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musicgoonmail · 3 years

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Lovingkindness

In This Edition

In this week’s edition, I share lessons from my life on how God closes and opens doors, what’s new with my book reviews, and what I’ve been enjoying in entertainment. As always, I point you to all of the new free eBooks I’ve found around the web.

Is there something you want me to write about? You can always get in touch by replying to this email. Thanks for spending your weekend with me here!

God Closes and Opens Doors

Sunday Tapes

Giveaway: A Signed Copy of The Wisdom Pyramid

Book Reviews

More Than a Battle

Free eBooks for February

More Free eBooks for February

Extended Play

Lightning Links

Playlists

Coming Soon

Weekly Review

God Closes and Opens Doors

Jess and I have been working on something big, and while I can’t reveal much right now -- I want to share a story of how God seems to work in our life. It seems that with every closed door, we wait for a bit and it appears that God was preparing us as he opens another door.

One example from our life is how God closed the door for furthering my education, but he later opened a door in providing us a home. And we can see God’s hand in it because the timing, location, and occurrence of events could not have been coincidental. We see God’s providence in every situation and circumstance.

As Christians, I believe we have a Biblical warrant to say that this is true. Joseph’s story is one of suffering and being forgotten, but God later opened doors to save him, his family, and his people. The life of Christ is full of examples of God closing doors for others so that Jesus could open other doors to display his glory. Death was a closed door for Christ until he burst forth to redeem his people. And in the life of Paul we see God closing doors and opening others so the Gospel could be spread in jails, houses, churches, and nations.

To be sure, I’m not saying that you will find open doors immediately when things turn sour. And if you find yourself behind closed doors, I’m not saying that God will always open new ones for you. But what I do believe is that God works all things for the good of those who love him. And I’m here to tell you, when you find yourself in the middle of opened and closed doors, that he is right there with you.

Sunday Tapes

We sang Be Thou My Vision on Sunday, and my friend Angie was awesome leading music with me. Her vocals were soaring, and she displayed her skill and control even with the song at a such a quick tempo.

I also appreciate how she's open to try my arrangement ideas, like the a cappella first chorus and last verse. I'm always blessed and humbled to sing with her. We were both smiling at the end because my son Linus walked right up to the front next to the camera! You can watch the video on YouTube.

For more, you can find the rest of our set which included Sovereign Grace Music's "Turn Your Eyes," Keith Green's "O Lord You're Beautiful," and our original "God is the Strength of My Heart and My Portion Forever. Watch on YouTube.

Giveaway: A Signed Copy of The Wisdom Pyramid

SOLA Network published my review of Brett McCracken’s The Wisdom Pyramid and you can read it on their website. To celebrate the launch of the book, Brett put together a wisdom diet challenge for Lent. Many digital detox programs are mostly about how to rid yourself of screens for a period of time. His challenge is different in that it’s less about what not to do and more about what to do. Read about the Wisdom 40 Challenge on his website.

SOLA Network has a signed copy of the book by author Brett McCracken for a giveaway. In all honesty, there aren’t that many entries, so you have a good chance of getting this one. I would love for one of my newsletter readers to win. Enter on Instagram.

Book Reviews

This week I reviewed 3 books. In More Than a Battle, Joe Rigney shows us how to experience victory, freedom, and healing from lust. In Worshiping with the Reformers, Karin Maag takes us on a tour of what it was really like to go to church during the Reformation. In The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People, Matthew S. Harmon beautifully traces this biblical theme through the canon.

Book Review: More Than a Battle by Joe Rigney

Book Review: Worshiping with the Reformers by Karin Maag

Book Review: The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People by Matthew S. Harmon

More Than a Battle

With the news of more Christian leaders failing to kill their sexual sins, Joe Rigney’s More Than a Battle proved to be a timely read. Writing pointedly, Rigney says that pornography rewires the brain. He also says that explanations are not excuses, and that God can renew our minds, giving us hope.

Throughout the book, Rigney shows the devastation of sexual sin, but he is also ready to state the decided victories available to us in Christ. For more, read this longer excerpt from his book: How Porn Weaponizes the Body.

Free eBooks for February

I found two books by Spurgeon and two books by Murray this week for you to download for free on Kindle. Remember, you don’t need a physical Kindle to download and read these books. You can simply start with the free Kindle app. It’s a fantastic way to get focused on reading!

Tim Challies is hosting a giveaway for Cruciform Press. They are giving away four-book packages to five winners. Each winner will receive The Ten Commandments of Progressive Christianity by Michael J. Kruger, Galatians: Redeeming Grace and the Cross of Christ by Melissa McPhail and Lisa Menchinger, The Joy Project: An Introduction to Calvinism (with Study Guide) by Tony Reinke, and On Purpose: Living Life as It Was Intended by Jonny Ivey. I linked the titles to my reviews, and you can enter on Challies’ website.

Kindle: Lectures to My Students: Practical and Spiritual Guidance for Preachers (Volume 1), by C. H. Spurgeon

Kindle: Come Ye Children (Updated, Annotated): Obtaining Our Lord's Heart for Loving and Teaching Children, by C. H. Spurgeon

Kindle: The Ministry of Intercession (Updated and Annotated): A Plea for More Prayer (Murray Updated Classics Book 1), by Andrew Murray

Kindle: Humility (Updated, Annotated): The Beauty of Holiness (Murray Updated Classics Book 2)

More Free eBooks for February

Passion is the free eBook this month from The Good Book Company. Mike McKinley walks readers through Luke’s Gospel to show how Christ’s final day transforms not only their future but also their present.

I found several free Kindle titles by J. C. Ryle and listed them below. You don’t need a physical Kindle to download and read these books. You can simply start with the free Kindle app. It’s a fantastic way to get focused on reading.

The Good Book Company: Passion by Mike McKinley

Kindle: The Cross, by J. C. Ryle

Kindle: Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Matthew, by J. C. Ryle

Kindle: Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Mark, by J. C. Ryle

Kindle: Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke, by J. C. Ryle

Kindle: Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of John, by J. C. Ryle

Faithlife: Deep Church, by Jim Belcher

GLH Publishing: A. W. Tozer Daily Devotional

GLH Publishing: John Calvin’s Commentary on Hebrews

FTC Preaching Guide: Philippians

ERLC Light Magazine: Hidden in Plain Sight

DesiringGod: Designed for Joy: How the Gospel Impacts Men and Women, Identity and Practice

Kindle: Does God Control Everything? (Crucial Questions Series) by R. C. Sproul

D. A. Carson: For the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word, Vol. 1.

DesiringGod: Habits of Grace by David Mathis

9Marks Journal: Heaven: Rejoicing in Future Glory

Crossway: Coronavirus and Christ by John Piper

Kindle: Crucial Questions by R. C. Sproul (39 eBooks)

The Gospel Coalition: 9 Free eBooks by D. A. Carson

Extended Play

I’ve been thinking about WandaVision all week, and I can’t wait to watch the new episode this weekend. For Valentine’s Day, we plan to watch Robin Hood, Lady and the Tramp, and more episodes of Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings.

Two years ago, before we adopted our son, I wrote a poem about waiting for adoption. I wrote it for my wife, Jess, who shows me what it means to love and trust Christ. Read it again on my website.

Throwback: In Our Waiting: A Poem for My Wife on Valentine’s Day

Article: Meaningful Lives in a Purposeful World: How Providence Changes Everything, by Jon Bloom.

Podcast: Ask Pastor John: Has Porn Already Broken My Future Marriage?

TV: WandaVision

Book: Being the Bad Guys, by Stephen McAlpine

Song: Lovingkindness, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Papa, Matt Redman, and Matt Boswell

Lightning Links

These quick hits are exclusive to my newsletter readers. Some struck immediately before writing this newsletter. I don’t necessarily endorse the positions or lives of these authors. Some may contain sensitive language. I find them all extremely interesting.

The New York Times Magazine: “The Many Lives of Steven Yeun: What’s a typical immigrant story? In his new film, “Minari,” the “Walking Dead” star has his own to tell.”

Marvel: “WandaVision: Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez Break Down the TV Theme Songs.”

/Film: “20 Years of Disney California Adventure: Exploring How Disney’s Theme Park Misfire Came Back from the Dead.”

Playlists

MUSICGOON: 7 songs I enjoyed this week.

SVRGNLA: Jess and I love these songs.

ETJ: Music that inspires my band.

DIDD: A crowd-sourced worship playlist.

TGIF: SOLA Network friends and faves.

This is FCBC Walnut: The songs we sing at church.

Coming Soon

Next week I plan to publish reviews for at least 3 books. In Gospelbound, Collin Hansen and Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra share stories that teach us how to live with resolute hope in shaky times. In Being the Bad Guys, Stephen McAlpine shows you how to live for Jesus in a world that says you shouldn’t. And as a part of Lexham Press’ Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (EBTC) series, Joe M. Sprinkle’s commentary on Daniel is an excellent and epic entry.

My sermon to our Youth Group went well last week -- thank you for your prayers! If you recall, I also spoke with author Brett McCracken about his new book, The Wisdom Pyramid. SOLA Network plans to release a video of our conversation next week.

We’ll be celebrating Lunar New Year this weekend! In case you missed it, here are some previous editions of this newsletter that you can find in the archive:

All My Favorite Songs: I share what’s new with my book reviews, and what I’ve been enjoying in entertainment. I also share preaching and music ministry prayer requests for this weekend.

Rewrite the Stars: I discuss my recent IG LIVE interview with Russell Moore, share about overcoming the barriers to creating, what’s new with my book reviews, and what I’ve been enjoying in entertainment.

Concerning Hobbits: I reveal my special guest for an upcoming IG LIVE interview, what’s new with my book reviews, and what I’ve been enjoying in entertainment.

Weekly Review

Hobbit History: Let us first do what we must do. – J. R. R. Tolken

SOLA: God Among the Crowds / The Seductive Sin We Never Talk About / The Proverbs 31 Man

TGIF: DesiringGod: Has Porn Already Broken My Future Marriage? / 9Marks: The Church Should Sing for Heaven’s Sake (with Matthew Westerholm)

Book Review: More Than a Battle by Joe Rigney

Book Review: Worshiping with the Reformers by Karin Maag

Book Review: The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People by Matthew S. Harmon

Recommended Reading: ‘Whoever Is Ashamed of Me’: A Call to the Quietly Christian / Four Things Pastors Wish Their Churches Knew About Them Right Now / Your Spouse Should Complete You: What It Means to Become One / How Do I Talk to My Children About Sex?

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undertaker1 · 4 years

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my top ten horror movies are - 1- Friday the 13th 2-nightmare on elm street 3- Cujo 4-Halloween 5- Texas chainsaw massacre 6- the haunting 7- chucky 8-jaws 9- wolf creek 10-wrong turn..FRIDAY THE 13TH - is about a boy who drowns in 1957 at camp crystal lake because the counsellors weren't watching him,years later someone try's to reopen the camp but all the counsellors start getting killed by a mysterious figure at night.it is believed to be the boy who drowned all those years ago in crystal lake-.NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET-t is about a man named Freddy Kruger a murderer burnt alive by local parents now he is back hunting a new group of teens in there dreams .if they die in there dreams they die in real life.-CUJO-cujo is a friendly st Bernard that becomes a wild dog after been bitten by a bat.the dog goes on a killing spree and then traps the boy who owns him and his mum in there car.in the end the mum kills the dog but not before he kills again. Mum and son escape..HALLOWEEN-Halloween is about Micheal Myers who brutality murdered his 17 year old sister Judith.after escaping he returns to his home town.he goes in search of more victims.-TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE-this is the story of sally and her paraplegic brother who find out there grandfathers grave has been vandalised they set out to find out who did it.they stop to look at the old family farm only to find that one of the crazed family next door is a chainsaw wielding murderer called leatherface who wears a mask made of human skin. can sally and her brother and friends escape.THE HUNTING-the story of a group of people called to a secluded mansion for a study of insomnia or that’s what they think. the doctor is really investigating fear and plans to scare them but the house is haunted by an evil spirit out to torment its guests.-CHUCKY-andy wants a doll for his birthday,his mum gets him one called chucky.but the the doll is possessed by the soul of a murderer.Andy realises the doll is alive but no one believes him.then the doll starts murdering people and trying to kill Andy and his mum.the killer Charles lee ray knows he must transfer his soul to a human host before his soul stays in the doll forever by using black magic..JAWS-jaws is set on amity island, but they don’t know there about to have a rouge shark problem.A you girl goes for a late night swim and is attacked by a great white shark.when the police find her body on the beach,the sheriff wants to close the beach but the mayor wont let him.the attacks keep happening so the mayor gives in and lets the police close the beach and hire a shark hunter The sheriff , the hunter and a shark expert go hunting the shark to kill it,in the end they do but not before the boat is wrecked and the shark hunter killed.WOLF CREEK-The story of three young people travelling around Australia.they go to wolf creek national park to see a giant crater when they get back to the car it wont start and there watches have stopped. hours later they meet up with bushman mick taylor who offers to take them to his camp and fix there car,he drugs there water and ties them up.when they wake up they try to get free , one of the girls does and finds a shed full of cars belonging to other travellers.Ben is the only one left alive his two female friends liz and Kristy were never found.WRONG TURN-The story of a family of cannibals who live in a old cabin deep in the woods,some young people with car trouble go looking for help but find the cannibals and are caught by them,the friends now have to try escape or be eaten.

