the village. I better go back there before they move so I can find them.  FULL OF CONTRASTS As we walk around the village, it's like going back in time. They are people who stick to the old traditions and refuse to bow down to western modernization.  But at the same time, a lot of them are walking around with smartphones. It's a funny contrast to see. They make fire the hard way with sticks, sit on the dirt floor around a fireplace inside a little hut made out of wood and cow dung – but also have smartphones where they take selfies and engage on social media. The young man called Augustus ask me for my WhatsApp number. THE RADIO VAGABOND LANGUAGE SCHOOL: MAA It's time to learn to speak a few words in their local Maasai language, Maa.  Hello (supa)Thank you (ashe-oleng) Goodbye (olesere) How high can you jump? (E ging mabaa) Are you on WhatsApp? (Iitiyi WhatsApp?) You can hear the pronunciation on the podcast – sent to me via WhatsApp from Augustus in the village. FRIENDLY WARRIORS The Maasai tribe is often described as one of the world's largest (and last) great warrior cultures, but Sammy tells me they don't have any fights or conflicts with the other Maasai villages. In fact, they help each other a great deal. I paid a small fee to visit them, and at the end, Sammy asks me if I feel like giving a small donation to the village. The only cash I had left in my wallet was meant to be my tip to Dennis, our driver. But after spending time with the wonderful people and hearing about the hardship they are in right now with losing 400 cows, I give Sammy all I had, and as we're heading back home to Nairobi later in the day, I tell Dennis that he has to stop by an ATM so that I can get cash for his tip.  SAY YES TO A MAASAI VISIT If you ever go to The Masai Mara and are asked if you would like to visit a Maasai village, say yes! It was interesting, and they are such friendly, open, warm people.  While many African tribes have lost their traditions over time, the Maasai tribe is well known for its strong traditions, unique culture, and red tribal dress. The Maasai tribe truly is an inspiration as they stand firm in their traditional lifestyle – but still, they don't go overboard and have smartphones. AND THAT ALL, FOLKS That's almost the end of this four-part mini-series about what to see in Kenya and especially the Masai Mara. Again, thank you to Scenery Adventures for making the trip possible and to all the people I met here.  My name is Palle Bo, and I gotta keep moving. See you.   EMAIL FROM A LISTENER I received an email from a listener. David from the UK.  Hi Palle, I've travelled with work and vacation to perhaps 40 countries in 40 years, but with family illness, BREXIT, a career change, and then Covid, like many, we became rather stuck in a rut over the past few years.  I am married to a Dane, and we will be relocating to Denmark later this year. As part of our plans to shake up our lives, we are looking to get back on the road soon.  Yes, I enjoy your series vicariously, but it triggers thoughts and ideas of what to do next and provides the motivation to use our 4000 weeks on this planet wisely.  As an example of how you have affected change, our week-long trip to Croatia at Easter will now include a detour to Montenegro... because why not! The podcasts are a perfect length, and the production is first-rate. I also find your honesty refreshing. Keep up the good work! Best wishes David My reply: Thanks, David. Great to know that I have inspired you to take a detour to Montenegro. I promise you that you will not be disappointed.  The Montenegro episode was number 175, and if you haven't heard it, you should listen to that one too – after the rest of this one. Maybe you will be inspired too, like David and his wife. 

