Kantar: Windows Phone exceeds 9% market share in Europe

According to the latest smartphones sales data from analyst company Kantar Worldpanel, Windows Phone has reached a new high in market share across the five major European markets (UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain).
In France, Microsoft's mobile OS has scored 12% market share, while in the UK it's powering 10.8% of the smartphones sold in the three months ending in August. This is the first time ever Windows Phone has scored double digits in such major markets.

The company explains the success of the OS with Nokia's expansion into the low- and mid-range markets. Phones like the Lumia 520 and Lumia 620 are some of the most popular smartphones running Windows Phone, as they are "hitting the sweet spot" appealing to users between 16 to 24 years as well as the 35-49 year-olds.
However, it's not all good news for Microsoft, as in Italy, its OS is marking a slight decline - from 10.3% to 9.5% year-over-year. In China, the fall is pretty dramatic - 2.6 percentage points on an yearly basis - from 4.7% to 2.1%.
In Australia and the United States, WP is still on the rise. The platform holds a 6.5% market share in Australia, marking a growth of 2.8 percentage points YoY, while in the US the growth isn't as fast-paced at 0.4 percentage points rounding up to a market share of 3%.
Overall, Android is still the most popular mobile operating system on the market with a market share in Europe of 70.1%. Apple's iOS is a very distant second at 16.1%, while Windows Phone is third with 9.2% of the market. BlackBerry is fourth at 2.4%, losing more than half of its share since 2012.
Source | Via

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Google’s Nexus 5 will allegedly feature nano-SIM card slot

Hot on the heels of the leaked specs from earlier today, another detail on the highly anticipated Nexus 5 made an appearance. The next generation, LG-made Nexus will reportedly feature a nano-SIM card slot.

The information on the smartphone appeared on the website of the Ukrainian wireless provider Life:) (yes, the smiley is part of its name). In a small-font disclaimer, the carrier states that it will equip its iPhone 5s, 5c, and Nexus 5 users with a nano-SIM card.
The Nexus 5 is expected to be unveiled before the end of October. As always, we’ll keep you posted on all details surrounding the smartphone.
Source (in Ukrainian) | Via

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Nexus 5 makes an appearance in yet another live photo

After appearing in an Android KitKat promo video, going through the FCC, and sitting unattended in a bar, the yet to be announced Nexus 5 smartphone made another unscheduled appearance. This time around, a live photo of the LG made Android powerhouse popped up in a forum thread at Macrumors.

The latest live photo of the Nexus 5 falls right in line with previous leaks. It clearly shows the handset’s relationship with the 2013 Nexus 7, thus further reaffirming that Google is on its way to unify the design of its own family of devices. The user who uploaded the photo has subsequently taken it down, so there’s no reason to doubt its authenticity.
The person who posted the image also left a couple of quick hands-on impressions. The Nexus 5 is said to be smaller than an LG G2 and (unsurprisingly) feeling a lot like the latest Nexus 7.
Earlier today, we also ran into most of the Nexus 5’s specs from a leaked log. Now that there is little left to the imagination, all we’re left with is to wait for the official announcement. The latter is expected to take place in October.
Via

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Nokia Lumia 929 coming to Verizon in November

Nokia is planning to announce the Lumia 929 for Verizon later this month. Expected to go on sale in November, this handset is similar to the Lumia 1520 for AT&T that was leaked earlier but with a few key differences.

Like the Lumia 1520, the Lumia 929 is said to have a 1080p resolution display and a 20 megapixel PureView camera with oversampling functionality. The difference here is that while the 1520 is said to have a massive 6-inch display, the 929 will have a comparatively smaller 5-inch display.
The device will be sold in black and white and possibly in a red color as well. The off-contract price is said to be $500, much less than the $599 price for the Lumia 1520.
Source 1 • Source 2

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Jolla unveils more specs of its upcoming smartphone

Finns are taking the loss of Nokia's phone division hard but they still have Jolla to look forward to. The breakaway company posted some more specs on its upcoming phone.
The dual-core 1.4GHz processor and 1GB RAM in the phone are on a Snapdragon chipset and while Jolla didn’t give its exact model number, it's probably a SoC similar to the one in the HTC One mini.
The 4.5" qHD (960 x 540 pixels) screen will be of the IPS LCD variety and will feature 6-point multi-touch and Gorilla Glass 2 protection. There will be an RGB indicator too. The 8MP back camera and 2MP front-facing camera have two mics for sound recording and noise reduction.
On the connectivity side, there's Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 + HS, A-GPS with GLONASS, NFC and I2C for connectivity with extensions, which sounds pretty interesting. The only extension that Jolla has shown so far is the exchangeable back cover, but with I2C there are plenty of options to expand (e.g. a keyboard wouldn’t need to connect over Bluetooth).
The 2,100mAh battery is rated at 7.7/5.5 hours of 2G/3G talk time respectively and 500 hours of standby. Finally, the dimensions of the Jolla phone are 131 x 68 x 9.9mm and the weight is 141g.
The global pre-order for the Jolla is over, but Finns can still book one for €100. The total price of the handset is €400 (including VAT, the phone is unlocked).
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Source

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Nokia Glee is the Lumia 525, to star the next WP budget line-up

The Nokia Lumia 525 is the official name of the recently rumored Nokia Glee, according to a tweet by evleaks. The Lumia 525 is the replacement of the hugely successful Lumia 520 and, naturally, is going to be a budget Windows Phone handset.


The Nokia Lumia 520 was launched in February this year and is one of the reasons Windows Phone marks a growth in its market share in Europe.
As a result, The Nokia Lumia 525 is going to aim and build on the foundation that the Lumia 520 has set throughout the year. Happily, the phone has undergone the popular GFXBenchmark test suite, which gives us a glimpse at its specs. It's going to be powered by a 1GHz dual-core Krait CPU and an Adreno 305 GPU (probably the on the Qualcomm MSM8227 chipset). The Lumia 520 is running Windows Phone 8 on the very same platform.
Furthermore, the display is reported to pack a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, again the same as the Lumia 520. Screen size isn't provided from the benchmark website.
It's all but confirmed that the Finns are going to announce the Lumia 525 at their upcoming event on October 22 in Abu Dhabi. Alongside it, the company is rumored to announce five more devices. Those are expected to include the Lumia 1520, the Nokia Lumia 2520 tablet, as well as new members from the Asha family of phones.
Source • Source (2)

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LG G2 starts selling in the UK, carries a £444 price tag

LG has began selling its G2 Android flagship in the UK. It's on offer by both mobile carriers as well as large retailers.

