Cruising the Delta of Murchison Falls National Park
We arrive at the river a little after six-thirty in the morning, a slow drifting steam floats above the swirling currents of the Nile as it flows downstream past the ferry crossing at Paraa. Our guide met us beneath the acacia tree in the parking area and welcomed us down onto the jetty and into our waiting boat. The air was cool and it felt really beautiful to enjoy the coolness of morning before the sun warmed up the air as we pushed off from the jetty a few minutes before seven and the skipper angled his craft downstream toward the delta. This was it, I have lived in Uganda a good number of years now and been in Murchison Falls National Park several times to enjoy the waterfall cruise and even the walk up to the Top of the Falls, but I had never taken the opportunity of joining a boat cruise down to the delta, where the Victoria Nile empties itself into Lake Albert before continuing its 6000 km journey northwards to the sea.
Deo, our guide stood up at the front of the boat and his colleague and skipper cut the engine while he introduced himself and we received a short briefing on the trip. The silence was golden. Magical morning light in pale pastels warmed slowly as the sun rose silently out of the steaming river behind us. From the bank we could hear the raucous angry shout of baboons as they woke and started their daily trek, hippos languished lazily in slow-moving eddies along the bank, lazily flicking their stubby tails and grunting sleepily to one another, as if to warn their downstream neighbors of the approaching invaders.
After a moment to enjoy the early morning silence and the perfect colours of a Nile River sunrise, Tabu, the skipper, started the engine and we idled slowly and gently downstream, following the contours of the north bank and scanning the shore for any sign of wildlife down at the river at this most perfect time of day. Pied Kingfishers were already flying busily along the banks, swooping up to hover above the swirling waters and every now and then dive-bombing down into the stream before bobbing up, shaking their heads and flying off to start their fishing run again. Black and white Colobus sprawled lazily across some branches of an acacia tree overhanging the water, their long bright bottlebrush tails glowing in the early sunlight; elegant egrets standing silently on slender legs peering into the water along the grassy banks while a group of heavy Cape Buffalo bulls stare suspiciously at us as we were swept downstream with the current.
Waterbuck and warthog were also out early as we enter a hidden channel through one of the islands. A herd of female waterbuck and their young were leaping across the shallow channel in a cascading rush of hooves and wet hair before running a short distance ahead of the boat to stop and stare back at us with large wet-brown eyes over shiny heart-shaped noses. Herons and hippos waded through the shallows that fringed the channel and when Tabu cut the engine from time to time to drift quietly with the current, it really felt as if time had stood still. Our journey continued down and beyond the flat grassy islands that teased us with glimpses of grey and the sudden excitement of seeing that so rare and peculiar bird the Shoebill, only to realise that the grey was the grey on the shoulders of beautifully long Goliath Herons as they stood poised in the reeds vigilantly scanning the ripples and eddies for any unsuspecting something to snack on. Below these grassy reed-fringed islands the boat took us down long curving avenues of papyrus, their slender stalks swaying together in the wake of the boat and Papyrus Gonolek, chuckling and hooting at us from deep inside the Papyrus stands. A massive crocodile bank, not a massive bank at all really, just massive Nile crocodile, smiling brutishly and emotionless at us as our boat turns silently on the current drifting quietly past them so as not to disturb these archaic leviathans.
Through these swaying papyrus islands, we continue to where the papyrus islands separate and subdivide into a myriad of small and smaller channels, but not before idling easily through what appeared to be the middle of the most enormous school of hippo– feeling the trepidation of being within what feels like only a very few metres of that animal often quoted as being the biggest killer in Africa! It does seem hard to believe when you look at their mouse round ears twiddling round in rapid little circles as they breach alongside the boat and breathe easily and deeply through their unusually shaped nostrils. They seem so placid, so social, so very interested in our passing, other passengers and I alike, holding our breath almost as we cruise gently past their collective sleeping spot. Into the tiny channels now and we understand that here the delta is reaching its widest point and although still following the northern shoreline we round a bend where suddenly the twisting channel opens up onto expansive, wide-open lily flats on the verge of Lake Albert.
Fishermen from villages across the lake tend to their nets and draw hard on their paper rolled cigarettes, huddled in small groups under the shade of small papyrus islands. Next to the fisherman, egrets and pelicans and storks and gulls are all busy tapping into the richness of the delta. Gulls bobbing in small disorganised flocks of white and black with streaks of red and yellow in amongst the white, the pelicans, so poised on the water, turning and paddling so easily in their fishing spots – dipping in and dipping out in fluid smooth movements of their long beaks. The egrets looking jealously from the shallows as they wait in ambush for fish, frogs, bugs – you know, egret stuff.
