Game Reserves In Kenya: Lake Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru National Park’s unique geography and geological history it holds fascination for geologists naturalists botanists ornithologists and preservationists. Of course wherever there is interest to science there is also appeal to the perhaps less scientific species among us the tourist who is none the less eager for new and interesting information .

50 Million years ago subterranean forces ripped apart the earths crust creating a yshaped crack across the surface of the earth. The crack known as the Great Rift Valley stretches from Syria and Lebanon at one end to Mozambique at the other end. The Red Sea the Gulf of Jordan and the Gulf of Aden were all formed around and because of the rift.

Lake Victoria along with all the great lakes in Africa and in fact Lake Nakuru itself all formed as a result of the rift. In East Africa and in particular in Kenya the two branches of the rift are known as the Eastern Rift Valley and the Western Rift Valley now both contain Kenya Game Reserves. As the earth cracked and tore volcanic eruptions forced up huge amounts of molten rock. Today the area is still marked by extinct and active volcanos as well as geysers and hot springs.

The area of the Rift Valley is rich in fossils and remains of our hominid ancestors. It is a favorite site for archeologists and geologists having reminders and clues of the earths history and of our history as a human species. Ape ancestors over ten million years old have been uncovered in the Rift Valley. The 8 lakes of Kenyas Eastern Rift Valley have high concentrations of minerals and salt.

Lake Nakuru is located in Kenyas Eastern Rift Valley. It is a shallow alkaline lake that is home to some special organisms not found either in the sea or in fresh water lakes.

The special algae that thrive here are favored by the pink flamingos the parks biggest tourist attraction. The charm and beauty of the flamingos covering the lake like a fluttering pink scarf floating over the water is said to be one of the most beautiful sights in Africa and Lake Nakuru one of the more wondrous Kenya Game Reserves.
For more information about safaris in Kenya Kenya Game Reserves Lake Nakuru and some of Kenyas other attractions visit http://www.mykenyaguide.com/gamereservesinkenya.html

About the writer:  Maggie Nguyo is a Kenyan who is well versed with most Kenya travel aspects. She is also the editor of http://www.mykenyaguide.com a website that is invaluable to travellers to Kenya. Written in a simple and personal manner this website gives you insights and tips to help you to plan for your most memorable holiday in Kenya.

Game Reserves In Kenya: Amboseli National Park

The Maasai are a nomadic people whose skill at surviving in the African bush is legendary.

After days of careful planning the skilled Maasai warrior rises early before dawn. Only the bravest warrior undertakes a solo hunt to demonstrate his skill and courage in front of his peers. He sets off on his journey before the women awake and sneaks out of the village on his lone quest to find a lions footprints.

Warriors respect the lifebearing females and hunt only the males. Across the dry lakebed of the Amboseli basin the suns burning rays create a curtain of reflection. The warrior digs the bottom of his spear in the ground to steady himself and raises one hand to his eyes to shield them from the sun. From his vantage point behind a rock he squints through the haze unsure if he sees a lion or if it is a mirage.

Eager for the glory that will ensure him respect from the tribe for the rest of his life the warrior presses on in search of the lion. He crosses the plains now part of the Game Reserves Kenya and enters deep into the forest.

Finally behind a termite mound he spies his prey. The Maasai summons his courage. He knows he must instill anger in the lion. He begins the hunt by shaking rattle bells to attract the lions attention. As he faces the lion his heart is pounding. A thousand thoughts run quickly through his mind until he regains his focus and stands his ground. This lion has a fine mane. He will be proud to hand it to the women of the tribe along with the tail so that they can bead it and present it to him to keep as a trophy.

In the background the snowy peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro is aflame with the glow of the setting sun. It has been a long day. Our Maasai warrior does not want to go home empty handed. Summoning his courage and with a mighty roar that could equal that of the lion itself he releases his spear with perfect control. The Maasai warrior will return to his tribe tonight with his head held high.

In the past solo lion hunts were demonstrations of great bravery that were necessary to control the number of lions in areas where Maasai lived. These days lions are mostly hunted by groups of warriors. You can learn more about Amboseli National Park other Game Reserves Kenya the rich variety of African mammals and birds the Maasai traditions and rich warrior heritage at http://www.mykenyaguide.com/gamereservesinkenya.html

About the writer:  Maggie Nguyo is a Kenyan who is well versed with most Kenya travel aspects. She is also the editor of http://www.mykenyaguide.com a website that is invaluable to travellers to Kenya. Written in a simple and personal manner this website gives you insights and tips to help you to plan for your most memorable holiday in Kenya.

Galapagos Travel Report – Islands Frozen In Time

A Journal by Rick Britcher July 2008

Introduction

I have been diving since the late sixties and the one thing that has keep me diving is the inherent sense of adventure and the lure of the unknown that it provides. No matter how many times I dive the same place I never know what I might see or what adventure I might have. There is also the commerodary among divers. Some of my best friends are students of mine or people I’ve met while on dive trips. It’s these things that draw me to such exotic dive destinations like the Galapagos Islands 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.