UK's Three is the first of the carriers to sell the phone and offers it for as low as £29 per month on a 2-year contract after an initial down payment of £49. It's also available on a Pay as you go plan for £399.
If you're after a SIM-free version of the LG G2, then there are plenty of options as well. Clove is selling the phone for £444 and is throwing in a free QuickWindow accessory as well. Another retailer Unlocked-mobiles is offering to phone a bit higher at £490 and it too gives away a QuickWindow cover.
LG is yet to see whether it'll meet its target to sell 10 million G2 smartphones. In order to ensure this happens, the company has stepped up its marketing efforts including a few unorthodox exchange programs.
Make sure to check out our LG G2 in-depth review to read everything there's about LG's latest flagship.
Source • Source (2) • Source (3) | Via

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Cape Town Fish Market Bar: Pub with a great view

 

In Summary

• Like the music. Very diverse and eclectic, but mostly pop. When was the last time you heard Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows? I heard it there, and a whole load of these old rock tracks that reminded me a little of the teen TV series One Tree Hill.

By Jackson Biko

Cape Town Fish Market, South Africa’s famous restaurant chain, opened in Dar es Salaam three months ago. And they couldn’t have picked a better location for it – at the gorgeous waterfront of Msasani Bay.

The décor is sophisticated, with whites and blues and lounge chairs overlooking the ocean and all that glitzy stuff that make restaurants like this be tagged as “luxurious.”

Then unlike their typical closed establishments, they opened up a bar that is completely detached from their main restaurant. As far as bars go, very few bars in Nairobi will hold a candle to this bar. The Cape Town Fish Market Bar is a rectangular bar, set in the middle of a small garden adjacent to the restaurant.

Eclectic

It’s a sports bar of sorts. Four large screen television sets hoisted above the bar. All on sports channels. Their chairs don’t have a backrest, which means you will need plenty of reasons to stay there for long. And you do have plenty.

Like the music. Very diverse and eclectic, but mostly pop. When was the last time you heard Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows? I heard it there, and a whole load of these old rock tracks that reminded me a little of the teen TV series One Tree Hill.

One of the best things about the bar is their wine list. Given that it’s a South African franchise, they really invested in the kind of wines they serve. There is a choice to have your wine by the glass – and its excellent wine. I had a glass of cabernet sauvignon from this bottle called Fat Fish, from West Cape. Suffice it to say, it left a good taste in my mouth.

Long bill

You can order from the main restaurant – sushi platters, grills, and snacks – and have it at the bar. Try their fish of the day, grilled in lemon butter, or since you are Kenyan, try their sirloin steak, basted with barbeque sauce and flame grilled.

Have you ever gone to a bar with a large group and ordered food and drinks and after the meal, a long bill came with a list of many items, some which you don’t remember ordering, but since you don’t want to be “those guys” you settle it while mumbling something about broad daylight theft (even though it’s night)?

Well, they have this debit card at this bar, which when you get there, they give you (residents) and you can load it with money, so when you want a drink or food all you do is give it to them and they swipe it.

But all these don’t beat the view at night, when the lights from the buildings across tinkle in the sea. And the breeze blows through ceaselessly.  

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Hot springs major attraction for guests at Baringo hotel

 

Visitors swimming at the spa pool. which is the only one in the country that has natural heated water coming from the nearby hot springs. Courtesy 

In Summary

• The most outstanding feature of the hotel is the fact that it is the only one in the country with a natural heated spa swimming pool.

A meandering road up the hills along the highway is the magnificent scenery that ushers visitors to Lake Bogoria Spa and Resort Hotel.

Set among the acacia surroundings on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, the resort overlooks Lake Baringo to the East and Lake Bogoria to the West, providing a serene environment for the visitors who love spectacular scenery.        

Placed at the heart of the larger Semi-Arid Baringo County, the resort is at a stone’s throw away from Lake Bogoria, which is home to millions of flamingoes that surrounds it, making the environment a breath taking one.

Natural spa

But the most outstanding feature of the hotel is the fact that it is the only one in the country with a natural heated spa swimming pool.

“We are known as the therapeutic place for the simple reason that the resort is associated with hot spring geysers that are within the resort, feeding our swimming pool with warm water at body temperature all day and night,” says Lydia Dentewo, General Manager at the resort.

Many visitors have termed the resort as a healing place because of the health values associated with hot spring geysers which are believed to be medicinal.

The manager says the hot spa has been the centre of attraction for the many visitors who travel from all over the world to enjoy, among other things, a swim at the pool.

Bird species

The resort is 266 kilometres from Nairobi along the Nairobi-Nakuru –Baringo highway, a journey that takes approximately three and a half hours.

Ms Dentewo says the geyser has been a key attraction for the tourists both local and international who throng the place to enjoy the natural hot spa.

“The first thing that our visitors do when they arrive here is to swim at the spa pool, which is a truly exciting experiences,” she says.

“We also have a rich history of bird life in the 119 acres where the resort is located. There is more than enough space for those who love nature walks,” says the manager.

The resort is famous for mursik (fermented milk) and the herbal soup (mwarubaini) which is served alongside the meals.

The facility also has a “nyama choma ranch” known for specialties that are not limited to “mbuzi choma.”

The hotel is fast growing with a current capacity of 70 rooms and arrangements are in place to complete 30 more rooms by December this year which come as standard, cottage and executive. 

High demand for the rooms has stretched the available accommodation at the facility which is the only resort that offers decent accommodation in that region.