We nose forward slowly across these lily flats following one of the main channels that empty into Lake Albert. About one kilometre offshore the skipper guns the engine up to cruising speed and we are seemingly flying across the millpond mirage surface of Lake Albert. We cruise a good two kilometres out into the middle of the lake before Tabu slows the engine and turns off. Through the misty haze across the lake surface villages and villagers can be seen on the shore, conical grass huts in small clusters, spaced out along the shoreline with their landing areas lined with canoes and brightly colored shirts and jerrycans. Children and dogs and a flight of snow-white birds winging along the shoreline, and all in front of the looming mountains of Congo folding out behind and beyond the villages.
The middle of Lake Albert…or that part in the middle where we now find ourselves is surreal. I can imagine a very different Lake Albert on a windy day with its reputation for sinking boats and vicious whipping storms that blow across the massive sheet of water from the Blue Mountains in Congo, but today it is still. Mirror smooth, the lake stretches away to the south in a curving bent image where the horizon melts into a hazy blue-grey mirage of togetherness, a union of water and sky broken only by black dots in the distance, moving so slowly within the mirage that they almost seem to be standing still. Without a word we sit and contemplate the scenery before us. In the silence and the stillness of the lake we have found a timelessness; a sense of being so far away and out of everything. No engine noises, no pedestrians, no aircraft high above us – nothing. Everything is natural and plain and perfect – birds, hippos, fishermen…and tranquillity.
The boat engines sudden guttural sputter broke me away from my reflection, and the boat turned in a long sweeping turn as we pick up speed and make our way back toward the shoreline, searching for the hidden channel that had emptied us out onto the lake. Tabu finds the entrance to the channel and we forge our way back into and against the current. The sun is high now and once over the shallow delta shelf, the breeze as we pick up the speed we need to take us back is welcome – a cool drink, amazing views, and some of my favourite people on board the boat with me. It truly does feel special to have had a glimpse into the beauty, the natural richness and the absolute natural perfection of this most very special and unique wilderness area in Uganda.
For information on Boat Safaris at Murchison Falls,
Please contact:
Murchison Falls Boats
Mobile: +256 773 897275 / +256 702 152928
Email: murchisonboats@wildfrontiers.co.ug
Valentines Day Ideas For Couple
Is it more important to love … or to be loved?
Most of us would agree with George Eliot’s words, “I like not only to be loved, but also to be told I am loved.”
Valentine’s Day is the occasion when you can experience both.
With a little help from our friends, here are 25 creative ways to tell your spouse, “I love you.”
On small pieces of paper, write down every kind of kiss that you can think of (examples: passionate, on the cheek, etc.). Then fill an inexpensive red felt bag with your “kisses” and give it to your spouse. Ask your spouse to pull several pieces of paper from the felt bag, and then give your sweetheart whatever kind of kiss is described.
Make a book about why you love your spouse and why you are thankful for him/her. The woman who sent this idea wrote, “He loved it! Said it was the best gift he has ever gotten. And it helped me to focus on the things I love about my husband and not his shortcomings.”
After enjoying a candlelight dinner for two at home, give your spouse a massage and watch a romantic movie. The woman who suggested this wrote, “Last Valentine’s Day when I got home from work, my husband … had our bedroom set up with a candlelit table for two. He is NOT a cook but he made an awesome meal … grilled steak, sautéed shrimp in lemon, garlic, and butter, a vegetable, and [he] bought a chocolate fountain that was flowing—surrounded by fresh fruit for dipping. After dinner he led me over to his homemade massage table. … We ended our special night with a romantic movie.”
Surprise your spouse with a special getaway together. The man who suggested this made reservations at a bed and breakfast, arranged for childcare, asked for time off from work for himself and his wife, and packed his and her bags. When he asked his wife to go to lunch on Valentine’s Day she was in for a wonderful surprise. “The little bit of effort I put into that weekend paid off huge for weeks to come.” It’s one of the best investments you could make in your marriage.Find an event near you.
If possible, go on a date with your spouse to a restaurant that you enjoyed when you first met. After you order your meal, take some time to write down favorite memories from the past year. Then share your lists.
Have 11 roses delivered to your wife, and then give her a 12th yourself while reading her a love poem.
