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#TravelTuesday Click Below for our New 2017 Kenya Packages - Happy Seollal!
#TravelTuesday What are the High and Low Seasons? I've added a new section to my FAQs!
What are the high and low seasons?
Each country has its own “High and Low Seasons” which are dependent on weather, the movement of animals, and tourist vacation time preferences. Why this is important information is that, as might be expected, the seasons offer different rates for Safari.
As with all aspects of a great journey:
Planning + knowledge = an awesome Safari!
Kenya:
High Season:
July 1st through October 31st and December 1st through March 31st
Low Season:
April 1st through June 30th and November 1st through November 30th
Kenya has clear, distinct high and low seasons, based primarily on “The Great Migration” as well as vacation season preferences of Europeans, Asians and the Kenyan Citizens themselves.
What does this mean for you and your Kenyan Safari? The Low Season offers exceptional bargains in Kenya. Without an intense “Monsoon” or rainy season, Kenyan Safaris, as well as other outdoor activities, such as golfing and fishing, can be enjoyed year round.
Tanzania:
High Season:
December 1st through March 31st and June 1st through October 31st
Mid-Low Season:
All of November
Low Season:
All of April and May
Much like Kenya, Tanzania has its high season partly during “The Great Migration.” If you look closely at the two country’s dates, you can see how the migration moves from one country to the other, shifting the High Season dates.
In Tanzania, the weather plays a key role in tourism and Safaris. The rains make roads muddy and boggy. If you are interested in climbing Mount Kilimanjaro or Mount Meru, the low season is extremely uncomfortable for climbing.
Uganda & Rwanda:
High Season:
January through February, and all the months of June, July, August, September and October
Low Season:
The entire months of March, April, May, October, November and December as low seasons for both Uganda and Rwanda
Click here for more FAQs!
Travel Tuesday
It isn’t necessary to pack everything in the world to go to East Africa. While still an exotic and far-off place, a true traveler can survive with simply a passport, a few clothes and access to money. But, that isn’t what Flyga Twiga is about. We want to enjoy the good things in life!
So…what to bring?
Click here for my full Safari Guide.
Happy Day! Safe Safari!
Seoul International Buddhism Exposition - Grand Temple Food Festival
Almost every culture and tradition has some form of communal eating and in Korean Buddhism, “The 3H Meal Practice” – Happy Meal, Humble Meal, Healthy Meal – was shared during the 2015 Seoul International Buddhism Exposition (Expo). On a bright, sunny mid-March day, our group met at the Seoul Trade Exhibition & Convention venue for the 3rd Grand Temple Food Festival. The Expo was hosted by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
The Grand Temple Food Festival is conducted for the participants to share in the temple food experience, specifically to share the spirit of over 1,700 years of Korean Buddhist tradition of “Thankfulness”, “Sharing” and “Emptiness”. The experience begins with the Pre-Meal Chant of Recalling the Five Observations. Known as “The prayer for barungongyang”, they are:
- Where does this food come from?
- I don’t deserve it with my own virtue.
- Putting down all of the desires on my mind,
- Regarding this offering as medicine to keep our bodies,
- We get it to complete the task of enlightenment.
Guided by two Buddhist Monks, the participants learn the way of eating in a Korean Buddhist Temple. The 3H Meal Practice is to bring a “Life of Health, Life of Sharing, and Life of Harmony.” The Monks guide participants through the ritual of bowl/utensil placement, eating and meditation during the course of the meal. The importance of sharing for others (by offering several grains of rice) as well as taking only what can be consumed and not leaving any food behind (avoiding over indulgence) is key to the Korean Buddhist 3H Meal.
There are three vows for 3H Meal Practice, which must be observed with every meal:
- I promise to take food with joy and appreciation.
- I promise to take appropriate portions of food in order to sustain my health.
- I promise to take natural food, without harming other beings, as much as possible.
The meal culminates with each person replacing their bowels/utensils for the next person. With focus on all participants, even the monks, being equal, each person finishes and is equal to others.