“Our accommodation is inclusive of breakfast, lunch and dinner at a competitive rate of between Sh8,000 and Sh20,000 depending on the room status,” says the manager.

The hot springs and the number of flamingoes whose population in Lake Bogoria has increased to about 700,000 following migration of the birds from other Great Rift Valley lakes have been a great selling point for the resort.

Picnics

The facility also has activities such as team building, seminars and is popular for families on picnics, bird watchers and nature explorers. Its proximity to Lake Bogoria National Park has given it an edge in terms of visitors who seek accommodation close to the park.

The facility was elevated by (UNESCO) to a world heritage site two years ago.

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Celebrating the ‘art of living’ at Sankara

 

An atmosphere of quiet, serenity and peace for visitors at the Sankara. Photo/FILE 

In Summary

• Executive Chef Gaetano Sgroi presented an exquisite four-course menu with the help of wine importer Emanuel Corino from Out of Sicily.

If you love wine, then you should look out for the next wine and food pairing event happening at Sankara Hotel.

Sensing the growing wine appreciation trend in Nairobi, Sankara has partnered with many wine estates in the past to bring Nairobians a great mix of different wines from around the world.

These include the famed Dalla Cia, Meerlust Estate and Planeta Wines.

We were recently treated to a fantastic tasting session of sparkling wines from Italian producer Ferrari Wineries.

This family-run company which has been in b uysiness for over a century is known to craft their luxury metodo classico; sparkling wines produced according to the regulations of Trento D.O.C, similar to the technique used by the finest Champagne houses; only this time with an Italian touch and craftsmanship.

Green apples

Executive Chef Gaetano Sgroi presented an exquisite four-course menu with the help of wine importer Emanuel Corino from Out of Sicily. The Ferrari Brut, for example, paired deliciously with the Crayfish Salad with Green Apples and Celery drizzled with Ferrari Brut Dressing.  

The Tortelli filled with tomato and ricotta, yellow fondue, basil pesto and herb salad was paired with the Ferrari Rose, a dry, clean and refined wine with hints of almond and red currants bouquet.

The Grilled Salmon, Carrot and Spring Pea Puree with Fresh Herb Olive Oil were by far the winner of them all. Paired with the Ferrari Maximum Brut, gentle fruity bouquet complemented the natural sweetness of salmon and colourful vegetable purees.  Its dry nature cut through the oiliness of the fish flawlessly.

The trio of desserts, “Dolcezza” del demi-sec, featured berry macaroons with sparkling wine filling, indulgent dark chocolate and a refreshing fresh raspberry tartlet.  Paired with the Ferrari Demi Sec, our meal aptly came to a conclusion.

editor@eatout.co.ke

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Hot springs major attraction for guests at Baringo hotel

 

Visitors swimming at the spa pool. which is the only one in the country that has natural heated water coming from the nearby hot springs. Courtesy 

In Summary

• The most outstanding feature of the hotel is the fact that it is the only one in the country with a natural heated spa swimming pool.

A meandering road up the hills along the highway is the magnificent scenery that ushers visitors to Lake Bogoria Spa and Resort Hotel.

Set among the acacia surroundings on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, the resort overlooks Lake Baringo to the East and Lake Bogoria to the West, providing a serene environment for the visitors who love spectacular scenery.        

Placed at the heart of the larger Semi-Arid Baringo County, the resort is at a stone’s throw away from Lake Bogoria, which is home to millions of flamingoes that surrounds it, making the environment a breath taking one.

Natural spa

But the most outstanding feature of the hotel is the fact that it is the only one in the country with a natural heated spa swimming pool.

“We are known as the therapeutic place for the simple reason that the resort is associated with hot spring geysers that are within the resort, feeding our swimming pool with warm water at body temperature all day and night,” says Lydia Dentewo, General Manager at the resort.

Many visitors have termed the resort as a healing place because of the health values associated with hot spring geysers which are believed to be medicinal.

The manager says the hot spa has been the centre of attraction for the many visitors who travel from all over the world to enjoy, among other things, a swim at the pool.

Bird species

The resort is 266 kilometres from Nairobi along the Nairobi-Nakuru –Baringo highway, a journey that takes approximately three and a half hours.

Ms Dentewo says the geyser has been a key attraction for the tourists both local and international who throng the place to enjoy the natural hot spa.

“The first thing that our visitors do when they arrive here is to swim at the spa pool, which is a truly exciting experiences,” she says.

“We also have a rich history of bird life in the 119 acres where the resort is located. There is more than enough space for those who love nature walks,” says the manager.

The resort is famous for mursik (fermented milk) and the herbal soup (mwarubaini) which is served alongside the meals.

The facility also has a “nyama choma ranch” known for specialties that are not limited to “mbuzi choma.”

The hotel is fast growing with a current capacity of 70 rooms and arrangements are in place to complete 30 more rooms by December this year which come as standard, cottage and executive. 

High demand for the rooms has stretched the available accommodation at the facility which is the only resort that offers decent accommodation in that region.

“Our accommodation is inclusive of breakfast, lunch and dinner at a competitive rate of between Sh8,000 and Sh20,000 depending on the room status,” says the manager.

The hot springs and the number of flamingoes whose population in Lake Bogoria has increased to about 700,000 following migration of the birds from other Great Rift Valley lakes have been a great selling point for the resort.

Picnics

The facility also has activities such as team building, seminars and is popular for families on picnics, bird watchers and nature explorers. Its proximity to Lake Bogoria National Park has given it an edge in terms of visitors who seek accommodation close to the park.

The facility was elevated by (UNESCO) to a world heritage site two years ago.

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Getting the best deals from travel agents

 

Travelstart country manager Brian Kariuki. He advises travellers to consider their travel needs first before buying a ticket. PHOTO|PHOEBE OKALL  NATION

In Summary

• She was torn between using a travel agent and booking the flight herself.
• She did not know that she had the option of searching online for travel agents and doing the comparisons on her own.
• A 2012 World Bank report also states that the number of travel agents will grow at a rate of 7.2 per cent in Africa.
• Travel agents also come in when one is denied a visa. There are travel hotspots where customers are not always sure of getting a visa.

