Mombasa is the best summed up as a feeling-love it or loathe it, there’s something about the salty heat, the humid air, the sounds of the city and the sensation of the dust sticking to your sun screamed skin that evokes an instant sense of place.

If this is your first stop after visiting the interior, you could hardly ask for a more distinctive introduction to Kenya’s coast, and its perfect place to help you fall into the naturally languid rhythm of Swahili life while still enjoying the modern comforts of home.

Mombasa is the largest city on the Kenyan coast and also the largest coastal port in East Africa. The city sprawls across a low-lying island at the mouth of a broad inlet, providing a natural anchorage for ships. Traders have been coming here since at least 12th century and the goods from Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and eastern Congo (Zaire) still pass through here on their way overseas.

The Mombasa city’s population is overwhelmingly African, many of whom are Swahilis, but there is a remarkable range of races and cultures here, from Africans to British expats, Omanis, Indians and Chinese.

Most package tourist stay in the beach resorts north or south of town, but leaving Mombasa out of your itinerary completely would be a shame. The most interesting part is the character Old Town, with its narrow, winding alleyways, historic Swahili houses and the remains of the mighty Fort Jesus.
History

Mombasa has always been at the centre of the coast’s key events, a crucial stronghold for local and invading powers ever since the Arab-Swahili Mazrui clan emerged as one of the most powerful families in 9th century East Africa.

The first Portuguese forays into Arab territory took place here in 1505, when Dom Francisco de Almeida arrived with a huge armada and leveled the city in just 1 ½ days. The plundered remains were soon rebuilt, but in 1528 Lisbon struck again as Nuna da Cunha captured the city, first by diplomacy (offering to act as an allay in Mombasa’s disputes with Malindi, Pemba and Zanzibar) and then by force. Once again Mombasa was burned to the ground while the invaders sailed to India.

The Portuguese made a bid for permanency in 1593 with the construction of Fort Jesus, but the hefty structure quickly became a symbolic target for rebel leaders and was besieged incessantly. During the 17th and 18th centuries Mombasa changed hands dozens of times before the Portuguese finally gave up their claim to the coast in 1729.

Waiting to step into the power vacuum were the sultans of Oman, who had defeated the Europeans and occupied the Fort Jesus after an incredible 33 month siege in 1698. The city remained in their control until the 1870’s, when the British intervention ended the slave trade and gained for the empire a foothold in East Africa.

Mombasa subsequently became the rail-head for the Uganda railway and the most important city in British East Africa protectorate. In 1920, when Kenya became a fully fledged British colony, Mombasa was made capital of the separate British coast Protectorate.

Today the cut and thrust of politics and power play largely passes Mombasa by, but it’s still Kenya’s second city and a crucial social barometer for the coast province as a whole.

Robert is a travel expert with Landmarksafaris.com. Degreed in tourism management, he has authored more than 1000 articles on Kenya East Africa travel. Select your Mombasa beach and inland safari here:
http://www.landmarksafaris.com/planner/?refferer=ezinearticles

5 Ways To Protect Yourself Against Internet Scams

Many times when searching for a way to earn extra money through business opportunities on the net, people run into numerous scams. These Internet scams make it quite difficult to find a legitimate source of work. Not to mention, they come in all forms.

How can you tell if they are scamming you though? What if it’s just another income opportunity? These questions are valid since there are still many wonderful opportunities out there. Nevertheless, it is still great to know how to spot when a company is scamming you.

1. When you ask direct and pointed questions, they dodged you in other words tap dancing around what you have asked using such flowery language hoping to reel you in or impress you.

2. When you send them an email or give them a phone call, they never return them. This is because they are hiding their badness hoping they will not be found out.

3. They won’t accept credit cards. Some will make up an excuse saying that they do not wish to accept credit cards because of a past bad experience when, in fact, it is quite rare that ever happens. Plus, merchants are willing to take the risks since the use of credit cards allows companies to reach a much vaster pool of clientele.