In addition to the participation in this spiritual practice, the Buddhism Expo also offered an expositional hall dedicated to temple food, special exhibits, as well as 223 companies in 404 booths over four days. The Grand Temple Food Festival, as part of the 2015 Seoul International Buddhism Expo, is one of the most unique experiences, offering a glimpse into Korean Buddhism, few may have the chance to participate in while living in South Korea.
Happy Travel Tuesday!
Content copyright 2016. Flyga Twiga LLC. All rights reserved.
When Companies Become Too Large
I actually had an entirely different blog post planned for this #TravelTuesday . I promise two things. First, this won’t turn into a total whine fest. Second, it will end on a happy note.
In the past seven days I have had 2 large companies, with whom I have had long standing relationships, let me down. The first was a clothing company for whom I have been a “Pro Guide” for three years. The other is an airline to whom I have been exceptionally loyal for nearly a decade.
While the details are different, each instance of customer dissatisfaction was precipitated by the low level Customer Service Employee, with whom I dealt, not being able to go “off script.” In both situations, a loyal customer has been lost due to their inability to deal with serious issues arising their overly large, bloated companies due not equip them to handle.
And, while I have no proof of this, I have a hint that in each circumstance the employee was afraid of the giant corporation for whom they worked. They appeared to me less afraid of losing a customer, than they were about being perceived as unable to do their jobs, by “kicking it up" the pipeline. At a certain point both of these companies have fostered a “that’s not in my paygrade” institutional thinking.
On the upside, it proves there is a place in the world for more intimate businesses. These experiences reinforced my commitment to such clothing/gear companies as a ONE WAY™ in Kenya and Kathmandu™ in New Zealand. And, the experiences offer validation for my bespoke, personal Safari service.
As for the airline, I was able to receive excellent customer service from Etihad Airlines™. I was forced out of my comfort zone - maybe even what could be described as an “airline rut.” Additionally, I may have found an even better airline to service my clients.
No one wants bad experiences. But in business, there is always something to learn from them. I plan to take these experiences and make sure they reinforce how valuable not only my client relationships are, but also my B2B relationships as well. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing out of all our relationships – to be treated with respect and fairness. That’s exactly what I intend to continue providing in my business relationships.
Happy Travel Tuesday!
Content copyright 2016. Flyga Twiga LLC. All rights reserved.
Politics & Travel Writing
Many discussions of travel, post 9/11 can quickly become political. Why do I have to take my shoes off? Who influenced the U.S. Department of State to abolish the additional pages for our passport? Which political candidate for President will or will not restrict Visas?
And, it is a hot political season - not just in the United States - but in many parts of the world, such as Kenya. As of this posting, I have already had one of my favorite travel podcasts become extremely political about the U.S. Presidential Campaign. My Twitter™ feed has begun to have travel bloggers, whom I follow, discussing in their meager 140 characters “Social Justice Warrior” issues which have nothing whatsoever to do with travel.
In my opinion, there is a time and place for those discussions. When preparing and presenting a travel article, blog post, vlog, podcast, or even a Tweet, it is unnecessary. Rather, travel is about adventure, learning, exploring, or even escapism. Injecting political opinions into these discussions, no matter how passionate you are about politics, shows a sense of insecurity in your own beliefs and your weakness as an author.
At nearly half a century of age, I am old enough to remember when there was a time authors could present subjects and you would have to struggle to guess their political affiliation. Realistically, many people who write, blog, or podcast about travel are neither trained journalists nor, in some cases, trained writers.
The internet has opened up a world to everyone. While the egalitarian nature of the internet is wonderful, I am surprised how quickly some abuse the freedom with the need to inject politics into their work.
In the end, infusing politics in travel writing, no matter how good or pure the intentions, hurts the author. Unless the reason is to alienate part of your audience, taking stark political stands serves only the purpose of placing yourself in a tribe of which the listener to your message may not belong or even want to belong.
If your whole company or brand is built around travel, don’t bait & switch me into your political world. Let’s keep our social media agreements. You presented yourself to be, to me, wanting to share about travel. Let's just stick to travel, ok?
Content copyright 2016. Flyga Twiga LLC. All rights reserved.