Last December, Mrs Joyce Munyao was going on a multi-stop journey that involved a few airline connections.

She was torn between using a travel agent and booking the flight herself.

She told Money that she perused through the yellow pages to get a preferred travel agent and place a booking, but the results were disastrous.

“I was left with only one option. I had to book a flight directly from an airline and this cost fuel to drive all the way to their offices, where I had to go through a tiresome step-by-booking process that took a lot of my time,” Mrs Munyao.

She did not know that she had the option of searching online for travel agents and doing the comparisons on her own.

It would not have taken much effort and would have saved her money.

With the robust tourism industry in Kenya and the last-minute rush by thousands of Kenyans to secure late flights, it is difficult to get a booking to one’s preferred destination at short notice.

This is where travel agents come in.

Thriving sector

Commercial air travel with its attendant experiences and services has created this thriving sector that most travellers cannot do without.

According to Ms Jackline Kimeto, the CEO of Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA), Africa’s share of global tourism arrivals has risen from 3 per cent in 1995 and is expected to peak at 5 per cent by 2020.

A 2012 World Bank report also states that the number of travel agents will grow at a rate of 7.2 per cent in Africa.

The report says the industry has created many jobs in the region, with one out of every 20 jobs in Africa rising from the tourism and travel industry.

The mission of travel agencies is to make life easier for those who need to travel so that they do not have to spend valuable time booking tickets and sorting out any problem arising.
To get the best deal, Mr Brian Kariuki, the East Africa country manager for Travelstart, a South African-based travel agency, advises travellers to consider certain factors.
He recommends that one determine their travel needs first before buying a ticket.

These include whether one requires a non-stop flight or a multi-route one, whether one needs accommodation and entertainment, a refundable ticket, or travel insurance.
This is where travel agents come in. So how does one pick a good travel agent?
“A good travel agent is one who is able to advise you on the best flights to your destination, the airline’s rules, and the best and worst days and seasons to fly.

You will probably find such an agent online,” Mr Kariuki said.
You do not want your hotel’s helpline to be off a few days before your trip, or your airline or car hire firm busy on that day. A good agent will sort all that out.

According to Ms Anny Beyer, a travel expert with Smart Travel, a US-based travel organisation, online travel agents have better fares than their traditional counterparts.

“Their prices are fairly affordable as online agents do not need offices to operate from, so they do not pass the extra operation costs to their customers,” she said.

When picking an agent, look for additional packages as you might need them.

“To remain on top of your business, you have to offer exclusive services,” Mr Kariuki told Money.
Such value additions include insurance policies ranging from accident benefit, cancellation, refund, and visa denial.
For example, if one buys a ticket from Kenya to Amsterdam, Mr Kariuki said Travelstart guarantees an accident benefit of up to $150,000.
“This means that a customer will pay an additional Sh1,350 for international flights.

For domestic flights, it is added to your ticket and you will receive it in case you get an accident,” he clarified.

“If a passenger dies, it is referred to as a death benefit and the ticket is fully refunded.”

One of the most popular products is cancellation and refund of ticket. If for some reason you are not able to fly after making a full booking, you get a partial refund of your initial fare.

If you are hospitalised or die, your next of kin will be given a full refund of your ticket.

Travel hotspots

Travel agents also come in when one is denied a visa. There are travel hotspots where customers are not always sure of getting a visa.

Regions where Kenyans have been denied visas even after buying a ticket include London, Dubai, and Mumbai.

Agents usually advise customers to buy tickets two weeks in advance of visa processing as they are cheaper then.

Mr Brian Tan, the CEO of Zicasso, an online luxury travel referral service, said good travel agents are those that specialise.

They pick a few destinations and activities and become experts in their field of specialisation.

“Consumers need to know that they are seeking a true travel specialist because most trips are long and complex,” he said.

Aramati Safaris is one such specialised travel agent, providing mission and educational tours.

Specialists can assist you to mix and match your flights. Such flights are often cheaper if one buys a return ticket. It increases a customer’s chances of finding a better deal.

This means that one does not have to strain and visit different airline websites to find cheap one-way tickets.

For instance, if one is travelling from Nairobi to Baton Rouge in Louisiana, USA, an affordable return ticket would cost Sh217,449.54 if one uses one airline, while a mix-and-march deal would cost Sh195,643.28. Only a travel agent can help one get such affordable tickets as most reliable online operators have access to an inventory of flights all over the world.

Travelstart says it links up to a global distribution system that airlines also link up to.

This makes it easier for them to advise you when to travel, which routes to use, and how to get lower fares for comfortable travel.

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Brunch... not bad, but not great

 

The Long bar at the Brew Bistro. Photo/JOHN FOX 

In Summary

• It may have set the bar high for its dinners, but Brew Bistro’s brunch could do with a little tweaking.

What do you do on a lazy Sunday afternoon as you count down the hours to Monday? What is the newly established “it” trend for foodies all over the world? How do you combine the greatness of breakfast bacon with quiche and possibly alcohol? You go to brunch and take up an old tradition that is getting a makeover worldwide.

Brunch was designed as “the perfect treat for Saturday night carousers;” it is a chance to get breakfast and lunch in at the same time by waking up at a later time than usual, after a heavy night out. Generally, the acceptable hours for brunching are from 11am to 5pm, but you can run as early or late as you please.

The concept has come a long way from the 1930s when it apparently gained popularity as fewer people woke up early to attend church service.

The concept has been reworked to include all you can eat and the novelty concept of the bottomless brunch, where you eat and drink all you can for a standard flat rate at a restaurant.

To the urbanite, brunch never seems complete without a fancy cocktail to wash it all down. The two most common brunch cocktails are mimosas — one part champagne or sparkling wine to one part citrus juice, normally orange — and Bellinis, which are usually sparkling wine and peach puree.

Where then in Nairobi can you find brunch? The normal coffee houses generally serve breakfast all day on weekends, but none of them have the dedicated alcohol that is customary with brunch.

