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Tips for Freelancing While you Travel

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Travel writing is an effective method to supplement your travel budget and monetize your experiences. There is a huge demand for travel blogs with a broad audience searching for the ideal destinations to satisfy their wanderlust.

Given the blend of sites and experiences on the one hand and the demanding task of writing on the other, striking a work-travel balance may prove a daunting task. As such, you may be limited in your travel lifestyle or forced to compromise the quality of your content.

Taking either of these approaches results in low traffic, which limits your income. This article covers the tips for travel writing to help you maximize your revenue and draw more significant traffic.

For better results, rank my service connects you to experts who help develop quality content and immerse your readers into your experiences.

1. Delegate your writing to an expert

Writing is a challenging task that requires you to check on many elements to produce a captivating paper. Unlike other forms of content, travel content calls for extensive interaction with sites and people’s culture to build a genuine article.

Unfortunately, time is a limiting factor when you are leading a travel lifestyle. For this, you may either opt to update content less frequently over your free time or delegate your writing to an expert.

By having an inconsistent schedule, you risk losing followers, thus limiting the growth of your blog. It is advisable to connect with the best assignment writing services and maintain a consistent flow of attention-grabbing content.

By doing this, you have more time to immerse yourself into various cultures and establish dominance in your niche. Where possible, snap pictures of multiple sites and share them with your writer, thus instilling authenticity in your writers.

2. Prioritize your work

When traveling, there is a limited amount of free time to commit to your work. However, making the most available time can help you maintain timely delivery of content and grow your reader base.

For this, identify your most productive times and schedule these sessions for writing. Ideally, you should kickstart your day by writing a portion of your work and tackle the rest within the day.

Additionally, use time tracking apps to ensure that you meet the threshold allocated to writing, thus helping yourself to adapt to the routine.

3. Set boundaries

Travelling offers more distractions compared to working from a set destination. Often, you may have to compromise your schedule to pursue new experiences or even treat yourself to the culture and thrill of various destinations.

To overcome this, you need to master self-discipline, thus committing to your schedule. Similarly, you need to know your extremes, therefore, handling the amounts of work you are comfortable with.

Doing this helps you avoid mental exhaustion and create captivating content for your audience.

4. Guest posting

While there is a huge demand for travel blogs, there is high competition from authority sites in various niches. To overcome the competition, you should increase your backlinks from authority pages and reach more platforms.

Guest posting is a great way to gain backlinks and connect with experts in various niches. When starting, cold pitch your ideas to bloggers and quality content with backlinks to your page. However, ensure that they offer do-follow links as they are the only ones that can impact your rank with web crawlers.

Conversely, provide for guest posting on topics related to your audience. This helps you hook your readers with diverse content and sustain a regular flow of content as you tour various destinations.

5. Base your travel schedule on your reader’s interests

Since many readers rely on travel blogs to vet their ideal destinations, you must visit areas that capture the interests and curiosities of your readers. Also, you should surpass the existing content by highlighting the necessary information for your readers to vet the appeal of various locations.

For this, read journals and do interviews to plan the issues you should investigate on various destinations. This sets you apart from the less authentic sites whose content seems unauthentic and merely praises the destinations.

After preparing your questions, venture to your destination and interact with the locals to find the answers to your questions. Afterward, share the dialogue on your content to assure readers of the authenticity of your experience.

Besides arresting your reader’s attention, this approach helps you identify the hidden destinations and culinary delights that may appeal to your audience, thus giving them better recommendations.

Final verdict

Writing is a great way to supplement your travel budget. However, freelancing and traveling present a tough choice on the items on which to commit your effort. The tips in this article will help you sustain a constant flow of content and establish substantial traffic.

5 Editing Techniques You Can Use to Make Better Travel Videos

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Traveling opens the world to people and makes unforgettable memories. The pandemic forced many of us to forget about exploring new places for about two years, but when the confinement was over, globe-trotters set off on journeys more enthusiastically. Travelers film eye-catching landscapes, people, events, buildings, and monuments to capture their experiences and share them with the world.

Shooting beautiful scenes has specific rules, and you can easily film a travel video on your smartphone. Many face the main challenge when it comes to editing the video. Professional editors with years of experience in this niche manage editing fast and effectively. But if you are new to editing, you may spend hours and a lot of effort creating your travel video.

There are great tips that facilitate the process and help you achieve incredible results. So let’s find tricks for editing engaging, high-quality travel footage.

5 Top Travel Video Editing Tips 

Want to make an awesome travel video? You may have excellent footage, but it will be useless if you do not know how to create a flawless video. So explore these best editing techniques, and generate memorable travel videos.

#1 Decent Editing Tool 

The first and foremost thing you need for editing an amazing travel video is high-quality editing software. With the right tool in your hands, you will be able to create stunning videos with great effects and transitions without much time and effort. But there are so many editing programs that it’s challenging for an inexperienced editor to choose the proper one.

Fortunately, we outlined the main features of a good editing tool. So firstly, consider there are online and offline editing programs, so select the one you find most suitable for you. Then pay attention to functionalities, and if with the program, you will know how to make a movie trailer, then it definitely has much to offer for professional travel video editing. Check the price before using the trial period, and buy a good tool based on your budget.