Create an intimate Valentine’s Day evening at home, without the children. The woman who suggested this idea said that she and her husband “enjoyed planning the menu, shopping for the meal, and ultimately preparing the meal together. Cooking to soft, romantic music can really be a turn on! While dining, the same soft, romantic music is a wonderful mood-setter. Dinner was followed by just the two of us having the whole dance floor, our den, to ourselves. I won’t say what all this led to, but it was a truly romantic night that would not have happened at the local restaurant!”
Order food from a take-out restaurant and have a picnic for all the Valentines in your family on your living room floor. The person who suggested this said, “The kids look forward to this every year. When we tried to change it, they wouldn’t allow it … it has become a tradition. The kids see the value of family and a loving marriage.”
Privacy and weather permitting, watch a romantic movie on your balcony.
10. If you are separated across the miles, send a care package filled with things that are red.
Hide little heart candies in your spouse’s shoes, coat, car, etc. The woman who suggested this said that she’s been doing this for decades. “Now a couple of the grandkids help me with delight.”
Wives, show up at your husband’s office before lunch. Call him from the parking lot and tell him you are going to take him for a lunch rendezvous and that you will be waiting for him whenever he can take a break. Wear a nice outfit and tell him you have something sexy on underneath for when he gets home. Take him to a nice place for lunch and back to the office. Give him some great kisses telling him how glad you are to be married to him, and tell him you will be waiting for him when he gets home.
Fill a jar with Valentine candy and notes for your spouse. Examples of notes are: Good for a backrub, 10 kisses, etc. Notes could also express your love and respect: “I am so glad that God blessed my life with such a great husband like you.” Individually roll each note and tie it with a ribbon.
Surprise your spouse by taking a vacation day from work and enjoy Valentine’s Day at home. Have a relaxing morning together on the porch, deck, or patio. Then go to a favorite restaurant for lunch. The man who suggested this idea had also reserved a spa treatment and tanning session for his wife. “While she was doing that,” he says, “I went home and made her a special dinner.”
Write a poem for your spouse and frame it.
Make a special “14 Reasons I Love You” Valentine’s Day breakfast for your sweetheart. On his/her plate, leave a letter or card listing 14 reasons that you love your spouse.
After your spouse goes to bed, tape notes to his car’s steering wheel with reasons that you love him, or decorate the bathroom mirror with lipstick kisses or Valentine’s window clings.
Have fun on February 14, and remember: Love is not meant to be given and received just on Valentine’s Day. Instead, it’s to be practiced every single day of the entire year.
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A Journey to GISWATI- Mukura National Park
It has been two years since the Rwandan government passed a law to create a new national park combining the Mukura and Gishwati forests, establishing the Gishwati-Mukura National Park – a forested area which spreads from up in the north of the country near the Volcanoes National Park, all the way down, joining the Gishwati and Mukura forests, to Nyungwe Forest. This is a great success story for the conservationists who have been fighting for a long time to protect this strip on the Congo-Nile divide.
This has been extremely exciting news for Rwanda and shows a great willingness of the government to help stabilize and protect these hugely important areas and turning the forest into a national park move has increased the number of parks in the country to four. The others are the game-rich Akagera, situated in savannah lowlands in the country’s east; Volcanoes National Park Rwanda, home to the famous mountain gorillas in the north; and Nyungwe rainforest in the south-west, one of the world’s richest ecosystems that is home to several species of primates and birds.
Giswati Mukura National Park makes the biggest part of the Nyabihu, Ngororero, Rubavu, and Rutsiro districts.
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The Far Reaching Benefits Of Bee-Keeping
Rwanda hosted the 5th All-Africa International Honey Industry Exhibition in September under the theme ‘Driving Socio-Economic Growth in Africa: The Role of Commercial Bee-keeping’. Statistics show the demand for honey is increasing and in Rwanda, there is huge potential to capitalize on this market, particularly since Rwanda was recently registered as eligible to export honey to the EU. The National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) is encouraging honey production for its economic and environmental benefits. Currently, there are around 35,000 bee-keepers and 90,000 modern beehives, and a further 200,000 traditional hives throughout the country.
With such a high density of people living around Akagera National Park (an increasing population of more than 300,000 people), it is important that every livelihood opportunity is explored. Bee-keeping, with its low start-up costs, low maintenance requirements, and low use of land, combined with a high-value product, offers an ideal means for rural and often poor families to supplement their income. In the case of Akagera National Park, it is seen as having the potential to not only supplement the incomes of local farmers living on the boundary but also dissuade them from engaging in poaching in the park and protect the environment bees need in order to produce honey.