Getting there is a journey itself. Since there is only one flight each day to the islands it takes at least two days travel time. I hooked up with a group of fourteen divers out of a dive shop in Pasadena CA. We started our trek at LAX at 5 AM for our first leg of the trip to Miami. From there we boarded a plane for Guiyaquil Ecuador one of two main cities in that country. We arrived at 10 PM that night and were transferred to the Unihotel in downtown Guiyaquil where we had booked rooms for the night. The next day we had a couple hours to kill because the only flight to the Galapagos was at 12 noon. We decided to take a short walk around downtown. Guiyalquil is a very clean picturesque modern city with many parks beautiful churches and government buildings. Across the street from the hotel was such a park and cathedral. I was busy taking pictures in the park when I saw some of the my friends frantically waving and pointing at me from across the park. I looked up in the trees above me where they were pointing and I saw at least two dozen large iguanas roosting there like some many chickens. Then I heard the SPLAT! I looked down and saw that the ground was covered with their fresh droppings. If I had taken one more step I would have been nailed by iguana poop. My roommate wasn’t so lucky. They told me he was on his way back to the hotel to take a shower.

A representative from the Aggressor Fleet met us at the Guiyaquil airport at 10 AM and handled all our check in and baggage. What a pleasant surprise! The flight took two hours and finally after 36 hours we were there San Cristobal Island Galapagos. Again the representative from the Aggressor was there to met us and handle all our gear. We all boarded a bus for the ten minute ride to the dock in the center of town. Stepping over sea lions laying on the dock we climbed aboard an inflatable dingy for a short ride to the Aggressor II moored in the harbor. What a beautiful boat! The rooms below deck each had two single beds bathroom and shower. The rooms above deck had one double bed bathroom and shower. There was a sundeck on top with lounge chairs and hammocks. The dining room and lounge was very plush with lots of wood and brass. The dive deck had 14 stations with a very large rinse tank for cameras and two chase boats. Lunch was ready for us when we boarded and we spent the afternoon stowing gear while the boat moved to an anchorage on the southeast side of the island for our checkout dive.

Except for the small town at the harbor the rest of the island is uninhabited. The islands are all volcanic and look very prehistoric. We anchored in a small cove and geared up for a dive to check our weights and make sure everything was working correctly. We were told to wear our 7mm suits hoods and gloves even though the water temp was 79 F. The dive master said the water would be much colder at our dive site tomorrow. The islands are affected by three major currents one from the south one from the north and one from the west. The time of year and strength of the different currents would determine the temperature of the water at each site. So we had to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. This first site was murky and the bottom was sand and rocks and inhabited by the usual reef fish: butterfly fish damsels grunts puffers eels rays etc. After the dive we stretched out on the sun deck until dinner at 6 PM. When we all gathered in the dining salon the crew came in dressed in their white naval uniforms. They were very stunning. They greeted us with a champagne toast and a fabulous dinner. We had BBQ steak chicken fish potatoes rice and beans seveche and salsa. I ate way too much! As the boat motored to our first dive site we sat up on the sun deck and watched the sunset talked and laughed until we were too tired to stay awake any longer. Diving started tomorrow.

Day 1

The breakfast bell rang at 6:30 AM and we could have what ever we wanted: eggs waffles cereal fruit toast. All you had to do was ask and the chef would make it. Dive briefing was at 8 AM and for each site the dive master drew a detailed map showing bottom contours depths currents etc. The first site was called Mosquera Island a small sand bar between two larger islands Seymour and Baltra. We anchored on the inside between the islands and the dive was on the ocean side of Mosquera along a wall with a long sand flat on top. The wall dropped to 90 ft. and the sand flat was at 60 ft. The dive master said that this was an easy spot with no currents and we would start at one end of the wall and dive the wall to the other end. He wanted to check our diving skills to make sure we could handle what was to come. We had seven divers and a dive master in each dingy and we were dropped at the left end of the wall over the sand flat. I sank down to the sand a 60 ft and checked my computer. Visibility was only about 30 ft. and green with plankton reminded me of Laguna Beach on a good day except the water temp. was 79 F. I swam down over the wall and could see the shimmering layer of the thermocline at 75 ft. As I swam through it the water temperature dropped ten degrees but the visibility opened up to about 50 ft.. The wall was covered with black coral. Moray eels and lobsters poked their heads out of the cracks. As I followed the wall I was surrounded by the usual suspects: schools of bigeyed jacks and small tuna grunts crommies angel fish butterfly fish moorish idles barracuda spotted eagle rays. I ascended the wall and swam over the sand flat to do my safety stop. On the sand were a couple of large stingrays and a big field of garden eels. As I sat on the surface waiting to be picked up I could see dozens of sea lions sunning on the beach on Mosquera. When we got back on board after the dive one of the crew had a plate of hot cinnamon buns and hot chocolate for us. When I pulled down my wetsuit another crew member put a hot beach towel on my shoulders. Sweet!

The second dive was to be a repeat of the first and after about an hour surface interval we were dropped off in the same place on the reef. This time I went straight down the wall to the bottom at about 90 ft. Due to the upwelling it was still pretty chilly down there so I didn’t stay long. I came back up through the thermocline and stopped at the top of the wall and looked out over the sand flat. There about twenty feet away was a Great Hammerhead the largest of the six species of hammerheads. It was the biggest shark I had ever seen. It had to be at least 12 ft long. It was massive! I’ve swam with 12 ft Caribbean reef sharks before and they were small in comparison. It reminded me of a Great White only with a handlebar head. It was accompanied by several other smaller scalloped hammerheads and they quickly swam across the sand and over the wall disappearing like ghosts. There was no chance to take a picture. I looked around for my buddy but he was down the wall about ten feet taking pictures of reef fish. He didn’t see them nor did anyone else. Damn nobody was going to believe what I saw. It was at that moment that I realized that I was in the Galapagos. I later told the dive master what I had seen and he said he had seen one there a couple of years ago. Since the island faces the open ocean they come in to feed on the schools of tuna swimming over the sand flat. I continued along the sand hoping to see them again but never did. Hammerheads are very skittish and don’t like divers and their noisy bubbles.