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xtruss · 4 years

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Sleep Lions, Empty Bars, Lost Jobs: A World Without Tourism

BY JOHN LEICESTER, ROD MCGUIRK AND ARNO PEDRAM

— July 31, 2020

PARIS (AP) — With no American visitors to show around the D-Day beaches or the Loire Valley’s chateaux, and no work on the immediate horizon, Paris tour guide Linda Zenou frets about how she’ll pay off a loan and continue to care for her ailing mother in the achingly lean months ahead.

“My situation is going to become completely inextricable,” she said. “We have nothing to live on.”

For growing numbers of businesses and individuals who depend on the global tourism industry, the question is not so much when the coronavirus pandemic will end but how and if they’ll survive until business picks up. In trying to fend off the virus, countries that put up entry barriers to tourists have done so at a mounting cost to themselves and others.

“It’s now survival of the fittest,” said Johann Krige, CEO of the Kanonkop wine estate in South Africa, where the drying up of wine-tasting tourists threatens dozens of wine farms around the historic town of Stellenbosch, near Cape Town.

“A lot of them are going to go under because they just don’t have sufficient cash flow,” Krige said.

Around the world, travel amid the pandemic is becoming a story of tentative steps forward in some places, but punishing steps back elsewhere, of “yes” to letting back visitors from places faring somewhat better against COVID-19 but not from others where outbreaks are flaring.

The result is an ever-evolving global mishmash of restrictions and quarantines, all of which are providing zero long-term visibility for businesses trying to make payrolls and for everyone in the industry from trinket sellers to luxury hotels.

In Australia, the government of Queensland, home to the Great Barrier Reef, barred visitors from Sydney starting Saturday because of a growing outbreak in the country’s largest city. Queensland tourism official Brett Kapernick predicted that could cost some businesses a 40% plunge in revenue.

“With this pandemic, the situation becomes fluid and therefore evolves weekly,” Kapernick said. “A week ago, we didn’t think we’d be facing a border closed to Sydney.”

While the Indonesian resort island of Bali tentatively opened up to domestic visitors on Friday, the beaches of Da Nang in Vietnam were deserted. The city locked down Tuesday to contain a cluster of nearly 100 cases.

Shorn of tourism’s lifeblood, some businesses already look doomed. Many of the luxury hotels in Rome’s historic center didn’t reopen in the late spring when Italy started allowing arrivals from elsewhere in the European Union and other select nations. Early in the pandemic, Italians who for years worked as dining room staff, cooks or maids at hotels instead sought farm work, picking fruit and vegetables.

On Portugal’s Algarve coast, individual catastrophes also loom for the staffs of empty hotels, bars and restaurants which are losing hope that tourists will return quickly enough to keep them afloat. In a region almost entirely reliant on tourism, the unemployment rate has already jumped 230%.

And in Oxford, England, tour operator Frederick Laurie is clinging to British “stay-cationers,” optimistically describing them as “green shoots” in an otherwise bleak year. He concedes that their numbers will never make up for the ruinous plunge in foreign visitors who once thronged the university town before the coronavirus chased them away.

“It’s an extremely difficult time for us,” he says. His decade-old company, Footprints Tours, has seen revenues collapse by 70%.

Losses globally are counted in the billions. Percentage drops in visitor numbers are often double-digits. Tourism income in South Africa was down 98% in May compared with the same month last year, the Tourism Business Council says, and over half a million jobs in its sector are at risk.

Governments in countries heavily reliant on tourism are trying to use bailouts to keep businesses afloat. Thailand’s Cabinet this week approved projects worth more than $700 million for the tourism industry. Bulgaria is offering tax breaks and job subsidies to shore up its tourism sector bracing for huge cuts in its workforce of 290,000. Hotel owners lament that they have more employees than patrons at Bulgaria’s biggest sea resort, Sunny Beach.

The Caribbean’s dozens of islands depend on tourism for between 20% to 80% of their GDP but hotel occupancy across the region is now less than 10%, officials say. To make up for lost tourism, Barbados is offering a year-long visa for people who want to move to the island temporarily and work from home close to the beach.

The bright spots of the global pandemic are few and far between. Among them: locals who are unable or reluctant to travel are rediscovering attractions where foreign tourists used to jostle for elbow space.

Animals have South Africa’s world-famous wildlife parks largely to themselves because of lockdown rules that barred international tourists and made it illegal for South Africans to travel between provinces for vacations. At the Kruger National Park, lions sleep undisturbed on the roads and roam around empty lodges, while elephants meander as they please.

At the Louvre Museum in Paris, it’s now possible to calmly contemplate the works. That’s a rare treat for Parisians but a nightmare for tour guides, who gathered in protest again this week, dressed in black and wearing masks, to demand more financial help. Among them was Janice Baneux, who was decidedly pessimistic for their future.

“Some people had to sell their homes, returning to their parents and waiting until next year when tourism will probably be back again,” she said. “But this year there is no hope.”

— Leicester contributed from Le Pecq, France; McGuirk contributed from Canberra, Australia. Other contributors were Pan Pylas in London, Gerald Imray in Cape Town, South Africa, and Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal. AP journalists around the world also contributed.

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pumbaaafricaexpeditions · 4 years

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Mt Kilimanjaro is located in North Tanzania next to some of the top safari parks in Africa, so while making an ascent it would be a shame not visit the northern parks and experience the Serengeti, Ngorongoro or Tarangire. ____________________________________ Mount Kilimanjaro is not just Africa’s highest peak and the world’s tallest free-standing mountain. It is also one of the Seven Summits of the world. Rising at 5,895 meters above sea level, Mount Kilimanjaro features a snow-capped peak all year round. With three volcanic cones namely Mawenzi, Shira and Kibo, the wonder of Kilimanjaro never palls. Mawenzi and Shira are extinct volcanoes in which Shira has collapsed, creating the picturesque Shira Plateau. Kibo, the highest peak, is dormant and is believed to erupt again one day. Its last eruption was 360,000 years ago. ___________________________________ #hiking #animals #travel #wildlife #africawildlife #mammals #wildlifeonearth #wildlifeaddicts #wildlifelover #instawildlife #live_love_wildlife #wildlifeperfection #kruger #serengeti #Namibia #masaimara #kenya #africa #africaanimals #safariafrica #sabisands #ngorongorocrater #Tanzania #wildlifeconservation #wildlifeprotection #africageophoto #europe #sanparks #africanamaizing #Africa (at Mount Kilimanjaro National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAqMym6A1zV/?igshid=1pdzxrmajt51u

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jl1970 · 6 years

Video

youtube

Akashinga: The International Anti-Poaching Foundation

The black metal of the AR-15 rifle has worn silvery and shiny in parts after years of use. More manageable than an AK-47 in close-quarter combat, the weapon is precise enough to bring down an enemy target at 500 metres. Used for decades by anti-poaching units throughout Africa, today this gun is not carried by a typical swaggering male field ranger; this one is cradled securely and proficiently by Vimbai Kumire. “This job is not meant just for men,” she says, “but for everyone who is fit and strong.”

Kumire is a 32-year-old single mother whose husband ran off with a younger woman while she was pregnant with her second child. She is practising setting up an ambush in the early morning in Zimbabwe’s lower Zambezi Valley, nestling deep into the green undergrowth like a dappled shadow.

All female anti-poaching combat unit - in pictures Read more This is Africa’s poaching frontline, and these are not just regular female game rangers. If the team behind Kumire’s new job have anything to do with it, these women are a growing squad of environmental shock troops for a new type of community development offensive.

According to conservation biologist Victor Muposhi of Chinhoyi University of Technology, the lower Zambezi Valley has lost 11,000 elephants in the past 10 years. But he believes that hiring and training female rangers such as Kumire directly from the local communities is a game-changer.

“Developing conservation skills in communities creates more than just jobs,” says Professor Muposhi. “It makes local people directly benefit from the preservation of wildlife.” And that, he says, can save not only landmark species such as elephants but entire ecosystems.

This is true empowerment... You are dealing with a highly vulnerable and damaged group of women

Victor Muposhi, conservationist Women’s empowerment is at the core of the programme, named Akashinga, which means the brave ones. “This is a true empowerment programme,” says Muposhi, “because you are dealing with a highly vulnerable and damaged group of young ladies.” Sitting on a rock looking north over one of Africa’s last great wildernesses, Muposhi explains that his early research shows the five-month-old programme is helping change these formerly unemployed single mothers into community leaders.

Primrose Mazliru, 21, stands in the gathering dusk near their camp among the new grass, bright green with the recent rains. Ramrod straight, shoulders back and proud, she smiles despite the vivid scar that runs across her upper lip, where her ex-boyfriend beat her in a drunken rage. “I can testify to the power of this programme to change my life, and now I have the respect of my community, even as a young single mother,” she explains.

Mazliru has already bought a small plot of land with her wages as a field ranger. “I don’t need a man in my life to pay my way for me and my child,” she says, a glint in her eye.

Like most countries in southern Africa, Zimbabwe uses game management areas around famous national parks such as Victoria Falls or Mana Pools as “buffer zones” to protect the animals. These buffer zones are huge tracts of land much larger than the parks themselves, originally created to benefit the surrounding communities by allowing limited trophy hunting by high-dollar foreign clients such as Walter Palmer, the American dentist who attracted worldwide condemnation after killing Cecil the lion on a hunt in 2015.

Tracey Basaroukwe, 19, takes aim with her AR-15 assault rifle during anti-poacher training in the Zambezi Valley. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tracey Basaroukwe, 19, takes aim with her AR-15 assault rifle during anti-poacher training in the Zambezi Valley. Photograph: Artist/All photographs by Adrian Steirn for Alliance Earth There are no fences between the hunting areas, or between the wildlife and the estimated 4 million people living on the borders of these protected lands. Some profits from the hunting have gone to support the communities which live in the wilderness areas designated for trophy hunting – almost 20% of Zimbabwe’s land.

According to Muposhi, these precious ecosystems are now under grave threat due to the collapse of commercial hunting, in part because of a growing ethical backlash. “Cecil the lion marked the birth of the greater debate around the issues of morals and ethics in hunting and whether it is sustainable or not.”

Revenues are plummeting and human populations around parks growing. “Five years from now,” says Muposhi, “if we do not have other options, then it will not be viable to save these areas.”

Damien Mander, the founder of the Akashinga initiative, is a tall, Australian, military-trained sniper, who would look very much at home in the centre of a rugby scrum. Mander was inspired by the story of the Black Mambas, the world’s first female, unarmed anti-poaching unit, who work near South Africa’s Kruger National Park. Having met some of the women on a fundraising trip to New York, where they were giving a talk, he saw the international support and interest they received and thought a similar project in Zimbabwe might be a good way to raise the profile of his own project, the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF). What transpired went way beyond those modest ambitions.

“Thirty-six women started our training, modelled on our special-forces training, and we pushed them hard, much harder than any training we do with men,” he explains from his tented camp at a secret location in the Zambezi Valley. “Only three dropped out. I couldn’t believe it.”

Damien Mander, and all his rangers, live on a vegan diet

From the very first day of the women’s training, he saw that something very special was happening. He realised that women were the missing link to successful conservation and anti-poaching initiatives. “We have turned a security need into a community programme,” he said. In only five months, according to Mander, this pilot project is already putting more money per month into the local community than trophy hunting did per year.

Important people are noticing. Tariro Mnangagwa is a 32-year-old professional photographer who is visiting and training with the International Anti-Poaching Foundation’s Akashinga field ranger unit. She is also the youngest daughter of Zimbabwe’s new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“These women show me hope,” she says. She heads to a beaten-up Land Rover to visit a community in search of a former poacher who wants to talk.

Annette Hübschle, a senior researcher and post-doctoral fellow at the University of Cape Town, believes that the Akashinga model could still be a great solution. While many western governments and conservation organisations take decisions in London, New York and Geneva, the people most affected are usually women in communities adjacent to protected areas in Africa. Community-driven conservation programmes based around empowerment and training for women such as Kumire and Mazliru offer a potential solution to the end of hunting.

Mander, and all his rangers, live on a vegan diet. His TED talk on veganism has been seen by millions of people around the world. He stopped eating animal products five years ago. “I was wandering around in the bush, protecting one group of animals and coming home and eating another. I could not live with the hypocrisy of that any more.”

The Akashinga have embraced it with gusto. “It’s great,” says Kumire with a huge smile, as she stands in the light of the cooking fire steaming with pots of beans and spinach-like greens. “I don’t miss meat at all, when I go home for leave and people try to feed me meat I can’t eat it because my stomach hurts if I do, and I tell people no, don’t give me meat, I am vegan!” The women around her smile and nod in agreement.

Muposhi, himself a vegan for 13 years, argues that showing communities they don’t need bushmeat is about setting an example, one that stops poaching and reduces the need to farm animals in wilderness areas – a driver of habitat loss. Muposhi is excited to see the project grow. “It is happening right in the middle of nowhere in the Zambezi Valley, and it is part of a greater movement,” he says. “We are going to develop it to become one of the best models of conservation of wildlife based on women’s empowerment.”