COPROMA is a bee-keeping cooperative on the boundary of Akagera National Park operating since 2009. In 2014 the cooperative received a boost from the park management, Akagera Management Company (AMC), for training support, modern hives, and a secured area in the park buffer zone to place their beehives. The vision of AMC is to promote beekeeping by community members all around the park. AMC has since added three more cooperatives to the growing portfolio; KOPANYAKA, UMURAGE, and KORA NEZA. Around 1.7 tonnes of honey was harvested in 2015 across the four cooperatives, and the target is to reach three tonnes in 2016.
Encouraging honey production has far-reaching benefits. As well as the economic value, in order to produce honey bees need flowering trees and plants so encouraging honey production promotes the growth and protection of natural areas. Honey is one of nature’s wonders; most commonly used as a sweetener, it is also reputed to have several health benefits including anti-biotic and anti-fungal properties and as a source of vitamins and minerals which help to boost immunity. In addition to honey, bees produce wax which also has applications in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries.
Our survival is dependent on bees; we rely on them to pollinate our crops. Yet, on a worldwide scale, honeybees have dramatically declined in recent years mostly due to pesticides used in Agriculture, and climate change. Do your part and become bee-friendly; attract bees in your garden through planting native flowers and flowering fruit and vegetables, provide a shallow source of water where bees are able to land to drink, and avoid using pesticides in your garden.
For more information:
Akagera Management Company
akagera@african-parks.org
Enhancing Customer Experience Through Value Creation
Fact
As a result of today’s economy, customers are more likely to seek value rather than luxurious ambiance or amenities when deciding on a hotel or restaurant. This provides a great opportunity for value properties and restaurants to snatch up and keep new customers – those who would typically stay at higher-end properties. Yet, the economy will rebound, so you’ll want to make sure that you, your staff, and your property make the best impression possible in order to gain customers for life.
Testimonial
A couple of weeks ago, I was having a chat with an old friend who had traveled from Nairobi to come and visit me in Kigali. I had him booked into one of the well-known small boutiques in Kigali; the idea was for me to get first-hand feedback from him about the experience at the hotel because I have heard a lot of great things about the hotel before. The fact that he loved the place was not in doubt as he kept talking positively about the hotel, the staff, and his overall experience at the hotel. I then decided to ask him what he really found outstanding about the service and his answer was simple……. “They treated me like a valued guest – not a nuisance. I still remember the friendly shuttle driver, the upbeat receptionist; even the General Manager welcomed me as he passed me in the lobby, “His response further confirmed to me that little things go a long way and leave a strong impression in the minds of customers. So, the big question today is “how can you turn a budget property into a four-star experience? Believe me, this is possible and is as easy as ABC but requires a lot of effort and attention to little details. Let’s have a look at how this can be achieved.
The Property or Premises
From the moment a guest turns into your driveway, they should see neatly trimmed grass, pruned flower beds, and a welcoming entryway. As they walk into the lobby or reception, make sure it is clean and attractive. Your front desk staff should be ready with a smile and friendly greeting. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into an empty front desk, where I’ve had to wait for someone to come out…..biting on a snack or chatting on phone. Or worse yet, I’ve walked in and the first thing I see is a bunch of staffers clustered together chatting. My very first impression is that I’m not a priority and obviously if that is the case, then my money is also not a priority.
“Value is what your business does that makes it worthwhile to other people”
The Front Desk
The front desk is perhaps the best and most important way to leave a lasting impression. Often, your guests have traveled a long way, and are tired. Make life easy for them! Your staff should be ready to make the guest experience as pleasant as possible. Recently, I traveled to Kampala, Uganda for a business trip. The flight was bumpy and late. After traveling across the country, I was tired and just wanted to get to my room. I ambled up to the front desk at my value hotel and was greeted by a lovely lady called Kansiime. She quickly checked me in and while doing so, asked me a few simple questions:
Q: Are you here for business or pleasure?
A: Business
Q: Will you be taking clients out for dinner?
A: Yes Q: Will you have any downtime?
A: Yes
Kansiime then went on to recommend a restaurant for my clients, and even offered to make my reservations for me! She suggested some area attractions and gave me detailed information about transportation options. Sensing I was tired, she gave me background on local nearby dining and provided menus for delivery options because they didn’t offer room service. I knew she was busy, but rather than seem inconvenienced, annoyed or disinterested, she was friendly, helpful, and welcoming – resulting in a great impression which obviously won me over as a customer.