#2 Engaging Storyline 

You may get lost in a variety of temples, effects, transitions, and color enhancement, but a storyline is a crucial aspect of a professional travel video. Eye-catching visuals attract viewers, but an engaging storyline touches the audience and leaves a long-lasting effect. But how to tell a story with your travel video? Let’s find what technical aspects help create an interesting narrative.

You should define the purpose of your video and decide what emotions you want to evoke in your viewers. It’ll be great to include much B-roll footage in your video to achieve that. Tell a story of your journey from pieces that build up the whole picture. Your every shot should be connected to the previous one, and give the audience a hint about where you will move further. So take time to prepare a breathtaking travel story and keep it in mind when shooting.

#3 Color Grading and Color Matching

Color grading and color matching are important techniques that will make your travel video look fantastic. Manipulating colors will give your video a unique touch. Raw footage may look dull and with the color grading, you will make your video warmer, reddish, blueish, or whatever you like.

Editing programs have color grading features and can make your video cinematic. Experiment with software functionalities and enhance your video color bringing up exposure, playing with contrast, and saturation.

Color matching helps you grade colors of two or more videos. When you shoot a travel video on a camera and a smartphone, it’s a great solution to make the footage look similar. Video editing programs facilitate the color matching process, and give your videos a professional look.

#4 Captivating Sound Effects

Sound effects can reinforce your video and make it more engaging. Sounds allow viewers to experience your travel through a video. People will feel more attached to what they see with the right sound effects. But how to choose the right sound effects and evoke the desired emotional reaction in your audience?

Using a good editing tool, you can edit video sound within this program. Choose the software with versatile sound effect libraries. You should make your sound editing simple and clear. Experiment with sounds and add effects that suit the scene and make it more engaging. Layering them on top of one another will create the right video ambiance.

#5 Seamless Transitions 

Smooth travel video transitions are your key to success, and no one will know you are a novice video editor. The seamless transitions technique enables you to connect two clips naturally. So if one clip has a camera movement and the other is stable, you can use a transition with a slight movement to add some motion.

Video editing software has rich transition libraries. You can experiment with different options and finally make your travel video perfect. Try such transitions as a standard cut, jump cut, L-cuts, and J-cuts, cross dissolve, and wipe. But keep in mind that overabundance of transitions will play a bad joke with your video.

Another piece of advice is to sync your transitions with the music you apply to your travel video. When a song you use has a new phrase or different rhythm, you can add a transition in that place. You can simply cut from one scene to another or zoom or bland if it looks good.

Conclusion

Travel videos are a popular type of content today. If you decide to create engaging videos featuring your traveling experience, these tips and tricks will help you a lot. We wish you good luck and hope you will impress the audience with your creative, professional video content.

Traveling opens the world to people and makes unforgettable memories. The pandemic forced many of us to forget about exploring new places for about two years, but when the confinement was over, globe-trotters set off on journeys more enthusiastically. Travelers film eye-catching landscapes, people, events, buildings, and monuments to capture their experiences and share them with the world.

Shooting beautiful scenes has specific rules, and you can easily film a travel video on your smartphone. Many face the main challenge when it comes to editing the video. Professional editors with years of experience in this niche manage editing fast and effectively. But if you are new to editing, you may spend hours and a lot of effort creating your travel video.

There are great tips that facilitate the process and help you achieve incredible results. So let’s find tricks for editing engaging, high-quality travel footage.

5 Top Travel Video Editing Tips

Want to make an awesome travel video? You may have excellent footage, but it will be useless if you do not know how to create a flawless video. So explore these best editing techniques, and generate memorable travel videos.

#1 Decent Editing Tool

The first and foremost thing you need for editing an amazing travel video is high-quality editing software. With the right tool in your hands, you will be able to create stunning videos with great effects and transitions without much time and effort. But there are so many editing programs that it’s challenging for an inexperienced editor to choose the proper one.

Fortunately, we outlined the main features of a good editing tool. So firstly, consider there are online and offline editing programs, so select the one you find most suitable for you. Then pay attention to functionalities, and if with the program, you will know how to make a movie trailer, then it definitely has much to offer for professional travel video editing. Check the price before using the trial period, and buy a good tool based on your budget.

#2 Engaging Storyline

You may get lost in a variety of temples, effects, transitions, and color enhancement, but a storyline is a crucial aspect of a professional travel video. Eye-catching visuals attract viewers, but an engaging storyline touches the audience and leaves a long-lasting effect. But how to tell a story with your travel video? Let’s find what technical aspects help create an interesting narrative.

You should define the purpose of your video and decide what emotions you want to evoke in your viewers. It’ll be great to include much B-roll footage in your video to achieve that. Tell a story of your journey from pieces that build up the whole picture. Your every shot should be connected to the previous one, and give the audience a hint about where you will move further. So take time to prepare a breathtaking travel story and keep it in mind when shooting.

#3 Color Grading and Color Matching

Color grading and color matching are important techniques that will make your travel video look fantastic. Manipulating colors will give your video a unique touch. Raw footage may look dull and with the color grading, you will make your video warmer, reddish, blueish, or whatever you like.

Editing programs have color grading features and can make your video cinematic. Experiment with software functionalities and enhance your video color bringing up exposure, playing with contrast, and saturation.

Color matching helps you grade colors of two or more videos. When you shoot a travel video on a camera and a smartphone, it’s a great solution to make the footage look similar. Video editing programs facilitate the color matching process, and give your videos a professional look.