As the training exercise unfolds, the female rangers are hidden from sight, the muzzles of their AR-15s poking from tufts of grass. Slowly the two scouts designated as “poachers” walk down the animal track. When they get to the right spot the women explode into action, shouting “Get down! Down! Now, now, now!” Within moments they have the suspects handcuffed. When asked why the pretend “poachers” are shaking, Kumire says that suspects always lay “shaking on the ground”, she laughs. Mander ends the exercise, the women help their friends up with smiles, and together they quietly fall into formation and disappear back into the bush.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/dec/17/poaching-wildlife-africa-conservation-women-barbee-zimbabwe-elephant-rhino

#fantastic women #fantastic man

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the-record-newspaper · 4 years

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Looking back on those we lost in 2019

Lillie Brewer

Her tombstone reads, “Love is a verb” and the life she lived demonstrated it.

Lillie Dean Bryan Brewer passed peacefully into heaven on March 7, 2019. She had been residing at her home surrounded by those who loved her, and whom she taught to love.

She good-naturedly endured the nickname “Dinky” due to her diminutive size, but her impact on the lives of those around her was anything but small.

She was a lifelong learner, attending Berea College and earning a nursing degree from Rex Hospital and an Education Specialist degree from Appalachian State University. She was a devotee of The Great Courses, enjoying them on her iPad for years.

She was an Emergency Room registered nurse at Rex Hospital and was credited by many young residents for helping them learn their way around emergency medicine. She worked energetically right up until the day she delivered her son, the “miracle baby” she was not supposed to have been able to have due to her thyroid cancer. Soon after her son was born in 1958, the place where she worked became her treatment center. She survived cancer that time and lived another 60 years. Some people credited her boundless energy with the thyroid medication that she had to take every day for the rest of her life. However, her family knew that her vim and vigor pre-existed her illness.

She was a reading and English teacher at Boomer Ferguson Elementary and Woodward Junior High Schools whose students fondly remember her kindness, patience, and ability to increase their reading proficiency in a positive and encouraging environment.

For more than 15 years, she was a legal assistant who advocated tirelessly for the rights of Social Security disability and workers’ compensation clients, as well as medical malpractice, product liability and personal injury cases, at her family’s fourth-generation law firm. When her declining health forced her to leave that position, she did so only after diligently and enthusiastically passing along knowledge of the job to her grandson who replaced her. For more than 50 years, she taught children’s Bible classes at Wilkesboro church of Christ. As a lifelong and devoted student of the Bible, she participated in Bible Study Fellowship for several years.

She served in both the Wilkesboro Women’s Club and the Delta Kappa Gamma honorary society for women educators for many years, parking cars at MerleFest much longer than her rich age should have allowed. When not parking cars, Lillie could be found in either the Traditional Tent watching Wayne Henderson and the Kruger Brothers, or at the Main Stage listening and dancing to the joyful exuberant music of Scythian (her favorite Irish/Gypsy music band).

Mrs. Brewer thought hard work was important, but she thought recreation was just as important. She was the driving force behind what is now known as Cub Creek Park in Wilkesboro, NC. It was important to her that Wilkesboro have a park for everyone to walk, have picnics, play ball and play tennis with their family. She served on the Parks & Recreation Board for 52 years and recently was awarded the key to the Town of Wilkesboro. Once when she presented a program on literacy to the Kiwanis club and read aloud the children’s book, I’ll Love You Forever, grown men dissolved in tears. It was a favorite recollection of her husband and one that never failed to make him chuckle.

Together, Joe and Lillie Brewer regularly took in people like some folks collect stamps: the more varied the backgrounds, histories, and nationalities, the better. The collection of extended family that they kept in their own home (many for years at a time) included a 102-year-old grandmother, a high school senior, a newly released felon, several young cousins, and two international exchange students including a Colombian who remained for six years. Her table was always set for family, friends and strangers, and if you could not come to her home to share a meal, she would bring it to yours. She and Joe also paid or cancelled innumerable debts of others, paid school tuition for extended family and friends, and gave rent free housing to numerous families.

Lillie’s wisdom and good advice were cherished by her family. She was always planning ahead and thinking of the next project. In fact, never wanting to be a burden on her family, she planned and paid for her own funeral in 1994.

She took good care of those around her. She was the impetus for building the house next door to hers where her mother, her father, and her father-in-law spent their last years in comfort, surrounded by family members and compassionate caregivers.

Her circle of caring spread far and wide, extending even to those she did not know personally. When a 2014 newspaper article announced the felony arrests of five young Asians for stealing twelve ears of corn from a field beside Highway 268 West, Lillie lifted her pen in action. She wrote a passionate letter to the editor of the paper, asking if the young people had been referred to local help agencies, asking if they had been informed of North Carolina’s laws, and recounting a time from her childhood when her own father had allowed others to take food from his garden. It was not unusual for Lillie to call for compassion, forgiveness and charity as opposed to persecution. She was a member of the Friends of the Library board who initiated the annual Chocolate Extravaganza. On February 11, 2015, when her husband passed away in her arms at his law office, a grieving but determined Lillie stayed up all night at her home cooking chocolate creations for the library event the next day. One of her last acts was directing her daughter to create chocolate-covered Bugles for the Extravaganza a few short weeks ago. In truth, no one person will ever know all of the good that she did in her lifetime.

Lillie was preceded in homegoing by the love of her life, Joe Oliver Brewer; her parents, T.R. Bryan, Sr., and Nell Plyler Bryan, and her brothers, Dr. T. R. Bryan, Jr. and Jackson Bryan.

Cherishing her memory and inspired to try to follow her example are her son, Gregory J. Brewer (Lisa) of North Wilkesboro, NC; daughter, Tonya Brewer Osborne (Joey) of Hickory, NC; grandchildren, Joseph Zachary “Zack” Brewer, David Bryan Brewer, Tanner Paige Clifton, Karsen Elizabeth Osborne and Sadie Olivia Osborne; sisters, Rhoda Jean Billings (Don) of Lewisville, NC, Suzie Bryan Wiles (David) of Wilkesboro, NC, and brother, John Q. Bryan (Janet) of Wilmington, NC, as well as a delightful clan of nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews. The family wishes to thank Lillie’s skilled, compassionate caregivers: Nena Shepherd, Donna Poole, Emily Poole, Diane Greer, and Polly Nichols.

Per Mrs. Brewer’s wishes, a public memorial service was held on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at the Wilkesboro Church of Christ located at 1740 Curtis Bridge Road, Wilkesboro, N.C.

Bill Casey

Mr. William “Bill” Eller Casey age 91 of North Wilkesboro, passed away Monday, September 09, 2019 at his home.

Memorial services were held 11 a.m., Thursday, September 12, 2019 at First United Methodist Church North Wilkesboro with Dr. Tim Roberts officiating. The family received friends immediately following the service in the Faith Center.

Bill was born August 30, 1928 in Wilkes County to Andrew Harrison Casey and Vera Eller Casey. He graduated Wake Forest College in 1950 and was an Army combat veteran having served in Korea. He was a Life Insurance Agent. Mr. Casey was a member of First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro. He was active in civic and church affairs, Casey served as president of the Winston-Salem Certified Life Underwriter Chapter, president of the North Wilkesboro Kiwanis Club, and held various positions at North Wilkesboro First United Methodist Church, including cook for the Methodist Men for over fifty years. Casey served as Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 335 for many years and was awarded the Silver Beaver for distinguished service to boyhood by the Old Hickory Council of the Boy Scouts of America in January 1975. Casey, an avid fisherman, enjoyed the outdoors and was a charter member of the OF Hiking Club.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters; Lucille Wilson and Mary Ann Sigmon.

Mr. Casey is survived by his wife; Frances Louise Harris Casey of the home, two daughters; Ellen Casey and husband Thomas Hemmendinger of Hope, Rhode Island and Sarah Howell and husband Keith Howell of North Wilkesboro, a son; Andrew Casey and wife Lisa Casey of North Wilkesboro, seven grandchildren; Emily Pardue and husband Joseph, Anna Hemmendinger, William Howell, Molly Casey, Samuel Hemmendinger, Catherine Howell and Barbara Casey and a great grandson; Carson Pardue.

Honorary Pallbearers will be his Former Boy Scouts from Troop 335.

J.C. Faw

Well known Wilkes businessman J.C. Faw died Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019.

Mr. Faw began his entrepreneurial career in the early 1950’s when he acquired his first grocery store in North Wilkesboro. Between the early 1950’s and 1983, his principal efforts were directed toward the development and operations of Lowe’s Food Stores, Inc. When Lowe’s food Stores was sold to Merchant’s Distributors, Inc. in 1983, it had grown to a chain of 75 grocery stores, 25 convenience stores and 12 restaurants doing an annual sales volume of approximately $250 million. Part of Lowe’s Foods’ growth resulted from Mr. Faw developing the real estate and constructing strip shopping centers in certain market areas located in North Carolina and southern Virginia, for a number of the stores in which Lowe’s operated.

In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Mr. Faw and a business partner built and operated a chain of 11 very successful Hardees franchise restaurants. These restaurants were sold back to Hardees when Mr. Faw and his business partner started the Bojangle’s Restaurant chain. Although he sold his interest in the original Bojangle’s company in the 1980’s, he still owned three Bojangle’s franchises. Other franchise food service operations he owned include Arby’s, Subway and Taco Bell. All of these units are located in the Foothills and Piedmont section of North Carolina.

After the sale of Lowe’s Food Stores, Inc., Mr. Faw formed Fast Track, Inc., a chain of convenience stores located in the Piedmont and Foothills sections of North Carolina. Fast Track currently operates 13 convenience stores and primarily markets Shell petroleum products. In addition to conventional convenience store operations, Fast Tracks also operates co-branded franchise operations with several well known food fanchisers. The real estate for most of the Fast Track stores was developed and owned by Mr. Faw.

In 1984, Mr. Faw started a motel operation which was later incorporated as Addison Properties, Inc., jointly owned by Mr. Faw and his son, James Clayton Faw. Over the years several franchised hotel properties were acquired and later sold.

Although Mr. Faw had been involved in new and used automobile operations on a small scale throughout his career, in the late 1980’s he and another individual acquired the dealership for Cadillac, Oldsmobile and other General Motors products located in Elkin. That dealership was operated profitably until it was sold in 1991. Mr. Faw and his partner then acquired the dealership in Wilkes County, that had the franchises for Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, GM Trucks, Dodge and Nissan. In 1992, Mr. Faw acquired his partner’s interest in that dealership with his son under the corporate name of Premier Chevrolet Buick, Inc. Mr. Faw also owned Auto USA, Inc., the Wilkes County dealer for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep.

Mr. Faw’s real estate development endeavors began primarily with strip shopping centers and Lowe’s Food Stores being the anchor tenant, and these activities expanded over the years to include the construction of a number of other commercial and residential properties. These properties include shopping centers, warehouses, restaurants, motels, hotels, residential subdivisions, office buildings, convenience stores and automobile dealerships. This development has been accomplished both through the use of general contractors as well as through the use of sub-contractors with Mr. Faw serving as his own general contractor.

In March 2017, Mr. Faw was selected Citizen of the Year by the Rotary Club of North Wilkesboro.

During his introduction of Faw, club member Joe McMillan said, “When you step back and look at all of Mr. Faw’s accomplishments over the past 60-plus years of doing business here in our great county, it is only fair to say that this man truly, truly is a legend.”

Barry Bush, who has worked for Faw for more than 25 years, spoke of the effect Faw had on his family, long before he ever went to work for him. He recounted a story of his grandfather, Henry Bauguss, who was a printer and sign painter, who for many years painted the window banners for many of Faw’s Lowe’s Food stores. Bush said that his grandfather was always appreciative of that work and his treatment by Faw personally, saying that, the sign work he did for Lowe’s helped him buy a home and educate both his daughters.

Bush went on to detail stories of his longtime relationship in real estate with Faw, stories sprinkled with humor as well as an obviously sincere affection.

According to Bush, some of Faw’s businesses, in addition to grocery stores, Faw had built and operated a wide variety of homegrown and franchised enterprises, including: Pantry Pride, Run-Ins, FastTrack, Hardee’s, Bojangle’s, Shoney’s, Tipton’s, Holiday Inn, Addison Motor Inn, College Park Cinema, Taco Bell, McAlister’s Deli, Drug World, AutoRack, Rather’s Famous Chicken and Biscuits, Movie Max, the Empire auto dealerships, as well as real estate ventures in West Wood Hills, Shannon Park, Ravenwood, Meadowview, Ridgecrest, Fox Run, The Greens, and The Oaks- One, Two and Three.

McMillan said that the variety of businesses Faw has run and his ability to “multitask” made him unique.

He added that he first met Faw when he went to work for a dairy in Wilkes 57 years ago. He was needing a place to live and was told to call Faw.

“I made that call and Faw had just what I needed,” McMillan said.

He said Faw was also community minded.

“As Mr. Faw grew his businesses he did a lot of good things for other communities as well as his own, especially when he took his commercial development enterprises into other cities and states,” McMillan said.