ART of Service
Kansiime in my opinion succeeded in enhancing my check-in experience because she demonstrated all the elements of a customer experience formula known as the “ART” of service:
A = Awareness. Kansiime knew local restaurants, area attractions, and transportation options and was able to give informed recommendations.
R = Relationships. By asking some very easy questions, Kansiime found out the reason(s) I was staying at the hotel and connected them with related activities.
T = Take Ownership. Kansiime got on the phone, and within minutes, had made my dinner reservations. By having knowledge about the surroundings, local attractions, restaurants, and property, Kansiime was able to take the place of a concierge or bellman, and still provide me with the type of help and service I would expect from a higher-end property and that was a big WIN for her.
In the next issue of TEM, we shall look at how housekeeping, room basics, and bathroom basics contribute to the overall guest experience.
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Spending Valentine Day with a family
Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays because it celebrates the purpose of life. No, not chocolate, LOVE! We all need to be cherished. But despite our good intentions, too often we forget to tell the people we love just how precious they are to us. Valentines Day can be a wonderful opportunity to remind all of our loved ones (not only our sweethearts) how glad we are that they’re in our lives. Want some ideas to celebrate Valentine’s Day, when you’re too busy, too broke, and maybe even too harried to remember that you really adore these people you live with?
Rethink Gifts.
Valentines Gifts are NEVER about the item or product. That teaches all the wrong lessons about love. Make this about the heart-to-heart expressions that build intimacy and connection. That means handmade cards, extra loving time together, or massages, not purchased gifts. If you must buy a gift, choose it using the GIFT test: does it create more Gratitude, Intimacy, Fondness, and Trust between you, or does it just impress? In other words, a bottle of inexpensive champagne, some sandwiches, and an invitation to a massage and picnic supper in bed after the kids are asleep meets this test a lot better than jewelry or candy. For kids or adults, try one of the gift ideas below.
Alternate gift ideas:
A Letter of Appreciation.
The best gift of all is always a simple letter to your loved ones detailing how grateful you are to have them in your life. Be as specific as possible; “the way you let me sleep in the morning while you make the kids breakfast” and “the way you sing off-key” are even more satisfying than “You’re lovable,” because the recipient feels seen and appreciated. Don’t worry if it isn’t eloquent. Any heartfelt love letter will be cherished by the recipient much more than a store-bought gift. This isn’t only for your partner; kids feel loved when we notice who they are and what they contribute to us, our family, and the world. Your kids will reread your letters during tough times. They’ll save them for the rest of their lives.
Homemade Valentines. Kids feel loved when we spend time making something for them, rather than buying it. Why not make Valentine? This can be as simple as 15 minutes with red construction paper, scissors, and magic markers or as elaborate as a joyful, creative family project for three hours. Need inspiration? There are websites galore. But I usually stick to the simplest: construction paper hearts with a heartfelt message detailing something you appreciate about the recipient.
Make the dinner mood festive with a short family dance party
Make the dinner mood festive with a short family dance party before dinner. Don’t forget the romantic slow dance for the grown-ups! After the dancing, eat with candles on the table.
Spread the love.
Before Valentines Day, invite your kids’ friends to make Valentines. Good music (theirs), delicious snacks (your job), and a digital or instant camera (“Here’s a picture of me making your valentine”) seem to provide enough cool context for teens and even younger teens to let themselves enjoy this project. In fact, inviting friends always seems to double the fun, whatever their age.
How about a telephone valentine chain?
Call someone dear to your family and pass the phone around to take turns telling this person you love them. Then ask that person to “Pass it forward” by calling someone they love, asking that person to call another, etc.
Surround yourself with love.
This is the day for your Love Song playlist. Skip the heartbroken ones and go straight for celebration, all day long!
Love in Practice.
If you’d like your kids to take pride in making the world a better place, Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to express love for others by taking valentines goodies or homemade valentines to a nursing home, hospital, or soup kitchen. However you decide to celebrate, I hope February 14 brings more love into your life. Happy Valentines Day!
Rwanda Air Dream-miles Launches Global Travel Wallet
RwandAir DreamMiles Loyalty Program adds a reloadable Visa Prepaid Card Feature to its membership cards to facilitate Payments and Currency Exchange on the Go!
The new RwandAir DreamMiles VISA GlobalTravelWallet card is a “must-have” for anyone coming into Rwanda or traveling out of Rwanda on RwandAir. You can join by enrolling inflight, in-store, or online and once you receive it, your travel experience changes forever! This product demonstrates RwandAir’s commitment to rewarding its loyal customers and its willingness to reach out to the wider community.