#4 Captivating Sound Effects

Sound effects can reinforce your video and make it more engaging. Sounds allow viewers to experience your travel through a video. People will feel more attached to what they see with the right sound effects. But how to choose the right sound effects and evoke the desired emotional reaction in your audience?

Using a good editing tool, you can edit video sound within this program. Choose the software with versatile sound effect libraries. You should make your sound editing simple and clear. Experiment with sounds and add effects that suit the scene and make it more engaging. Layering them on top of one another will create the right video ambiance.

#5 Seamless Transitions

Smooth travel video transitions are your key to success, and no one will know you are a novice video editor. The seamless transitions technique enables you to connect two clips naturally. So if one clip has a camera movement and the other is stable, you can use a transition with a slight movement to add some motion.

Video editing software has rich transition libraries. You can experiment with different options and finally make your travel video perfect. Try such transitions as a standard cut, jump cut, L-cuts, and J-cuts, cross dissolve, and wipe. But keep in mind that overabundance of transitions will play a bad joke with your video.

Another piece of advice is to sync your transitions with the music you apply to your travel video. When a song you use has a new phrase or different rhythm, you can add a transition in that place. You can simply cut from one scene to another or zoom or bland if it looks good.

Conclusion

Travel videos are a popular type of content today. If you decide to create engaging videos featuring your traveling experience, these tips and tricks will help you a lot. We wish you good luck and hope you will impress the audience with your creative, professional video content.

Top 10 African Countries With the Highest Inflation Rate in 2022

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Inflation has long been regarded as one of the world’s greatest enemies to wealth creation because it erodes the value of money. In Africa, inflation is so persistent, though many of those who are affected are unaware of it. They do, however, feel the impact in the form of higher costs and more expensive food.

While inflation is a concern across the continent, it is more acute in some countries and living in these nations can be rather costly. We’ll look at the top ten African countries with the highest inflation rates in this article.

1. Sudan

According to Trading Economics, Sudan had the highest inflation rate in Africa in March 2022, at 259.80 percent. A rapid currency depreciation and monetization of the fiscal imbalance have resulted in significant inflationary pressures. According to Sudan Central Bureau of statistics, Sudan’s inflation rate is anticipated to reach 270.00 percent by June 2022.

2, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has the continent’s second highest inflation rate, with annual inflation rising to 72.7 percent in March 2022, up from 66.1 percent in February. The parallel exchange rates have been blamed for Zimbabwe’s soaring inflation. According to Trading Economics global macro models, Zimbabwe’s inflation rate will reach 85.00 percent by April 2022 and is expected to hover around 50.00 percent in 2023 and 30.00 percent in 2024.

3. Ethiopia

Ethiopia is in third place, with an inflation rate that has greatly improved in the last three months, despite the fact that it is still high. Ethiopia’s annual inflation rate fell for the second month in a row in February 2022, to 33.6 percent from 34.5 percent in January. According to Trading Economics global macro models, Ethiopia’s inflation rate will be 40.00 percent by the end of the year and will fall again to 12.00 percent in 2023 and 10.00 percent in 2024.

4 . Angola

Angola’s annual inflation rate fell to 27.28 percent in March 2022, down from 27.66 percent in February, for the first time in 11 months. From 2001 to 2022, the inflation rate in Angola averaged 33.72 percent, with a high of 241.08 percent in January 2001 and a low of 6.89 percent in June 2014. According to Trading Economics global macro models, the oil-rich country’s inflation rate will be 30% by the end of April 2022 and is expected to trend at 16 percent in 2023 and 12 percent in 2024.

5. Ghana

Ghana’s annual inflation rate increased in March 2022, to 19.4 percent from 15.7 percent in February. The growing inflation in Ghana has been related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. According to Trading Economics global, Ghana’s inflation rate is predicted to reach 25.00 percent by the end of April 2022. In the long run, the Ghana Inflation Rate is expected to decline, with a target of roughly 10% in 2023 and 7% in 2024.

6. Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone has the sixth highest inflation rate in Africa, at an annual rate of 17.94 percent. According to Trading Economics global macro models, Sierra Leone’s inflation rate will reach 20.00 percent by the end of May 2022. The Sierra Leone Inflation Rate is expected to hover around 7.00 percent in 2023.

7. Nigeria

Nigeria’s annual inflation rate increased from 15.6 percent in February to 15.7 percent in March 2022. Nigeria’s inflation rate is anticipated to reach 17.00% by the end of April 2022. According to Trading econometric models, the Nigeria Inflation Rate is expected to trend at 10.00 percent in 2023 and 8.00 percent in 2024.

8. Burundi

Burundi’s inflation rate is currently 13.32 percent and is anticipated to reach 15.00 percent by the end of 2022. From 1974 to 2022, the inflation rate in Burundi averaged 10.71 percent, with a high of 44.93 percent in May 1997 and a low of -8.40 percent in October 2018. The Inflation Rate is expected to trend around 6.00 percent in 2023 and 5.00 percent in 2024.

9. Zambia

After the presidential elections in 2021, Zambia’s annual inflation rate continued to fall. According to the Zambian Central Statistical Office, the rate fell for the eighth month in a row to 13.1 percent in March 2022. According to Trading Economics global macro models, Zambia’s inflation rate will be 13.00 percent by the end of April 2022. In the long run, the Zambian inflation rate is expected to hover around 8% in 2023 and 7% in 2024.