A land excursion on Seymour Island was planned for after lunch. At 2 PM the dingies took us ashore and we followed the marked trail across the island. It was like we stepped back in time. The island was pristine and the wildlife was not afraid of humans. We could get within inches of nesting frigates blue footed boobies land and sea iguanas orange and blue crabs and sea lions. Richard our dive master was extremely knowledgeable about the history and biology of the island. It was amazing.

After a two hour hike we went back to the boat which had just refueled at the military base on Baltra. Next stop was Wolf Island an eighteen hour crossing. We should arrive there at about 8 the next morning. After a dinner of sauteed shrimp and rice we sat on the sun deck and watched the sunset and talked about the day’s events.

Day 2

We arrived at Wolf Island on schedule escorted by a pod of dolphins riding the bow wake. Hundreds of seagulls were diving a bait ball and the dolphins moved in and attacked it as well jumping ten feet out of the water. The first dive of the day was at Schrkbai with the current running to the north visibility was 5080 ft and the water was a beautiful turquoise blue. Water temperature was a balmy 82 F and the air was 90 F. I had my 7mm wetsuit on because I didn’t know what to expect. When I did my back roll off the dingy I knew right away I was going to roast. The bottom was strewn with big boulders covered with barnacles and sloped down from 30 ft and disappeared into the darkness below. I immediately swam down towards the thermocline at about 100 ft. to cool off. Out it the blue I could see the ghostly shapes of several hammerheads right at the edge of visibility. Large schools of bigeyed jacks barracuda and wahoo passed by. Every few minutes a green sea turtle would swim by. I tried swimming out into the blue to photograph the sharks but they keep their distance too far away for a good picture. By the time we finished out safety stop the current had carried us to the north end of the island where the dingies were waiting to pick us up.

The second dive started at El Derumbe landslide and I wore just my 5mm vest and board shorts and no weight belt. As soon as we descended we were surrounded by hammerheads galapagos sharks and silkies. The current was a lot stronger so I hid behind a large boulder and waited. The sharks paraded by sometimes twenty at one time. Big squadrons of hammerheads swam into the current and they got really close. They were all about 610 ft in length and they came from all directions. Finally I decided to swim out into the blue and let the current take me. I swam through big schools of tangs wahoo jacks and tuna. At one point I was surrounded by hammerheads and turtles. After my safety stop I had once again drifted to the north end of the island where the dingy was waiting to pick me up. We didn’t have to worry about getting lost at sea because each of us was equipped with a GPS locator and a 10 ft flag. I never had to use them because the dingy drivers were excellent at keeping track of everybody. We had BBQ for lunch and we had a rainstorm pass through that cooled things off. The rain stopped just in time for dive number three.

Because we had so much action at El Denumbe dives three and four where exactly the same. The water was warm the current was strong and the sharks were everywhere. It was almost too much for one day. How could we top this? We anchored on the north side of Wolf for the night and we were moving to Darwin Island the next morning. It was only a two hour crossing and we could actually see the island off to the north.

Day 3

When we woke the next morning we were anchored off of Darwin Island with Darwin Arch off to the left. There was a large thunderstorm to the north and a rainbow appeared between the arch and the island a good omen of things to come. The first dive started at small inlet in the middle of Darwin Arch. The water temperature was still 82 F and the visibility was 80 to 100 ft. with the thermocline at about 70 ft. There was a mild current and there were lots of groupers jacks wahoo trumpet fish moorish idles angels eels and turtles. The current carried us around the arch to the flat shallow area in front of Darwin Island. There we saw a squadron of hammerheads in about 35 ft. of water. The dingies picked us up there and it was back to the boat for hot cinnamon buns and hot chocolate. We were so spoiled!

The second dive started at the west corner of the arch and we were to hang out there to wait for the action. We dropped down to just above the thermocline at 70 ft. with no current and watched as the hammerheads and turtles cruised in out of the blue. A couple of spotted eagles rays sailed by along with a huge school of bigeyed jacks. We went back for lunch and then returned to the same spot for dive three. When I dropped in this time conditions had changed a little. I looked down and the boulders on the bottom were whizzing by. The current had to have been at least 3 knots. It’s what us old timers call an Eticket ride. I quickly swam down to try and grab onto a rock. The current was so strong I couldn’t hold on and I couldn’t even hold my position no matter how hard I kicked. So I just went with it. Swimming into the current was a huge school of jacks followed by a group of hammerheads. I drifted for a while at 90ft. until the bottom disappeared all the time surrounded by sharks. I surfaced after my safety stop and found that I had drifted about a half mile past the east side of Darwin Island. I did a quick 360 and saw that the chase boat was only about 20 yards away. He knew right where I was the whole time. These guys were great! I am definitely taking my reef hook on the next dive.