He went on to add that one of the best things Faw has done for Wilkes County is the development along U.S. 421 in Wilkesboro. “Some call it the Miracle Mile,” McMillan said. “All those businesses, just think about what they do for Wilkes County. There are literally hundreds of jobs in all those businesses combined.”

McMillan continued, “To see the gold mine. To see what could take place with some proper development, this man had the expertise to make it happen, and he made it happen. What a success story.”

Joining Faw the evening he received the Rotary Club award was his wife, Judy, son, Jim, and wife, Sandy, daughter, Diane, her husband, Monty Shaw, and two ladies who help Faw: Kenya Bailey and Keeya Gibbs.

After receiving his plaque from Rotarian Charles Bentley, Faw spoke briefly, thanking the club for the honor and reflecting on his more than 60 years in business.

Charles Avery Gilliam

Charles Avery Gilliam, age 88, of Ronda passed away Sunday, June 30, 2019 at his home. Mr. Gilliam was born February 12, 1931 to Don Spurgon Gilliam and Myrtle Clementine Harris Gilliam.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Bobbie Ann Green Gilliam; three brothers, D. Flake and wife Evelyn, Robert, and infant brother Rex; two sisters Norma Casstevens and husband Gray, and Kathleen Pardue and husband Glenn.

Mr. Gilliam is survived by his daughters, Jan Gilliam, Ann Deal and husband Thomas; grandsons, Charles “Chas” Deal and wife Hannah, Christopher Deal; brother-in-law O.L. “Lonnie” Brown and wife Dottie; sister-in-law, Dot Gilliam; several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Mr. Gilliam served in the US Army in England from 1951 – 1953 and was a lifelong member of Bethel Baptist Church.

Mr. Gilliam ran Ronda Hardware for 46 years. He helped establish the Ronda Fire Department and served as chief for 27 years. He played a supporting role in helping secure the building of the “new” Ronda bridge and bringing a branch of Yadkin Valley Bank to Ronda.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, July 6 at Bethel Baptist Church with Dr. Steve Fowler officiating. Burial followed with Military Honors by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10346 Honor Guard in the church cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Charles “Chas” Deal, Christopher Deal, Todd Gilliam, Jeff Pardue, Lonnie Brown, Danny Mathis, Mike Johnson, and Mike Nichols. Honorary pallbearers will be John Drum and members of the Ronda Fire Department.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Bethel Baptist Church, 2178 Bethel Rd., Ronda, NC 27670 or Ronda Fire Department, PO Box 12164, Ronda, NC 29670.

Since Charles was an avid story teller, the family grew up loving stories and would appreciate any memories that others may have of him or his wife Bobbie Ann; Ronda Hardware, the Ronda Fire Department; or life in Ronda. Memories may be sent to the Gilliam Family, PO Box 306, Ronda, NC 28670 or email [email protected]

Junior Johnson

The last American Hero is gone.

NASCAR legend Robert Glenn “Junior” Johnson died Friday, Dec. 20, under hospice care in Charlotte. He was 88.

Junior Johnson, who was born in raised in Ronda, cut his teeth driving fast cars filled with illicit moonshine through the back roads of western North Carolina. He entered racing at an early age.

Mike Staley of Wilkes, the son of Enoch Staley — a charter member of NASCAR and former owner of the North Wilkesboro Speedway — said his father saw potential in the young moonshine runner.

“Junior and Dad were good friends and went way back,” Staley said. “When he (Johnson) was about 16, my dad picked him up. Junior was working in a field, plowing behind a mule. My dad told him they needed a driver for a race. Junior went with him to the track, got in the car and took off.”

Staley added that his father and Johnson remained good friends up until the time of Enoch Staley’s death in 1995

Racing was in Johnson’s blood. His first NASCAR race was in 1953 where he ran in the Southern 500 at Darlington, S.C. His first checkered flag came in 1955 at Hickory Motor Speedway. Appropriately enough, his final victory came at the North Wilkesboro Speedway during the 1965 Wilkes 400.

He ran 313 races over his 14-year driving career, taking a total of 50 wins, 148 top 10 finishes and 46 poles. His last race was in 1966 in the American 500 at Rockingham.

His achievements in the sport of racing include:

Winner of the 1960 Daytona 500;

Six-time Winston Cup Series Owner’s Championship with Cale Yarborough (1976, 1977 and 1978) and Dale Waltrip (1981, 1982 and 1985);

Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998;

International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee in 1990;

Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee in 1991;

NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee in 2010.

About their father’s passing, Junior Johnson’s children wrote:

“Friday afternoon, Junior Johnson passed away peacefully with those he loved nearby. To the world, he was the ‘Last American Hero,’ but to us he was simply Dad. Our time with him barely overlapped with his racing career, but he gave us the last, and greatest, laps of his life. No amount of time, no matter how long, could have ever been enough to spend together. He never missed a night of telling us 'I love you’ before bedtime, or how proud he was that we were becoming the people he’d raised us to be. He was a courageous man, a generous friend, a loving and dedicated husband, and the best father anyone could’ve asked for. He lives on through us, the many lives he touched, and in the sport to which he gave so much. We would like to thank everyone who has reached out or shared a kind story about our Dad, and we are deeply grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of support. It has been a comfort to us all during this difficult time. We love you. Dad, Sissy and Robert.”

NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley said in a statement: “It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Junior Johnson on behalf of the Johnson family. First and foremost, everyone at the NASCAR Hall of Fame offers our most sincere condolences to Lisa, Robert, Meredith and the entire family. We have lost one of NASCAR’s true pioneers, innovators, competitors and an incredible mechanical and business mind. And personally, I have lost one of my dearest friends. While we will miss Junior mightily, his legacy and memory will forever be remembered, preserved, celebrated and cherished at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and in the hearts and minds of race fans around the world. Please join us in remembering and celebrating Robert Glenn Johnson Jr.”

NASCAR CEO and Chairman, Jim France stated: “Junior Johnson truly was the ‘Last American Hero.’ From his early days running moonshine through the end of his life, Junior wholly embodied the NASCAR spirit. He was an inaugural NASCAR Hall of Famer, a nod to an extraordinary career as both a driver and team owner. Between his on-track accomplishments and his introduction of Winston to the sport, few have contributed to the success of NASCAR as Junior has. The entire NASCAR family is saddened by the loss of a true giant of our sport, and we offer our deepest condolences to Junior’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

Mike Staley, as did his father, considered Junior Johnson to be a friend.

“I was invited several times to eat breakfast with him. I enjoyed the time I spent with him. It was great. It was a lot of fun.”

And Johnson never forgot his roots.

Staley said, “He was loyal to Wilkes County and the people who got him where he was.”

Julius A. Rousseau Jr.

The Honorable Julius A. Rousseau Jr., 88, retired senior resident Superior Court judge for the 23rd Judicial District (Wilkes, Ashe, Alleghany and Yadkin counties), died Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, at Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home in Winston-Salem.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at noon Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, at First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro, with Dr. Tim Roberts and Dr. William T. Medlin, III officiating . The Rousseau family will receive friends following the service in the Faith Center.

Born in North Wilkesboro on Dec. 3 1930, Judge Rousseau was the son of the Honorable Julius A. and Gertrude Hall Rousseau. Julius A. Rousseau Sr. was an N.C. Superior Court judge from 1935-1958. Combined, the father and son served as N.C. Superior Court judges for more than 50 years.

The younger Judge Rousseau was also an emergency Superior Court judge, a part-time position appointed by the governor, from 1999-2015. He first became a judge when named to fill the unexpired term of Resident Senior Superior Court Judge Robert M. Gambill in 1972. He was subsequently elected to eight-year terms in 1974, 1982, and 1990. He had the longest tenure of any Superior Court judge in the state when he retired in late 1998.

He and the former Gary Maxwell were married in August 1955, and they had one son, Julius A. Rousseau III, an attorney in New York City, who is married to Sharon Campbell Rousseau. The couple lived in Wilkesboro until they moved to Arbor Acres United Methodist Retirement Community in Winston-Salem a few years ago.

Judge Rousseau is survived by his wife, son and daughter-in-law, adopted grandchildren; Daniel, Jay and Stephanie Shinaman, Neal and Jackson Smith and special friends; Dr. and Mrs. Brad Shinaman and Mr. and Mrs. Brian Smith.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters, Nelle Rousseau Bailey, Frances Rousseau Alspaugh and Nancy Rousseau Kern.

Judge Rousseau graduated from North Wilkesboro High School in 1949, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where he played football as a walk-on) with an undergraduate degree in 1953 and from the UNC School of Law in 1956.

He had a solo law practice in North Wilkesboro from 1956-1962, and was a partner in Moore & Rousseau in Wilkesboro from 1963 until 1972, when he became a Superior Court judge. Judge Rousseau was chairman of the Wilkes County Democratic Party Executive Committee from 1961-1968.

Judge Rousseau was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro, where he served on the church’s board of trustees and was a member of the Men’s Bible Class. He also was a member of the North Wilkesboro Kiwanis Club and North Wilkesboro’s Elks Lodge.

He served for about 20 years with other trial judges on the state’s Pattern Jury Instruction Committee, a volunteer body that creates annual supplements to judges’ instructions to juries, based on changes in statutory and case law. He also was president of the N.C. Conference of Superior Court Judges.

He was a member of the committee that designed the current Wilkes County Courthouse in Wilkesboro, which opened the same year he retired as a senior resident Superior Court judge.

N.C. Supreme Court Justice Sarah Parker presented Judge Rousseau the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of top awards given by the governor, in 2012.

In a newspaper interview in late 1998, Judge Rousseau said he simply wanted to be remembered as fair. He continued, “I’ve tried to be the best judge I know how….to do what is right regardless of who or what a person was. I made some people mad in the process, but I have been able to put my head down and go to sleep each night.”

The family request that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Wilkes ADAP PO Box 968 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659, First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro Memorial Fund PO Box 1145 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 or to the Donor’s Choice.

Conrad Shaw

Conrad Shaw, a well known educator, civic leader and WWII Marine Corps veteran died on Saturday, Aug. 31.

The following is his obituary.

Dr. Conrad Aldean Shaw, Sr. age 94, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday Aug. 31, 2019.

He was born on Nov. 30, 1924, in Alleghany County. He was preceded in death by his parents, Martin H. and Recie McKnight Shaw, and his brother, Dwight M. Shaw.

He is survived by his wonderful wife of 73 years, Elizabeth (Lib), who he met at Appalachian State University and married on Dec. 21, 1945; son, Conal, and Annette Shaw of Roanoke, Va.; daughter, Cathy, and Steve Snipes of North Wilkesboro; granddaughter, Catherine, and Mac Marlow of Roanoke, Va.; grandson, Jonathan, and Stacie Shaw of Richmond, Va.; granddaughter, Laura, and David Brooks of Wilkesboro; granddaughter, Rachel, and Eric Sutphin of Concord; great grandson, Nathaniel Marlow of Roanoke, Va.; great granddaughter, Olivia Marlow of Roanoke, Va.; great granddaughter, Caroline Shaw of Richmond, Va.; great grandsons, Connor and Corbin Brooks of Wilkesboro; foster great grandbaby, Isabella; a sister, Wynnogene Day of Savannah, Ga.; a brother, Kyle, and Barbara Shaw of Houston, Texas.

Dr. Shaw was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having served three years, two of which were in the South Pacific (New Calidonia, Gudalcanal, and Okinawa).

Dr. Shaw and his wife, Elizabeth, and son, Conal, moved to North Wilkesboro in August 1948 to teach business subjects at North Wilkesboro High School. After four years in that position, Dr. Shaw became principal of North Wilkesboro Elementary School (grades one through eight) in 1952 as North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro High Schools merged into Wilkes Central High School. He served as principal for 14 years.

When Wilkes Community College opened its doors for multi-classes on July 1, 1966 in the Wilkesboro Primary School Building, college President Dr. Howard Thompson invited him to join him in the position of Business Officer for the college. The responsibilities consisted of accounting and budgeting of finances, and plant and grounds management. The new college facilities, consisting of three buildings, were completed in April 1970. Dr. Shaw oversaw growth of the college. It went from zero to eight buildings, 2,200 students, and 90 acres of land.

In 1972, Dr. Shaw and four other Community College Business Officers and the State Community Director of Finance were the founding officers of the Association of Community College Business Officers, ACCBO. The ACCBO meetings throughout the state enabled the officers to learn more as the new North Carolina Community College System progressed. Dr. Shaw served as president of ACCBO in 1974-75.

Dr. Shaw’s educational career spanned 47 years, all of which were in Wilkes County. He earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts from Appalachian State University, and a Doctor of Education from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He also took courses at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Florida State. In 1994, Dr. Shaw was chosen as the Outstanding College Business Officer of Region XI, which included North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia.

Other life contributions included service at First Baptist Church of North Wilkesboro as Sunday School teacher, Sunday School Superintendent, President of the Men’s Brotherhood, Director of the Baptist Training Union (BTU), Deacon beginning in 1952, Chairman of the Board of Deacons several times, Chairman of the Building Renovation Committee for the educational building, and was named Deacon Emeritus in 2017. He loved the church and loved serving the Lord.