10. Malawi

Malawi now has the tenth highest annual inflation rate on the continent, at 13% as of March 2022. According to Trading Economics global macro models, Malawi’s inflation rate will be 11.00 percent by the end of June 2022 and is expected to hover around 8% in 2023 and 7.40 percent in 2024.

Must-Do Adventures in Tanzania

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From the incredible views atop Mount Kilimanjaro to the pristine white beaches flanking Zanzibar, Tanzania is tailored for travellers seeking unreal adventures, scenery, and experiences. This East African country is the ultimate destination for couples, families, and solo globetrotters, thanks to its endless list of activities.

Admire the Big Five on safaris, go snorkelling, hiking, biking, swimming, and discover fascinating cities, towns, and villages.

When you’re planning your trip to Tanzania, you’ll want to check off the following attractions.

  • Mount Kilimanjaro 

Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro is a popular bucket list activity. Most trekkers take around five to 10 days to wind their way to Kilimanjaro’s pinnacle! But some travellers may not be interested in spending their vacation on a trekking adventure. Thankfully, you can still bask in Mount Kilimanjaro’s imposing presence without hiking up.

If you still want to admire the snow-capped Kilimanjaro without the time commitment and months of physical training, head to Chemka Hot Springs! The journey here is an adventure on its own. You’ll have to find a tuk-tuk driver from Moshi to take you on the bumpy dirt road to Chemka Hot Springs. En route, you can catch a glimpse of Kilimanjaro if it’s a clear day. Plus, you get to swim in the bright blue, crystal clear hot springs (which are more warm than hot) at the end of your drive.

But if you still want an active adventure around Kilimanjaro without hiking, this unforgettable six-day Kilimanjaro bike tour is made for you! Expect to wind to an array of scenic and rural villages and to get the chance to interact with locals, all while cycling in Kilimanjaro’s intimidating shadow.

  • Safaris 

East Africa is famed for its memorable safaris! It’s almost impossible to go to Tanzania without hopping in a jeep and looking out for the Big Five (lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo, and black rhino). The most popular safari destinations in Tanzania are Serengeti National Park or Ngorongoro Crater.

Prepare for intoxicating sunsets and sunrises and luxurious camping (this is the most popular accommodation on safaris). Just make sure you charge your camera or phone before you go. Oh, and don’t forget binoculars!

  • Zanzibar 

Revel in the fresh sea-salted air swirling off the transparent, postcard-painted waters in Zanzibar. This island is truly a scenic masterpiece! You can easily spend a couple of weeks here without falling into boredom. Spend time walking around Stone Town, where a lively atmosphere and stunning architecture meet to form one remarkable exploration!

Another great activity is to rent a scooter or motorbike and go beach hopping around the island. It’s easy enough to get a permit for the day.

You can also go snorkelling. Several visitors like to flock to the bleach-white beach bar that’s a short boat ride away from the main island. There’s no shade here, so bring a lot of sunscreen. There’s also the 100-year-old giant turtles on Changuu Island, which is another boat ride away.

It can be a lot of work to plan a trip. If you aren’t in the mood or too busy to stitch together the ideal holiday, you may want to look into already-planned adventure tours in Tanzania. Sift through the options and choose one that’s ideal for you, your family, or your partner. And pack your bags, and off you go!

How Much Does Sports Car Insurance Cost?

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Sports cars tend to be worth more. If your car is stolen or declared a total loss, then your insurer needs to compensate you based on the value of that vehicle. Instead of paying $15,000 to compensate the loss of your sedan, the insurer pays $100,000 to compensate the loss of your high-end sports car.

Sports cars also have more performance than ordinary vehicles. They can go faster. When you increase the speed, you increase the chances of an accident.

Thieves may be more tempted to steal a sports car than an ordinary vehicle. Your car might be a bigger target.

What If I Get Into An Accident?

No matter what car you drive, there’s always the possibility you’ll get into an accident. A sports car is not meant to be driven as aggressively as a passenger vehicle like a sedan or SUV. Even if the driver hits their brakes hard and pulls off at the first available opportunity, there are still risks. The car could still be damaged, and the driver could be at fault for causing the accident.

To minimize these risks, it’s important to follow all laws and regulations related to driving sports cars. This includes obeying traffic signs, wearing a seatbelt, and driving within your limits. In addition, it’s essential to remain calm and try to avoid panic when an accident occurs. If possible, call the emergency services immediately, assess the situation, and figure out what went wrong before trying to fix it.

No matter what type of accident you get into, you’ll need representation. Hire a car accident lawyer to make sure your interests are looked after properly.

Even if your sports car isn’t a total loss after an accident, it will cost more to repair the vehicle. You may need to take your car to a specialty shop and use specialty parts to repair it.

However, you can still find competitive prices on sports car insurance. Some sports cars are cheaper to insure than others. Many drivers are surprised to discover how affordable sports car insurance can be, especially if they maintain low mileage on the sports car or only drive it in the summer.

Final Word

Insuring a sports car is straightforward. Sports car insurance generally works the same as ordinary car insurance.

For most sports cars, you can buy car insurance through an ordinary insurer – like Progressive or State Farm.