RwandAir DreamMiles and Card Programs International (CPI), a card program management and payment product innovation company, have partnered with Visa and Ecobank, the leading Pan African Bank, to launch the new RwandAir DreamMiles VISA GlobalTravelWallet™ card. The card includes a reloadable prepaid Visa account feature that lets travelers earn DreamMiles as they shop at Visa merchants worldwide – a first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa.
RwandAir DreamMiles members in Rwanda will begin receiving their new DreamMiles card with GlobalTravelWallet™ in Q4, 2015. The roll-out of cards to RwandAir DreamMiles members in other countries will take place shortly after. RwandAir DreamMiles members already enjoy industry-recognized benefits such as reward miles on every flight, lounge access, extra baggage allowance, guaranteed seating options, priority check-in and boarding, and more. Members can now enjoy items from specially selected merchants online, book hotels at reduced prices, and enjoy customer service from whichever time zone you may travel to via www.globaltravelwallet.com.
Members will also start to earn and redeem miles with RwandAir partner airlines, and non-airline partners in the near future. The new GlobalTravelWallet™ feature adds payment functionality and other member benefits to the RwandAir DreamMiles VISA GlobalTravelWallet™ card. This includes the revolutionary miles to money functionality allowing cardholders to convert their miles to cash using the new UniversalRedemption™ capability from CPI, as well as bonus miles for RwandAir ticket purchases and everyday purchases.
In 2016, RwandAir DreamMiles members will be able to download the GlobalTravelWallet™ mobile application, available for iOS and Android users. Through the app, users can access their account balance and transaction history, transfer money to other DreamMiles members with an activated GlobalTravelWallet™ account, review where to load options, and report a card lost or stolen.
Jean-Paul Nyirubutama, CEO/ COO of RwandAir, said, “The new RwandAir Dream Miles loyalty program provides features and benefits that enhance the value to its members. The new innovative RwandAir DreamMiles VISA GlobalTravelWallet™ card combines the functionality of a reloadable payment card with the benefits of DreamMiles membership in a single piece of plastic, a first in loyalty and travels prepaid payments in Sub- Saharan Africa.”
RwandAir DreamMiles partnered with CPI to develop the product and handle the management of the program, utilizing CPI’s proprietary prepaid currency platform and global experience pioneering similar products. “When we partnered with RwandAir, we were confident that we were working with a partner whose mantra is to deliver world-class service to its customers, an ethos we firmly believe in and standby,” said Segun Oni, Chief Executive Officer, Card Programs International, adding “We have an alignment on the values of meeting our customers’ needs.”
The new RwandAir DreamMiles VISA GlobalTravelWallet™ card is issued in collaboration with Ecobank. Mareme Ndiaye, Managing Director of Ecobank Rwanda, said, “This is a highly innovative product and the first of its kind in the region. Ecobank is proud to assist RwandAir in developing a multi-functional card, which vividly demonstrates Ecobank’s ground-breaking product development capabilities.”
To learn more about the new RwandAir DreamMiles VISA GlobalTravelWallet™ program, complete list of features and benefits, including terms and conditions, please visit: www.rwandair.com or www.globaltravelwallet.com/rwanda
Read MoreUnderstanding Your Customer’s Emotional Touch Points
Wow! That was really a fantastic start for me, I was hitherto convinced that my handlers were not amateurs in this game for they had brought home their
A-game!
- VIP Personalization and Recognition
I had been booked as a VIP guest and the staff at the luxury hotel made sure that I was treated like royalty – from name recognition at all times and by all staff that I had an interface with to notes by the General Manager to a tray of different petit fours that evening at turndown to special consideration of my eating habits to the Concierge tailor-making my waterfront walking tour.
The experience was so memorable and delightful that I have often given it as an industry Benchmark every time I have written or spoken on the subject of service excellence.
Guest Recognition through guest mapping by different layers of the hotel staff – from the concierge and Guest Relations, Front Office, Food & Beverage and Duty Manager to the GM is a wonderful strategy that creates a pronounced guest-oriented environment, makes sure that the Hotel staff is familiar with its guest list and keeps the guests happy and pampered. Being the recipient of hospitality is an immersive experience and demands that facilities and services are rendered in discreet and seamless ways while making each guest feel special.
Crisp Conduct and Language
Something else that really stood out about the amazing staff of Queen Victoria Hotel was their professional conduct and language. Every word that came out of their mouths left an impression of employees who are very well trained in the area of guest etiquette, I also found them very polite and respectful.