The North Wilkesboro Lions Club was Dr. Shaw’s civic love, having almost 100 percent attendance since 1952. He served in a number of positions including the office of president in 1973-74 and 2000-2001. He was named the Rotary Club’s Citizen of the Year in March of 2019. His hobbies included collecting antique radios, and he and Mrs. Shaw were members in the western square dance club, the Tory Oak Twirlers for 31 years. He enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and to many other countries with friends since his retirement from the college in 1995.

The family received friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019, at Reins Sturdivant Funeral Home. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 2, 2019, in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church of North Wilkesboro, with Dr. Bert Young and Rev. Steve Snipes officiating. A private burial was held at Scenic Memorial Gardens.

Tracy Walker

Former Wilkes County commissioner, school board member and N.C. representative Tracy Walker, died Monday, Oct. 14, 2019.

He passed away at N.C. Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem.

Walker, of Wilkesboro, was born July 27, 1939, to the Rev. Frank and Margie Walker. He was a Republican who represented the state’s 94th House district, including constituents in Wilkes County, in 1998, and again from 2001 to 2008.

He served on the Wilkes County Board of Education from 1972 to 1976 and on the Wilkes County Board of Commissioners from 1978 to 1996.

He was a retired human resources manager at Chatham Manufacturing in Elkin.

With ties to Elkin and eastern Wilkes because of his position at Chatham, Rebel Good, publisher of The Tribune in Elkin, said that many residents of eastern Wilkes considered Walker as being “their” commissioner.

In 1996, Walker was the Republican nominee for North Carolina Commissioner of Labor but lost the election to incumbent Harry Payne, a Democrat.

Walker also served for several years on the Wilkes Economic & Development Commission, beginning in 2001.

Walker was in the U.S. Air Force from 1955 to 1959, rising to the rank of Airman 2nd Class.

Walker is survived by his wife, Nena of the home, and sons Kirk Walker of North Wilkesboro, and Randy Walker of Wilkesboro.

At press time, funeral arrangements were not available. Check our website at http://www.therecordandthursdayprinting.com/ for updates. Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home is assisting the Walker family.

The following is the formal obituary

Mr. R. Tracy Walker, age 82 of Wilkesboro passed away Monday, October 14, 2019 at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Funeral services were held at Reins-Sturdivant Chapel with Rev. Steve Smith officiating. Burial with Military Honors by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1142 will be in Mtn. Park Cemetery in Wilkesboro. The family will received friends at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home.

Mr. Walker was born July 27, 1937 in Wilkes County to Charles Frank. Sr.and Margie Lou Adams Walker.

Mr. Walker had 30 years of public service. He served 8 years in Raleigh in the NC House of Representatives and was a Wilkes County Commissioner for 18 years. He also served on the Wilkes County School Board for 4 years. He was retired Personnel Manager at Chatham Manufacturing and a member of Wilkesboro Baptist Church and First Light Church.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a grandson; Ryan Thomas Walker and a brother; Charles Frank Walker, Jr. (Pee-Wee).

He is survived by his wife; Nena Watkins Walker of the home, two sons; Randy Walker and wife Shannon of Wilkesboro and Kirk Walker and wife Kim of North Wilkesboro, four grandchildren; Chad Walker and wife Megan, Caitlin Walker, Brandon Walker and wife Ashley and Whitney Nolan and husband Chris and six great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to First Light Church, PO Box 2071, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 or Donor’s Choice.

On Line condolences may be made at www.reinssturdivant.com

Patricia Lynn Worth

Patricia Lynn Worth, age 59, of Sparta, N.C., passed away Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019 at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, N.C.

She was born Nov. 5, 1959 in Ashe County, N.C., to June Weaver Worth and the late Will Allen Worth. She was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Journalism.

Lynn is survived by her mother, June Weaver Worth of Jefferson, N.C.; two brothers: Thomas Worth and wife Cynthia of Oak Ridge, N.C., Phil Worth and wife Les of Grassy Creek, N.C.; a special niece, Ellen Worth of Arizona; a special nephew, Andrew Worth of South Korea; her furry canine kids: Punky, Belle,and Red along with Tux the cat and his buddies of the home.

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Rugby World Cup final: Siya Kolisi, South Africa's first black captain & legacy of 1995

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/rugby-world-cup-final-siya-kolisi-south-africas-first-black-captain-legacy-of-1995/

Rugby World Cup final: Siya Kolisi, South Africa's first black captain & legacy of 1995

Kolisi was born one day before South Africa’s apartheid laws were officially repealed in 1991

You walk out in a Springbok jersey as a player and you feel history on your back and by your side.

You stand as South Africa’s captain in a World Cup final and the weight is greater across your shoulders and the ghosts crowd in all around.

Francois Pienaar hoisting the Webb Ellis Cup at Ellis Park in 1995, Nelson Mandela alongside him in his own green number six jersey, happy like a kid who has just scored his first try. John Smit at the Stade de France in Paris 12 years on, left hand around the old gold pot, right hand linked with Mandela’s successor Thabo Mbeki.

Twelve years more have passed. Now it is the turn of Siya Kolisi to walk that path. The first black man to captain the Springboks, a kid from nowhere who hopes to go where none have gone before.

Rugby matters in many places around the world, but only in South Africa can it change the nation around it. Captains and presidents, politics and power, new dreams and old scars.

“It was iconic when Francois lifted the World Cup with Madiba, and it was amazing to be able to do it myself with Thabo,” says Smit.

“But if Siya touches that trophy on Saturday… I tell you, it will be a far greater moment than 1995. Far greater. It would change the trajectory of our country.”

That Kolisi has made it this far is a story of stoicism and self-belief. Born to teenage parents in the poor township of Zwide, just outside Port Elizabeth on the Eastern Cape, he was brought up by his grandmother, who cleaned kitchens to make ends meet.

Bed was a pile of cushions on the living-room floor. Rugby was on dirt fields. When he went to his first provincial trials he played in boxer shorts, because he had no other kit.

His father Fezakel was a centre, his grandfather a player of pace too. Aged 12, the young Kolisi was spotted by Andrew Hayidakis, a coach at the exclusive private school Grey, and offered a full scholarship.

When you are from Zwide you step into this other world when the chance comes, but you never leave your old life behind. Kolisi’s mother died when he was 15, his grandmother shortly afterwards. When Smit’s team was beating England in that World Cup final of 2007, the 16-year-old Kolisi was watching it in a township tavern because there was no television at home.

South Africa beat England 15-6 in the 2007 World Cup in Paris

“His story is unique,” Hanyani Shimange, former Springboks prop, told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

“Previous generations of black rugby players were not given the same opportunities, purely because of South Africa’s laws. He’s living the dream of people who weren’t given the same opportunities as him.

“He’s grabbed those opportunities. He’s a good man, a humble individual.

“He’s got a lot of time for people, probably too much time in some instances. But he’s the same Siya he was six years ago. He loves rugby, and the team loves him.”

Kolisi began at school as a small but mobile flanker, good with the ball in hand, learning to be smarter than the stronger kids around him. When a growth spurt kicked in and he got big there was power to go with the finesse.

As a loose forward he is a significant asset to a Springbok team that at this World Cup has battled through to the final rather than dazzled. Saturday will bring his 50th cap, and his 20th as captain. His impact is far greater than simply what he does on the pitch because of all that has come before.

“I do not care how the Springboks team does. It is not a reflection of the nation. It is not our team. I support the All Blacks instead. We don’t support the national team, because it is a white South African team. It is not a true South African team.”

That was Zola Ntlokoma, secretary of Soweto Rugby Club, talking to me before England played South Africa at Twickenham five years ago. It was not an uncommon view, because for all the iconography and sweet symmetry of 1995, its wider effect quickly leached away.

Integration of black players crawled along rather than accelerated. The World Cup win gave the impression that little more needed doing, and so little was.

When the Springboks triumphed in Johannesburg 24 years ago there was just one black player, Chester Williams, in the starting XV. By the time of their second World Cup win in 2007, there were still only two.

In some corners of South African life, the story of 1995 feels old and frayed. When Williams wrote his autobiography he accused fellow winger James Small of using racially abusive language towards him in a domestic cup match after that World Cup win. Small, who said he had “no independent recollection of the incident”,in turn felt an outsider even in victory because his native tongue was English rather than Afrikaans.

Small – often angry at the world, brilliant at his best, the man who helped keep Jonah Lomu tryless in that final – died of a heart attack aged 50 in June this year. Williams went the same way last month aged 49, the fourth player from that storied team – after flanker Ruben Kruger and virtuoso scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen – to go at an untimely age.

Kolisi stands as a critical link between the past and future. He was born on 16 June 1991, one day before the repeal of apartheid – brutal laws that enforced discrimination against black people in every aspect of their lives. Separate land. Separate public transport. Separate schools.

Kolisi was there at Small’s funeral. Williams’ image was on the shirts his team wore for their World Cup opener against the All Blacks. In Kolisi’s team, the legacy of that old generation is tangible.

In the starting XV that beat Wales in Sunday’s semi-final there were six black players: wingers S’busiso Nkosi and Makazole Mapimpi, centre Lukhanyo Am, prop Tendai Mtawarira, hooker Bongi Mbonambi, and Kolisi. Of Rassie Erasmus’s squad of 31, 11 are black.

The lesson of 1995 was that transformation is more complicated than a single iconic image. The challenge that lies for the next group of players and administrators will be to create a wider pathway from undernourished grassroots to the elite.

Mandela handing the Rugby World Cup to Pienaar in 1995 – an iconic image of South African sport

Picking up occasional gems has worked. Kolisi made the jump. Mapimpi is also from the Eastern Cape, and did not go through the private school system. He still made it. There are other black kids, those who don’t get the scholarships or find the eyes of a roving talent scout, who are still slipping through the net.

“If Mapimpi hadn’t been in an area where rugby is strong and he was given the chance to play and be signed by other teams, the chances are we would never have seen him,” says Shimange.

“It would have taken someone to go and scout him and spot the talent in him and then give him the chance to perform at the highest level.

“But we had generations of people who couldn’t play for the Springboks, who weren’t allowed to watch the Springboks, and now you have Siya running out there with his 15 men.

“Even the thought is incredible. It’s why the most important person for the country for those 80 minutes on Saturday is going to be Siya Kolisi.”

Back in Zwide, preparations are ongoing for a weekend of World Cup parties. The tavern where the teenage Kolisi watched his first final will be open once again. The skipper is only 28, but already he is changing his old home forever.

“During the apartheid time, we could never look forward to a moment like this, because of our colour,” says Freddie Makoki, president of Zwide United rugby club, who played with Kolisi’s father and grandfather and watched the young Siya grow.

“We had so many players who could have captained the Springboks, but because of their colour they couldn’t.

“Sport can bring people together in this country. There are places you can’t walk at night, because of criminals. Sport is the only vehicle that can change that. If you take those boys and put them in sport it can change them and it can change our society.

“Siya has been an incredible role model for children here. Whenever he comes to visit you’ll see the youngsters coming out to see him. Everyone in the townships wants to be closer to him.

“He is a son of our soil. If you could have seen how full the taverns were for the semi-final you would not believe it. All of these people are now supporting the Springboks.

“It makes me so proud to see him in the Springbok jersey, to see the crowds at the game, calling out ‘Siya! Siya!’

“You can see it in the faces of the people of this country how much it meant to have Siya as captain. He is a true hero of modern South Africa.”

Kolisi’s father is flying out to Japan to watch the biggest game of his son’s life. It is his first trip overseas.

So too is the country’s president. Cyril Ramaphosa called Kolisi on FaceTime after the win over Wales. Now he is coming in person. Captains and presidents, politics and power.

“Siya has more responsibility than I did or Francois did because he represents more people,” says Smit, who will also be in the Yokohama stadium, this time for SuperSport TV.

“Thanks to Madiba, Springbok rugby has been used almost in the opposite way to how it was used in the apartheid era. It’s a team that has been able to bring people together. It’s grown the country through its ability to win.

“That’s the hard thing to explain to people outside South Africa – what a Springbok win in a World Cup has done in the past for unification, and us continuing on this road to democracy and a new pathway.

“That’s how important this is. Siya’s story about where he’s come from shows how far the country has come.”

And so Kolisi carries that weight on his shoulders. Dreams and messy pasts, old heroes and deep-rooted struggles.

Only a game, but so much more too. Ghosts all around him, a new future ahead.

“I will be wearing my Springbok jersey,” says 68-year-old Makoki, whose own career in the game was stunted by apartheid, who watched local heroes rise and fall short, who continues to nurse the sport in Zwide township.

“I’ll be thinking about going to OR Tambo airport when they come back with that trophy. If I can be one of those people there to welcome them back I will be truly happy.

“When the Springboks won that World Cup in 1995, it brought South Africa together. But this would be more, because we have a lot of players who are knocking at the Springbok door. We’d have a lot more black players playing rugby again.

“I’m telling you! It will be more, it will be more.

“A black president and black captain, from a small town on the Eastern Cape. I’m telling you – that can save our country.”

#black #first

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primatevacations-blog · 5 years

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See How You Can Book Your Dream Safari to Africa Without Making Advance Payment. This is Beautiful!