If you have a high-end performance vehicle, however, then you may need to buy sports car insurance from a specialty insurer.

Request a quote online today to get competitive prices on sports car insurance.

How to Start a Cyber Security Company

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In recent years, the cyber security field has exploded in popularity and necessity. The need to protect our systems and data from malicious actors becomes increasingly important as the world becomes increasingly reliant on technology. This has led to a boom in the cyber security industry, with new companies and products popping up every day.

Here’s How to Start a Cyber Security Company:

Get The Appropriate Professional Qualifications

There are a number of different cyber security certifications available, and it’s important to choose the one that’s right for you and your business. With the right qualifications and a bit of hard work, you can be on your way to starting a successful cyber security company.

Define And Research Your Target Market.

Who are you going to provide services to? What types of companies or organizations are you going to focus on? What are their specific needs? Answering these questions is essential to creating a successful cyber security company.

Select The Legal Form of Your Business.

Sole Proprietorship: You are the business’s sole owner and are personally liable for all its debts and liabilities.

Partnership: A partnership can be a general partnership wherein all partners are equally liable for the business or a limited partnership wherein one or more partners have limited liability.

Corporation: Corporations are owned by shareholders and are governed by a board of directors. A corporation is a separate legal entity from its owners, meaning that the owners are not personally liable for the debts and liabilities of the corporation.

Create A Business Strategy Specifically for Cybersecurity.

It is essential to create a business strategy specifically for cybersecurity. This strategy should include a detailed plan for how the company will operate, its services, and how it will protect its clients’ data.

Obtain A Business License, Bank Account, And Credit Card for The Firm.

This will give you the legal foundation necessary to operate your business.

Establish A Budget and Get Money

How much money do you have to invest in your company? This will determine how much you can spend on hiring staff, renting office space, and buying equipment.

Locate The Proper Place

Once you’ve found the right location, you can start setting up your business.

Promote Your Business

This means getting involved in the cybersecurity community, attending industry events, and writing articles and blog posts to get your name out there. You can also use social media to reach a wider audience and generate interest in your company.

Write Client Contracts with Great Care.

This will ensure that both you and your clients are on the same page from the start and will help avoid any legal issues.

Employ Excellent Personnel

This means hiring individuals who are not only knowledgeable in the cyber security field but also passionate about it.

If you’re looking for a reliable and reputable Singapore cyber security company, look no further than CSintelligence. They offer a comprehensive range of cyber security services designed to protect your business from the ever-growing threat of cybercrime. They have a team of experienced and certified security experts dedicated to providing our clients with the highest level of security.

Conclusion:

Starting your own company is hard and challenging, but it is something that many of us dream of. However, if you have the ambition and experience, starting your own company could be your best decision.

Workplace Stress, A Silent Disease affecting workers

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The World Health Organization(W.H.O), workplace stress is a pattern of psychological, cognitive, and behavioral reactions to some extremely taxing aspects of work on content, work organization, and work environment.

Mental health encompasses the individual’s capacity to cope with internal and external needs such as roles within the employment. Mental illness and in particular Common Mental Disorders (CMD) such as depression and anxiety are among the most causes of occupational disability. Stress in the workplace may have a pervasive effect on employees leading to exhaustion, anxiety, and depression, and even substance abuse and it contributes to high levels of absenteeism in the workplace.

“According to Capt. Steven Pflanz, USAF MC in his article Psychiatric illness and the Workplace, each year, 15% of every workforce will experience at least one episode of psychosocial disability and an additional 10% will suffer from problems related to alcoholism. Stress claims represent 15% of all occupational disease claims and that stress-related occupational disease claims are increasing rapidly at the same time that all other disability work injuries are increasing. Psychological injury is a cognitive or emotional symptom that impacts on a person’s life affecting how they feel, think and behave”.

Different stressors have contributed to affecting the mental health of many workers. These stressors may include:

Job insecurity as a result of threats from organizational restructures, mergers, and redundancies may take a toll on employees emotionally and physically. Studies have shown that chronic job insecurity is a stronger predictor of poor health than smoking or hypertension because of stress.

Best 5 Tanzania Parks to Explore on a Self-drive

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Serengeti National Park

Tanzania is East African giant in a lot of considerations right from politics, economy, and trading and also well in the travel section. A self-drive likewise to the fully guided trip in Tanzania exposes you to that unique features that the country has only signified itself to offer. By size Tanzania is a bigger country, times 4 Uganda to get the real size of the country, so when opting for a self-drive drive trip here, it mean you must be ready to take on drives.

Tanzania has a list of over 50 national parks and game reserves which are scattered across the country. These parks has significantly positioned Tanzania as the best safari destination in African offering such great and unique wild encounters of which some can be even encountered elsewhere in the world.

However, among the many were making a selection five super national parks. These parks has unique and varying experience. So, when you going for a self-drive to Tanzania you can consider among these and make your own travel plan.

The Serengeti National Park

The Africa’s top safari destination, the Serengeti National Park is Tanzania’s second largest park 5,700 square miles. The park was exclusively reserved for wildlife since 1951 and the heart of a vast ecosystem with much greater dimensions. Any safari to this majestic Serengeti is always comes combining the protected site of Ngorongoro, the Maswa Game Reserve, the controlled areas of Grumeti and Ikorongo, the Kenyan nature reserve of Masai Mara and the controlled area of Loliondo (up to Lake Natron).