The current was still ripping when we jumped in for the fourth dive. I had my reef hook this time but it took several attempts to hook up. The hook keep popping off the rocks. After I was finally secure I started taking pictures. I quickly discovered that it was going to be more difficult than I expected. The current keep bending my strobe out of position and my mask kept flooding. I was whipping back and forth on the reef hook and banging my bare knees against the sharp barnacles that covered the rocks. I decided to unhook and just drift with the current. This turned out to be a good idea because I passed through a couple of big groups of hammerheads swimming into the current. I shot all my film and surfaced in about the same spot as the last dive.

Day 4

The next day we were returning to Wolf Island but we had a chance to do two more dives at Darwin Arch if we got up early. We boarded the dingies before breakfast and motored over to the arch. There was no current and the visibility was at least 100 ft. A couple sea lions played with us and we could see a school of hammerheads out in the blue. An enormous school of jacks surrounded us and we could hear dolphins squeaking and clicking but we never saw them. On the way back to the boat the dolphins showed up. We quickly jumped in with our snorkels and swam with them for a while. What a blast! After breakfast we went to the same spot for our second and last dive at the arch. We could still hear the dolphins but we couldn’t see them. They got louder and louder and then six big bottle nose dolphins came in out of the blue. They circled us a couple times checking us out and then they took off.

We arrived at Wolf Island at noon and two dives were planned. We were diving the landslide again and the current was so strong that the surface looked like rapids in a fast moving river. It was intense. We were immediately swept away. It was hard to hang on even using my reef hook. There were sharks everywhere: 68 ft. hammerheads galapagos silkies. They just keep coming and they were all eating tuna! When we surfaced we had drifted around the end of the island a half a mile past SchrkBai. Since we had so much action the second dive was at the same spot. Conditions were the same except the water temperature had dropped to 75F. The current must have caused a cold upwelling. It got a little chilly with no wetsuit. Again we were surrounded by sharks. This time the green sea turtles were there in force. I counted nineteen turtles on the dive seeing five at one time. As soon as we boarded the Aggressor II we pulled anchor and headed south for the main island group.

Day 5

We arrived at Santiago Island the next day at noon and we had time for two dives at Cousin Rock. It was a small rocky island with a long wall to the south. The water was green with plankton and visibility might have been 10 ft. at the surface. Water temperature was in the low 60′s and it looked like we were back in California water. It was time for 7mm wetsuits again. The wall went down to 100 ft and visibility was better down deep. The wall was covered with black coral and thousands of aquarium fish. We saw turtles mobla rays white tip sharks and seahorses. We followed the wall south and surfaced on the backside of Cousin Rock. While on the surface a couple of big eyed fur seals came over to play with us.

Following our two dives we headed for the anchorage at Bartolome Island for a land excursion. This is the most famous location in the Galapagos Islands and there were a half dozen boats at anchor. The beach we were going to was one that was featured in the movie Master and Commander. As we approached we could see a couple of small penguins standing on the rocks and swimming in the water. They were only about 12 inches tall. We walked down the sand beach as dozens of red and orange crabs scurried into the water. We could see trenches all over the sand dunes where sea turtles had laid their eggs some just the night before. Sea iguanas perched on the rocks like gargoyles. The island was a volcano that erupted only 150 years ago and the fresh lava flow looked like a moonscape. We hiked to the top of it and the view of the islands was amazing. As the sun set and the mosquitos attacked we made our way back to the dingy. Back on the boat we were treated to a roast turkey dinner and everyone joked that it was really a pelican that the crew had caught.

Day 6

During the night we had moved to Plazas Island for another land excursion. This island looked very prehistoric because it was covered with prickly pear cactus trees and hundreds of land iguanas. The iguanas main food source was the cactus and there was no shortage of either. As we walked around blue foot bobbies squawked at us and we had to step over sea lions sleeping on the trail.

Our last dive was at Gordon Rocks nicknamed the Washing Machine. It was a collapsed volcano that had currents coming in from all sides and we would be diving inside it. Visibility was much better than yesterday 50 to 100 ft depending on the currents. There were many submerged pinnacles and the currents were fairly strong between them. We started on the far right side and swam around the pinnacles to the left and ended up on the outside. There was a large school of barracuda on the inside of the crater and when we reached the outside on the left a group of manta rays greeted us. Right behind them was a bunch of eagle rays. What a great way to end the last dive!

Our next stop was the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island. This is where they breed and house the various species of land tortoises that inhabit the Galapagos Islands. Each island has it’s own distinct species of tortoise. Early sailors and explorers slaughtered thousands of them for food and several species have become extinct. On the island of Pinta there was only one left and his name is Lonesome George. He now lives at the research station where they are trying to breed him in order to repopulate his island. Another island had only 12 left and through a successful breeding program there are now over a thousand. The station has hundreds of baby tortoises and dozens of adult ones up to 100 years old. They collect the eggs from each island and hatch them. Each tortoise is numbered and they raise it until it is five years old. Then they release it on its island of origin. We spent all afternoon at the station.

We returned to the boat at 5 PM for a welldeserved nap. After resting for a couple of hours we all met in the salon for a farewell toast with the crew. They were all dressed in their whites again and we all agreed that they did a fantastic job of taking care of us. Then we headed back to town for dinner at a local restaurant. We ate drank and talked until 11PM and then went back to the boat for our final move to San Cristobal. The next day we boarded our flight for Quiyaquil where we spent the night again in the Unihotel. We were back home the following night.

It should be noted that diving the Galapagos Islands is not for everyone. It is definitely advanced diving. You must be comfortable diving in strong currents cold water with no bottom surrounded by big sharks. However if this is the kind of adrenaline diving you are looking for then you must put the Galapagos Islands at the top of your list of exotic dive locations. I am glad I did.