Welcome to this mini-series about Kenya and Masai Mara. This is part 1 On December 31st, I was excited to go to Masai Mara. I went on a 5-hour drive from Nairobi, Kenya, to Masai Mara National Reserve (often referred to just as The Mara). I knew that the game drives would start early in the morning, and I would not be partying too hard for New Year. The two-night/three-day safari trip was partly made possible by Scenery Adventures Ltd, which is owned and operated by Monica Musungu. Scenery Adventures does inbound and outbound travel. They take visitors to Congo, Tanzania, Seychelles, Egypt, and many other places. I got to know Monica when we were in Berlin in March 2020, just as the Corona pandemic was beginning to rear its ugly head. We were both there for a big travel event called ITB, which was canceled days before the event. As we had our tickets ready, we decided to travel anyway and that's how our paths crossed. MEETING THE TRAVEL CAMEL I also met Shane Dallas who I knew from the travel industry, and TBEX, which does conferences for travel content creators around the world. Shane is the conference director of TBEX Europe, Asia, and Africa. As I'm the co-host and producer of the TBEX podcast, Travel Matters, you can say that we're colleagues. Shane has been traveling worldwide for years – calling himself and his travel blog “The Travel Camel”, but when he came to Kenya, he fell in love with the country and his wife, Maureen. He's been living here for a number of years with her and their daughter. He knows a lot about this country, but he's originally from Australia. It has been nine years since he went back to Australia. He is probably getting away from all the poisonous snakes and spiders. However, he misses his family, friends, cricket, and rugby. I asked Shane to give me some insights into what Kenya means to him. “Kenya is complex with more than 40 tribes, and each has its food, customs, and activities. I love it”. That morning, I finally met Dennis, my driver, in Nairobi for the next few days. We got on the van with an open roof which would come in handy when we went on game drives in the park. That way, we could stand up and get a good view of the wildlife for taking photos. We were a group of 7 or 8 – a few from Kenya, and besides me was a guy from San Francisco. Not only was I going on game drives, but I also decided to spend a little extra time by visiting a Maasai Village and then start 2022 by going on a hot air balloon safari over the savannah early in the morning on January 1st. Here are some facts about Kenya FACTS ABOUT KENYA How Big and How Many People At 580,367 square kilometers (224,081 sq mi), Kenya is the world's 48th largest country by area. It is slightly smaller than Ukraine and a bit bigger than Spain. With more than 47.6 million people, Kenya is the 29th most populous country globally. Kenya is the World's Leading Safari Destination Kenya has been recognized by the World Travel Awards as the world's leading safari destination for 2021, a position it has held for seven years now! The country has 50 epic national parks and reserves home to diverse wildlife, including the renowned Big Five (lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffaloes). Official Languages There are more than 69 different languages spokenKenya, but they only have two official languages, English and Swahili. English is widely spoken in commerce, schooling, and government, and you can totally get by here. The English level on the street is very good – even though they do have a local dialect that can be a bit hard to catch sometimes for a western speaking ear. The Flag The flag is a horizontal tricolor with black, red, and green from the top and thinner white lines. The black stands for the country's people, the green stands for the landscape, the white lines represent peace, and the red in the middle symbolizes war. And then what is most unique of the flag: a Maasai shield and spears in the middle – and it symbolizes the defense of all the things mentioned in the colors. All in all, it's a cool flag. Religion Most Kenyans are Christian (86%), with 54% Protestant and 21% Roman Catholic. Islam is the second-largest religion, with 11% of the population. Famous Proverbs from Kenya They have quite a few sayings, but here are a few of my favorites: ”Because a man has injured your goat, do not go out and kill his bull.” ”Do not slaughter a calf before its mother's eyes.” ”A hyena cannot smell its own stench.” And the last one is a twist of one I've heard many times where I come from … that “a captain should go down with his ship”. But Kenyans have a saying that goes like this: ”A sinking ship doesn't need a captain.”   THINGS TO SEE IN TWO PERFECT WEEKS IN KENYA I also asked Monica and Shane about their recommendations on what to see in two perfect weeks here in Kenya. These were some of their recommendations. TURKANA It is Kenya's largest county by land area in the north-western part of the country. It's bordered by the countries of Uganda to the west, South Sudan to the north and there is a a 27 km border with Ethiopia just north of the amazingly beautiful Lake Turkana. I've been told that a trip to Turkana County needs guts and a passion for lengthy road trips. It also needs an adventurous heart and gallons of water to live through the harsh, dry climate. Overall, Turkana is an idyllic location and is well worth a visit, according to Monica. SAMBURU Both Monica and Shane recommended Samburu. The Samburu National Reserve is a game reserve famous for an abundance of species of animals such as zebra, ostrich, giraffe, and many more. The reserve is also home to a population of close to 900 elephants. The park is 165 km² in size and is situated 350 kilometers from Nairobi, just on the other side of the majestic Mount Kenya. With peaks of 5,199 meters or 17,057 feet, it's the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. AMBOSELI And speaking of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, just south of the border, you find the Amboseli National Park – another one of Kenya's most popular parks. TSAVO Tsavo West National Park is located in the south-eastern part of Kenya and covers an area of 9,065 square kilometers. It's ”sister park”, Tsavo East National Park a little bit north, is one of the oldest and largest parks in Kenya at 13,747 square kilometers. Both parks are between Nairobi and the east coast of Kenya. And there are a few places worth visiting on the east coast – or as Monica calls it “The Big Side”. EAST COAST Mombasa, that's also known as the white and blue city in Kenya. It is the country's oldest town and has about 1.2 million people. It is the second-largest city, after the capital Nairobi. Other places to visit are Diani Beach, Malindi, and Watamu. LAMU Shane agrees that the east coast is wonderful, and he moved there just a few days after our chat with his family after having stayed for years in Karen, Nairobi. But he mentioned a small island even more north just off the coast called Lamu. Old Lamu Town gives you a sense of stepping back in time. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and there are many activities to do there, including snorkeling, mangrove tours, visiting the Gedi ruins, beach walks in Shela, show races, donkey rides, etc. KISUMU Kisumu is a port city situated on Lake Victoria. Here there are beautiful lakeside views at Hippo Pint and Dunga Hill Camp. You can also visit the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary to see impalas, zebras, cheetahs, and more wildlife. You can visit the Kakamega Forest National Reserve to hike or see wildlife. Another interesting thing to do is to visit the 44th US president Barack Obama's village in Nyangoma, Kogelo. WESTERN REGION Western Kenya has tea plantations, and forests and is home to the largest lake in the continent. You can visit the Mr. Elgon National Park, Saiwa Swamp National Park, Kakamega Forest reserve and Lake Victoria. You can also see the famous Crying Stone of Ilesi, which is a stone that resembles a person in tears. NAIVASHA Naivasha is a town in Nakuru county, and it is known for its beautiful flamingos and large population of hippos. It is home to over 400 bird species. Lake Crescent, Hells Gate National Park, and Lake Naivasha are must-visit for travelers. NANYUKI Nanyuki is a town in central Kenya is a great gateway to Mt. Kenya and includes several trails. You can visit Mt. Kenya National Park, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, and hike the mountain. As you probably see, there's a lot to see and do in Kenya. You can also just reach out to Monica and the team at Scenery Adventures. Tell her I said hi. THE WEATHER Kenya lies on the equator and has a pleasant, tropical climate. The daytime temperatures average between 20° and 28°C (68° and 82°F), but it's warmer on the coast. Kenya is too close to the equator to experience a real winter and summer. But there is both a dry and wet season. The hottest months are December to March, and July to September are perfect for a sunny holiday. ARRIVING TO MASAI MARA We arrived at 2 pm in Narok town and at 4 pm to Masai Mara and Lenchada Tourist Camp – our home for the next two nights. It was raining heavily when it got here and having lunch. At the Mara, you experience the Big Five and many other animals. The Mara is run by the Massai community who you will see from the entrance to the camps. In fact, our camp was guarded by about seven Maasai warriors at night.  The Maasai who are pastoralists, do not fear wild animals and they seem to coexist with them. You will often see them with their large herds of cattle looking for grazing grounds within the conservancy. We stayed in a tent and there was a bed and a concrete floor and a bathroom. There was no electricity in the tent, and you would only charge your phone in the evening. The best time to visit is in the peak season is from July to November, during The Great Migration where there are about two million animals. During peak season, you also get a lot more traffic with many more cars. Although this was around new year, I would still get to see some animals. And our evening game drive was no disappointment. Stay tuned for part 2 of this mini-series where we get “attacked” by an angry rhino. My name is Palle Bo and I gotta keep moving. See you.