Africa has some the most beautiful places, parks, lakes cultures and people. Millions of travelers going to Africa for Safari rely on local contacts or the Internet to get first-hand information or make decisions on which countries to visit. How does it feel if you can book your dream safari to Africa with making advance payment? Isn’t it awesome? There are tens of thousands of companies across Africa. One company stands out because of their free in-house financial protection (See the name of recommended Safari company at the end of the article). You can fully book your Africa Safari without making any payment and pay later. Of course this is based on trust, and trust is what we all want. But first things first, here is a summary of some of Africa’s best places for Safari.

1. UGANDA — The Pearl of Africa

For anyone looking to discover some place beautiful and off the beaten track, Uganda is a top tourist destination with something for everyone. Uganda offers Africa as you’ve always imagined it — wild, verdant, beautiful, and just waiting to be explored. Uganda is very nearly the most complete safari destination in Africa — boasting both the Big Five, the enigmatic mountain gorillas, and the ever-popular chimpanzee. Uganda’s Big Five are represented across the country’s top ten national parks.

2. TANZANIA — The Wildebeest Capital of The World

Tanzanian safari allows you to explore some of the best National Parks in Africa; Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire National Park. Thousands of tourists visit Tanzania every year. Thousands more planning their safari to Africa are wondering whether to choose a Tanzania Safari. It’s hard to totally narrow down why every traveler should visit Tanzania when there is so much to see. Tanzania is a country with unbeatable natural resources, stunning landscapes, spectacular wildlife, historical and cultural riches, watersports, wildebeest migration in Serengeti, highest mountain in Africa and the deepest lake in Africa.

3. SOUTH AFRICA — Africa’s Best

South Africa is one of the famous Safari destinations in the world. The Kruger National Park is the most famous Big 5 destination in the country but South Africa also has a growing selection of superb game parks and private reserves.

South Africa’s varied terrain allows you to spot desert-adapted dwellers like pangolin or anteaters in Tswalu in the heart of the Kalahari. You can spend time in the Cape Winelands, exploring the beautiful estates, sampling award-winning wines in cool cellars and on vine-covered patios, and sampling some of the world’s best cuisine in its sumptuous restaurants.

4. RWANDA — The Land of a Thousand Hills

Rwanda is situated in the African great lakes region. Rwanda has healed the wounds from a devastating genocide more than two decades ago, it has emerged as one of East Africa’s premier travel destinations. Rwanda is one of only three places in the world where you can trek some of the world’s remaining 880 mountain gorillas. Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is the most famous destination in Rwanda. It has become synonymous with mountain gorilla trekking safaris and no visit to the country would be complete without visiting these majestic primates.

5. KENYA — The Magical Country

Kenya is known as the safari capital of the world because of its amazing wildlife, beaches, birds and weather. Visitors to Kenya are spoiled for choice — you can choose to visit any or all of the twenty three national parks or the thirteen national reserves. Millions of travelers go to Kenya to witness the Great Migration or chase the Big Five. The ‘Big 5’ — the elephant, rhinoceros, lion, leopard, and cape buffalo — can all be found in Kenya’s parks, with other popular animals such as the giraffe, cheetah, and zebras. Kenya is a great country for a day safari or a multi-park tour. Headlined by the world renowned Masai Mara National Park, some of its parks located mere hours from the city center.

6. EGYPT — Culture and the Pyramids

Egypt is a spectacularly beautiful country filled with cultural gems. Egypt has abundance of ancient historical sites, bustling cities and one of the best water-sport destinations on the planet. The Middle Eastern countries are very well-known for their hospitality and Egypt is no exception. Egyptians love their country passionately and will do everything they can to make you feel welcome. Go anywhere else in Egypt though and you will meet some of the kindest people in the world who will always have a cup of tea for you. The locals are definitely one of the best reasons to visit Egypt.

7. MALAWI — Endless Beauty

Malawi may be one of Africa’s smallest countries but when it comes to exploration and adventure, it has tremendous amounts to offer; from grasslands and forests, mountaintops, unspoilt wildlife parks to Africa’s third largest and most beautiful Lake! Situated on the Great Rift Valley, Malawi is dominated by Lake Malawi, a magnificent body of water, 365 miles long and 52 miles wide (hence sometimes referred to as the calendar lake!). It’s teaming with life including over 400 species of cichlid fish, a lot of which are endemic to it. Most of Lake Malawi’s astounding underwater diversity is protected within the Lake Malawi National Park which is a World Heritage site and also one of the first in the world set aside for the protection of freshwater fish.

COME, LET’S GO TO AFRICA

An African safari is something that everyone should experience at least once. It offers the chance to let go of the pressures of everyday life and embrace instead the primal call of the wild. It’s a chance to see unique flora and fauna in its natural habitat, and to find yourself uplifted by the breathtaking scenery of the African savannah. African safaris are available to everyone. As in, they are cheaper than any other form of international travel.

USE A LOCAL OPERATOR

No matter where you go, local tour guides and safari companies offer better rates than international companies. In particular, choosing a local operator can be a great way to keep costs reasonable. In addition to the lower cost, the pros of booking locally include an increased chance of last-minute availability. Primate Vacations, an East Africa based Safari Company offers free financial protection. Over the last five years, they have diligently arranged safaris across East Africa for hundreds of travelers.

FINANCIAL PROTECTION BY PRIMATE VACATIONS

Primate Vacations does not only let you book your Safari without making any payment but they offer the best trips prices to even those that have their heart set on East African high-end destinations like the Serengeti or the Maasai Mara. They have unique tours, itineraries, stunning locations, small groups, quality Tour Guides and never cancel trips due to low participation. Most exiting is that this folks can now take your bookings without any payments. Doesn’t give you security and peace of mind in knowing that your travel plans are guaranteed. Your dream safari can be confirmed with one click, without payment, and pay later. Check out some of their tour that you can book without advance payment. Click in any of the options below.

1. 4 Day Gorilla Trekking Tour and Safari in Rwanda — Rwanda

2. 5 Day Masai Mara and Lake Naivasha National Park Safari — Kenya

3. 11 Day Kenya and Tanzania Luxury Wildlife Viewing Safari — Kenya and Tanzania

4. 9 Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking and Tanzania Wildlife Viewing Safari — Rwanda and Tanzania

5. 4 Day Gorilla Trekking Tour and Safari in Uganda — Uganda

6. 11 Day Luxury Tanzania Wildlife and Zanzibar Beach Holiday — Zanzibar and Tanzania main land

7. 10 Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee Trekking and Wildlife Viewing Safari — Uganda

Sharing is caring; please share this article with friends and on social media.

Enjoy your Safari!

#vacation #Africa safari #uganda safari #gorillatrekking #kenya tour packages #serengeti #zanzibar #ecotourism trips #rwandatour #wildlife

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laraehrlich-blog · 5 years

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Original content owned & copyrighted by Green Global Travel.

Lanky, awkward, affectionate, and endearing… you’d be hard pressed to find someone who’s not intrigued by Giraffes. These evolutionary marvels, which get their name from the Arabic word Zarafa (“one who walks swiftly”), are statuesque wonders of elegant beauty.

Native to their numbers are declining fast due to poaching and habitat loss, with the Giraffe population in Africa dropping by 40%. They’re also preyed upon by added to the IUCN’s Endangered Species List, with several subspecies currently listed as critically endangered. So here’s a look at 50 fascinating facts about Giraffes, including the most common subspecies, their diets, and what’s being done to save them.

READ MORE: Animals in Kenya (A Guide to 40 Species)

Basic Giraffe Facts

Giraffe Neck & Body Facts

Giraffe Mating & Gestation

Giraffe Diet

Masai Giraffe

Reticulated Giraffe

Rothschild’s Giraffe

Why are Giraffes Endangered?

Giraffe Conservation

Fun Giraffe Facts

Giraffe in Nairobi National Park, Kenya

FACTS

1. Though once believed to be a single species, four distinct Giraffe species are now recognized: the Southern Giraffe, Masai Giraffe, Reticulated Giraffe, and Northern Giraffe. They’re classified based on their color, patterns, and geographical regions they inhabit. There are also several subspecies, including the Angolan Giraffe, Nubian Giraffe, West African Giraffe, Rothschild Giraffe, and Kordofan Giraffe.

2. The earliest known giraffid, the Palaeotragus, lived approximately 20 million years ago. This prehistoric species was tall, but did not have as long a neck as Giraffes do now. Living in areas of barren soil led them to reach for leaves in the trees. After countless generations of stretching, they evolved genetically into the Giraffe we know today.

3. Female Giraffes are known as cows, while males are called bulls and baby Giraffes are calves. They’re classified as a species of the Artiodactyla order, along with about 220 other mammals. These (including Cows, Deer, Okapi. The black and white, Zebra-like legs of the Okapi can be deceiving. But a closer look at its head shows a striking resemblance to the Giraffe’s long ears and face.

5. Giraffes live together in herds with an average of 10 to 15 individuals. This helps them survive against predators, taking turns feeding while others look out for danger. Though they’re generally mild-mannered, an adult Giraffe can shatter a Lion’s skull with one powerful kick.

6. Hungry carnivores are not the only threatening creatures the Giraffe has to fear. In fact, the most dangerous ones are no larger than a seed. Tiny ticks feast on the Giraffe’s blood, leaving them weak and tired. Nematodes and flatworms can also be ingested through water, causing infections and skin disorders. Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park has observed 79% of its Giraffe population showing signs of infection.

7. Surviving in the harsh African READ MORE: Top 10 National Parks in Tanzania

Giraffe in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

NECK & BODY FACTS

8. The neck is obviously the species’ most distinctive physical trait, measuring up to six feet long and weighing around 600 pounds. The length of the Giraffe neck gives the illusion of a complex anatomical structure underneath. But these towering creatures have only seven neck vertebrae (just like humans!), each of which is about 10 inches long and connected with ball-and-socket joints for flexibility.

9. The Giraffe’s neck length requires huge, hot air balloon-like lungs, which are eight times the size of a human’s. However, they breathe at a much slower rate because of the “dead air” that gets caught in their long tracheas. So previous breaths are not fully released before the animal begins inhaling again.

10. The Giraffe is the tallest living mammal on Earth. Males grow to be about 18 feet tall. Females are slightly shorter than the males, but still reach a staggering height of 14 feet.

11. Giraffes have humongous hearts that weigh around 25 pounds, generating enough pressue to propel blood up through their long necks and into their brains. They also have special blood vessels that contain valves that help prevent the backtracking of blood from gravity.

12. The two horns that stick out of the Giraffe head are not real horns, but ossicones– a form of thick cartilage covered in skin. Baby Giraffes are born with flat ossicones to avoid injury during birth, but they grow as they mature into adults. Males have thicker ossicones, which they use in mating-related battles.

13. Giraffes are fairly quiet beings: They do have a larynx (a.k.a. voice box), but rarely use it. If they become alarmed, a simple snort is often used to alert the herd of a possible threat. They’re also known to produce a mild humming sound during the night, perhaps to help locate other herd members in the dark.

14. Everything about the Giraffe is long, including its luscious eyelashes. This helps to keep dust out of their big eyes, which are the size of golf balls. They sit laterally on the Giraffe’s head, providing them with keen eyesight. They can’t see in full color, but they do see shades of red, orange, yellow-green, and violet.

15. Animals with hoofed feet, such as the Giraffe, are known as ungulates. Each foot has two even hooves. Each of an adult Giraffe’s feet are about 12 inches wide. These large hooves give them stability and prevent them from sinking into loose sand.

16. Sometimes known “stink bulls,” Giraffes carry a not-so-pleasant odor. Their fur releases natural repellents like indole and 3-methylindole (the same compounds found in feces) to ward off insects and parasites. Researchers believe this pungent odor tells potential mates that they’re free of parasites.

17. Giraffes have also been spotted using their grapple-like tongue to pick their noses.

READ MORE: Exploring Magical Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Reticulated Giraffes in Meru National Park, Kenya

MATING & GESTATION

18. Male Giraffe necks are massive and powerful. To establish mating rights, bulls participate in a fighting ritual in which they swing their mighty necks like swords, delivering powerful blows by ramming their heads into each other’s bodies. Their heavy skulls are coated with calcium to shield their brains. Although it is very rare, there have been recorded deaths from these intense battles.

19. Female Giraffes mate with dominant males in hopes of passing on strong genes. They ovulate every two weeks, allowing for year-round Giraffe mating. Ovulating females release pheromones that attract males, who may sip her urine to confirm she’s ready to mate. The willing males will follow her to await her decision on who she wants to reproduce with.

20. Once successful Giraffe mating occurs, the the gestational period is approximately 15 months. The mother brings her a single baby into the world while standing up, causing the newborn to fall about six feet to the ground. The rough landing breaks the amniotic sac and umbilical cord, and encourages the baby Giraffe to start breathing.

21. Some Giraffes have been reported returning to the place where they were born to give birth.

22. Within an hour of birth, a baby Giraffe can get up and walk on its own. This is crucial so that it can quickly move with the herd in case a predator comes near. Even with its shaky, lanky legs, the newborn stands taller than most humans (about six feet) and weighs an average of 150 pounds.

23. Mothers are extremely protective of their young. They will form “nursery groups” with other females from the herd, taking turns watching over the extremely vulnerable baby Giraffes. Sadly, only about 20% of all Giraffes live to reach adulthood.

