Mombasa: Tropical Paradise Vacation

Monday morning - early but not yet bright - we headed to the airport to catch out one hour flight to Mombasa. We flew Kenya Airlines. I was very impressed with them. They are one of Kenya's privatization success stories. We flew to Mombasa on a very new, comfortable and almost full 737. The staff on the ground and in the air were very professional and customer focused.

Mombasa is on the coast of the Indian Ocean. The weather is very different from Nairobi. It hits you as soon as you walk off the plane - literally. It is so hot and humid that Don's glasses immediately fogged up. I had a similar problem when I tried to use my video camera. It began to flash the message - condensation, remove cassette. It is like being smothered in a wet blanket.

The airport is on the mainland but most of Mombasa is an island in a natural harbor on the Indian Ocean. It is a very old city - much older than Nairobi and is the major shipping port for all of East Africa. You could see the big container ships as we drove to the hotel. We drove through downtown Mombasa as we headed to the hotel. Downtown was very spruced up because the world cross country competition was held in Mombasa just a few weeks ago.After passing through downtown you head north of the city to the beach resort area.

We were staying at the Serena Mombasa Resort which like most of the resorts is a self-contained little community. The coastal area is a mixture of African, Arabian and Indian cultures. The Serena is decorated in a very Arabian fashion - white walls, dark carved wood, tile floors. Check out the photos in my "Tropical
Paradise photo album. the rooms are arranged in small units arranged like houses along winding foot paths with flowers and fountains everywhere. And then there is the beautiful sandy white beach overlooking the Indian Ocean. There is a coral reef along this section of the coast so there are no waves along the beach. It is VERY hot at midday with a very strong sun but by mid-afternoon a wonderful breeze begins blowing in from the ocean and most of the guests are headed to the beach or pool. I tried both. The Indian Ocean was warm as a bath tub with just a gently rocking movement of the water. I have found my tropical paradise.

Tuesday morning don had arranged for us to take a city tour which included a tour of Fort Jesus. What a fascinating history this city has! Here is the very condensed history of the fort. Travelers from the east have been crossing the Indian Ocean to the coast of east Africa for centuries. In the 1400s, the Portuguese arrive in Mombasa but sail on to Malindi (also on the Kenyan coast). In 1589, a Turkish expedition builds a fort at Mombasa but the Portuguese attack and take Mombasa in 1593 and build Fort Jesus.  In the 1600s the fort is attacked by the Sultan of Oman and the fort passes back and forth between the Portuguese and Omani Arabs until the Portuguese pull out for good in 1729. In 1741, the Omani governor of the fort, al-Mazrui,  declares independence from Oman and begins a hundred years of struggle between the Al-Mazrui forces and the Sultans of Oman and Zanzibar. The British become involved in the 1800s and from 1895-1958 the fort was used as a British government prison. After Kenyan independence, the fort became a museum. After touring the fort we drive through some of the very narrow streets of the Old Town which are crowded with shops and shoppers. We pass some very old mosques which seem very small compared to the modern mosques you see in both Mombasa and Nairobi - similar to the difference between small country churches and contemporary sanctuaries and church complexes.

We had lunch at an excellent and very reasonable Indian restaurant recommended by our driver. In Nairobi and even more so along the coast, there are many Kenyans of Indian origin who have lived in Kenya for generations. They tend to be very prominent in the retail and service sectors. When a group of my MBA students did a report on the major Kenyan retailer, Nakumatt, the divided market shares into the following categories: African Kenyan, Asian Kenyan and other.

The guests at the hotel are a fascinating mixture of African Kenyan, Asian Kenyan, American and all variety of European. At the pool on Wednesday afternoon, I heard French, Italian, German, British English, American English and Swahili. The food at the hotel breakfast and dinner buffets is equally diverse but all very good and the cable television in the rooms carries local Kenyan stations, BBC, CNN, a German language channel, a French language channel and one that I believe was Hindi.

We were leaving on Wednesday but after it stopped rainy in the morning, I went down the beach a bit from the resort to buy a konga from a vendor ( the resort does not allow vendors to hassle their guests) and met these two lady vendors, Marie and Faith that I liked a great deal. I wanted to buy something from Marie but her English was not good enough to haggle so Faith did the haggling for her. Faith said, "I will write a price and then you will write a price. Be honest. We will eventually agree." When we did agree, the ladies were both very grateful. I think it had been a slow morning because of the rain. As we shook hands to conclude our transaction. Marie said, "And what is your name." I said, "Mary, the same as yours." and she gave me a big hug. And she said that if I came back the next day to let her friend braid my hair, she would be sure that I got "Marie's price". I am afraid that the men vendors don't do as well with me but I have enjoyed many of the women I have talked with in Kenya. They aren't as pushy and you get the definite feeling that they are just trying to take care of their family. I suppose the men are too but there always seems to be a bit more desperation simmering just below the surface with the women.