About the writer:  scuba

Galapagos September And Sea Lion Pups

If you want to see a lot of newborn sea lion pups then you need to go to the Galapagos Islands in September.

Since we wanted to use frequent flyer miles for our air the September timing for our visit was pretty much accidental. It was the only time that the trip schedule fit in with the airline reservations we could get. And we lucked out.

Firstly though I have to admit that the Spring is also an excellent time to visit the Galapagos. If you love the water it is much warmer in the Spring due to the change in currents coming up from the Antarctic. Swimming and snorkeling is very comfortable without a wetsuit. The skies are also much clearer and the days are sunnier and hotter.

But youve got to go in the Fall if you want to see newborn sea lion pups. We saw some very young ones on every landing. We could have stood and watched their antics for hours. There is a rule to maintain your distance from the sea lions but obviously nobody told the sea lions. They would consistently wander up to inspect us. One even took a liking to my sandals. They were definitely a highlight of our trip.

About the writer:  To see photos of the pups and more travel tips visit Travel Snippets and More

Galapagos And Responsible Travel A Native Speaks Out

Galapagos and Responsible Travel

A Native Speaks Out

San Cristobal Galapagos Nov. 2008

Tourists choices in travel have profound impacts on the local environments and economies of their destinations. The Galapagos Islands are no exception. Responsible tourism begins with education and while everyone has seen a national geographic article or program on the wildlife of the Galapagos few have received accurate information on the reality of the people and economy that exist here. Many people are surprised to learn that there are people living on the islands or that there are land based tour options. Ninetyeight percent of the land mass of the Galapagos is National Park. The other two percent are privately owned by Colonial Permanentes descended from the original colonists.

The original idea of keeping tourists on cruise ships or floating hotels as a way of protecting the natural world of the Galapagos was a good one thirtyfive years ago when there were only a couple of cruise ships working and the local population was one tenth of what it is today. Today there are more than a hundred cruise ships. These hundred plus ships refuel with petroleum brought from the mainland in our ports they burn these fossil fuels practically 24/7 leave their trash in our dumps pump untreated sewage directly into the ocean rip up reefs with their anchors employ mostly from the mainland purchase produce and goods exclusively from the mainland and the majority of them are owned by people who have no direct contact with the Galapagos except as a place to make money. Less than five percent of all the revenue generated by tourism in the Galapagos ever touches the hands of the people that live here the true guardians of these islands. Tens of thousands of international visitors arrive here annually with perhaps the greatest carbon footprint of any vacation on earth. They push that distinction even further by making uneducated choices of how and with whom they arrive. They pay thousands of dollars to second and third party travel agencies who receive that money in exchange for the marketing of the Galapagos but take no responsibility for the problems their profits cause.

How did this happen? Who is to blame? What can be done about it?

In the past twentyfive years Ecuador has had eleven Presidents eight in the last ten. The previous seven could be called pro business meaning there own. Each new president in Ecuador appoints new Governors Secretaries of Environment Tourism etc. Not only was there no continuity or firm directives for the Galapagos National Park or Ingala the branch of government charged with the responsibility to enforce the laws of the Galapagos frequently there was no money or political will to properly care for the Galapagos. There was opportunistic investing sometimes as blatant as plans to turn the Galapagos into a kind of southern hemisphere Waikiki or cruise ship licenses sold without regard for consequences. Add to this the political clout of the fishermen who represent a block of votes and with their political influence were able to water down fishing restrictions to the point where they were ineffective in preserving the fisheries.

What we have now is:

A population of approximately 30000 with as many as one third of them illegal immigrants

Almost a hundred cruise ships owned primarily by people whose only connection to the Galapagos is as a place to make money

A population largely disenfranchised from the tourism industry while what had been the predominate economy fishing has been all but decimated

A boom in poaching of sea cucumbers shark fins and out of season lobsters

Many boats and tour operators operating without the proper licenses

The National Park and Ingala reduced to ineffectual agencies. Abuses abound and even trying to get proper licenses is extremely difficult sometimes for lack of things as basic as ink for a printer.

A reliance on produce goods and electricity in the form of diesel fuel to supply generators imported from the continent. The small local farmers on the islands cant compete with the prices of the mass produced foods from the continent even with the costs of transportation

Theres enough blame to go around. The political problems of Ecuador are easy enough to point to but the real blame is the short sightedness and greed of just about everyone from local fishermen to cruise line operators even to tourists who are unwitting accomplices.

What can be done about it?

We are lucky to have a new president Rafael Correa a Christian Socialist he calls himself. Hes taken on the political corruption that has plagued this country since its inception with his seventyfive percent popularity. It appears hell be able to serve out his term. He was a professor here at the small university for a while and has made protecting the Galapagos one of his top priorities. There have been seminars and symposiums meetings with The National Park The Charles Darwin Foundation Ingala. The only thing anyone agrees on is something must be done. What exactly has been the hard part.

We have many conflicting interests varied alliances jealousies and in fighting. Even with all of that we are making some minor head way thanks mostly to our new president but the real power the real force that can bring about change is on the supply side. With the growing awareness of responsible/eco tourism there is hope for positive change www.cometogalapagos.com.