Velkommen til en miniserie om Kenya og Masai Mara. Dette er del 1. Nytårsaftens morgen 2021 står jeg på gaden i Nairobi og er på vej til en længere køretur til safariparken Masai Mara, fem timers køretue vestpå. Jeg kommer nok ikke til at feste så meget dette år, da turene ud på savannen starter tidligt om morgenen. Det er en tredages tur med to overnatninger inde i parken, som er gjort muligt med hjælp fra Scenery Adventures, som er ejet og bliver drevet af Monica Musungu. Ud over Kenya laver hun ture til lande som Congo, Tanzania, Seychellerne, Egypten og mange andre steder. Jeg lærte hende at kende, da vi begge var i Berlin i marts 2020 lige før Corona pandemien lukkede verden ned. Vi var begge taget dertil for at deltage i en stor rejsemesse, der hedder ITB. Den blev aflyst, men da vi begge havde booket billetterne, valgte vi at tage dertil. Monica fra Kenya og mig fra Danmark. Og så krydsede vores veje i den tyske hovedstad. MØDER EN REJSE KAMEL Jeg møder også min gamle ven, Shane Dallas, som jeg kender fra rejseindustrien og TBEX, der laver konferencer for rejsebloggere rundt omkring i verden. Shane er Conference Director for TBEX Europa, Asien og Afrika. Da jeg er medvært og producer på den officielle TBEX podcast, ”Travel Matters” kan man med lidt god vilje sige, at vi er kollegaer. Jeg har rejst kloden tynd i mange år med sin rejseblog, The Travel Camel, men da han kom her til Kenya, blev han forelsket i landet og i Maureen. De er nu gift, har en datter og har boet i Karen i udkanten af Nairobi i flere år. Han ved derfor en masse om landet. JEG MØDER MIN CHAUFFØR Tilbage på gaden i Nairobi møder jeg Dennis, der skal være min chauffør de næste par dage. Jeg stiger ombord i en minibus med et tag, der kan løftes og give os godt udsyn. Det bliver nyttigt når vi skal på ”game-drive” i parken. Med det løftede tag kan vi stå på og tage gode billeder. Vi er en gruppe på 7-8 personer – de fleste fra Kenya og en fyr fra San Francisco. Ikke alene skal jeg se en masse vilde dyr og natur, jeg har også besluttet mig for at bruge lidt ekstra på at besøge en Masai landsby og så starter jeg 2022 med at flyve varmluftsballon over savannen meget tidligt om morgenen den 1. januar. FAKTA OM KENYA Hvor stor og hvor mange mennesker Kenya er 580.367 km2 stor og er verdens 48. største land. Det er lidt mindre end Ukraine og lidt større end Spanien. Og med 47,6 millioner indbyggere er det den 29. mest befolkede land i verden. Kenya er verdens førende safari destination Kenya har fået World Travel Award for at være verdens førende safari destination hele syv år i træk. De har ikke mindre end 50 fantastiske nationalparker, hvor man finder en masse fantastisk natur og ”The Big Five” (løver, leoparder, elefanter, næsehorn og bøfler). Officielle sprog Der bliver talt hele 69 sprog her i Kenya, men de har kun to officielle sprog: Engelsk og Swahili. Engelsk er det normale at bruge i handel, skoler og regering – og du kan sagtens klare dig med engelsk. Langt de fleste taler engelsk, selvom deres dialekt kan være en smule svær at forstå når det går hurtigt. Flaget Deres flag er stribet med sort, rødt og grønt fra toppen, med tyndere hvide linjer imellem disse. De sorte står for befolkningen, det grønne for naturen, de hvide linjer for fred og den røde farve symboliserer krig. Og så det mest specielle ved flaget: Et masaiskjold og spyd i midten. Dette symboliserer forsvar af alle tingene nævnt i flaget. Alt i alt er det et ret sejt flag. Religion De fleste kenyanere er kristne (86%), hvoraf 54% er protestanter og 21% katolikker. Islam er den næststørste religion med 11% af befolkningen. Berømte ordsprog fra Kenya De har en del specielle ordsprog, men her er et par af mine favoritter. ”Bare fordi en mand har såret din ged, behøver du ikke at slå hans tyr ihjel”. ”Du bør ikke slagte en kalv mens dens mor ser på”. ”En hyæne kan ikke lugte sin egen stank”. Den sidste er en variant af noget, jeg har hørt hele mit liv, nemlig at en kaptajn bør gå ned med sit skib. Kenyanerne siger noget lidt andet: ”Et synkende skib har ikke brug for en kaptajn”. TING AT OPLEVE I TO PERFEKTE UGER I KENYA Jeg beder Monica og Shane om at komme med gode råd om, hvad der er værd at se, hvis man kommer hertil og skal planlægge to perfekte uger. TURKANA Turkana er Kenyas største region i den nordvestlige del af landet. Den grænser op til Uganda mod vest, Sydsudan mod nord og en lille 27 km grænse mod Etiopien lidt nord for den smukke Lake Turkana. Jeg får at vide, at en tur til Turkane kræver lidt hård på brystet og mod på en længere køretur. Husk også at medbringe masser af vand, hvis du begiver dig igennem dette store, tørre område. Men Turkana er et idyllisk sted og