24. Although they’re not considered adults until age four, male calves will leave their mothers at around 15 months old and join all-male bachelor groups. They’ll contest for dominance while still coexisting peacefully. Once they’re ready for mating, dominant male Giraffes will visit a female herd.

READ MORE: Meru National Park, Kenya (From Joy Adamson to Elsa’s Kopje)

Masai Giraffe in Kruger National Park, South Africa

DIET

25. Baby Giraffes are very dependent on their mothers for the first 4 to 6 months, relying on their milk for nutrients. After that, the mother will pull leaves off trees to feed to them until they’re tall enough to reach their own. An adult Giraffe will typically consume about 66 pounds of food per day.

26. Giraffes possess an 18-inch prehensile tongue that can grip objects, much like a ruminants. Much like bovines (including Cows, Buffalo, and the READ MORE: How to Get the Most For Your Kruger National Park Entrance Fee

Masai Giraffe in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

30. Also known as the Kilimanjaro Giraffe, the Masai or

32. Although Tanzania has recently increased its declared endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

READ MORE: Maasai Mara Conservancies (Community-Based Conservation in Kenya)

Reticulated Giraffes in Lewa Conservancy, Kenya

33. If you’ve been to any 34. The subspecies’ appearance is distinguished by their wide, reddish, polygonal spots, which are outlined with bright white lines.

35. Unfortunately, Reticulated Giraffe habitat is facing destruction, causing them to disappear in the wild. Their current population is around 15,780 (less than half what it was 30 years ago), causing them to be added to the IUCN Red List of endangered species in 2018.

36.) Two completely white Reticulated Giraffes were spotted at Kenya’s Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy in 2017. The unusual mother-daughter duo have a genetic condition called leucism, which inhibits pigmentation in the skin cells. Only three of these incredibly rare white-skinned Giraffes have been reported in sightings by the READ MORE: Minnesota Zoo Conservation (How Zoos Help Endangered Species)

Rothschild’s Giraffe at Giraffe Centre in Nairobi, Kenya

ROTHSCHILD’S

37. The Rothschild’s Giraffe is named after famous British zoologist Walter Rothschild, who is best known for the collection now housed at the Natural History Museum at Tring.

38. The subspecies is also known as the Baringo Giraffe (after the Lake Baringo area of northern Kenya) or the Ugandan Giraffe. All remaining in the wild inhabit protected areas in these two regions. It was once believed that the Rothschild’s Giraffe and the Nubian Giraffe were completely different subspecies, but recent research has discovered that the two are genetically identical.

39. It’s easy to tell the Rothschild’s Giraffe from other subspecies. Their coat looks a bit like the Masai Giraffe, but with sandy skin and less jagged, caramel-colored patches that give them a more yellowish coloring. They also have no markings on the lower leg, and are the only Giraffes born with five ossicones, with smaller bumps in the center of its forehead and behind each ear.

40.) Rothschild’s Giraffe rank among the most endangered subspecies of Giraffes, with approximately 1,399 individuals remaining in the wild. Nairobi’s Giraffe Centre, run by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, is a great place to see these endangered beauties up close.

READ MORE: The Best Environmental Charities & Animal Charities to Donate To

Masai Giraffe in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

ARE S ENDANGERED?

41. In what’s being called a “silent extinction,” Giraffe population numbers dropped from 155,000 in 1985 to 97,000 in 2015, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Habitat destruction is the leading reason Giraffes are endangered. Rapid expansion of human development and the effects of war continue to fracture the various subspecies’ home lands.

42. Like most high-profile species of sub-saharan wildlife, Giraffes are also increasingly threatened by READ MORE: 15 Harmful Traditions & Cultural Practices Tourists Shouldn’t Support

Giraffe in Wild Rivers Nature Reserve in South Africa’s Greater Kruger Area

CONSERVATION

44. As recently as 2010, Giraffes were considered “Least Concern” in terms of conservation consideration by the IUCN. But by 2016 the entire species has been classified as Vulnerable, and may no longer exist in their historic habitat in Angola, Eritrea, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Senegal.

Fortunately, the UN-backed Convention of Migratory Species selected Giraffes for special protection in 2017. Today there are numerous sanctuaries and national parks all around the African continent that are striving to provide them with a safe haven.

Here’s a brief list of the major Giraffe conservation NGOs working to protect the beloved species for future generations:

• African Fund for Endangered Wildlife– The NGO behind Nairobi’s Giraffe Centre has a huge focus on educating kids from local communities about the importance of wildlife conservation. Their sanctuary is also a leading light in breeding endangered Rothschild’s Giraffes and releasing them into the wild.

• African Wildlife Foundation– The AWF works to educates local communities on sustainable agricultural practices in hopes of limiting human-animal conflict, as well as leading acacia planting projects in areas where Giraffe habitat has been deforested.

• Giraffe Conservation Alliance– This nonprofit organization works to connect people and zoos around the world to Giraffe conservation projects in Africa in hopes of ensuring a sustainable future for all Giraffe subspecies.

• The Giraffe Conservation Foundation– The GCF is the only NGO in the world that concentrates solely on the conservation and management of Giraffe in the wild throughout the African continent. They’re currently involved in conservation initiatives in 15 different countries.

• The Wildlife Conservation Society – The WCS monitors Giraffe populations to control habitat loss and poaching, as well as collaborating with other wildlife conservation groups on joint efforts.

READ MORE: Top 15 Female Wildlife Conservationists & Animal Rights Activists

Giraffe Rainbow in Nairobi National Park, Kenya

FACTS

45. Despite being herbivores, Giraffes oddly seem to enjoy chewing and sucking on bones (which is known as osteophag). They primarily pick on barren carcass remnants when their bodies are very low on nutrients. This supplies them with extra calcium and phosphorous in order to strengthen their bones, which is especially beneficial for males preparing for “necking” battles over mating rights.

46. Did you know that Giraffes are pollinators? They inadvertently collect pollen on their fur when rummaging through the trees. Much like bees

, they carry this pollen to other trees (especially acacias), allowing them to blossom. Other surprising pollinators include Bats, Rats, and even certain 50 Fascinating Facts About Giraffes appeared first on Green Global Travel.

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ianfaulkner1-blog · 5 years

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By Roxanne Reid Think African travel and chances are the first word that pops into your mind is safari. Much as I love wildlife and safari, there’s so much more to Africa than that. This collaborative post highlights some of the best African countries to visit for epic things to do, from scuba diving and surfing to hiking on the rim of a live volcano.

We’ve hiked and e-biked, camped out in a cave, ridden a motorbike and sidecar, crossed national parks on horseback and tracked desert-adapted rhino on foot. But of all our adventures and activities in southern Africa, these are some of my highlights. 1. Hot air ballooning over Sossusvlei, Namibia

We climbed into the basket of a hot air balloon among the sand dunes at Sossusvlei well before dawn, then floated up into the sky as pink started to flush the low clouds. We looked down on a dreamscape of sand dunes, mountains and fairy circles, watched the desert come to life. We even spotted wildlife like gemsbok, springbok and ostrich. Despite the noise and heat of the flame that whooshed every now and then to keep us afloat, it was an ethereal experience as we drifted with the wind towards the landing site. We had a ‘crash’ landing, which meant that the basket overturned but we’d prepared for that and landed safely on our backs, unhurt. We ended with a slap-up brunch and sparkling wine on a dune. It’s expensive, but find the money; this hot air balloon experience will live on in your memory forever. 2. Climbing a sand dune in Namibia

One of the most popular activities at Sossusvlei in the Namib-Naukluft Park is climbing a sand dune. These are 5 to 80 million years old and a rich red thanks to iron oxide in the sand. Dune 45 is one popular climb, but we tackled the higher, 320m Big Daddy dune for superb views over Dead Vlei – a white clay pan photographers love for its dead camel thorn trees. Although they’re 900 years old, these skeletons are still standing because there’s no moisture in the desert to rot them. Climbing a sand dune is tough slogging because your feet sink into the soft sand, but also a chance to focus on tracks and small creatures. I worried that walking on the dunes might damage them, but the wind sweeps the footsteps away within a day. Don’t rush to the top as fast as you can; rather linger to drink in the view and appreciate the moment. 3. Quad biking on the Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana

We explored the moonscape of the Makgadikgadi pans on quad bikes, sticking to existing trails so as not to damage the environment. It’s a featureless landscape, not a landmark on the horizon. The pans used to be lakes a million years ago, before tectonic movement formed a ridge to the west and water could no longer flow into them. When the lake water evaporated, it left behind salt and other condensed minerals. After the excitement of riding into the middle of nowhere, kicking up dust, we stopped to allow the silent sunset to creep over us. Once it was dark, the sky was a spectacular canopy of stars. If you do this trip with Planet Baobab, you can opt to sleep overnight on the pans and enjoy an uninterrupted view of every star in the southern hemisphere. 4. Flying over Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is on any Africa lover’s bucket list, a powerful display of tumbling water, rising spray and thundering noise. Thanks to the generosity of a friend, I got to fly in a helicopter over the Falls a few years back to get a bird’s eye view and appreciate just how big and powerful they are. The pilot made a few passes so everyone saw the spectacle from their side of the chopper and could take photographs, but still the 10-15min flight was over way too quickly. When David Livingstone approached Victoria Falls in his canoe back in the 19th century he could see the spray from miles away. He wrote, ‘Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.’ See them from the air and you’ll realise just how splendid this UNESCO World Heritage Site really is. 5. Canoeing the Zambezi River, Zimbabwe

Mana Pools and the Sapi Concession next door make up a true wilderness area in northern Zimbabwe. This is where to go for a walking safari, to see bull elephants stand on their back legs to reach into the trees for a tasty meal. It’s also where you can get into a canoe and paddle yourself down the Zambezi River to feel closer to what is truly the lifeblood of the area. You’re so quiet that you see lots of water birds, maybe hippos and crocs, or elephants forging across the water to an island to find food. Trust your guides to keep you safe. A late afternoon paddle lets you watch the changing colours of the sky at sunset, and the reflections in the water. 6. Ziplining through the Tsitsikamma Forest, South Africa

We went ziplining with Tsitsikamma Canopy Tours in one of the Garden Route’s indigenous forests, surrounded by huge yellowwoods, giant ferns and forest birds. We climbed to a wooden platform 30m above the forest floor and got the first anxious step off the platform and slide out of the way. After that it was all Tarzan-and-Jane fun zipping from tree to tree on the ten slides – the longest of them a thrilling 91m. Although there are 500 species of tree here, only the Cape hard pear and the giant Outeniqua yellowwood have been used for the platforms, which are built in a way that doesn’t damage the tree. Our guides briefed us well and helped us every step of the way; they also explained a bit about forest ecology between the slides. 7. Hiking in Kruger National Park, South Africa

A three-night Wilderness Trail in the Kruger National Park is one of the best ways to get an authentic bush experience. It’s not extreme hiking, more a twice daily nature immersion. It was a chance to explore untouched wilderness areas on foot where we didn’t have to obsess about the Big Five, though we did see elephant, lion and leopard on the Olifants Trail. Instead, we got excited about birds, tracks, broken bits of grass and what they might be telling us, trees and shrubs and their uses to man and animals, even dung. Our expert guide and tracker exploded with interesting information, they entertained us and kept us safe. We overnighted in basic huts, got well fed by the camp chef, and lay in bed at night listening to the calls of lions, hyenas and hippos. We loved the remoteness and getting away from the Kruger crowds.

Obviously, I haven’t been everywhere or done everything so I asked other travel bloggers about their favourite activities in Africa. Here are the comments and photos they shared. You can find out more about each experience in the writer's blog link.

