THINGS FALLING APART WITH TALES OF A WHALE AND A MOCKINGBIRD PLUS THE MUST-HAVE BOOK FOR EVERY AVID TRAVELER!

Chinua Achebe wrote a tale of a leader and a local wrestling champion in his book 'Things Fall apart.' A book that did not only receive global critical acclaim, but that was also ranked on the prestigious Newsweek's 'Top 100 books' list. It paints a picture of the rich culture of the African society as was in the early days. 'Moby Dick' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird' are also widely acclaimed literally pieces; so much so in fact that we were curious as to why these books are mentioned in just about every great movie there is. We discovered tales of Ishmael and Captain Ahab and learned about one Atticus Finch who is without a doubt a moral hero. Literature is an aspect of life that no person that prides themselves as being widely conversant with the ways of the world can do without. Whether you are reading the local daily, a fashion or gossip magazine or tales from the world over that give insight on a people's culture, it all remains a piece of literature.

As a traveler, there are several books that one lives by. These are books that shed insight on new places with knowledge that would take years to acquire compressed into easily accessible pages. Petit Fute, the French man's guide on Safari, is one such book and Kairi Tours boasts a listing on this book. Lonely Planet is another fantastic guide to travel in East Africa with insight into everything from tribal culture, beaches and wildlife and everything else that Kenya has to offer. It is important to read widely and be conversant with a place before one visits and we advocate for as much knowledge as possible so grab your guide to East Africa and visit us. We will be sure to tell you tales that the books have not covered as we show you all the wonderful places that the books speak of.

Karibu Kenya!

Poaching ,for those who lack empathy and character

Why do people choose to poach wild animals?The act of poaching is very disturbing and it puzzles to think that a person enjoys taking away the life of an animal for material gain.Some do it so that they have a trophy to show off, well in my opinion, a live animal out in the wild is the best trophy there is.

Empathy is what these poachers lack.As the human race, we were entrusted as the custodians of this earth, to take care of the fauna and flora, sad to say man has injured both of these and even himself to say the least.It's interesting to note that scientists are working hard and are optimistic that life exists on other planets.Even if life does exist ,you know what that means?Go over there and dominate until injury comes to these life forms.

One may argue that this is human nature.This cannot be so because not all humans are inclined to this destructive tendencies.This can be seen in the worldwide conservation efforts aimed at saving what we have left.

Recent activities indicate that poaching is on the rise and the poachers are getting more and more aggressive.The governments aren't doing enough to help the issue, this would require reaching out to the hearts of the people and give them some empathy.

http://www.frequency.com/video/big-game-and-sa/5027484

(KFC)Kentucky Fried Chicken opens in Nairobi

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One of the world's most popular food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken just opened shop this month in Nairobi.

Popular in the US and in many places around the world for its fried chicken, KFC has now ventured into kenya and is set to expand even further.

So how will the local kenyans take it.Judging from the facebook fan page, many bleeding with excitement and are ready to queue in order to have some of that chicken."But i thought ken-chic was enough?" one would ask.Well, local fast food restaurants have not reached the standards of KFC and the likes of MacDonalds,BurgerKing and Starbucks.For one they are not consistent as their counterparts in US.

It is going to be rather interesting considering what many are predicting to be the outcome of this venture.High levels of obesity is one of them.This has been seen in the United States where many fast food empires exist, kids becoming obese due to overeating of food which has little nutritional value.Never the less,people are responsible for their own eating habits.What about our kids who need to learn to appreciate good food.Offered a meal many would choose to go to kfc setting aside their local healthy diet.

Ironically, there is an ongoing famine in kenya right now.It would be rather striking to witness obesity and famine in the same land.

Anyway we welcome KFC to Kenya and it's kind of cool to speak of kfc in Nairobi.

Top Online Travel Resources

Many travelers find themselves in need of helpful information about a destination they are about to visit. This may be information regarding money issued, transportation, security, and general traveler experience. Usually, local companies dealing in travel will try to give the traveler good reports about a location in order to get the traveler to make a visit.

Ultimately the best advice a traveler can get is from a fellow traveler who has visited the same destination. An honest opinion from a person who has experience travelling can be enough to assure anybody to go ahead with a trip.

Give A Helping Hand

If you are visiting an area , it is always good to help the local people as a show of gratitude.

Some do this by giving gifts to the local residents.

A good way to express your gratitude is to visit an orphanage and spend some time with the kids and perhaps sponsor one of them.

TELL A BROTHER, A FRIEND, EVEN A STRANGER...

It's no secret that getting a good review, no matter what business you are in, not only provides the motivation to keep doing what you are doing but is also a powerful selling point for your business. Word of mouth advertising they call it. Kairi Tours and Safaris enjoys this priviledge. The priviledge of being so good at what we do (our motto rings true;we make a good safari better) our clients want to share their experiences with their friends and sometimes even with the world.

We constantly receive referrals via email or visits to our websites and every so often we have a client raving about us on a travel forum. It is very humbling and it constantly reminds us that we must always remember that the customer is key and our purpose is to ensure that all our clients hopes and dreams, when they make that leap of faith and choose us as their operator, are not just met but surpased! One such client had this to say...

Masai Culture and Ceremonies

There are many ceremonies in Maasai society including Enkipaata (senior boy ceremony), Emuratta (circumcision), Enkiama (marriage), Eunoto (warrior-shaving ceremony), Eokoto e-kule (milk-drinking ceremony), Enkang oo-nkiri (meat-eating ceremony), Orngesherr (junior elder ceremony), etc. Also, there are ceremonies for boys and girls minor including, Eudoto/Enkigerunoto oo-inkiyiaa (earlobe), and Ilkipirat (leg fire marks). Traditionally, boys and girls must undergo through these initiations for minors prior to

circumcision.

However, many of these initiations concern men while women's initiations focus on circumcision and marriage. Men will form age-sets moving them closer to adulthood.

The Hornbill

Hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family of birds found in tropical and subtropical Africa,Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque(a hollow structure that runs along the upper mandible). Hornbills are the only birds in which the first two neck vertebrae(the axis and atlas) are fused together; this probably provides a more stable platform for carrying the bill. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family refer to the shape of the bill.

Karen Blixen

If you've read Out of Africa, or seen the movie, then you probably understand when I say Karen Blixen was probably the best promotion that the African tourism industry has ever gotten. The Danish author, through that publication about her life in Africa, and Kenya in particular, captured the romance, adventure and delight of the African wilderness. Yet most people know very little about her.

In 1913 Karen Dinesen, born and raised in Denmark, became engaged to her second-cousin, the Swedish Baron Bror von Blixen-Finecke, after a failed love affair with his brother. The couple moved to Kenya, where in early 1914 they used family money to establish a coffee plantation, hiring African workers, predominantly the Kikuyu tribes people who lived on the farmlands at the time of their arrival.

About the couple's early life in Africa, Karen Blixen later wrote:

Samburu National Reserve

Though not as well known as the Masai Mara

Reserve, Samburu National Reserve is gaining a following among travelers who want a uni

que experience. From the scenic landscape, the one of a kind flora and fauna, the rare wildlife and the expanse of bird species, Samburu offers an experience that is unlike any other Park in not only Kenya, but the whole of Africa!