Customized land based tours offer visitors the ability to visit several different islands often by small plane receive a level of personalized service and accommodation unavailable on cruise tours and help bring about positive change toward sustainable economic practices within the Galapagos. For example we work with local fishermen who have lived all their lives harvesting their living from the sea depleting fisheries working with us they have exchanged their license to fish commercially irrevocably for a license to work with visitors taking the visitors out in their boats demonstrating how they used to fish with hand lines explaining the history of the fisheries what has happened the reality that exists now and then catching the nights meal to be shared with their family. The environmental impact is that instead of harvesting thousands of fish a year to survive a fisherman’s family can survive harvesting only a hundred. It allows visitors a glimpse not only into the history but also the culture and current reality of the Galapagos allows a cultural exchange which is perhaps as important for the fishermen as it is enjoyable for the visitor and allows the ability for the fishermen to have a sustainable option for making a living. We are doing the same with the farmers. For the past ten years the population has been able to purchase produce meat and eggs imported from the continent at a cheaper price than the small farms here can produce these items and survive. The reason for this is the large commercial farms on the continent which do not need to adhere to any government mandated standards as to the use of chemicals growth hormones etc. have been able even with the cost of shipping to under cut the market. Most people book their vacations here months sometimes even a year in advance. This allows us the opportunity to plan ahead. We can say to the farmers On this date we are going to need X number of lettuce eggs tomatoes fruit etc. This allows the farmers the ability to plant many of these crops knowing they have a secure market and with this the willingness to follow best practices with regard to organics water use etc.

Our problems in the Galapagos are not unique. All over the world local economies are getting trampled by large tour companies who come in exploit the resource and take the vast majority of the revenue with them. The choices we make as consumers in this case travelers are shaping the future of our planet. Vacations are perhaps the last place anyone wants to accept this responsibility but there it is. As far as the Galapagos you can help by taking a land based tour rather than a cruise tour. If you must take a cruise tour do so with one that is owned by a native Galapageno.

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About the writer:  Galapagos Citizen

Fun Facts About Kenya

FUN FACTS ABOUT KENYA
By Alejandro Guevara Onofre

DID YOU KNOW
Kenya is an African country with vast mountains and beautiful scenery. It is a diverse collection of coastal waters sanbanks rivers waterfalls lakes and deserts. This land is home to a staggering diversity of plants and wild animals such as hippopotamus cheetahs hyenas snakes rhinoceros lions and leopards.

There are more than 65 national parks and wildlife preserves Each zone has distinct wildlife. Twenty hectares of rainforest contain more birds species than the whole of Europe. Much of Kenyas native flora is not found anywhere else in the world.

Furthermore Kenyan culture reflects a mixture of African Indian and British influences similar in many respects to the traditions and superstitions of Uganda and Tanzania.

DID YOU KNOW
Kenya formerly known as British East Africa became independent in 1963 and a republic in 1964.

DID YOU KNOW
Nairobi Kenyas capital is an international place with every kind of accommodation. Nairobi has many restaurants that serve everything from monkey to antelope.

DID YOU KNOW
More than other Third World countries Kenya is a multicultural country made up of numerous ethnic groups.

DID YOU KNOW
The flag was designed by the Kenya Africa National Union KANU; the dominant political party until 2002.

DID YOU KNOW
Conservation is a global effort and the African country is doing its part to conserve ecologys bounty. Different from Peru and Ethiopia Kenya has introduced wildlife conservation into the public school curriculum. The African country has an established record of cooperation with international conservation organizations.

DID YOU KNOW
Kenya has become much more stable since the democratic elections of 2002.From 1963 to 2002 Kenya was a dictatorship.

DID YOU KNOW
The Kenyan people have many idols: Henry Rono runner Richard Leakey paleontologist and conservationist Mama Ngima exfirst lady of Kenya Louise Leakey paleontologist Philip Leakey businessman Wangari Maathai environmentalist Grace Ogot writer Rebecca Njau writer and Kipchoge Keino runner.

DID YOU KNOW
In 2004 Wangari Maathai received the Nobel Prize for Peace for her dedication to womens rights ecology and democracy. Wangari became the second woman from Africa to win the Nobel Prize. She is a really important model for the world.

DID YOU KNOW
Since 1963 the economy has revolted around tourism. Kenya is one of the most prosperous black African countries.

DID YOU KNOW
Paul Evans a British runner once said “Only two Europeans men have made the stop three at the past four Olympics one being the Italian Baldini who won in Athens”. It is a problem of numbers. There are not many Europeans. In Kenya you have tens and tens of new athletes every year

Certainly Kenya is famous for its athletes. Physical education is an important subject in every primary school secondary school and college. The African country is the birthplace of Henry Rono one of the best runners in the 20th century. In 1978 Henry broke four worlds records: the 3000 meters steeplechase 8:05.4 the 5000 13:08.4 the 3000 meters 7:32.1 and the 10000 meters 7.32.1.In 1980 Henry qualified for the Kenyan Olympic team at the 1980 Moscow Games. But Kenya boycotted that years Olympics in Moscow to protest the USSRs invasion of Afghanistan. This supreme athlete the idol of millions of Kenyans is a symbol in Africa.

Today Kenyan Bernard Barmasai is the fastest man in the 3000 meters steeplechase with a time of 7 minutes 55.72s.

DID YOU KNOW
UNESCO has declared Lake Turkana National Park and Mount Kenya National Park World Heritage Sites.