Underwhelmed

After seeing a few tweets online, I decided to try Brew Bistro Lounge on Ngong Road in Nairobi for brunch. It runs here from 11am to 4pm, and has a themed drink — a mimosa in various flavours with a “buy one and get one free” deal for Ksh750 ($8.5). The price is a bit steep if you ask me, but nobody I know of can manage more than two drinks at 4pm on a Sunday, if they hope to be productive on Monday morning.

The setting on the terrace overlooking Nairobi traffic is terrific. They have a band that plays cool jazz renditions of popular music. So you will not need to shout to be heard here, thankfully.

The food though, is disappointing. Having eaten at their fine dining section, I left underwhelmed. I had fish and chips. The portion was large but my fish was greasy and I just could not get past more than a few bites. The Belgian fries though, were great and my companion and I enjoyed that.

My friend had the Texan, a poached egg on buttermilk biscuits, served with bacon and some gravy. In her words, it was not bad, but it was not great either. Lacklustre is the word I would use.

We both left feeling disappointed not because it was bad, but because it was not great.

For the price and the standard that Brew Bistro had set with their fine dining, their brunch offering was a letdown. A bit of tweaking perhaps, will resolve the issue. I hope other restaurants can take the cue and make Nairobi one of the cities with a Sunday afternoon plan solely dedicated to Brunch.

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Climbing the deceptive Mt. Meru

 

Timothy enjoying his moment of triumph on Mt.Meru. Photo/Courtesy 

In Summary

• The trail begins with an open field and we walk amidst a herd of buffaloes.
• Mt. Meru mocks one's attempts to reach the summit.
• You clamber through an impossible uphill incline full of rocks and reach a slightly level plane and you sigh in relief thinking that the summit is just around the next turn, only to take that turn only to be met by another sharper incline of stone and rocks.

It starts with buffaloes: dark, squat and with endless rapt stares. The trail begins with an open field and we walk amidst a herd of buffaloes. The guard insists that they do not attack as a group but one should be wary of a lone buffalo for they are prone to charging and in which instance one must lie down and not run away. You cannot outrun a buffalo, he insists. He then quotes some statistic indicating that the highest cases of animal attacks on humans are from buffaloes. Our steps become light.

ETHEREAL FEELING

We are a group of twenty. We call ourselves The Endurance Club and we all mock the deceiving smallness of Mt. Meru, having climbed Mt Kenya and Mt Kilimanjaro before.

We hurry away from the open field up a small incline that is slightly forested and full of mysterious herbs that the guide knows by name, indicating their usage whose patrons vary from humans to baboons, to as far as giraffes.

Are there giraffes here? I ask. Yes he replies firmly and points tiny pieces of dung on the path, telling us it belongs to a giraffe and that they squeezed out firmly all the nutrients from what they eat, that eventually what is passed out is very little.

I am amazed at what looks like goat droppings and find it difficult to associate it with the massive elegance of a giraffe. We go through a series of grassy terraces and forested inclines and finally encounter a river.

The river flows silently, no sharper sound to it than what would be expected of the slight swishing of a horse’s tail. Spanish moss, a luxuriant green, has crept up over boulders and trees surrounding the forest,  giving it an ethereal feeling.

I stare at a rotting piece of log, laden with lichen mushrooms and draped in green moss and I almost feel it staring back at me, communicating to me.

STEEPER TRAJECTORY

The trajectory turns steeper and our stories and laughter dies. It becomes harder to stare at the environment and I end up watching my steps, mindful to stay on track and not to deviate into the bush.

There are beautiful flowers here too, the landscape is lush with yellows and blues and orange. I make a mental wish that this was my home.

I find myself weaving through a forest of giant fern plants and elephant grass, insects flit about in their mating games and the air is filled with a constant pinging sound.

As I start to wonder when we shall arrive at the first camp, I see a wooden backyard stand peeping above me, and I am relieved. We have reached Miriakamba camp.

THE SUMMIT!

The next day we assemble at the start of the next trail and pray, and we start on our next trek. This part of the forest is almost surreal, forever shrouded with mist. Secret lives lurk in this mist, I see bongos and duikers, elegant and beautiful, running in the darkness of it.

Water drips from the trees, with its soft sound and dead trees, twisted like grotesque carvings of some twisted artist abound. It is an untouched world and we would not have been more awestruck if we saw angels or fairies playing hide and seek in the trees. 

Our guide advised us not to rest but to go ahead and climb Little Meru, a small hill that stood behind saddle hut and that we did, admiring the ease of it, and laughing at how easy it was to climb Mt Meru if this Little Meru was a representation of it. We would swallow our words later.

The thing about Mt. Meru is that it is deceptive.

It mocks your attempt to reach the summit, you finally clamber through an impossible uphill incline full of rocks and reach a slightly level plane and you sigh in relief thinking that the summit is just around the next turn, only to take that turn only to be met by another sharper incline of stone and rocks, inclines through which you could not walk through peacefully but had to hold onto rocks and lift yourself up, and mind you, the oxygen level is so thin for you are over four thousand feet in the air.

Finally after, a series of seemingly endless climbs we finally saw the flag and our energy was revived.

There was no earth and none of its sounds, just the sky, the sun, the sea of cloud under our feet, Mt Kilimanjaro to the east and our mountain, Meru.

Story by Timothy Kimutai

Timothy is a freelance writer and editor. He blogs at literarychronicles.blogspot.com and his book, The Water Spirits won the Kwani? Manuscript Prize

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Trip worth taking for skygazers

 

Desert Water in Turkana. Photo/FILE 

In Summary

• We drove to Lake Turkana 20 years ago.
• The tarmac didn’t run out till we were well past Lodwar.
• The only problem we had was getting stuck in soft sand a few kilometres from the lake shore and the Lake Turkana Fishing Lodge that is now, sadly, only a shell.