There are also lots of water activities that you can do at the resort like snorkeling and windsurfing. You can also take a camel ride along the beach or go sailing in a traditional style small wooden sail boat. But I didn't get around to all of that so I guess I will just have to come back. :)

The rain followed us back to Nairobi and unfortunately caused some horrible traffic jams so Steve from transport was an hour late picking us up. The traffic was just as bad heading back to ANU so by the time we got to campus, we were all very tired. We had planned to pool our dwindling stock of groceries in order to put together a dinner but we decided to just skip it and go on to bed. And given how well we had eaten at the hotel, we could all afford to skip a meal.

Safari Report:Animal Drives

We drove past a number of animals - flamingos, herds of zebra,wildebeest, gazelle and antelope - on our drive from the park gate to our lodge compound (Serena Amboseli Lodge) but it was 2:00 and we were late for lunch so John was driving as fast as the park speed limit (40 kilometers an hour) would allow and we didn't stop.

Our first real game drive was at 4:30 p.m. on the first day we were there. Game drives take place in the early morning and late afternoon. So we set out on our first drive on Good Friday afternoon and it was an amazing drive. One of the very things we saw was a lioness and cubs eating a fresh kill - a wildebeest. Several other lions came and ate as well during the time that we sat watching and photographing them. Then we saw a big herd of elephants moving past  and a little later a lone very old looking bull elephant very near the road.

There are well defined roads that you need to stay on in order to preserve the environment of the park. You also have to stay inside the van at all times but is has a nice pop-up roof so that you can stand and get good pictures. I also noticed that the van drivers would stop and exchange information on animal sightings when they passed one another. There were herds of zebra and wildebeest everywhere. Zebras and wildebeest are usually found together.  John, our driver and guide, said that they help one another because the zebras have good eyesight and the wildebeest have a good sense of smell.

You have to be back to your lodge compound before sunset (around 6:30 p.m.) because everyone has to be inside a compound before dark. Our compound had an electric fence around the compound with lots of trees planted on the property so that there wasn't a sense of being closed in. As you head for the compound at dusk, you notice that the animals are also moving - from small widely scattered groups into large closely packed herds to more safely pass the night.

In the morning you can get a cup of tea of coffee before heading out on your morning drive at sunrise (6:30 a.m.). This first morning we saw more of the same types of animals as the previous evening as well as crested cranes, ostriches, and a tawny eagle. But it was our most disappointing  drive because John was trying to find us some giraffes and we couldn't find any. But after two hours with or without finding any giraffes, you head back to the compound for breakfast. One of the interesting things that happened on this drive was that the anti-corruption police had set up a check point at one of the road intersections and was checking to make sure everyone had payed their fees. They were suspicious about our having only paid resident rates until the students produced their ANU  student IDs and I produced the receipt for my work permit.

Our second afternoon drive was one of my favorites and persuaded me that John knew exactly what he was doing. He never announced his plans but I think he always had one - although all plans are subject to change if there is an interesting sighting. On our second afternoon drive we headed for Observatory Hill which is a somewhat round about drive from our lodge. Along the way we saw a lone hippo grazing out of the water in a marshy area.. Ruth said it was unusual to see hippos out of the water but later that same drive we saw two more hippos at a distance also grazing. I really enjoyed Observatory Hill because you could get out and walk to the top and see for miles in all directions. Ruth stayed by the van in the parking lot because 100+ steps would be no good for her artificial knees. I was glad that we went on safari at the end of my stay when I was in better shape then when I arrived. But it was a nice trail - not steep.

On that drive as we were heading back towards the compound taking pictures of elephants and the beautiful sunset, we saw two giraffes. They were not as close as I would have liked and I think they were upset because one was on one side of the road and one was on the other and all of these vans were gathering to take pictures of them. But it was beginning to get dark so we all finally had to head home for dinner.

Easter Sunday morning our group had all agreed to gather at 6:00 a.m. for an Easter service. It was before sunrise but we gathered and sang and read scripture and prayed as people wandered past to get their predrive cups of coffee and tea. Then at 6:30 we set out for what proved to be one of our very best drives. John headed for a old abandoned lodge compound where we found a whole troop of baboons moving right along the road. Baboons are not disturbed by people and vans so they just went about their business. Then we headed across a marshy area that we had not been to before and saw so many elephants that you wouldn't believe it. There were two elephants that locked tusks and trunks and looked for all the world like two friends greeting one another and exchanging news before heading our for a day of grazing. We were told that elephants spend 16 out of every 24 hours eating. It takes alot of grass and leaves to fill those huge animals.