The 11,583 square miles controlled in such a way as to ensure that human activities remain compatible with the welfare of the wildlife. The conservation effort in this immense territory is mainly to preserve the presence of migratory routes involving hundreds of thousands of zebras and wildebeest. The park is mainly known as visited for the famous dramatic wildebeest migration where about 2.5 million wildebeests, gazelles, zebras, and cross from the plain of Serengeti to the plain of Masai Mara.

The Serengeti National Park is Africa’s most rewarding park with varieties of wildlife encounters. And when opting for a self-drive here, you just need to have that safari customized land cruiser which can maneuver al road terrains of the Serengeti.

Ngorongoro Crater

One of the remarkable destinations to take a self-drive in East Africa. Ngorongoro Crater is the largest crater in the world, and is a safe haven for a remarkable self-drive assortment of wildlife. Because the Ngorongoro Crater is one of the worlds’ natural remnants site was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1980. A huge crater that acts like a vast natural zoo.

Three million years ago, a major eruption devastated the Ngorongoro volcano and the collapse of the cone left the largest caldera in the world – a staggering 12 miles in diameter. Surveying this site is a truly awe-inspiring feeling, one that grows with the discovery of more and more African species of flora and fauna as you approach the bottom of the crater.

The reserve contains other less impressive but equally admirable extinct volcanoes as well as two outstanding paleontological sites in Olduvai and Laetoli.

Kilimanjaro National Park

Nothing rewards than taking an adventure to Kilimanjaro National Park. The self-drive means taking such a great reward and hiking to the top of Africa.  Also called ‘roof of Africa’, Kilimanjaro is the Africa’s highest peak. The large village of Moshi, located at the foot of Kilimanjaro and not far from Mount Meru, is often used as a starting point when climbing to the summit of Kili or exploring the splendor of Tanzania’s north. While its main charm lies in its African authenticity touched with Asian influences, it is also known for the quality of its coffee plantations Kilimanjaro being one of Tanzania’s main coffee growing regions. This is a must visit when taking this self-guided esteemed drive and one of the best national parks in Tanzania.

Lake Manyara National Park

This is an outsized lake accommodating exceptional wildlife, thousands of birds and primary forest. The Manyara National Park encompasses the northern half of the lake and its western shore, which ends a few miles from the escarpment. The detached eyesight of flocks of birds on the hazy horizon is unforgettable. Among these include; Herons, egrets, ospreys, ibis, pelicans, jacanas and plovers are just some among the 380 species recorded.

A drive through the deluxe shrubbery replies visitors as they enter the park. Consider this watch where towering trees take advantage of the rich volcanic soil and porous rocks help underground streams reach the roots. Those lucky enough might even see baboons gathered in troops of between 30 and 100.

A self-drive in Tanzania’s Lake Manyara National Park rewards of awesome sights of impalas, giraffes, buffaloes and zebras. The park is as well famous for hosting the special tree climbing lions. The park rewards with a lot of programs among are the wild boat ride which is very unique in Tanzania parks, game drives etc.

Tarangire National Park

Experience the dry savannah landscapes, baobab forests, these have harbored elephant herds in the Tarangire National Park. Tarangire National Park is a quiet, wooded savannah, where a rich variety of thriving fauna including tree climbing lions can be spotted from open vehicles. Taking a self-guided drive through the park will expose you to these unique African bush elephants, plains zebras, Masai giraffes, impalas, blue wildebeest, buffaloes, bush pigs, common elands, common waterbucks.

For birder’s, when traveled along with your well lensed cameras, there are a lot of birds that can also be found on many of the wetter banks of the Tarangire River. Keep an eye out for brilliantly colored parakeets known as lovebirds. Termite mounds are very common in Africa and abandoned mounds are often used for shelter by dwarf mongooses. In the north of Tarangire National Park, the majestic baobab trees are among the finest examples of this species anywhere.

Exploring The Best of Rwanda: 5 Popular Things to Do

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Rwanda Safari

Rwanda is a compact country, most popularly known as the Land of a Thousand Hills. It is a destination with breathtakingly spectacular landscapes, diverse wildlife, and unique cultures and traditions.

The beauty of visiting Rwanda for a holiday is that there is something for everyone to explore and experience. It is a stunning destination with endless adventures and exciting activities for nature enthusiasts to engage in.

The key areas of focus in Rwanda include the four national parks: Gishwati-Mukura National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park, known for chimpanzee tracking; Akagera National Park, famous for big five safaris; and Volcanoes National Park, where you can track mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.

Other touristic regions/districts in Rwanda include Lake Kivu, Kibuye, and Ruhengeri/Musanze.

Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla trekking is by far the number one experience you should expect to enjoy on a Rwanda safari. When it comes to gorilla tours in Rwanda, there is only one place to visit, and that is the Volcanoes National Park. Over 30% of the world’s 1063 mountain gorillas call the Volcanoes National Park home. There are 12 habituated gorilla groups that can be visited by tourists and every family is visited by a maximum of up to 8 visitors.

The gorilla families to visit in Rwanda include Titus, Agashya family, Umubano gorilla group, Sabyinyo, Susa A, Amahoro gorilla family, Ugenda, Kwitonda, Hirwa, and Susa B (Karisimbi).