8. Paragliding on the Garden Route, South Africa

If you’re looking for adventure, South Africa has it all. I loved paragliding on the Garden Route with SA Paragliding Adventures at Sedgefield, close to Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. The experience was wonderful from start to finish, from the friendly staff who made us feel at ease to running forwards off a big hill and taking in the stunning views over the rolling hills, rivers and never-ending beach. I thought it would feel really fast but when you’re up there floating, it’s still and peaceful. Every so often you’ll lift up through an air thermal, which is exciting. They will even let you steer yourself for a short time. Drifting over the world below and seeing it from a different perspective is truly magical. Sam Topping, Honest Explorer 9. Rock climbing in the Cederberg, South Africa

The Rocklands in South Africa’s Cederberg mountains is well known in the rock climbing community as one of the best bouldering destinations in the world. Professional and amateur rock climbers from all over the globe travel here to test their strength and skill on sandstone boulders. Friends and I went for two weeks and barely had time to scratch the surface of all the climbing opportunities. All we did was eat, sleep and rock climb (with rest days every so often to restore our muscles). It’s a rock climber’s playground, and you could spend years travelling back to this place and still not climb everything it has to offer. If you’re keen on climbing and looking for a taste of adventure, put bouldering at the Rocklands at the top of your adventure list in Africa. Allison, She Dreams of Alpine 10. Pony trekking in Lesotho

A few years back I joined a pony trek experience from Mount Moroosi in the south of Lesotho to Malealea. We had to pack all our food and supplies for about five days. It was special to travel on horses through areas where nobody, or rather no white people, had been before because of course this is the daily mode of transport for the local Basotho population. The people don’t have much but while on our trek we had women come to us with a handful of berries to taste and in the evenings, after we had asked the chief for permission and set up our tents, they would come to sit with us. This five-day pony trek experience is one of my fondest memories of Lesotho. Jessy Lipperts, Planet Pilgrims 11. Sailing in a dhow in Mozambique

The area around Inhambane and Tofo along Mozambique’s southern coastline is off the beaten tourist track, with only a small airport linking the region. The Bay of Inhambane is therefore a beautiful place to enjoy a dhow cruise to soak up the picturesque surroundings. A dhow is a traditional sailing boat typically used to transport goods or as a fishing vessel. The best time to enjoy a dhow cruise is as the sun begins to set, allowing you a stunning view as the light fades. Your guide will offer up a feast of snacks and drinks to enjoy as you bob along. As you tuck in and sip on a cold 2M beer, your captain will sail you around the estuary, pointing out some of the most interesting spots and explaining the area’s traditions and history. Laura & Charlie, The Travelling Stomach 12. Hiking in the desert, Namibia

Tok Tokkie Trails is a three-day, two-night guided hike through the NamibRand Nature Reserve in Namibia. The landscape will be etched in your heart for years to come. Nothing compares to treading a path through the desert by day and sleeping under the stars by night. The 22km hike is perfect for beginners, crossing gently undulating sand dunes, expansive grassy plains, and a small rocky mountain. You’ll learn about the desert’s natural features and inhabitants, from the graceful oryx to the hardy tok tokkie beetle. At day’s end, rest your weary bones in eco-luxe desert camps. Enjoy a three-course dinner, wash off the desert dust with a hot bucket shower, and sleep under the stars on cosy stretcher beds. The real party starts after dark, when one of the darkest skies in the world explodes with stars and the most vivid Milky Way you’ve ever witnessed. Claire, The Adventurous Flashpacker 13. Skydiving in Namibia

Swakopmund, a desert oasis on the west coast of Namibia, is one of the main adrenaline capitals of southern Africa. The most popular adventure activity is skydiving. What could be better than jumping out of a plane at an altitude of 3000m above what is considered to be the oldest and most picturesque desert in the world? From above, you can see where the desert meets the waters of the icy Atlantic Ocean, which is also known as the Skeleton Coast. What also makes skydiving Swakopmund special is that the area is very remote. The instructors are all very professional and there’s a chilled atmosphere while you wait for your jump. Enjoy the scenery while hurtling towards the ground at near terminal velocity until your chute opens, which is when you can admire the breathtaking view for a few extra minutes. Sabine & Sean, The Travelling Chilli 14. Swimming in Devil's Pool, Victoria Falls, Zambia

Devil’s Pool in Zambia is often touted as the world’s most dangerous infinity pool. It’s best described as a natural infinity pool that sits atop the thundering Victoria Falls. It’s possible to swim there when seasonal water levels allow (usually mid August to mid January, though this varies from year to year). The adventure begins at the Royal Livingstone Hotel. From there, thrill seekers travel across the Zambezi River by speedboat to Livingstone Island, where David Livingstone first set eyes on the Falls. After a short swim across the Zambezi, we lowered ourselves into the Devil’s Pool and allowed its currents to push us to the edge of Victoria Falls. It was an incredible moment, hanging over the edge of one of the world’s greatest wonders. Elaine & David, Show Them The Globe 15. Climbing an active volcano in the DRC

Mount Nyiragongo is an active volcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with the largest lava lake in the world. The climb is tough – straight up the side of a volcano that’s over 3350m high, with zero switchbacks to ease the pain. There’s also a risk of militia activity in the country, although I felt safe while I was there. The climb was worth all of the pain, fear and physical effort it took to get there. A magical moment was reaching the top of the volcano and peering down into a pool of bubbling magma. It felt like staring down into the centre of the planet, and I spent hours sitting in silence, staring in awe. That night, I camped beside the crater, listening to the lava splashing below me, too excited to sleep. This is definitely one of the most epic things you can do in Africa. Lauren Juliff, Never Ending Footsteps 16. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda

Imagine coming face to face with an ancient cousin of our species in the deep and dense forests of Africa. That experience 16 years ago was one of the most memorable of my life. As we started the hike I wondered why the guides had machetes, but soon discovered the bamboo forest grows rapidly every day so they have to cut branches to make the tracks passable. My shoes became loaded with thick mud from the wet soil so good hiking shoes are a must. Coming eye to eye with a group of gorillas was thrilling. They were right in front of us – an enormous silverback, some females and little ones in a large family group. They saw us too but just went about their daily lives, ignoring us while we were in awe of them. Jyoti Baid, Story at Every Corner 17. Hiking in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda

We went on a thrilling two-hour hike in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park. We started out in the rain armed with hiking poles. A slippery path led us down into the rain forest and we made slow progress, but it was exhilarating to listen to the sounds of exotic birds. The climax of our experience was a suspended canopy bridge that stretched 200m across the rain forest. Walking across the bridge, which shook violently at every step, was an adventure in itself and not for the fainthearted. As we stood in the middle of the swaying bridge looking down at the forest 60m below, the sky transformed into a palette of shades of orange. The sun setting among flitting clouds provided a moment so magical that it remains etched in our memory. Sandy & Vyjay, Voyager 18. Trekking the Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda

This has to be one of the most epic and rarest adventures you can have in Africa. Fewer than 10 000 people visit each year (the number of people who do the multi-day hike is capped, and even this isn’t reached). These are the legendary Mountains of the Moon, a range of snow-capped peaks on the equator in the heart of Africa. The mountains straddle Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but are most accessible in Uganda. Forests of cabbage-like trees, giant lobelias, trees draped in Spanish moss and shrouded in mist, hidden lakes, equatorial glaciers – it’s a magical, other-worldly landscape. There are basic huts to stay in and a guide and porters are mandatory. They help ease the difficulty of an often-muddy trek, and hiring them gives local people employment and an inherent investment in helping to preserve this fragile environment. James Ian, Travel Collecting 19. Chimp trekking in Uganda

We went chimp trekking in Uganda in two places – in the Kibale National Forest and in the Kyambura Gorge. Each was a different experience and I’d recommend doing both if you have time. At Kibale National Forest we trekked through the forest for about an hour before we found the chimps. We first heard them howling in the treetops then spent an incredible hour with them. Though you are meant to maintain a distance from the chimps, they kept coming close even when we tried to move away. Our experience at the gorge was very different, calmer and quieter. Even though we only saw them from a distance because of inclement weather, it was still amazing. I’d recommend adding the chimps to your Uganda bucket list. Leona Bowman, Wandermust Family 20. Climbing Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Climbing Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is a phenomenal challenge. I trekked with eleven other hikers and an amazing team of guides and porters. I was impressed with the support, the food, the expertise, the safety while on the hike. I chose the longest trek, Lemosho route, to give myself more time to acclimate to the altitude. Altitude sickness is a major factor in some hikers not making it to the summit. Each day we walked about 16km, really slowly. We ate great food and slept in tents. Most nights we had a view of the peak. Day by day the ecosystem changed, from lush forest to barren alpine desert. Summit night was the most challenging; we hiked through the night to reach the summit at sunrise. We were freezing, short of breath and exhausted but it was worth it to make it to the top. Megan McCormick, Beyond the Photos 21. Snorkelling at Chumbe Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania

I’ve snorkelled in many parts of the world but was blown away by Chumbe Island Coral Park in Zanzibar, Tanzania, with its array of tropical fish and colourful coral. An award-winning private nature reserve in the Indian Ocean, the marine sanctuary has 440 fish species and 90% of the coral diversity in East Africa, with 200 species of hard corals. The pristine coral reef is so fiercely protected that only 16 visitors are allowed on the island at a time and scuba diving isn’t permitted unless it’s for research purposes (conservationists have spent 20 years researching and protecting the area). I booked a day visit to Chumbe Island from Stone Town, a tour that included snorkelling, a nature walk, lunch and learning about the conservation project at the island’s eco-lodge (you can also book an overnight stay). For snorkelling enthusiasts visiting Tanzania, this is an experience not to be missed. Helen Suk, Not Without My Passport 22. Hiking salt lakes and a volcano, Ethiopia

I did an epic four-day trip through the Danakil Depression, a large swathe of desert stretching from Ethiopia into Eritrea. One of the hottest places on Earth, it has some of Africa’s most bizarre landscapes. The first night you watch the sun set over a salt lake. You may meet salt miners hauling their loads on camels’ backs for the three-day walk back to Mekele. On the second day, you visit Dallol – a mini-volcano in the salt flats that spouts sulphuric acid to create an ever-changing technicolour landscape. On the third night, you reach the base of the active volcano Erta Ale. You hike 12km to the top in scorching heat. You camp right on the rim of a lava lake and walk down to within a couple of metres of the crater rim, shoes melting under your feet, falling through semi-hardened lava, waiting for your guide to yell ‘run’ if a wave comes too close. Carrie Mann, Trains, Planes and Tuktuks 23. Scuba diving in Egypt’s Red Sea

There’s no better thrill than exploring the vast underwater world, and Egypt is the perfect place to do it. Visibility is good, temperatures are pleasant (even in the colder winter months), and the gorgeous reefs and majestic wrecks are a sight to behold. Marine life is abundant and really diverse. You could encounter whale sharks, clown fish, stonefish, eagle rays, murrays, seahorses, turtles and more. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a dolphin or two. Convinced yet? Scuba diving in Egypt is a wonderful experience for both novice and expert divers. It was the highlight of my three-week solo trip to Egypt, and there’s not a doubt in my mind that I’ll return to explore the Red Sea’s underwater world some more. Lisa Vandenbossche, Clumsy Stray Cat 24. Surfing in Taghazout, Morocco

Is surfing in Morocco a thing? It sure is. Not many people realise there are some killer spots here to catch waves. When I found out, I was glued to the idea and ended up staying in Taghazout for over a month learning how to be a surf bum. There are lots of beaches with great surf a few hours in either direction of Taghazout. The waves cater to beginners and pros so everyone can enjoy them. Taghazout surfing has camps for the totally clueless; you can go out every day for a week and get your skills and confidence to a point where you can go out alone. The best part? This usually expensive sport is pretty cheap here. After my camp, I was renting a wetsuit and board for the whole day for only US$7. Nina Ragusa, Where in the World is Nina? 25. Camel riding in the Sahara Desert, Morocco

A night in the Sahara Desert remains one of my favourite memories. We rode camels into the desert to stay with Berbers, an ethnic people indigenous to North Africa. I’d had no previous experience with camels and soon discovered that an hour’s ride is not for everyone. Once we arrived at the campsite, all pain was forgotten. Just before sunset the rays of sunlight reflected off the sand dunes, forming a golden halo. At night, we gathered around a long wooden table to enjoy couscous and tagine cooked by our hosts. We chatted about life and the future, drifting off for a chilly February night in our tents. In the morning, we rode back with our camels and said goodbye to our charming hosts. I’d definitely recommend adding such an experience to your bucket list. Daisy Li, Beyond My Border 26. Trekking in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco

In Morocco’s Atlas Mountains is the highest peak in North Africa – Mount Toubkal. A Toubkal trek to the summit is a challenging yet rewarding experience, especially if you take a couple of extra days to enjoy the Berber villages at its base. Going with a guide, such as Aztat Treks, on this journey is essential and makes the overall trek incredibly rewarding, especially learning about the region’s history and culture, and experiencing authentic accommodations and beautifully made food. Mount Toubkal is 4187m high so reaching the summit is no small feat. Preparation, plenty of food and water, taking breaks along the way, and acclimating to the thin air overnight at the Refuge Toubkal help make for a successful trip. Christa Rolls, Expedition Wildlife 27. Biking across the Sahara to West Africa

It’s not all that hard to bicycle across the Sahara Desert – if you have stamina and don’t mind the sun and wind. A tar road goes all the way from Morocco, through the Western Sahara and Mauritania. Granted, there are still issues with landmines if you venture off road in the Western Sahara, but other than that it’s quite a reasonable undertaking. We did this 2000km trek in 2007, and even then there was cell phone connection pretty much everywhere except in Mauritania. The cell phone towers usually had a big wall around them, creating shaded spots to have a break from the sun. On a bike you connect with the locals. Where else will you get your water from, and stock up on food? After all, there’s no money spent on gas or diesel, but all the more on rice and beans. Chantal, Earth Nomads 28. Cooking in The Gambia, West Africa

We don colourful outfits from the rail of clothes in Ida’s courtyard kitchen and head off to the local fish market, feeling a little self-conscious. The market is on the beach and it’s a riot of colour, noise and action. Brightly painted pirogues, the local fishing boats, are being unloaded while seagulls squawk overhead. Guided by Ida, we buy ingredients for the West African dish, fish benachin. Back in her courtyard, we are each assigned a task, some peeling and others pounding, crushing up the ingredients for a spicy sauce to be served with the fish. Soon a benachin (which means ‘single pot’) is bubbling away. When it’s ready, we sit on the floor, eating out of one bowl as is the tradition, while Ida tells us more about Gambian life. It’s a day out I recommend as an insight into the local culture. Kathryn Burrington, Travel With Kat Like it? Pin this image!

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