By John Fox

Turkana County is in the news, isn’t it? What with the discovery of the huge underground water reserve — 200 billion tons of drinkable water, according to Alain Gachet, the Frenchman who led the engineering team that ‘discovered’ it. I can’t get my head round figures like that — more understandable is that the aquifer could serve the whole of Kenya for 70 years.

And then there’s the oil. The British prospecting company, Tullow Oil, claimed earlier this month that there could be 368 million barrels of it.

So Turkana is going to change in the years ahead. Change dramatically.

We drove to Lake Turkana 20 years ago. We went the easier and quite gentle western route, over-nighting at Eldoret and at the Marich Pass Study Centre at the northern edge of the Cherangani Hills. The road then cut slightly east of north as it crossed the wide arid plain bisected by the River Turkwel.

The tarmac didn’t run out till we were well past Lodwar, and the only problem we had was getting stuck in soft sand a few kilometres from the lake shore and the Lake Turkana Fishing Lodge that is now, sadly, only a shell. The landscape was — and still must be — starkly beautiful: the largest permanent desert lake in the world, with backdrops of purple hills. And this coming November we will be taking the chance to enjoy that landscape again — on the very special occasion of an eclipse of the sun.

It is called a ‘hybrid solar eclipse’. I am not sure why. But the sun will be completely covered by the moon.

It will be the longest this century, so the astronomers say. The best place to see it will be in Turkana. The next one will be in 2023 — and that will not be visible in Africa. (You can learn more about this November’s eclipse on the NASA website.) No doubt there will be a number of trips to Lake Turkana organised for November 3. But the one I am going to tell you about is the one being organised by the Rotary Club of Nairobi. I have no compunction about advertising this, because all proceeds will go to charity.
Called ROTEC, the trip is being organised by the Rotary Club in partnership with the African Astronomical Society. Actually, there will be two trips — one by road and the other by air.

There will be two professors on hand during a two-day programme at Kalokol village on the north shore of Ferguson’s Gulf — reckoned to be the best site for viewing the eclipse. One of the professors is Dr Kakeem Oluseyi, an astronomy expert from the Florida Institute of Technology and Space Science; the other is Prof Simiyu Wandibba, an anthropologist from the University of Nairobi.

The first day at the lake will include a visit to the Namoratunga archae-astronomical site, and a presentation by Prof Wandibba.

The viewing of the eclipse (for more than two hours for the partial and about 14 seconds for the total eclipse) will take place in the evening at Kalokol — followed by a presentation by Prof Oluseyi. On the second day, there are choices: visiting primary health care projects supported by the Rotary Club; swimming in the lake or driving to the nearby Sabiloi National Park.

ACCOMODATION

Accommodation will be in special tents at the village of Eliye Springs, by the lake. Because of the springs, the village is an oasis along an otherwise barren shoreline.

There was a hunting lodge there once — an assortment of grass huts with basic facilities. The lodge fell into disrepair in the early 1980s, but there is now a new management, and the place has begun to attract tourists. It also has a sand-surface airstrip.
The air package, with Fly540, will be for three days (two nights at Eliye Springs); the more adventurous, if not leisurely, overland package, in very smart trucks, will be for six days (five nights). For both options, accommodation will be in tents, described as “superior”, “middle-class” or “basic” — but from the pictures in the ROTEC website, the tents look “very OK”.

The prices range from Sh84,620, for the air package and a superior tent, to Sh46,000 for the overland package and a basic tent. There is much more information on www.rotec.rotarynairobi.org.

Yes, the expedition is quite expensive, but it will be a very special one because the proceeds will go to support primary health care and community development projects in Turkana County. Because of the oil and water, Turkana might well benefit in years ahead — but, as of now, the county is rated among the poorest in the country.

John Fox is Managing Director of IDC Email; johnfox@idc.co.ke

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Did you say Zebra cake?

 

Zebra cake. Photo/FILE 

In Summary

• The secret to baking a good cake lies in understanding the ingredients that make a delicious cake what it is, as well as how to mix them.

By Chef Raphael King'ori

We all love cakes, so we might as well learn how to make them.

The secret to baking a good cake lies in understanding the ingredients that make a delicious cake what it is, as well as how to mix them. Like every other skill, you get better with practice. So, do not get frustrated when the results do not meet your expectations. There are two types of cake: Foam and butter.

FOAM CAKES

They have a high proportion of eggs to flour. They are leavened solely by the air beaten into the eggs. They contain very little, if any, fat and have a spongy texture. 

Examples include sponge cakes, roulades (Swiss roll cake), and meringues.

BUTTER OR SHORTENED CAKES

They contain fat (butter, margarine, shortening) and rely on baking powder or baking soda for their rise. They are delicious and have a good texture and volume.

Examples include fruit cake, marble cakes, and tea cakes. Butter cakes can be prepared in three ways:

Creaming method: It is the easiest and produces a light cake with more volume.

One bowl/quick/blending method: It is quick and produces a melt-in-your-mouth texture. It is denser and has less volume than a cake made using the creaming method. 

Combination method: This is similar to the creaming method, the only difference being that you whip the egg whites separately from the yolks before adding to the batter.

This week, I will teach you how to make a Zebra foam cake. Instead of butter or margarine, I used oil. Follow it step by step and I promise you will enjoy it.

Ingredients:

4 eggs

250g sugar (1 1/2 cups)

200ml vegetable oil (3/4 cup)

250 ml milk (1 cup)

300g self-raising flour (2 1/3 cup)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp cocoa powder

 Method:

1. Set and preheat the oven to 180C/350F Gas 4. Butter and line round/square baking tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Beat the eggs for a minute or until they start to foam then add the sugar and whisk until it turns pale and thick.
3. Gradually add the oil while whisking, and beat until fully mixed.

4. Add the vanilla, milk and mix 

5. Add the sifted flour and mix to form a pourable batter.

6. Divide the batter into two then add cocoa powder in one and mix completely.

7. Get two same sized ladles for each batter portion. Pour one scoop of the white at the centre of the tin and let it spread freely. Take the brown one, pouring at the centre of the white and allow to spread out. 