4. They want you to pay with cashier’s check, money order, bank wire, or Western Union and not accepting any other alternative.

5. They will not let you try out the product or service for any length of time or in any quantity. Or, They will not provide examples of the work they have done. Sometimes, they won’t have a money back guarantee. This is because they don’t want you to see how much they really suck! If their product was that of a quality performance, then they wouldn’t mind showing you examples or allowing you to try out their product or service for a time. They’d be confident that you’d come back for more as a returning customer or that you wouldn’t want your money back.

Now that you have armed yourself with this protective knowledge, the rule of thumb is to watch out for the scammers, and be sure to do extensive research before signing up with anyone or purchasing anything. This is because there are still many people who are dishonest, and they’ll do anything for that buck. Don’t let yourself be their next victim!

Now the reason i’ve had this article written is to try and protect you valuable customers from these devious scam artists. As i traveled the internet each day i’m constantly amazed at the amount of people who had been scammed in the past and didn’t know what to look for when they were researching potential money making opportunities. The biggest warning is “if they want you to pay up front get a second opinion!”

I wish you well in your search to earn extra money and hope that i have helped to educate you in how to protect yourself from some of the potential scams that are traveling around the net today.

Cheers, Tony!

http://www.agloco.com.au - “Earn Extra Money - It’s FREE - The only way you can lose is by not joining!”

How to get rid of pimples quickly requires you to maintain healthy skin. While there are thousands of products and treatments available to help improve the quality of your skin, only a small percentage of these are natural.

Most beauty products contain harsh, damaging chemicals. Although treatments such as chemical peels and botox have become popular, there is no conclusive proof as to what most of these treatments and chemicals will do to the skin years later. If you want to have great looking skin without dangerous chemicals or procedures, here are 5 tips to help keep your skin remain healthy.

Tip #1: Nutritious diet. You’ve probably heard the phrase “you are what you eat.” If you think about it, this old saying is quite true. If you want your body to function properly and look its best, you need to include the nutrients it needs and avoid foods that cause damage. For beautiful skin, you should try have more fiber intake and “good fats” in your diet; and avoid foods with a lot of sugar.

Tip #2: Drink 8 glasses of water a day. All cells need water to function properly. If your skin cells aren’t properly hydrated, waste products build up in your cells. Also, if you don’t drink enough water, your cells will retain as much as they can and you’ll end up looking puffy and bloated.

Tip #3: Circulation. To function properly, our cells need to get plenty of oxygen. If you spend your days sitting at a desk or remaining mostly immobile, your circulation probably isn’t as good as it could be. Increase your circulation by getting more exercise, stretching, or getting regular massages. You can also use a brush to exfoliate your skin which improves circulation while removing old, dead cells. Not only will this give your skin a better look, it can also reduce the appearance of unsightly cellulite.

Tip #4: Stay out of the sun. Although a little sun is good for you, due to it providing Vitamin D, too much sun can age your skin. Use hats, clothes, or sun block to protect you from damaging UV rays.

Tip #5: Natural skin products. Traditional beauty products contain all many unnatural chemicals. Most are there as preservatives, which are designed to enhance color or texture. These chemicals not only have no value to your skin, some may cause cancer and other dangerous problems. It’s beneficial to use natural products if you want to look your best and stay healthy. Just be sure to check labels, as many products will claim they’re natural or organic, and only contain one natural or organic ingredient. Be wary of ingredients you can’t pronounce and look for certification seals to be sure you’re getting what you pay for. Not only will these help normal skin, they’re also less likely to irritate sensitive skin.

Battling acne problems? Discover how you can STOP acne at the root of the problem (backed up by scientific evidence and case studies), and get a free, no obligation report “The Five Secrets To Clearing Your Skin”.

Visit ez-stop-acne.com and download it immediately.

I get a bunch of email each year from people interested in training for the Island Heroes Strongman Competition.

They all ask me how to go about training for the comp.

Most of these people that I have had correspondence with send me an email detailing similar circumstances.

They are using a bodybuilding program but aren’t sure how to make the jump into training for strongman competitions.