ifølge Monica er det helt klart værd at besøge. SAMBURU Både Monica og Shane er enige om at Samburu også skal på listen. Samburu National Reserve er en safaripark, der er berømt for at have masser af dyr som f.eks zebraer, strudser, giraffer mere end 900 elefanter. Parken er 165 km² stor og ligger 350 km fra Nairobi lige på den anden side af det majestætiske bjerg, Mount Kenya. Det er mere end 5 km højt og er det næsthøjeste bjerg i Afrika efter Kilimanjaro. AMBOSELI Og apropos Kilimanjaro lige på den anden side af grænsen til Tanzania, så kan det ses fra Amboseli National Park – en anden af Kenyas mest populære parker. TSAVO Du finder også Tsavo West National Park i den sydøstlige del af Kenya og dækker et område på godt 9.000 km². Dens ”søsterpark”, Tsavo East National Park der ligger lidt nord herfor, er den ældste og største nationalpark i Kenya med næsten 14.000 km². Begge parker er mellem Nairobi og østkysten, hvor der også er ting, der er værd at besøge. ØST KYSTEN Mombasa, der også er kendt som den hvide og blå by i Kenya. Det er landets ældste by og med 1,2 millioner indbyggere er det også den næststørste by efter hovedstaden. Monica nævner desuden Diani Beach, Malindi og Watamu, som steder, der er værd at besøge. LAMU Shane er enig med Monica i at østkysten er skøn (faktisk flyttede han dertil med familien et par dage efter jeg mødte ham i Karen, hvor de har boet i mange år. Men han fremhæver Lamu, en lille ø lidt længere nordpå. Den gamle by på Lamu giver dig en følelse af at træde tilbage i tiden. Det er et UNESCO World Heritage sted, og der er meget at tage sig til på øen – så som snorkling, sejlture, ruiner, strande, rideture på æsler og meget andet. KISUMU Kisumu er en havneby ved Lake Victoria. Der er en smuk udsigt til søen ved Hippo Pint og Dunga Hill Camp. Du kan også besøge Kisumu Impala Sanctuary for at se impalaer, zebraer, geparder og andet dyreliv. Du kan besøge Kakamega Forest National Reserve for vandreture med endnu mere dyreliv. En anden interessant ting at gøre er at besøge den 44. amerikanske præsident Barack Obamas landsby i Nyangoma, Kogelo. Nej, han er ikke født her, men meget af hans familie er. DEN VESTLIGE REGION Det vestlige Kenya har teplantager og skove og er hjemsted for den største sø i Afrika. Du kan besøge Mr. Elgon National Park, Saiwa Swamp National Park, Kakamega Forest Reserve og Lake Victoria. Du kan også se den berømte grædende sten ved Ilesi (”Crying Stone of Ilesi”), som er en sten, der ligner en grædende person. NAIVASHA Naivasha er en by i Nakuru regionen, som er kendt for sine smukke flamingoer, mange flodheste og for at være hjem for mere end 400 fuglearter. Lake Crescent, Hells Gate National Park og Lake Naivasha er også et must-besøg for rejsende. NANYUKI Nanyuki er en by i det centrale Kenya og er en fantastisk indgang til Mt. Kenya med mange naturskønne stier. Du kan besøge Mt. Kenya National Park, Ol Pejeta Conservancy og vandre på bjerget. Som du sikkert kan fornemme, er der utrolig meget at se og opleve i Kenya. Du kan også bare kontakte Monica og teamet hos Scenery Adventures. Hils fra mig. VEJRET Kenya har et behageligt, tropisk klima. Dagtemperaturerne er i gennemsnit mellem 20° og 28°, og lidt varmere ved kysten. Kenya er for tæt på ækvator til at de oplever en egentlig vinter og sommer. Men der er både en tør og våd sæson. De varmeste måneder er december til marts, og juli til september er perfekte til en solrig ferie. ANKOMMER TIL MASAI MARA Kl. 14 kommer vi til byen Narok og kl. 16 til Masai Mara og Lenchada Tourist Camp, som var vores hjem de næste to nætter. Det regnede kraftigt, da vi ankom, og spiste frokost. På Masai Mara oplever du ”The Big Five” og mange andre dyr. Maraen drives af Massai-samfundet, som er meget synlige i landskabet fra indgangen til lejrene. Faktisk blev vores lejr bevogtet af omkring 7 Masai-krigere om natten. Masaierne frygter ikke vilde dyr, og de ser ud til blot at leve sammen med dem som naboer. Du vil ofte se dem med deres store flokke med køer på udkig efter gode steder med græs. Vi boede i et telt, og der var en seng og et betongulv og et badeværelse. Der var ingen strøm i teltet, og man opladede kun sin telefon om aftenen. Det bedste tidspunkt at besøge er i højsæsonen fra juli til november under The Great Migration, hvor der er omkring 2 millioner dyr. Men selvom dette var omkring nytår, var der stadig mange dyr at se og vores aften-game-drive var bestemt ikke en skuffelse. Følg med i del 2 af denne miniserie fra Kenya, hvor vi bliver "angrebet" af et vredt næsehorn. Du kan også tage med på besøg i The Giraffe Centre i Nairobi og op i den højeste bygning i byen. Mit navn er Palle Bo og jeg skal videre. Vi ses.