A hotel is much, much more than the richly constructed shell many think it is. Realistically speaking, a hotel is actually the people who work towards presenting the brand service standards in the best way possible. And this is truly the most important discerning factor when sifting the chaff from the real grain. The hotel brand must engage guests through unique, memorable, and personal experiences that transcend hospitality and create indelible marks in their lives.
It’s quite easy to pamper guests by throwing money on physical things like pillows, towels, and rugs. But to create that human connection is a luxury very few can perfect. Hotel staff must be trained to offer exclusivity of the whole experience” and work towards making the guests “feel at home.”
Dining delight
It wasn’t long before dinner was ready. I had so much to do on my second day and by around 7:00 pm exhaustion had taken the better of me and all I wanted was a yummy dinner. As expected, the team did not disappoint, as one of the sharply dressed waitresses approached me with a beautiful smile, I knew that I was in for another show of excellence. She introduced herself and engaged me briefly before handing me the menu….what followed was a brief description of the different options that were on offer for dinner……she undoubtedly nailed it, I was thoroughly impressed!
Food is truly the winning factor for most hotels – smart, simple, sensible selections for certain meal times of a business traveler and elaborate, exquisite, and enchanting for those on the languorous leisure downtime. The restaurants (including room service) offering their culinary artworks are certainly the places to showcase the award-winning talents of the hotels’ food & beverage team. There are several hospitality hotspots that are known exclusively for their food craft and kitchen talent.
Celebrating Christmas Rwanda
Reservations Requested, Heaven, Rwanda
Little Rwanda, a nation of 12 million people, located smack in the middle of Africa, is one of the last places I know of where the holidays still are as they should be. There’s no black Friday shopping (something familiar to Americans – the insane holiday shopping spree that happens the day after Thanksgiving), no ludicrous race for reservations at Michelin starred restaurants (I’ll come back to that in a second), no gift-guide inspired lists. Today’s Rwanda is pristine and safe. Indeed, Rwanda has legendarily clean streets – you can walk its sidewalks for kilometers without finding a wrapper or errant plastic bag. These are among the many reasons Rwanda is a terrific place to spend the holidays. Furthermore, for those who take no joy from the cold, Rwanda has remarkably consistent and gorgeous weather. While neighbors in Kenya, for example, can face a downright cold season at points in the year, Rwanda’s year is merely divided by a couple of rainy seasons that bring plenty of warmth, sunshine, and the occasional downpour. In fact, right around Christmas week, the highs will be in the mid-20s, lows not below 15!). That weather and Rwanda’s lovely people are what has kept me, my wife, and our three kids here for a decade. Alissa, my wife, built and manages Heaven, one of Rwanda’s top restaurants, which has become somewhat of a gourmet oasis in Kigali. Alissa constructed Heaven eight years ago to create jobs for the nation’s youth. The holidays will include many of our biggest nights of the year, as tourists, ex-pats, and locals love coming in this time of year.
For the young American ex-pat community in Rwanda, mostly recent college grads coming to do a stint of social enterprise, business, or volunteering, the hardest time is, of course, the holidays, as not everyone is able to fly home to America every year. This puts quite a burden on Heaven. It was clear from the beginning that holidays would be at Heaven: our outdoor terrace floats above the city, surrounded by lush trees and the sparkling lights of Kigali. The holiday season is kicked off with Thanksgiving – a tremendous opportunity for Americans (and everyone!) to give thanks. The loser in this holiday is the turkey which is served up as the centerpiece of the meal. Turkey, our favorite holiday food, is not a traditional staple of the Rwandan diet. Thus for years U.S. embassy employees, who have always numbered among the ex-pats around our bar and kitchen, used to import American Butterball turkeys before we started serving it at Heaven around the holidays.
By sheer luck, out in a village one day, I came across a dozen very skinny live turkeys for sale. I took apart an old satellite dish to make a sort of turkey pen in the backyard. We then fattened them right up, with the kids feeding them and sometimes running for their lives from them. Now we work with local farmers who raise these amazing authentic turkeys for us. This year we’ll have two dozen of them! We started fattening them up in September with excellent feed…and they in turn feed Americans, Europeans, and Rwandans on Thanksgiving. Alongside the turkeys and mashed potatoes, we serve matoke puree––mashed-up green bananas with plenty of butter. And for drinks, we pour urwagwa, a local banana beer, in addition to the local regular beers and the American spirits in their proud bottles that are always a friendly sight, so far from home. The American ambassador always shows up to offer thanks for our little community.