Embarking on a gorilla safari in Volcanoes National Park is an amazing way to explore Rwanda. Volcanoes National Park (VNP) in Musanze is the most accessible African safari destination. It is the most popular among the four national parks where mountain gorillas live. The three other parks are Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park of Uganda and the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It takes tourists just 2-3 hours to drive from Kigali to Northwestern Rwanda to track mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. When you think of visiting Rwanda for a gorilla tour, the first step is to obtain a gorilla permit through a reliable tour operator. A single gorilla permit for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda costs USD 1500 per person.

Gorilla safaris and permits should be planned and booked in advance, at least 2-4 months before the actual time of tracking mountain gorillas. Additionally, consider packing the right gear for your gorilla tour, such as a waterproof daypack, long-sleeved shirts, a sweater, long trousers, a camera free of a flashlight, a first aid kit, insect repellents, a rain jacket, a safari hat, snacks, and bottled drinking water.

Golden Monkey Tracking

Golden monkey tracking is a memorable primate adventure that offers tourists a lifetime chance to visit the golden monkeys in their natural habitat. The golden monkeys live in the Virunga Region, and a significant number of them have been habituated, which means there is a chance to track them in their natural habitat.

Treks to see golden monkeys begin at 7:00 am with a briefing and registration, and then at 8:00 am, the park guide leads you through the forest to look for the strikingly spectacular golden monkeys.

The normal golden monkey trek lasts for 2-4 hours, including one hour of close encounter and photography. Golden monkey trekking permits in Rwanda are available for booking at USD 100 per person, and individuals above 15 years have a chance to participate in this exciting primate adventure.

Visit Akagera National Park

If you think Rwanda is only for mountain gorilla trekking, then you have been missing out. Go on a safari in the finest savanna grassland parks in Rwanda, and explore Akagera National Park located in the eastern side of the country, where you will come across all the big five game.

Akagera is naturally stunning and the only savanna park in Rwanda (the Land of a Thousand Hills), spanning 1122 sq. km. Gazetted in 1934, Akagera is indeed a big game country. The parks hosts special wildlife such as elephants, buffaloes, leopards, lions, rhinos, antelopes, zebras, Maasai giraffes, hyenas, and 500 bird species, etc.

The park is mainly composed of savanna grasslands, acacia woodlands and the Kagera River system.

Besides game drives, tourists visiting Akagera National Park also have the opportunity to engage in a boat cruise on Lake Ihema, sport fishing on Lake Shakani, bird watching, nature walks, and cultural visits.

Visit Nyungwe Forest National Park

Extending for over 1000 sq kms, Nyungwe National Park is set on the majestic hills of southeast Rwanda. The park is the largest block of montane forest in East and Central Africa. It is also one of the oldest tropical rain forests in Africa.

The park is popular for hosting 13 primate species including the chimpanzees, L Hoest’s monkeys, large troops of acrobatic Angola Colobus etc. Chimpanzee tracking is the most popular adventure that attracts most visitors and a chimpanzee permit costs US$150 per person.

The park is also popular for the canopy walk! The first-ever canopy walk experience to be introduced in East Africa is right in Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest National Park (NFNP). This experience commenced in 2010, and visitors are led through a suspended walkway approximately 50m from the ground, guaranteeing an exceptional aerial view of the Nyungwe Forest canopy and primates.

Hiking Rwanda’s Mountains

Adventure seekers on safari in Rwanda are never left out. There are plenty of hiking opportunities in Rwanda, including hiking the Virunga Mountains in Northern Rwanda. The Volcanoes National Park boasts of hosting five of the eight Virunga Volcanoes. Popular hikes with the park include the Bisoke volcano Hike, Mt. Karisimbi hike, Ngezi Crater Hike etc.

Other areas to tour in Rwanda include Lake Burera and Ruhondo, Lake Kivu, Kibuye, Musanze caves, Gishwati-Mukura National Park, and others.

In summary, Rwanda is compact in size but features plenty of unique experiences, activities, and attractions that make it a premier destination. Visit Rwanda not only for mountain gorilla encounters but also for other wildlife safaris, hiking adventures, cultural tours, city tours, and so much more.

The Growing Potential of Forex Trading in Africa

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The forex industry in Africa has been growing significantly. It has been estimated that the number of forex traders across the continent ranges from 1.3 to 1.8 million. This growing user base is comparable to those in other parts of the world.

Undoubtedly, the Forex market has always been an attractive place for traders and investors to start and it is due to not one but multiple factors like high liquidity, ease of entry, global nature, high volatility, access to demo accounts and high-profit potential.

But the question is what led to the popularity of the forex market in Africa and whether the forex market in Africa will continue to expand. Let’s find out the answer!