  RSR host Fred Williams and Brodie Leitch continue to expose the deception behind the Smithonian's Hall of Origins and the widely promoted 'march of progress' illustration that has effectively fooled many into believing in evolution. Today's show uncovers the truth behind 3 more alleged ape-men promoted by the Smithonian: Ardipithecus kadabba, Ardipithecus ramidus (Ardi), and Australopithecus anamensis. The first alleged ape-man in the list was boldly proclaimed as bipedal, all based off of a single toe bone! The 2nd ape included 34 pulverized bones that 14 reconstructions later yielded the look wanted by Dr. Owen Lovejoy, who has a history of bonesaw reconstructions to produce fake ape-men to promote his propagandist narrative. Finally, the last ape-man in the list was just 3 bone fragments scattered 600 miles apart that is unlikely the same creature. As famed Harvard paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould once candidly admitted, “Most hominid fossils ... serve as a basis for endless speculation and elaborate storytelling" all based on "fragments of jaws and scraps of skulls”.  Ape-men article rebuttals 3 through 5... (see Smithonian Part 1 show for first two rebuttal articles; articles courtesy of Brodie Leitch) 3. Ardipithecus kadabba “Ardipithecus kadabba” (pronounced: “Aar-duh-pith-uh-kuhs kuh-dah-bah” and meaning “oldest ancestor” in the Afar language) was discovered in the Middle Awash Valley in Ethiopia in 1997. In spite of the fact that this alleged species “is only known in the fossil record by a few post-cranial bones and sets of teeth,” (a total of 36 bone fragments) The Smithsonian claims that: “‘Ardipithecus kadabba' was bipedal.” The “evidence” for this claim is: “One bone from the large toe has a broad, robust appearance, suggesting its use in bipedal push-off.” Claiming to have discovered an ape-man, (and a bipedal one, no less) based off of a single toe bone is already sketchy, but it gets worse for the evolutionists. In the same article, the Smithsonian admits that:“So far, the evidence for ‘Ardipithecus kadabba's' upright walking comes from a single toe bone that dates to 5.2 million years old [400,000 years younger than the other specimens] and was found 10 miles away from the other ‘Ardipithecus kadabba' specimens.” After their bold claim of bipedality and confession of such little evidence, the Smithsonian asks: “Was Ardipithecus kadabba routinely bipedal?”, “If Ardipithecus kadabba walked upright, what was its gait like?” and “is Ardipithecus kadabba somehow related to Orrorin tugenensis and Sahelanthropus tchadensis?” So not only are they unsure if “Ardipithecus kadabba” walked upright, they aren't sure it's related to humans either. 4. Ardipithecus ramidus (Ardi) (Partial skeleton (ARA-VP-6/500) "Ardi".) “Ardipithecus ramidus” (pronounced: “Aar-duh-pith-uh-kuhs ram-ee-dus” and nicknamed “Ardi”) was discovered in Middle Awash and Gona, Ethiopia between 1992 and 1994. The fragments were assembled into a partial skeleton in 2009. (15 years later.) The Smithsonian claims that: “Since that time, [1992-1994] [paleoanthropologist, Dr. Tim] White's team have uncovered over 100 fossil specimens of Ardipithecus ramidus.” Keep in mind that even with 100+ “specimens”, (which are only fragments and according to the Australia museum, “represent about 35 individual members of this species”) they still only have 1 skeleton. The discoverers argue that “the ‘Ardi' skeleton reflects a human-African ape common ancestor that was not chimpanzee-like.” However, the fossils were in such poor condition, that Dr. Tim White (the leading paleontologist on the team who discovered the fossils) stated that they were “like roadkill” with the discovery channel adding in their documentary, “Discovering Ardi”, that: “Her skull was found in 34 pulverized, scattered pieces that were compacted down to about one-and-a-half inches thick.” One of the allegedly human-like features is the pelvis. Some evolutionists claim that the pelvis shows adaptations that combine tree-climbing and bipedal activity. However, as reported in the Discovery Channel's documentary titled: “Discovering Ardi”, the pelvis was too badly broken and fragile to take out of the matrix it was in, so Dr. Owen Lovejoy made a reconstruction based on his knowledge of primate anatomy and a Micro CT scanner. After 14 different possible configurations, the team settled on the configuration shown in most reports. Secular paleo-experts Drs. Wood and Harrison, rightly expressed a great deal of concern about this, pointing out that “a whole lot of speculation went into the final pelvis reconstruction.” Dr. Jungers stated that: “That's really kind of a 3-D Rorschach test if you ask me,” and "I'm still not convinced that it's necessarily completely accurate”. The Smithsonian is still asking: “Does the pelvis of Ar. ramidus support the hypothesis that this early human species was bipedal?” (Ardi's Pelvis vs. Rorschach Inkblot Test) Dr. Lovejoy believes that Ardi's spine was probably long and curved like a human's rather than short and stiff like a chimp's. He based that belief on both the pelvis that was reconstructed 14 times and his guess that Ardi had 6 lumbar vertebrae, (despite the fact that most apes have only 3 or 4, and humans have 5) but they don't even have any of Ardi's lumbar vertebrae. The displays and animations of Ardi, insert an entirely imaginary spine (with a four-part curve like humans) into the reconstructed base of her skull using imaginary neck vertebrae. Most of the foramen magnum (the whole in the base of the skull where the spinal chord connects) which the imaginary spine is connected to, is also missing. Unlike Ardi's “human-like” features (which are speculative at best) Ardi's ape-like features are obvious. According to Science.org: “The skull of this tiny ape can fit into the palm of your hand like a softball and her brain was about the same size as bonobo or a female chimp.” In addition to that, Ardi's foot had a hallux, (grasping toe, hanging off to the side) just like apes have today so they can use their feet like hands for grabbing branches while moving in trees. According to Dr. Tim White, the toe “really doesn't differ from apes, and that's the surprising thing. It is fully apelike.” Dr. Jungers added “I see nothing in the foot that suggests bipedality.” As Genesis Apologetics states: “When you put her [Ardi] next to a bonobo, it sure seems like she fits into the ape family quite well.” 5. Australopithecus anamensis Australopithecus anamensis (pronounced “Ah-struh-low-pith-ee-kus A-na-men-sees”) is a set of fossil fragments, discovered between 1965 and 2019. (A 54-Year span)  Fossils of this “species” have been found in the Middle Awash region in northeast Ethiopia and at three sites (Allia Bay, Kanapoi and Sibolot) around Lake Turkana in Kenya. The areas in which these fossils were discovered are almost 600 miles apart. Most of the fragments undoubtedly came from apes. The Smithsonian's article on ‘Australopithecus anamensis' lists multiple obvious ape-like features: “Long forearms and features of the wrist bones suggest these individuals probably climbed trees” “a protruding face” “long and narrow braincase” “forwardly projecting cheekbones similar to Paranthropus” “thickly-built, long, narrow… strong jaws” “heavily enameled teeth” “The sites where remains of ‘Australopithecus anamensis' have been found were forests and woodlands that grew around lakes.” The Australian Museum adds:  “size was probably similar to that of modern chimpanzees” And the journal “Nature” reported that anamensis had:  “specialized wrist morphology associated with knuckle-walking.” Controversy has surrounded the allegedly more human-like nature of the tibia and humerus. The Smithsonian says that:  “The top part of the tibia (where the lower leg meets the knee) is concave, or depressed from stress. This shows that the individual often put weight on the bone—evidence of standing upright. The lower part of the tibia (where the lower leg meets the ankle) is wider or thicker—evidence that it acted as a type of shock absorber as this individual walked.” The Australian Museum says likewise: “the knee-end of the tibia (shin bone) was human-like as the upper surfaces of the two knobs (condyles) at the top of the tibia were similar in size and concave in shape. This feature indicates this species could walk bipedally (on two legs).” And the “Scientific American” adds: “The anamensis humerus lacks a deep, oval hollow, used as a locking mechanism between the humerus and ulna, the latter being present in chimpanzees, but not in humans, and the anamensis tibia is wide, as in humans, because of extra spongy tissue, which acts as shock absorbers during bipedal locomotion.” These are very strong claims considering that they're only based on 3 bone fragments. Contrary to these overly-confident claims, in a 1995