I have searched the internet often for documentation on the subject of training for strongman competitions; it is a bit like hunting for a needle in a haystack.

This article is intended as a brief guide for those would be strongman contestants.

First of all I am going to suppose that if you are interested in starting to compete you are probably fairly familiar with the basic lifts already.

Most bodybuilding routines center around doing many exercises per body part and a high rep count on each exercise.

If you are training for strongman events I would suggest a different approach to your training.

Lower the amount of reps you perform during an exercise and do only those exercises that have a direct relation to big muscle groups and the events.

Make absolutely sure that when you work with weights you are stimulating as many muscle fibres as possible. This is done doing the big movements with big weight i.e., in power lifting what are known as the big 3 lifts: the Deadlift, Bench Press, and Squat. Also work the power clean, clean and press, clean and Jurk and the Snatch into your routine if you can.

Don’t over exert yourself, your rest is important, try a training regimen two-three days a week to start, with rest days in between. For example: Mon, Wed, Fri or Mon, Fri.

To train for the events in our competition you might also try incorporating some sandbag training.

What is sandbag training? Fill a large duffle bag that can be found at an army surplus’s store (for about $20) full of bags of sand until the weight totals around 150lbs. You can grip the outer edges of this bag and lift it like you would the log in the competition. You can bunch it all together and lift it like you would the stone.

Working with the sandbag will make you strong in all directions and you will profit from training with it in the sumo event.

Here is a list of our events and the exercises that will benefit those events.

Farmer’s walk: Train with heavy dumbbells, walking up and down the gym.

Log lift: Practice the clean and press with a heavy barbell. Practice with the sandbag.

Tire Flip: Heavy Deadlift, Squat, Bench press

Rock Press: Heavy Deadlift, Military Press, Sandbag Presses

Sumo wrestling: Sandbag work

Here is a Sample 2 day Split Program that you can have fun with:

Day 1 Warm Up in the Squat

Squat 20 reps high weight

Clean and Press 5×5

Sit ups 5×15

Farmers Walk Practice

Day 2 Warm up in the Deadlift

Deadlift 5×5

Bench Press 5×5

Behind Neck Press 5×5

Sand Bag Work

You should strive to add weight to the bar every chance you get. And get your rest and eat good food.

Once you can lift a minimum of: bench 200 lbs, military press 130 lbs, clean and jerk 180 lbs,squat 300 lbs and deadlift 350 lbs you will be ready to enter our competition.

About The Author

Rob Dales is an amateur Strongman.
He runs the Island Strongman Competition and is the webmaster of http://www.islandheroes.ca

Naivasha sights

Crater Lake Game Sanctuary

Surrounding a beautiful volcanic Crater Lake, on the western side of Lake Naivasha and north of the village of Kongoni, is this small sanctuary, with many trails including one for hikers along the steep but diminutive crater rim. Besides the impressive 150 bird species recorded here, giraffes, zebra and other plains wildlife are also regular residents. While walking, remember that buffaloes lurk in the woods. The tiny jade-green Crater Lake is held in high regard by the local Masai, who even believe its water helps soothe ailing cattle.

Crescent Island Wildlife Sanctuary

The protruding rim of a collapsed volcanic crater forms this island on the eastern side of Lake Naivasha. It’s a private sanctuary, where you can walk beneath yellow-barked acacias (yellow fever trees) in search of giraffes. Thompson’s and grant’s gazelles, elands, waterbucks and countless bird species. Oh, and there are some rather gigantic pythons too!

Almost all accommodation options rent boats for island trips (around 2500 per hour).The best is hippo safaris as they charge a flat rate of Kshs 2000 per boat, which includes waiting time. It’s technically possible to drive here a long a small causeway, but the land owner is now charging extortionate fees for crossing his property.

Elsamere Conservation Centre

A couple of Kilometers past Fisherman’s camp on Moi South Lake Rd you’ll find Elsamere conservation centre, the former home of the late Joy Adamson of Born free fame. She bought the house in 1967 with a view to retiring here with her husband George. Adamson did much of her writing from Elsamere right up until her murder in 1980.