As we were heading back to the compound we saw a lioness walking through the tall grass with Kilimanjaro in the background. Many of our photos stops occurred because the animals were in a particularly picturesque relationship to the mountain. We never saw any males lions with manes. But as the lionesses are the ones who do the hunting, the males are usually off somewhere resting.

Drew, one of the students, was disappointed to find that there were no rhinos as Amboseli. There used to be rhinos in the park a number of years back but there was so much poaching that the government decided to consolidate the remaining rhinos in just a few of the parks. I would have to check to see which ones that would be.

But a safari is never over until you reach home so on our way out of the park after breakfast, we stopped to watch a lioness stalking some antelope. She was completely visible from the road but hidden from the view of the antelope that were further away. We watched for awhile but then she settled down to wait and we had to drive on. We also stopped to get some good close up pictures of the flamingos in Lake Amboseli. But they real treat came after we left the park and were headed across the dirt road to Namanga (where we pick up the paved road). That is when we saw of group of five giraffes very near the road. Unfortunately by the time we all got our cameras back out, a group of Maasai had come down the  road on foot and that made the giraffes uncomfortable and they began to move on. The rest of the way home it was just herds of cattle and goats followed by Maasai herdsmen.

A safari is truly an amazing experience. So who all wants to come with me when I come back to Africa?

Safari Report: Kilimanjaro and Observatory Hill

There are many places that you can go on safari but I am glad that Ruth and Don suggested Amboseli because that included the chance to see Mount Kilimanjaro. You probably expected a safari report to start with animals but Mount Kilimanjaro is truly magnificent and I am glad I got to see it. We had been told that we might not see the mountain because it is often lost in the clouds but we had perfect weather and were able to see  highest peak of Kilimanjaro clearly everyday. It is a fascinating site - a snow capped mountain located practically on the equator. It is the highest mountain in Africa and its former volcanic activity it still evident in the Amboseli landscape - the gray volcanic ash color of the soil and the lava rocks that lay scattered about.

The landscape of Amboseli is very flat going from lakes to swamps to dry desert plains in rapid succession. There are some clusters of palm trees or acacia scattered about. Lake Amboseli for which the park is named is a large mostly dry shallow lake bed. We were told that there had been a lot of rain in January and February so parts of the lake were full which accounts for the flamingos.

But there is a clear landmark in Observatory Hill (called Normatior by the Maasai) which is a round knob rising our of the flat landscape. It is swampy around the base so you have to take the road around to the side where you can cross over to the hill. There is a parking lot where you can get out and climb the trail and 100+ steps to the top where there is a panoramic view of the entire landscape of Amboseli. It is also the only place in the park (other than the lodge compounds) where you are allowed to get out of your vehicle.  For a hefty fee you lodge can arrange a sunrise breakfast on the top of Normatior.

Finals at ANU

Hooray! All 132 exams are graded. All of my paperwork is turned in and now I can relax. Actually after a celebratory ice cream break with Ruth and Don, I got really sad to think that my work here at ANU is done and the time to leave is fast approaching but not without one last adventure.

On Monday, Ruth, Don and I are flying to Mombasa for a mini-vacation at a beach resort on the Indian Ocean. I was told that I had to see the Indian Ocean so this will be my chance. Mombasa is hotter and more humid than Nairobi so it will also be a good preparation for summer in Nashville. But first I have a few days to report on the safari but before I do that I want to tell you about finals at ANU. Those of you not interested in academic matters can check back in a few hours.

Finals at ANU are a big deal! According to university policy, the final exam grade constitutes 60% of the undergraduate course grade and 50% of the MBA course grade. The final exams along with the course outline and a detailed marking scheme have to be prepared and turned in about 3 weeks after classes begin. They are then reviewed internally by the department and then sent to an external moderator for review. When everything is returned you have about a week to respond to any comments. You don't have to make changes if you don't want to but you do have to explain your reasons. Personally the only comments I got was a correct of a typing error on the MBA exam and some suggestions for improving the course outline for the undergraduate class. The irony of that was I had used the course outline that had been used in previously in the undergraduate class at ANU. It turns out all of the economics classes in the past had been taught by an adjunct. So I made some changes - hopefully improvements - and ANU now has the revised outline on file.

THEN we come to the administration of the exam. We had a full Saturday workshop on the subject of integrity in the administration of final exams. Fortunately, the presenter was a very humorous and passionate speaker. We were reminded that we were to be vigilant in walking about the examination room and not sit and read the newspaper. We were reminded that we were not to leave the exams in an unlocked office even if we were only going down the hall to the toilet.