In this episode, the panellists unpack the relationship between climate change and colonialism in the Global South. Rooted in colonialism, the transatlantic slave trade, and an extractivist relationship to the natural world, conventional economic and development models have led to mass environmental destruction and continue to exacerbate the ongoing climate crisis. Likewise, the human-made consequences of climate change exacerbate economic inequalities, destroy livelihoods, infrastructure, and social safety nets, and impact the resources and strategies available for governments and the global community to provide for each other and prioritise care and well-being of people and planet as the main objective of economic policymaking. These consequences include immediate effects in the wake of extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change and long-term effects of the global rise in temperature, with a disproportionate effect on low- and middle-income countries, particularly those in warmer climates in the Global South. Speakers: Pambana Bassett, Solidarity Collective (Havana) & Comité en pro del Pueblo de Chiapas, Cuba Ikal Angelei, Friends of Lake Turkana, Kenya Find Lulu Kitololo on her website or on her social media pages Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Watch the episode with visuals here and watch all 23 sessions of the forum on the IWRAW youtube channel here

After the ApocalypseA Pandemic Survival StoryPrologue - Genesis Plague and Dark Ages Akwesi son of Maesk considered his options. A dry, dusty wind tossed up pregnant waves on the lake. With the dust in the air, the water was brown and murky. Not a good sign.A dozen dirty refugees huddle on the rocky beach around a small fire under the stern watchfulness of 4 of Akwesi's men. 10,000 years in the future, this place would be known as West Turkana, a neighbor of Kenya in the Central Rift of Africa. In these earlier times, on the edge of humankind's transition from hunting and gathering to a more settled, agrarian life, it wasn't any country or state or region of a whole. For Akwesi it was simply the land of his people. This land, this place where his father and his father's father had lived...and had died...was his responsibility to protect. It was his people he thought of now.  ...OK my friends. I've got a lot on my mind. It's only been a month off from the apocalypse. But, I feel a vast, yawning chasm filled with smoky wraiths (created by industrial light and magic) growing between us. These two prologue pieces today are scraps from the cutting room floor. These are pieces I penned that I had to cut. They didn't fit into the episodes I was writing at the time. They didn't add to the story. And they still feel like they are narratives without anchor. A bit meandering. So, I did some rewrite and stuck them in as a prologue. There is a lot to unpack in this narrative. Let's start with the bodies in the pit. I am, as you will have figured out by now, a follower of history and archeology. I suppose in a parallel universe where bills didn't need to be paid I might have been an archeologist. This article of the stone age massacre in Kenya was widely reported back in 2016. They found these remains with hands bound and heads smashed in by the shores of Lake Turkana. The big headline was that one of the victims was in the late stages of pregnancy. Think about that. 10,000 years ago. Modern humans. Just like you and me. 27 men women and children bound and killed by someone.Why? What was the reason behind this massacre? Was it population pressure? Was it religion? Was it disease? Was it one wild-eyed zealot who knew that the outsiders needed to die for their sins? It boggles the mind. They were so far removed from us but, at the same time, so much the same. It points to just how thin the line is between what we consider civilization and savagery. So I painted a picture of the plague. The evil spirits.  The thin place between this world and the next. The questions and decisions. The unknowns. Are we that much different today?  They were people. But they were a hair's breadth from chaos and trying to make their way. They knew so many things. They had our same mental equipment and were trying tom make sense of their world. But all was chaos. In the second part we introduce the old man in his flight from the pandemic. And the point I'm trying to make is that apocalypse is not uncommon. Throughout our history we build things and we think they are permanent. But they are not. They are flimsy films of things that will fall. And the great irony of the Victorians astride their hemophiliac, inbred empire pretending to be something better. Something above the laws of political evolution. Like every society before them they though they had it all figured out. They thought they were the end point. The pinnacle of humanity. With all our science and knowledge, we are still not the end point. We are ever evolving. And we are ever looking over our shoulders at our animal natures in hot pursuit. You can wrap your intentions in science, but they will still stink of pretention. The lesson we never learn is humility. But I also wanted to build a universe with some hope. Some hope for renewal. Some hope for the future. And that brings us to the bottle neck event. This is more of a theory than a fact. Scientist did some regression analysis on DNA and found this bottleneck in our evolution 50-70 thousand years ago. When it first came out they theorized that there was some sort of volcanic event that put population pressure on us. That has been mostly disproven, but there was a bottleneck of some sort and we managed to live through it. Again, these too were modern humans. Physically and mentally just like us. Modern humans weren't alone at the time. We had other cousins. But none of them survived this bottleneck. Why? We don't' know.  We can only guess about climate change and catastrophe. Do you think these humans, whatever the pressure was, felt like it was the apocalypse? Do you think they made hard choices? Do you think they doubted their humanity? Do you think they turned to their god? It seems apocalypse is a very human theme that runs through our history and our very DNA. Likewise, I'm picking on the English and the Victorians because they have one of the most well documented apocalypse events. During the final years of the Roman empire Britannia produced many pretenders to the throne. The last one was the wonderfully named Magnus Maximus who stripped the legions from Britain in 388 and became emperor of the west as part of the Tetrarchy.  At the time the empire was ruled by 2 senior emperors and 2 junior emperors – this was set up by Diocletian in an attempt to add stability to the vast empire. But, what it actually did was set up constant civil war between the independent rulers of each quarter of the empire. Britain was part of Gaul. Magnus Maximus made his play to be ruler of Gaul and then the rest of the empire. In the process he pulled most of the legions out of England. When the Franks and other German tribes invaded and the Western Empire fell, Britain was left to it's own. The word German comes from the same root word as guard and garden and basically means people of the periphery, outsiders. Picture yourself as a Roman plantation owner in the mid 400's. You've got a great view of the Thames but the army has left. It seems peaceful. But there is no force behind the peace. It fell apart pretty quickly. The legend is that the Britains invited a couple Saxons in to fight off the threat from the Welsh and Irish.  When those Saxons showed up they were like “Cool, Unprotected farmland – tell everyone it's a keg party over here!” The word Welsh, by the way, also means ‘Outsider'. Most of the historical apocalyptic events were accompanied by the migration of outsiders into the civilized territories. Sometimes those outsiders just took over form the current rulers and kept going. Sometimes they burnt civilization down to its foundations and started over. In our universe, after the apocalypse, who are the outsiders? Where do they come from? Can civilization be saved? Or will it be a total reset? You will have to wait and see! As always come over and join the other survivors at the Facebook page “OldManApocalypse”.I'm working through creating an e-book of the first season. I've done a first outline of the second season. My plan is still to create 5 seasons as we go through that. For those of you listening far in the future, let me know how I did. I know it's a challenge with theses short episodes because you can listen through a whole season in a week and then you're stuck! But I designed it that way on purpose to make it digestible and manageable for all of us. If you want to help, leave a review on your favorite podcast app, tell a friend or two, or leave me a few bucks on the patreon page. And – as Summer turns to fall, keep surviving.   Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Recorded June 2020- Kenyan Environmental scientist Wangechi Kiongo engages communities in conservation outreach to protect the livelihoods of marginalized communities surrounding Lake Turkana. Learn more about Wangechi Twitter: @Wangechi_Kiongo Watch Wangechi on Explore by the Seat of your Pants Water To Dust Documentary https://www.facebook.com/savelaketurkanamovement/ https://www.theleoproject.org/