Now a conservation centre focused on lake ecology and environmental awareness programs, the site is open to the public and entry includes afternoon tea on the lawn (with a chance to see eastern black-and-white colobus monkeys), a visit to the memorial room and a showing of the weathered 40-minute Joy Adamson story.

Book ahead for a meal-Lunch costs KSHS 650/800 on weekdays/weekends, and dinner is Kshs 1000-and you can visit the centre for free.

Getting there
Frequent Matatus (public transport vehicles) Kshs 80, one hour, run along Moi south Lake Rd between Naivasha town and Kongoni on the lake’s Western side, passing the turn-offs to hells gate National Park and Fisherman’s Camp. It’s a 5km walk from Kongoni to Crater Lake, but don’t do this alone as there have been recent muggings.

There is one daily matatu along Moi North Lake Rd. leaving from the Total petrol station in Naivasha around 3pm. returning to town you’ll need to be on the road by about 7am, otherwise it’s a long dusty walk.

Getting around

Most budget and mid range accommodations options rent reasonable boats for lake trips (Kshs 2500 per hour). Top-end lodges charge between Kshs 3000 and Kshs 4000 per hour for similar rides.

If you’d like to row your boat, Fisherman’s lodge can help you out (Kshs 300 per hour)

Most sites also hire mountain bikes; Fisherman’s camp and Fish eagle Inn both charge Kshs 500 per day. You’ll find cheaper rides at various places sign posted off Moi South Lake Rd, but check the contraptions carefully before paying.

Robert is a travel expert with Landmarksafaris.com. He has authored more than 1000 articles on Africa Kenya vacation travel. Learn more of Naivasha kenya lake vacation safaris and get a free quote here:
http://www.landmarksafaris.com/planner/?refferer=ezinearticles

What you need to know

· Make a separate space in your home to work from. Keep all your papers and work related things together in this one place. Make sure that your family members know that this is YOUR space to work in and to respect that you are busy if you are in it

· There is always that temptation to do “a little bit more” when you work from home. At an office, you can walk away from it. When working from home still try to start the day and finish it at set times.

· Get organised by setting up paper and computer filing systems to streamline your work. This will also help the environment to feel more like an office.

· Try to establish a support network of other people who are also working from home. Being away from the office environment can be lonely so it is essential to maintain contact with those that can help and support.

· Make sure that you still take regular breaks away from your computer and desk. Drink plenty of water and take a lunch break.

· Make a list of everything that is important to you - your goals, your family, friends, gym, walking the dog, etc in order of priority. Allocate time each week in line with that priority and stick to it.

· Make a list of things that need to done every day from calling new prospects to having a cup of tea at 10.30 and answering emails. Try not to encourage friends to drop by on a regular basis during working hours.

· To stay motivated and focussed break down your tasks into manageable chunks. Aim to do some by 10am and the rest by lunchtime for example. This way you’ll be able to reward yourself with breaks. Also list your achievements - so for every task still to do, there’s one you’ve already done.

· If you’re working from with children and family around be honest about what is expected of each other and encourage a team ethics. You cannot work all day and still do the washing, ironing, cooking etc. DELEGATE!

· HAVE FUN! Keep some time for things that you enjoy during the week. All work and no play makes life very tedious.

Bee pollen is the male seed of a flower blossom which are collected by the honey bees and mixed with the bees’ digestive enzymes. It’s a blend of sticky pollen granules that could contain up to five million pollen spores each. Super nutritious, bee pollen contains almost all the nutrients required by the human body. It is rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, beneficial fatty acids, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids which are anti-viral, antibacterial and helpful in lowering cholesterol, stabilizing and strengthening capillaries.