DID YOU KNOW
In fact Isak Dinesen best known as Karen Dixen loved Kenya so much. Her first novel Out of Africa 1938 focuses on Kenyas scenery. Furthermore Out of Africa was also the basis of a 1985 Hollywood film starring Meryl Streep one of the best American actresses.

DID YOU KNOW
The most popular sports are cricket track and field box soccer volleyball rugby tennis and field hockey.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;ALEJANDRO GUEVARA ONOFRE:He is a freelance writer.Alejandro is of Italian African and Peruvian ancestry.Heve studied political science and journalism.He has published more than seventyfive research paper in English and more than twenty in Spanish concerning the world issues olympic sports countries and tourism. His next essay is called The Dictator and Alicia Alonso.He is an expert on foreign affairs. Futhermore Alejandro is the first author who has published a worldbook encyclopedia in Latin America. He admires Frida Kahlo Mexican painter Angelina Jolie actress and Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency Hillary Clinton exFirst Lady of the USA and Jimmy Carter former President of the USA. His favorite film is Gorillas in the Mist.Some of his favorite books are The Return of Eva Peron and the Killings in Trinidad by V.S.Naipaul Las Mujeres de los Dictadores by Juan Gasparini and Murder of a Gentle Land by John Barron and Anthony Paul.His favorite song is by Karen Carpenter called Touch Me When Were Dancing… His personal motto is The future is for those people who believe in the beauty o f their dreams by Eleanor Roosevelt.

Interests and Hobbies:
His hobbies and interests are writing essays going to the gym browsing the Internet Foreign Politics learning about cultures reading cooking Peruvian food listening to American and British Music…

From Pandemonium To Peacefulness: Welcome To Tokyo!

In Japans capital it would appear that there is a perfect blend of opposites. In one direction you would find the peaceful carefully maintained landscapes of Hamarikyu Garden and in the other the chaotic and frenzied atmosphere of the Tsukiji Fish Market. Both are a mustsee as they are regarded to be two of the most popular tourist attraction spots in the city.

It is for these opposites that Tokyo is the ideal destination for any traveller; with the added bonus of the majority of attractions being either centralized in the city or conveniently located by public transportation routes tourists can sample the delights which Tokyo has to offer and beyond without incurring too much stress or hassle.

The Roppongi Hills for example hosts a sprawling complex of hotels restaurants museums and movie theatres while shoppers are well also well catered for with a wide array of shops in which to hunt down a bargain. The centrepiece of the complex is the 54storey Mori Tower built by building tycoon Minoru Mori at a cost of over 4 billion.

Cuisinewise there is a dish to suit every palate. For those wishing to experience a taste of the Japanese culture sushi and miso soup is regarded to be a staple for the natives and for those who are less adventurous numerous Western foods such as pizzas steaks and chips have also made themselves at home in menus across the city.

Of course if you are feeling the strain of being in a new city why not try the delights of luxury spa treatments? Once considered to be an exclusive territory for women recent years has seen spas become increasingly populated by men and women alike. Take advantage of trained professionals whose main objective is to massage away tension from the body and mind by using a variety of techniques: the use of warmed stones to revive and revitalize muscles; wrapping ones body in a mixture of grape seed and French clay to eliminate impurities while returning a multitude of vitamins and antioxidant properties to the skin; or the use of sea salts and algae to remove dead skin cells and replenish the skin with trace elements and minerals are just some of the treatments available in spa treatments.

Nevertheless whatever the treatment chosen rest assured that the luxury spa hotel selected to deal with your aches and pains will provide the perfect solution to your problems and can attend to your needs so that afterwards your mind and body will be rejuvenated to continue on with the exploration of a new city and all of its pleasures.

About the writer:  Andrew Regan is a freelance online journalist

From Brazil To Sanibel Beach Frolicking Same In Spring

Thinking back on my travels I have fond memories of spring like temperatures as winter in Rio de Janeiro transitioned into spring. I was living in this hub of samba and soccer and though the seasonal changes were nothing like we know them in the northeast USA the transition of seasons in Brazil was subtle yet noticeable.

The Cariocans Rio natives would begin to shed their jackets and go sleeveless in the streets.

And life on the beach began anew.

One sure fire sign of spring in Brazil were the acrobatic feats observed on the shores in Rio as well as small coastal towns all over the country. The agility of the participants was awesome.

Though I have never observed the rites of spring in quite the same way on the Island of Sanibel I have watched the dolphins perform similar acrobatics as the Gulf waters warmed under a stronger sun.

Observance of the passage of time in the tropics is a studied art. No winter snow storms or abundant flowering trees divide the winter and spring.

But the watchful eye will see more subtle changes.

The wind warms the day lengthens the shadows diminish.

And of course crowds disperse restaurants become less populated and accommodations become less expensive.

The months of April and May are among the nicest to visit Sanibel as we have seen year after year!

And for diehard sporting fans the season for baseball spectators begins in Spring.

The Southwest Florida area is home for spring training for Major League Baseball teams including the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins.

You can also see the the Fort Myers Miracle Baseball team. Here’s a list of Spring training sites and phone contacts:

Boston Red Sox Spring Training
City of Palms Park
2201 Edison Ave
Ft. Myers FL 33901

Tickets: 239 3344700
Administration: 239 3344799

Minnesota Twins Spring Training
Lee County Sports Complex
14100 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy
Ft. Myers FL 33912

Tickets: 800 3389467
Administration:239 7684225

Miracle Professional Baseball
Lee County Sports Complex
14100 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy
Ft. Myers FL 33912
239 7684225

The Miracle team is a member of the Florida State League.