In this episode, we explore the evolution of the indigenous people of Lake Turkana. We look at how their subsistence farming evolved with a rapidly shifting climate and how both the ecology benefits from human involvement & how a unique collectivist and individualist community format allows for the community to quickly change practices to meet the unpredictable landscape. We wrap it up talking about the damages of colonialism on these resilient communities.   Sources: Usufruct Rights to Trees: The Role of Ekwar in Dryland Central Turkana, Kenya Edmund G. C. Barrow https://sci-hub.se/https://www.jstor.org/stable/4602963?seq=1   Impacts of shifting agriculture on a floodplain woodland regeneration in dryland, Kenya G. Oba, N.C. Stenseth, & R.B. Weladji sci-hub.se/10.1016/S0167-8809(01)00355-3 Land Use, Ecology, and Socio-economic Changes in a Pastoral Production System M. Okoti, J.C. Ng'ethe, W.N. Ekaya, & D. M. Mbuvi https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09709274.2004.11905720   Holocene occupation of the Mount Porr strand plain in southern Lake Turkana, Kenya David Wright, S.L. Forman https://www.researchgate.net/profile/David_Wright/publication/281536573_Holocene_occupation_of_the_Mount_Porr_strand_plain_in_southern_Lake_Turkana_Kenya/links/55f7f62a08aeafc8ac080dfe.pdf   Indigenous management systems as a basis for community forestry in Tanzania  George C. Kajembe https://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/wurpubs/fulltext/117147   The value of traditional knowledge in present-day soil conservation practice: the example of West Pokot and Turkana Edmund Geoffrey Barrow file:///C:/Users/Andy/Downloads/SoilConPokot-Turkana1986-208.pdf   Ethnobotany of the Turkana: Use of Plants by a Pastoral People and Their Livestock in Kenya W. T. W. Morgan https://www.jstor.org/stable/4254252?seq=1  

In Kenya, environmentalists and fishing communities around Lake Turkana are blaming Ethiopia for building a mega-dam. They say the structure is the cause of their reduced fish stocks. Dominic Brian Omondi has the story. #Kenya #Ethiopia #FishDepletion

Outerfocus turns 60. I hope that you are all well during what is becoming a very troubled time, on a global scale. I believe that there is a different future on the other side and this ‘down time’ can help us to focus on what that will mean. This week I’m afforded the opportunity to talk with the very wonderful, Jane Baldwin about her long term project about women, culture, human rights and the environmental issues that threaten the communities of Ethiopia’s Omo River Valley and Kenya’s Lake Turkana watershed.I’d rather not get into it here but this conversation has made me think. Especially about what else I could be doing moving forward. I very much hope that you enjoy this conversation and the stories and insight herein.“They think that we’re not educated, but we know that whenever they open their mouths they say nothing but lies”© Jane Baldwin. Young Kwegu mother, Omo River, Ethiopia, 2005Jane Baldwin, an American artist and educator, uses black and white film and audio recordings to document her photographic work. Baldwin’s most recent project Kara Women Speak is a multi-sensory, immersive body of work about women, culture, human rights and the environmental issues that threaten the communities of Ethiopia’s Omo River Valley and Kenya’s Lake Turkana..........Show notes and links at OuterfocusPodcastSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/outerfocuspodcast)

The streets of Hong Kong have erupted into protests after mainland China proposed new security legislation, to outlaw the undermining of Beijing's authority in the territory. This comes after last year's demonstrations and pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. Danny Vincent reports. The Lake Turkana area in Kenya's Rift valley is considered the cradle of mankind. On the surface, life in this semi-arid remote land appears to have changed little in centuries. But now with locusts swarms and fears about Covid-19, suddenly everything has changed, as Horatio Clare has been finding. In Papua New Guinea's central highlands region, two tribal communities have been fighting each other over ownership of a large coffee plantation. Violence has flared up, and some have committed atrocities. There is only one policeman for the whole region. And now he has handed in his notice, as Charlie Walker reports. We have all been told to wash our hands to avoid infection with the coronavirus. But as Bethany Bell reports, when hand-washing was first introduced in a hospital setting by Dr Semmelweis, an obstetrician in Vienna, in the nineteenth century, it was controversial and seen as downright subversive. Moscow has been living under lockdown like many other places. One of the shops Steve Rosenberg has been missing the most, is his old newspaper kiosk. Imagine his delight when he suddenly found it had reopened. And after weeks of isolation, it wasn't the newspapers that he was most pleased to see again. Presenter: Kate Adie Producer: Arlene Gregorius

On 16 October 2019, the Rift Valley Forum, in partnership with the Institute of Development Studies at Sussex University and Friends of Lake Turkana, hosted a discussion of initial findings from the Seeing Conflict at the Margins project (https://seeingconflict.org/). The Forum opened with an introduction to the project, followed by a screening and discussion of videos and photography created by local teams over the past two years. The speakers presented on ways of ‘seeing’ resource development in communities in and around the Lake Turkana Wind Power and Ol Karia geothermal power project and discuss the insights on local people’s perspectives and the research approaches used.

On 16 October 2019, the Rift Valley Forum, in partnership with the Institute of Development Studies at Sussex University and Friends of Lake Turkana, hosted a discussion of initial findings from the Seeing Conflict at the Margins project (seeingconflict.org/). The Forum opened with an introduction to the project, followed by a screening and discussion of videos and photography created by local teams over the past two years. The speakers presented on ways of ‘seeing’ resource development in communities in and around the Lake Turkana Wind Power and Ol Karia geothermal power project and discuss the insights on local people’s perspectives and the research approaches used.