Bee pollen contains a wide spectrum of amino acids which are the building blocks of protein needed to build every cell in the body, from blood cell to the cells in the skin, organs and bones. There are also numerous active enzymes present in fresh and unheated pollens. Eating foods that contain enzymes helps the body prevent and fight diseases such as cancer and arthritis and saves the body from having to make enzymes, a process that depletes energy. Applied to the skin, bee pollen is also believed to help heal wounds and acne.

Appreciated for years as an excellent weight control, bee pollen is low in calories and contains natural Phenylalanine which acts as appetite suppressant and Lecithin that helps dissolve and flush fat from the body, that is, detoxification and cleansing. Its ability to rejuvenate the body, stimulates organs, enhances vitality and accelerate rate of recovery makes it a popular tonic and home remedy among athletes and sportsmen.

High-quality, fresh pollen consists of soft, pliable granules that are neither pasteurized nor heated. The best type of pollen is frozen as it’s collected and stored frozen until it’s packaged. These tiny yellow, orange, or brown granules and tablets can be chewed alone. The taste varies depending on the plants from which it comes. Some pollen has a slightly sweet and nut-like flavor, while some is bitter. Many people, who can’t get used to the taste, choose to mix the granules with other foods. For instance, some parents blend it together with fruits and milk to form a delicious smoothie for their young children who would require all the essential amino acids, minerals, vitamins to grow strong and healthy. Bee pollen is not the same as allergy-causing pollen that is dry, lightweight and is carried easily by the wind. It rarely cause allergy symptoms. However, people who are very cautious of allergic reactions could start with small amounts of pollen intake and gradually increase the amount to be assured that the consumption is safe.

Source: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/bee-pollen.html

R. Tan is the owner of the website benefits-of-honey.com which is a rich honey resource community specially built for all the honey lovers and fans in this world. She has packed this website with a wide range of quality contents on honey based on her knowledge and experience with honey, so as to promote its invaluable benefits which she believes could bring many positive spin-offs in everyone’s daily life.

Shopping for baby clothes seems like one of the easiest types of shopping a person can do: sizes are to be chosen by the baby’s age, colors are pretty much limited to different shades of pink and blue, and as long as there are buttons along the legs that open up for changing – the cut is not all that important.

Well, that may be partly true, but as you may not know there is one important factor to notice when shopping for baby clothes, and that is – the type of fabric.

While as adults we may be quite indifferent to the type of fabric our clothes are made of, for a baby that detail is of high importance. The baby’s skin is extremely gentle and sensitive, and one thing you do not want to have is a baby with irritated skin. Furthermore, if your baby is either too hot or too cold you will be the first one hear about it, and it won’t be so much by words…

So, how do we make the right choice of fabric? Is there a way to never go wrong with that? Well, actually there is – and that is a little secret I am telling you here: COTTON IS ALWAYS GOOD.

Whether it’s denim, a woven cotton sweater, or just the simplest onesie, you will never go wrong with 100% cotton. Cotton is a fabric that is ventilated enough during summer time, and may be warm enough when it’s cold out, and even if it is just a bit too warm – don’t worry, cotton is also very comfortable when sweating.

Michal Moreno writes for Krawlers baby clothes – an online shop for baby clothes.

http://www.krawlers.com

With shores fringed with papyrus and yellow-barked acacias, and freshwater that supports protected hippo populations, fish eagles and a blossoming horticultural industry, Lake Naivasha’s beauty is as undeniable as its importance to the region.

A vast range of plains animals and a plethora of birdlife have long called the verdant shoreline home, as have the Maasai, who considered it prime grazing land. Unfortunately for the Maasai, the splendor of the surroundings wasn’t lost on early settlers either and it was one of the first areas they settled, eventually becoming the favourite haunt of Lord Delamere and the decadent Happy Valley set in the 1930’s.

Amazingly between 1937 and 1950 the lake was Kenya’s main airport, with BOAC’s Empire and Solent flying boats landing here after their four-day journey from Southampton. Lake Naivasha is still one of the largest settler and expat communities in Kenya, and can have a resort-like feel to it in high season, when it essentially becomes Kenya’s St Tropez.