8. Take the white and repeat, and then the brown. Keep alternating until all the batter is finished.

9. Bake the cake in preheated oven for an hour or until a small knife inserted comes out dry, the cake browned on the outside.

10.Baking time is determined by the size of the tin you use and how deep the cake is. The smaller the pan/tin the longer the cake will take to cook.

11. Allow to cool and serve.

Chef’s Tip

Weighing ingredients before baking is important if you want a perfect product. A scale is simple to use. All you need to do is  “zero” your scale, place the ingredient on it, and add or reduce, depending on the amount you need.

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Morendat farm: Where beef is ‘aged’

 

The breeding herd at Morendat. Photo/FILE 

In Summary

• The Morendat Farm is past the first turnoff to Naivasha town and not far past the Delamere shop, on the left and across the railway line
• The calves are weaned after seven months; then, until they are at 15 months and of a weight of about 370kg, they are grain-fed rather than grass-fed
• The advantage of grain-fed over grass-fed steers, Tom explained, is that the steak has a distinctive “marbling” of fat throughout the cut – an effect that gives a juiciness and a distinctive flavour

By John Fox

The best beef steak I have ever tasted was at the Hemingways Hotel in Karen. It had something to do with the special Josper oven acquired by the Executive Chef, Barry Tonks, which produces a crunchiness on the outside and a juiciness on the inside. It also, of course, has something to do with the quality of the beef.

Hemingways, like the Fairmont Norfolk Hotel and the Brew Bistro Restaurant, gets its beef from the Morendat Farm near Naivasha. So when I was invited to visit there with two friends, one from the management of the Fairview Hotel and the other from the Serena Nairobi, I quickly said “Yes please!”

It was good to get away from the drizzle and disappointing chill of Nairobi and into the sunshine and warmth down in the Rift. The Morendat Farm is past the first turnoff to Naivasha town and not far past the Delamere shop, on the left and across the railway line. Once we had our tyres and boots disinfected and had been checked through the gate, we found a party from the Sankara Hotel management were ahead of us and about to finish their tour.

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT MORENDAT?

So what is it that is so special about Morendat?

The farm is owned by the Kenya Nut Company, which also has the Leleshwa vineyard across the road. It is 3,000 acres of acacia woodland and grass – and the pungent aroma of cattle manure took me back to my days growing up on a shamba in East Anglia.

We started our tour from the cosy farmhouse of Tom Dobbler, the Livestock Manager — a Texan, as we were soon to discover, with a passion for ranching, a fund of stories and a dry wit in the telling of them.

“Let’s start at the beginning of it all,” Tom said. He opened the back door of his vehicle and showed us the container with the imported semen that he uses in the artificial insemination of the breeding cows. “You can’t buy quality steers — you have to breed them. I am the dirty old man who stands with his hand up the butt of a cow,” he quipped. “And I have been servicing 800 cows — I am getting tired!”

Then we started our walk, accompanied also by Tom’s assistant, Rosemary, from Kiambu and clearly a convert to ranching. She certainly knows her herd.

“How many calves have we got in there? Tom asked Rosemary, pointing to one of the kraals. “Eighty-nine!” she said, quick as a flash.

Tom explained his cross-breeding policy: 25 per cent local Boran cattle, for hardiness; 25 per cent Simmental from Switzerland, for size and milk yield; 50 per cent Angus from Scotland for the quality of the beef. And black is the favoured colour.
“Aren’t you afraid of declaring your genetics?” I asked.

“Not now,” Tom said. “I think we are well enough ahead of the competition.”

JUICINESS AND DISTINCTIVE FLAVOUR

The calves are weaned after seven months; then, until they are at 15 months and of a weight of about 370kg, they are grain-fed rather than grass-fed. The feed is a mixture of grain and protein-rich lucerne grass. The advantage of grain-fed over grass-fed steers, Tom explained, is that the steak has a distinctive “marbling” of fat throughout the cut – an effect that gives a juiciness and a distinctive flavour.

Tom showed us the graining in the sides of beef that were hanging in the cold stores, where the meat is “aged” for between 14 and 21 days before being shipped off to the client hotels or restaurants.

As for the actual slaughtering, not only for humane reasons, in order to keep the animals calm – because any tension can cause a toughening of the beef – they are led to the slaughterhouse from the kraal one by one.

And this is so different from what I witnessed some years ago at Lobatse in Botswana – what was then the second biggest slaughterhouse in the world, after the one in Chicago. The image has stayed with me – the way the magnificent steers were in a tight queue before they entered the pen where they were felled by a stun gun. And the condemned animals must have been able to smell the blood as the carcasses were quartered nearby.

After the horrific Labatse visit – the stunning and the quartering, the severed heads rolling down chutes – I had thoughts of becoming a vegetarian. But, sitting on Tom’s terrace and sampling one of the Morendat’s steaks, accompanied by a green salad and washed down with a glass of red wine – I had no such vegetarian qualms.

The Morendat Farm is not a place where you can just turn up to be shown round. But if you have a business reason to go there then you can make an appointment. I suggest you ring Tom on 0712-122475 or Rosemary on 0723-179292.

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The Heineken Avanti Lounge

 

The view from the counter at Avanti Heineken Lounge.  Photo/COURTESY

In Summary

• We attended the launch of Kenya’s swankiest new pub, the Heineken Avanti Lounge at Nakumatt Ukay.
• Speaking of bottles, have there ever been friendlier bartenders?I
• If the debut crowd was anything to go by, this could very well be the next spot to find your significant other.

By SHOWBIZ CORRESPONDENT

We attended the launch of Kenya’s swankiest new pub, the Heineken Avanti Lounge at Nakumatt Ukay.

First of all, if you want class and style, this is the place to go.

The wood paneling that surrounds pretty much the entire club (and makes up the seats) makes you feel like you’re locked away from everything else, sipping on your (reasonably priced) coconut cosmopolitan on a mountain peak somewhere, waiting to ski on the slopes.