Thanksgiving is the true start of the holiday season and is soon followed by the Jewish holiday of Hanukah. The centerpiece for the Hanukah table is called the menorah – which is an elaborate set of candles. Our kids have improvised a Coke bottle menorah for just that purpose with each bottle serving as a candle holder. For food, we make traditional potato latkes (pancakes), slow-cooked beef, and honey cake.
On the heels of Hanukah comes Christmas and hundreds of thousands of people will be up late on Christmas Eve as they make their way to church. Their beautiful prayers and songs will permeate the hills of the city where skyscrapers are going up, yet there are still micro-plots of land farmed for maize, beans, and cassava. On the very street where we live, our kids love to see the goats munching on the foliage of the neighborhood. Those very goats, not used for their milk, will make it on to many a Christmas day barbeque. In the early afternoon on Christmas day, traditional wood-charcoal fires will light up across the nation. Most will be three-stone fires, some of which will have a metal grate to support the bounty. We’ll have an abundant meal that evening and a popular Christmas day brunch loaded with ikivuguto (local buttermilk) pancakes, crepes, omelets, and loads of local specialties.
While Coca-cola has raised a Christmas tree or two at roundabouts in town, there are few Christmas trees to be found in homes nor lofty childhood expectations of Santa Claus. Among the upper class that has been exposed to Christmas elsewhere, there will be gifts exchanged. But for most, this will be a day for relaxation, prayer, and brochettes. Grilled beef and goat, fried potatoes, and rice will be the centerpiece of most meals – for many families, this will be one of the few days of the year when meat will be part of the meal. There will also be isombe – mashed cassava leaves – and green bananas slowly cooked in tomato sauce. For a kick, brave family members will grab a bottle or tear dropper of Akabanga, an outrageously spicy Piri-Piri concoction of oil and birds’ eye chile that has become a national condiment.
It will soon be back to work for nearly everyone until the main event of the season: New Year’s Eve. That’s right: New Year is the cornerstone of the holiday season in Rwanda. By far, it is the most exciting night of celebration and festivities. Although last-minute planning characterizes the evening, one thing is certain: everyone will be going out.
Alissa and I learned this the hard way back when we opened Heaven Restaurant in 2008. We ran a beautiful New Year’s dinner with filet mignon smothered in a cassava chimichurri and rum bread pudding covered with caramel sauce. It was a mellow evening, and at around 10 PM we were bidding adieu to the few remaining customers when hundreds of Rwandan partygoers began to appear – with no prior reservations of course. We all danced on the floor until the early hours of the New Year, and then retreated to our families and a day off, the only one Heaven takes during the course of the year.
This year we’ll be doing our best to encourage reservations, as our beautiful terrace maxes out around 200 customers. I don’t think we’ll have much trouble filling up that evening, as Rwandans have so much to be proud of and to celebrate in what will be the 21st year of their peace, stability, and prosperity.
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This Year Kwita Izina Celebrates conservation
24 baby gorillas will on 5th September this year receive new names during what has become Rwanda’s trademark tourism event. Dubbed ‘Kwita Izina’ after a centuries-old traditional Rwandan naming ceremony in which a newborn is welcomed into the community.
The theme for this year’s event is “Conserving now and for the Future,” and for the 11th year running, tourists, friends, conservationists, and dignitaries will join the local community to celebrate the world’s most famous great ape: the Mountain Gorilla. Vulnerable giants This year’s occasion will also celebrate the impressive 26% increase in Mountain Gorilla populations between 2000 and 2010, a feat which can be attributed in some part to gorilla conservation efforts from the government of that Rwanda’s tourism sector, working together with a number of actors.
However, man’s closest relatives remain at risk and are listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as Critically Endangered. Only around 880 of these beautiful apes are left in the world today, in two isolated populations, one in the Virunga Massif area, which spans parts of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the other in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, south-western Uganda.
This year’s Kwita Izina will provide a good opportunity to reflect on what can be done to further protect the fragile Mountain Gorilla. More event-packed schedule This year’s event is set to feature more activities in the build-up to the main naming ceremony. The week will commence with “Inkaz’URwanda” (loosely translated as ‘The Cows of Rwanda’) in the country’s Eastern Province, a cultural ceremony focusing on the importance of cows in the Rwandan tradition and their impact on the social-economic wellbeing of Rwandans.
Other events to be held in the build-up to the ceremony will be a conservation forum, photo exhibition, and awards to recognize local conservationists.
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