NWP welcomes Vicky Bennison!  Inspired by the hugely popular YouTube channel of the same name, Pasta Grannies is a wonderful collection of time-perfected Italian recipes from the people who have spent a lifetime cooking for love, not a living: Italian grandmothers. "When you have good ingredients, you don't have to worry about cooking. They do the work for you." – Lucia, 85 Featuring over 80 easy and accessible recipes from all over Italy, you will be transported into the very heart of the Italian home to learn how to make great-tasting Italian food. Pasta styles range from pici – a type of hand-rolled spaghetti that is simple to make – to lumachelle della duchessa – tiny, ridged, cinnamon-scented tubes that take patience and dexterity. More than just a compendium of dishes, Pasta Grannies tells the extraordinary stories of these ordinary women and shows you that with the right know how, truly authentic Italian cooking is simple, beautiful and entirely achievable.https://www.pastagrannies.com The Pasta Grannies project is Vicky Bennison. Vicky spent many years working in international development in places like Siberia, South Africa, and Turkmenistan. The next decent meal was always on her mind and she began writing about her culinary adventures: mushroom hunting with the Russian mafia and cooking zebra stew in near Lake Turkana in Kenya are just two examples. Vicky progressed to writing books. 'The Taste of a Place' food guides told you where to find good food and wine in Corfu, Mallorca and Andalucia. She and her husband, Billy, have a home in Le Marche, central Italy, and divide time between there & London

Lake Turkana is the largest desert salt lake in the world. Situated in Kenya’s northernmost region, the remote lake is rich in biodiversity and is a lifeline for the isolated communities whose economic opportunities there are few and far between. But a local entrepreneur, has come up with novel idea to turn fish skins that would otherwise be discarded – into profit. This Blue Growth initiative is being supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Producers: Anais Hotin, Charlotta Lomas, Annie Ho & Eric Deleu. Presenters: Charlotta Lomas, Anais Hotin.

Did you know that Lake Turkana is a fishing ground for fishermen of the area? Besides its magical nature, this is Kenya's second largest lake. In Turkana, you will find the Christ the Redeemer statue - making this place a pilgrimage site for many Catholic faithful. Photo By: Job Njiru Narrated By: Natalie Sifuma

On this episode we tell the story of county 010 - Marsabit County is the place you find beautiful sunrises and the glistening Lake Turkana - one of Kenya's fresh water lakes. Read the full story and view the pictures of this magnificent county on www.paukwa.or.ke/marsabit Photo By: Mwangi Kirubi Narrated By: mwihaki M.

5000 years ago pastoralists in Kenya created a burial site with a specific plan. For at least the next 400 years, possibly as long as 800 years, over 500 people of all ages and classes were buried with amazing precision and care. With no system of writing it's unclear how they accomplished this. Dr. Elizabeth Sawchuk, one of the researchers on the project, gives us some insight into life around Lake Turkana 5000 years ago and about the people buried there.

5000 years ago pastoralists in Kenya created a burial site with a specific plan. For at least the next 400 years, possibly as long as 800 years, over 500 people of all ages and classes were buried with amazing precision and care. With no system of writing it's unclear how they accomplished this. Dr. Elizabeth Sawchuk, one of the researchers on the project, gives us some insight into life around Lake Turkana 5000 years ago and about the people buried there.

The Lake Turkana basin is an over 70,000-square-kilometer region that is home to Lake Turkana, East Africa’s most saline lake, and the largest desert lake in the world. The area is home to pastoral communities like the Turkana, Samburu, El Molo, Rendille, Gabra and Dassanach. It is also a breeding ground for Nile crocodiles, hippopotamuses, and many snakes. On 26th March 2012, Mwai Kibaki announced the discovery of oil in Turkana County by Tullow Oil, a British company. Three wells had been discovered, holding at least 250 million barrels. Since then, more oil has been discovered, and it is estimated hat we have between 600 million - 1 billion barrels. We're joined by Ikal Angelei, coordinator of Friends of Lake Turkana, to discuss the oil in Turkana as well as the other environmental issues affecting the Lake Turkana area. Press play! Resources Early Oil from Turkana – Marginal Benefits/Unacknowledged Costs Report Kenya Civil Society Platform on Oil & Gas (KCSPOG) Statement: Early Oil Pilot Scheme Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Kenya beats odds to become first EA nation to export oil “When I grew up the land was for the community”: Oil troubles in Turkana Oil discovery in Turkana County, Kenya: A source of conflict or development? Cost of Turkana oil stand-off hits Sh1bn Tullow Oil threatens to shut down Turkana operations in two weeks Leaders reach deal to allow trucking of oil from Turkana Image Credit: Turkana Land

Although still in her twenties, Louise Bleach has already lived an amazingly full life, busying herself in sustainability projects designed to make the world a better place. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she moved to Edinburgh to do a Masters in Social Anthropology, which included a fascinating, on-the-ground thesis on spiritual exorcisms in nomadic Moroccan desert tribes. Disillusioned with the rat race in London, she decided to totally change her life by plopping her finger on an atlas with the intent of moving to whichever country it landed on! That country turned out to be Malawi, and her brave adventures continued there with a three-year stint studying permaculture and cultivating fair trade mangoes. Initially a huge success, this social project was utterly destroyed by the greed of gas/mining investors who took over the plant and squeezed all the joy out of the operation to maximize profits. This situation is a perfect micro-study of how Capitalism itself is not enough to see the world straight and how its immorality and inherent lack of compassion drives inequality, foments fear and crushes communities trying desperately to find their feet. We also discuss the nature of existence, free will, other world dimensions, AI ethics and whether or not there are ghosts, spirits, and/or Gods. And she also shares her views on climate change and how we now urgently need to reduce our addiction to plastic before it's too late. Louise currently works for clean-tech company Desolenator, which desalinates water cost effectively using solar power and is beta testing the technology in Dubai, Cyprus and Lake Turkana in Northern Kenya. Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-bleach-17894195/ www.desolenator.com “Waking Up” podcast by Sam Harris: https://samharris.org/podcast/ “Thank You For Being late” by Thomas L Friedman: https://tinyurl.com/yd72sfr7 “Dead Aid” by Dambisa Moyo: https://tinyurl.com/yd2dld23 “Homo Deus” by Yuval Noah Harari: https://tinyurl.com/y8js6tqf A Pint With Seaniebee Audible Feast's list of Best Podcast Series of 2017: https://tinyurl.com/ya5yj9vs Top 12 Best New Podcast Series of 2016: http://tinyurl.com/gps9tn5 50 Best Podcast Episodes list 2017: https://tinyurl.com/y7ryajat 50 Best Podcast Episodes list 2016: http://tinyurl.com/hp83rnw Release date: March 30th 2018 Runtime: 66m Recorded: London

Ikal Angelei is the Director of Friends of Lake Turkana, a civil society group in Northern Kenya, in an area where companies are prospecting for oil. Oil exploration in the region will have major implications for the communities along the project sites.