The final exams are given two a day in three hour time blocks over a two week period of time. They are administered in large rooms - like the old and new chapel - so that the students can be spread out with different classes being seated in alternate rows to discourage cheating. Then the final exam schedule came out and I found that I was chief invigilator (proctor) in my time slot - probably because I had the largest class. The job of chief invigilator is mostly reminding the students of the rules - e.g. you must remain for two hours and once you leave the room for any reason you may not return so go to the toilet before you enter - and praying before the exam begins. Instructors from all of the classes as well as some staff from the library and registrar's office are on hand to help invigilate the exam.

Security on the exams is very tight. All of the finals are copied and kept along with examination booklets  in the Deputy Vice Chancellor's office to be picked up and signed out right before the exam. For my MBA class at town campus, I had to take my exams and the exams for another class with me to town campus on the university transport. As one of my colleagues in the department observed security is so tight "you feel like you are carrying a bomb."

Students have to pay a fee to take their final exam and are given a letter admitting them to the exams. The date, time and location of each of their exams are listed on the letter so there is no excuse for mistaking the exam time. Representatives from the registrar's office check the the letters and admit students to the room. All books, tote bags mobile phones, etc. are left on tables by the door. Once everyone is seated and taking the exam, lecturers walk around with a sign in sheet and have each of their students sign in. My 132 students were spread out in alternating rows across the entire new chapel building. It took almost an hour for me to get everyone signed in. After that you just walk around for the next two hours. About an hour and a half into the exam, tea is delivered for the invigilators. At two hours, you announce that students who are finished may turn in their examination booklets and leave.

After three hours all of the examination booklets, the sign in sheet and and any unused materials are returned to the Deputy Vice Chancellors office and signed in. The secretary counts the number of examination booklets to be sure it matches with the sign in sheet. Examination booklets may not be removed from campus so everyone including adjunct faculty have to come to campus to do their grading. Since I live on campus I was able to take my exams to my flat and work on them there. But the policy does create problems for lecturers giving exams at town campus. The evening I gave my MBA exam another lecturer who had given his exam the previous evening took the transport with me (including the driver that made three of us plus exam materials in the front of a pick up truck) into town campus so that he could pick up his exams and return with them by university transport to the main campus so he could grade them in his office. He hadn't been able to bring them with him the night before because he was headed home rather than back to campus when the exam was over around 9 p.m. Lecturers come in on Saturday to do grading and the university does supply lunch and tea on those days.

When everything is graded you have to complete a grading sheet on which you report for each student each grade on all assignments before the final as well as the grade on the final and the total number of points earned and then record the corresponding letter grade. The scores associated with letter grades are different from what we typically use in the U.S. A = 80-100, A- = 79-76, B+ = 75-72, B = 71-68and so forth. When everything is complete you return the exams and grading sheet to the deputy vice chancellor's office. And again you sign everything in. At this point if you wish, you can submit a revised marking scheme which is good because you can make notes about answers that you had not expected,etc. Then everything goes again to external examiners. Once exams return from external review, the grades are confirmed by the department and then the faculty senate and only then reported to the students. 

What is the reason for all of the tight regulations? Obviously, the finals are a critical component of the grade so students do get anxious and it is important to discourage attempts to cheat. In addition, I was told that there had been a history of grades being traded for money and favors in Kenyan universities (especially the public ones) so ANU wants to do everything possible to establish its own integrity and make a statement in general about the importance of integrity in academia. In addition external moderation is a source of feedback to the university on its courses and lecturers. But it is quite a system and does take a lot of time and expense (e.g. external moderators are compensated) to administer.

One of the interesting aspects of my sabbatical has been learning about differences in academic systems and this is definitely a big feature of the ANU system.

Safari Photo Album

I figured out how to set up photo albums so I have set one up for my safari photos. When you go to my blog, click on photos and then on the right hand side you will see a list of photo albums. Click on Safari Photos.

I have finished grading everything for my MBA class now. Now on to the undergraduates.

Enjoy the photos. I will write more when I finish grading.

Note about the animals: We saw lots of zebras,wildebeests and elephants. We saw lions several times. We saw hippos grazing at a distance. We only saw two giraffes in the park and were hoping to see more and then after we left the park we saw a small group quite close to the road. But a group of Maasai came walking down the road and that frightened them off. I have video of buffalo, gazelle and antelope but found I have no still photos of them. There are also photos of birds including crested crane and flamingos. There were more flamingos than you can imagine. The flamingos left Amboseli a few years ago when it was very dry but they are back. There are no rhinos at Amboseli.