Not only does Lake Naivasha’s fresh water bestow it with a unique ecosystem in comparison with the vast majority of Rift Valley lakes, which are highly alkaline, but it also means that the lake can be used for irrigation purposes. While the surrounding countryside has historically been a major production area for beef cattle and fresh fruit and vegetables, today the flower industry rules the roost.

Shade houses have proliferated in the hills recently, and Lake Naivasha is now the centre of Kenya’s US$360 million flower industry. Astoundingly, flowers that are picked here in the morning can be at Europe’s flower auctions the same day. One flower grower alone produced a million rose stems for Valentine’s Day in 2005!

However, the success of the agricultural and horticultural industry is threatening the very survival of the source of their creation, as pesticides and fertilizers are seeping into the lake and reeking havoc with the ecosystem. Irrigation has further destabilized erratic water levels, which had seen the lake almost dry up in the late 1890’s before rebounding to cover almost 1000sq km in the early 20th century. The lake is currently receding again, and now only spreads over 170sq km.

The lake’s ecology has been interfered with on a number of other occasions, notably with the introduction of foreign fish (for sports and commercial fisheries), cray fish, the South American coypu (an aquatic rodent that initially escaped from a fur farm) and various aquatic plants, including the dreaded water hyacinth.

For these reasons Naivasha has been the focus of conservation efforts and in 1995, after years of lobbying from the lake Naivasha Riparian Association (LRNA),the lake was designated a Ramsar site, officially recognizing it as a wetland of international importance. Besides educating the locals dependent on the lake about the environmental issues involved, the LNRA, Elsamere Conservation Center and other organisations work to establish a code of conduct among the local growers that will maintain the lake’s biodiversity. The results are promising, but much work remains to be done.

Its worth visiting the Lake Naivasha Riparian offices and Elsamere if only to support their work in Naivasha.

Robert is a travel expert with Landmarksafaris.com. He has authored more than 1000 articles on Africa Kenya vacation travel. Learn more of your experience in Kenya lake vacation safaris and plan your african lion safari and get a free quote here:
http://www.landmarksafaris.com/planner/?refferer=ezinearticles

Making over your basement into a bar area is a great way to add a fun room into your house. Of course, you want to be sure to have a great bar with the appropriate lighting and accessories but one vital item that you must select carefully are the bar stools.

Bar stools come in many shapes, sizes, colors and decorating styles. Whether your bar is a tropical paradise, a fun and funky retro style or a formal and elegant version of the wine bar downtown, you are sure to find a stool that matches your décor.

But just finding a stool that looks good isn’t enough. You need to buy bar stools that are comfortable to sit in and are also the right height for your bar. In addition, you need to know how many stools to get for that perfect fit around the bar, otherwise you might find that it is simply too crowded and not as much fun as you thought!

If you want to have the most comfortable placement of your bar stools you must think of the bar o r pub table you will be pairing them with. Before you buy your set of bar stools, you need to measure the height of the bar that you will be putting them under. Be sure to pick stools that will allow for ten to thirteen inches between the top of their seat and the bottom of the bar or pub tables in your basement bar.

If your choice stools have arms, be sure that you can still push the stool under the bar. Bar stools can generally be purchased with seat heights of between 17 and 31 inches however you may not be able to purchase the specific piece of furniture you want in the size necessary. You may have to make a compromise and take home something in a similar style. It’s more important to get a stool that fits great and maybe isn’t the want you wanted most since the fit is vital to the overall comfort of the chair and comfort is key in your basement bar.

While you are shopping for bar stools, remember to have in mind the amount of stools you would like. The most comfortable placement for bar stools is twenty five - thirty inches from the center of one seat to the next seat. Take a measurement of the span of your bar and divide by 28 inches and you’ve got about how many stools need!

Your basement bar is supposed to be a fun place to hang out so, remember when buying bar stools that they should not only be decorative, but functional too. Getting a good look is important, but getting a great fit is vital!

Lee Dobbins writes for Bar Stool Decor where you can learn more about choosing and decorating with bar stools.