Games are held April through August.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Sylvia Guarino is a professional writer. Her territory is health and fitness. She also manages and markets vacation rental properties on Sanibel Island that she and her husband own.

For more information on her properties please visit her website:
http://sanibelrentals.net

Freeport Bahamas – The Ultimate Place To Go To When You Want To Relax

Are you living a very stressful life like several other people? Do you sometimes say I am fed up of all this and want to go to some place nice and quite? Or do you simply just want to go somewhere where you can enjoy at the same time find the tranquility and peace you have to searching for since ages. A place which intrigues the mind and body a place you would like to spend your life at. Freeport Bahamas is the destination you would die to go to. So what is this place that everyone is talking about with so much interest?

Freeport is a city and free trade zone on the island of Grand Bahamas; it is roughly 100 mile 160 km eastnortheast of Fort Lauderdale Florida and is a district of the Bahamas. The best part about Freeport is that is has a harbor that is so large that it is accessible to even the largest vassals and also has a cruise terminal a trans shipment port and a private yacht and ship maintenance faculty. Their airport handles about 50000 flights each year.

Havent you just wishes for a small peaceful island to calm you down? Well today is the day you wont have to look for it anymore. The island is well planned and offers all the major requirements of a tourist. In fact even if you are going for a holiday to this place for the very first time in your life you would not find any problems with it. Starting from the suitable facility of accommodation to the luxurious meals everything you could ask for in Freeport Bahamas is available in plenty. Even if you have fixed or little resources the reasonably priced restaurants and hotels would not let you feel like you have missed something. But one thing that might force you or your wife to go out of budget and indulge in is shopping centers of Freeport Bahamas. The wellknown International Bazaar of this city has every kind of product that you would want to take home. Also if you are planning to gift your near and dear ones something special you should look out for ceramics.

There are certain important points that will make your holiday to Freeport Bahamas a memorable experience in life. First of all while customizing your trip to this amazing place you should make sure that you have some basic information about the places you would like to go to at Freeport Bahamas. For this you can also look through a travel guide or some maps. Secondly you could plan the holiday with a reasonable travel agency. Many travel agencies propose decent well planned packages that not only cover all the major necessities of a holiday but also set the entire plan with under a fixed reasonable budget. However even if you wish to explore this amazing place on your own you will not come across any major difficulty as Freeport Bahamas has the friendliest atmosphere to all of its visitors.

About the writer:  Suzane Gray has been offering Bahama travel and vacation packages advice for quite some time. To find Bahamas vacation Freeport Bahamas Cheap Bahamas Vacation Package Bahamas golf resort and Spring break Bahamas that best suits your needs visit www.gobahama.com

Four Popular Destinations For Holidays In Goa

A tiny emerald land situated in the west coast of India Goa is a small but one of the most beautiful states of India. It is a globally famous holiday destination in the country. It has unique charm of breathtaking beaches dotted with swaying beaches whitewashed terrific church rich flora amp; fauna magnificent colonial homes fishing villages and picturesque towns. It appeals tourists and vacationers from all over the world who are looking for sun sand and surf on their holidays in India.

Beaches are prime attractions of Goa visit. It has some of finest beaches in the world. For beach lovers it is like a paradise. Beaches here are very popular among honeymooners or newly wed couples. It is often described as the Beach Capital of India. There are many deserving holiday destinations in the state appealing vacationers from all over the world and promising them for a cheerful holiday experience. Other attractions of Goa are heritage monuments and picturesque towns. Mapusa VascoDaGama Margao and DonaPaula are very popular holiday destinations in Goa India.

Mapusa is a small town but it is a very famous market hub of the state. The most important thing about this small town is its natural purity. It is has well preserved its natural purity. This beautiful town is very popular among many vacationers due to its nature beauty. It is situated at the distance of 13 km from Panjim the capital city of the state. The market held on Fridays is definitely worth visit. If you are in Mapusa you should not miss to explore Friday market. It is also a base to visit famous beaches like Anjuna and Chapora. Today this small town has been a must of every popular itinerary of goa trip.

VascoDaGama is situated at the distance of 29 km from Panjim Goas capital. It is perhaps the most cosmopolitan city of Goa. It is considered to be one of the most popular ports of western India. Scenic hilly areas and serene climate have made it a popular destination for holidays in goa India.

Margao is one of the most important destinations of goa tour. It is the excellent example of wellpreserved Portuguese culture that can be still be seen in the nooks and corners of the small town of Margao. It is situated in the southern part of the state. It is one of the busiest towns of Goa and considered to be the cultural capital of Goa India.

DonaPaula is a beautiful beach. It one of the Goas best loved spot. It is one of the most romantic beaches in the state. It is a very favored destination of honeymooners or newly wed couples. It is a perfect detonation for those tourists who have desire to true charm of goa beach. It is the land of sand surf sun fun and frolic. It is situated at the distance of just 7 km form Panjim the capital of the state. Vacationers can also head for Miramar Beach from DonaPaula. Miramar Beach is located at the very short distance of 4 km from DonaPaula.

About the writer:  Joseph Moore is an eminent analyst and writer in Travel Tourism related topics. He has authored many books on tour guide for Tour in Goa and Goa in India. Find choose more packages at http://goatourpackages.com/