And they have cool lamps made from bottles (yes, we’ve seen this before, but it still looks pretty darn fantastic) hanging over your drink, bit not like a Damocles sword – think a helpful reminder of what you should be doing in a lounge. The bottles are a hint…

Speaking of bottles, have there ever been friendlier bartenders?

So helpful. So polite. We hope they stay that way!

Then, if the debut crowd was anything to go by (i.e. the really good-looking men and girls decked out in their finest), this could very well be the next spot to find your significant other.

It wasn’t over the top or anything, it was very casual, very I-cam-here-after-work-and-threw-on-a-sparkly-blazer-don’t-I-look-fabulous.

But don’t just listen to us. Go see for yourself…

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Sean Penn warns Pattinson not to disrespect daughter

Sean Penn holds up his Oscar for best actor for his role in "Milk" backstage at the 81st Academy Awards in Hollywood, California. Photo/FILE 

In Summary

• A source told The Sun newspaper: "Rob and Dylan get on well and really fancy one another. It's obvious Dylan is smitten.

By BANG SHOWBIZ

The 'Twilight' star is reportedly dating model Dylan Penn, and her father is said to have "had a chat" with him about their potential romance.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Rob and Dylan get on well and really fancy one another. It's obvious Dylan is smitten.

"But Sean had a chat with Rob recently. Sean knows what it's like to be a young, successful actor and the beautiful women that come with it."

PLAYING THE FIELD

The 27-year-old actor has reportedly been seeing several women lately, and the 'Gangster Squad' star doesn't want to see his daughter hurt if Robert - who split from Kristen Stewart earlier this year because he was unable to get over her fling with married director Rupert Sanders last July - is "playing the field".

The insider added: "He gave his piece about not getting too heavy with his daughter if he's playing the field, as he doesn't want to see her hurt.

"But it's backfired. Rob backed off but Dylan found out and has gone tonto at her dad."

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Sean Penn warns Pattinson not to disrespect daughter

Sean Penn holds up his Oscar for best actor for his role in "Milk" backstage at the 81st Academy Awards in Hollywood, California. Photo/FILE 

In Summary

• A source told The Sun newspaper: "Rob and Dylan get on well and really fancy one another. It's obvious Dylan is smitten.

By BANG SHOWBIZ

The 'Twilight' star is reportedly dating model Dylan Penn, and her father is said to have "had a chat" with him about their potential romance.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Rob and Dylan get on well and really fancy one another. It's obvious Dylan is smitten.

"But Sean had a chat with Rob recently. Sean knows what it's like to be a young, successful actor and the beautiful women that come with it."

PLAYING THE FIELD

The 27-year-old actor has reportedly been seeing several women lately, and the 'Gangster Squad' star doesn't want to see his daughter hurt if Robert - who split from Kristen Stewart earlier this year because he was unable to get over her fling with married director Rupert Sanders last July - is "playing the field".

The insider added: "He gave his piece about not getting too heavy with his daughter if he's playing the field, as he doesn't want to see her hurt.

"But it's backfired. Rob backed off but Dylan found out and has gone tonto at her dad."

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Sinitta to reveal "the whole truth" about Cowell's baby

Sinitta Renet Malone. Photo/FILE 

In Summary

• In the unexpected series of tweets, Sinitta went on to admit saying it so publicly will be "undignified" - adding she wanted to "sleep on" it before making her revelation - but noted it was something she has to do.

By BANG SHOWBIZ

The music mogul's ex-girlfriend posted a series of tweets saying she will tell the true story of the termination via her Twitter account, asking followers to "retweet" her posts in which she denied claims the abortion was four years ago.

She wrote: "Last weekend a few of the newspapers reported that I had terminated @simoncowell child, some said in 2009, another said behind his back RT.

"They stopped me defending myself in paper where started, so now I have to tell the whole truth of the @SimonCowell baby termination here.

"Firstly the baby termination wasn't in 2009 @janemooresun, don't worry about my ability to remember correctly,its something I'll never forget. (sic)"

In the unexpected series of tweets, Sinitta went on to admit saying it so publicly will be "undignified" - adding she wanted to "sleep on" it before making her revelation - but noted it was something she has to do.

UNJUST AND UNTRUE CLAIMS

She continued: "I know how undignified this is and it sickens me too but I have been dignified throughout so many unjusts and untrue claims and accusations.

"I don't want to hurt the people I have loved, but I don't want to always be the one who gets hurt either..today I snapped, enough is enough.

"This isn't the best place (practically)as SO much to say,im going to set a few things straight even though I am afraid of the consequences.

"I need to pray on this, I need to sleep on this, but I know somehow I need to do this , I'm sorry,but its important to me. (sic)"

Since the pair split, Sinitta has adopted two children and Simon's girlfriend Lauren Silverman is pregnant with his first son.

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Kate Moss' home suffered "thousands" of pounds in damage

 

British model Kate Moss(Third from L) and other models perform at the Olympic stadium during the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games in London. Photo/AFP 

In Summary

• Speaking to The Sun newspaper, a fellow resident said: "I know Kate's basement flooded. It cost thousands in repairs to fix the lining."

By BANG SHOWBIZ

The supermodel's luxury £10 million mansion is one of several exclusive properties, and it is said her basement was particularly badly hit.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, a fellow resident said: "I know Kate's basement flooded.

"It cost thousands in repairs to fix the lining."

Other homeowners on her street have reportedly blamed £50 million works at the nearby Witanhurt mansion in north London.

The 65-room home hosted now-defunct BBC talent show 'Fame Academy' in 2002, and recent work saw a two-storey underground expansion with a bar, gym, 70-foot swimming pool , cinema and 25-space car park - although Camden Council representatives have said pre-planning assessments found no significant risk of flood.

MILESTONE BIRTHDAY

In happier news for the 39-year-old star, it was recently reported she is going to record a song with her husband Jamie Hince - guitarist for indie rockers The Kills - to celebrate her 40th birthday.

A source had revealed: "She's working on the song at the moment with husband Jamie Hince. It's shaping up to be a rocky number about her iconic career.

"Kate really wanted to mark the milestone birthday by recording the track and playing it at the big party she'll be having."

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