Reasons Behind the Rise of Forex Trading in Africa

  1. Impact of Coronavirus: In 2020, Covid-19 took hold in the world, including Africa. As there were restrictions on movement, people were confined to their homes. Economies were shut, and there was job insecurity. That’s when people started to look for alternative ways to generate income, preferably from home. Amidst all this chaos, people started to gain interest in forex trading. The primary driving force was the heightened volatility in the markets due to the ongoing pandemic. Additionally, the war in Ukraine has only exacerbated the already volatile market which created a fertile breeding ground for those seeking to profit from the movements in the market, regardless of whether they are positive or negative.
  2. Access to the Internet and Mobile Phones: The technological landscape of the African continent is rapidly evolving. Smartphones and tablets have become the go-to devices for communication, entertainment, and almost everything, including trading. The increasing accessibility of the internet has only further compounded this trend, with wireless technology enabling countries to rapidly expand their online infrastructure and increase the reach of the digital world. Brokers operating in this space have been quick to capitalise on these developments and have designed their trading platforms to be as mobile-friendly as possible. MT4 and MT5 are prime examples of how easy trading platforms are to use. You can easily place, monitor and exit trades on the move using the mobile version of these trading platforms.
  3. Africa Can Benefit From Lesser-known Markets: The savvy traders know that being aware of the fundamentals like political climate in the country, economic health and infrastructure development can pay off big time as this can help them make the most out of the price movements. The best part of trading in the lesser-known pairs and currencies is that movements can be much more stark and pronounced, which makes it easier to time the market in many cases.
  4. Better Financial Education: As the African continent hurtles towards an economically empowered future, there has been a remarkable increase in the financial literacy of its people. Various literacy initiatives and better schooling have played a pivotal role in this regard. There has also been an influx of talent from abroad, contributing a lot towards it. Forex platforms themselves have also played quite a critical role in educating traders by offering a wealth of resources that help them to learn the ropes of the market.

Future of Forex Trading in Africa

Africans, in general, are becoming more active in the forex markets due to the increasing rate of internet penetration and other factors, which indicates that we can expect the trend of forex trading to accelerate in the near future. However, there are people who think that the forex market in Africa has reached its saturation point.

In reality, the market still has massive potential for growth. Currently, the forex market is enjoying stability, which is seen as an excellent foundation for continued growth, but the changing regulatory controls may have an impact on future growth. But certainly, there’s a lot of room for growth in forex activities in Africa.

How New African Traders Can Start Forex Trading?

As we know, forex trading is a financial activity that involves the buying and selling of currencies with the intention of making a profit from fluctuations in currency rates. Therefore, you have to be strategic and know when to make your move and when to hold back. The basic idea is simple: you buy a currency when you expect its value to increase relative to another currency, and you sell it when you anticipate it will decline. The difference between the entry and exit prices determines the profit or loss of your trade.

So, let’s understand how you can start trading forex and what you will need before starting:

Learn About the Markets: Mastering the fundamentals of forex trading is essential to survive and consistently make profits in the market. There are two main approaches to trading, or we can say to speculate the direction of the market: technical analysis and fundamental analysis. Technical analysis involves using chart patterns, candlesticks, moving averages, and other technical tools to identify trading opportunities based on price movements. In contrast, fundamental analysis takes a longer-term approach and relies on macroeconomic indicators such as employment data, retail sales, and interest rates to identify potential trades. To get started with online Forex trading, it’s important that you understand these concepts thoroughly, as well as learn and practice risk management in trading.

Create a Trading Account: In order to place trades in the market, you have to create a trading account with a reliable broker, as only then will you be able to get access to the market. It is one of the most important decisions, and you must take it carefully, as choosing the right or wrong broker will make all the difference in your trading account. Make sure to check the broker’s regulations, terms and conditions, and other important features as you may not want to end up with a fraud company as this may risk your trading capital.

Find a Trading Strategy: The market has so many trading strategies. Scalping, Day Trading, Swing Trading and Position trading are just a few of them. Each strategy has different rules, and you must make sure that it completely suits your trading style because that’s the only way to get the maximum benefits from your trading strategy. In order to have a solid strategy, you must have accurate information of the trades you intend to enter into. For that, trading tools will be of great help, as they help find the right data you need to smartly enter a trade to make profits with a minimum amount of risk. For instance, if you have a day job, you should try scalping, as it demands a lot of time and concentration. Scalping is a short-term strategy where traders have to enter and exit trades within a time frame of a few minutes, which is hardly possible for a person who is busy with their full-time job. So, in this case, you may choose swing or position trading. Therefore, make sure that your strategy suits your trading style.

Choose a Trading Platform: Here comes another important decision. Trading platforms are equipped with charts, indicators and other trading tools that help you monitor and analyse the market. Therefore, you must find a trading platform that is user-friendly, intuitive and responsive. You should also check different order types and other necessary features to ensure that the platform offers everything that you will need during trading. But you should know that your broker should support the trading platform of your choice otherwise, you can’t connect your trading platform with your brokerage platform. Typically, MT4 and MT5 are the most preferred platforms that most traders and brokers love. So you can choose any based on your preference. Most beginners prefer to trade on MT4 due to its simple design and limited features, but you are free to choose any, given that you are comfortable trading on it.

Understand the Risks Involved: Forex trading is prone to numerous risks: market risk, operational risk, risk of ruin, leverage risk, liquidity risk, emotional risk and risk of financial loss. If you want to protect your account from these risks, you must fully understand what they mean and what measures you can take to prevent your account from these losses.

There has been a tremulous shift in Africa’s economic and financial landscape. Access to the internet, increased literacy rates, and political and social turmoil impact are crucial factors in driving this change. As more and more Africans started developing an interest in the forex market, they started investing their time in gaining a deeper understanding of this complex financial world. This has made Africans better equipped to make sound financial decisions and confidently navigate the markets. This development can be seen as a course towards Africans’ brighter and more prosperous future.