WWF Soundscape Playlist Brings Nature Inside @WWFSouthAfrica #NatureMatters

Hi Friends,

To put us all back in touch with nature, WWF South Africa has launched a restful playlist of the unique sounds and features of Africa’s natural heritage for enjoyment safely at home, while observing the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown.

The WWF playlist, titled ‘Bring Nature Inside’, captures the soundscapes of our beautiful natural world and features the sounds of projects and areas where WWF is actively working.

“We wanted to allow people to experience the richness of nature. With many of us feeling overwhelmed by the current state of the world and the unique disruptions we are facing, it is imperative for us to take care of our mental and emotional well-being. Nature provides the perfect ‘escape’ that we need during this time,” says Justin Smith, head of business development at WWF South Africa.

From the enchanting sounds of rhino translocations to the soothing backdrop of a free-flowing river and the rhythmic sound of the Atlantic Ocean, each authentic track features immersive sounds with a description that brings together the beauty and significance of our natural resources and showcases the work WWF is doing to help protect South Africa’s natural heritage.

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“Fostering a connection with nature during these unsettling times is essential for our well-being and a reminder of the ways in which we can look after our environment, especially as the world searches for a new normal in how we live,” says Justin.

With its 10-hour long mix of different calming and inspirational tracks, the WWF SA soundscapes can be enjoyed in any setting; whether you are working, exercising, cooking, gardening, or simply taking a break from your home desk. For access to the WWF SA Soundscape Playlist please visit wwf.org.za or click on the below links:

1. SoutPansberg 2. HighVeld 3. Fishing 4. Rhino 5. Beach 6.Bees 7.Sugarbird 8. National Park 9. Windfarm 10. Pastures

The soundscapes will also be available on various streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Deezer, Google Play, and Amazon. A percentage of the streaming royalties will go to support WWF SA’s ongoing conservation work, at no cost to the platform user.

“We are excited to share soundscapes with our audiences. Distance does not mean disconnect, and we hope that with this platform we can help bring some solace and peace to people in these extraordinarily trying times. At the same time, we want to highlight that nature still matters; we must continue safeguarding it so that we can all enjoy it together again in the future. As an added benefit, every time a track is streamed, WWF will earn a modest amount of much-needed money to put towards its conservation efforts,” says Justin.

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts and subscribe to my YOUTUBE Channel too where contests will be held in the month of July 2020. Namaste!

Kandasamys: The Wedding @ShowmaxOnline #Comedy #KandasamysTheWedding

Hi Friends, 

It's the biggest fear of people to create the success of the first book or movie or whatever they excelled in the first part. It takes courage and a lot of faith in one's capabilities to create the same success to be well accepted by the public reading or watching the creation. Keeping up with Kandasamys became South Africa's best picture in terms of showcasing the South African Born Indian community living in Chatsworth, Durban. The second part of the same Kandasamys: The Wedding got released on 18th April 2019 but unfortunately I could not watch the same in the theatres. Showmax has not launched the movie on its online platform and I watched the same yesterday. 

The second part also features the same star cast as it's the continuation of the love story between Prishen (Madhushan Singh) and Jodi (Mishqah Parthiephal) as now the preparations for their wedding is the central theme of the second part and to the main day. As it happens in most families the preparations are the hardest part as the families start preparing for all the arrangements and there will be friction between the groom and the bride's families as they want the best for their kids. 

The father of Prishen is replaced in this movie and the rest of the cast is similar to the first part of the movie. It's been played by Yugan Naidoo as Preggie Naidoo, Shanthi Naidoo is played by Maeshni Naicker. The Kandasamy family is played by Jailoshini Naidoo as Jennifer Kandasamy, Koobeshen Naidoo as Elvis Kandasamy and above all Mariam Bassa as Kaunam 'Aaya' Kandasamy. They all have acted greatly and fit perfectly in their characters. The scene where Aaya uses the Germs mask can be called as the premotion of Covid19 as now everyone is wearing a mask to save themselves. 

As I was expecting a lot from the movie, I was not able to enjoy this part as much as the first part. Some scenes are nice but the overall movie is lacking the feel and vibe of a great script. The director Jayan Moodley tries to showcase the stressing elements in the newlywed's life before the marriage and during the parts of the ceremonies but it was difficult to do in a comical way. The parts between the Rushil Juglall as Arsevan and Tesarnia Oree as Poobasha are totally unnecessary as they are not only boring but brings nothing to the overall comical value in the picture and are totally irritating. 

The locations used from Durban and nearby areas are amazing and I totally loved watching those and some of the places I have missed, I have noted down to see in my next trip to Durban. If you have not been part of the Kandasamy's do bing watch it on Showmax in continuation with the first part on this coming weekend and enjoy the Durban Bunny Chow moments. It won't give you as much pleasure as Hum Aapke Hain Kaun but it's worth your time (127 minutes in total) to attend a local South African Indian Wedding.  RATING 3/5

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts and subscribe to my YOUTUBE Channel too where contests will be held in the month of July 2020. Namaste!

Blue Wildebeest @SANParksKNP @SANParks #KrugerNationalPark #SouthAfrica

Hi Friends, 

Continuing our journey towards the Mopani rest camp we continued to come across various birds, animals, flora, and fauna along with the whole topographical location. We traveled inside the Kruger National Park for about 275 kilometers without taking any food breaks and eat in the car and only stop to use the washrooms. 

Wildebeest is a type of Antelope that comes in two species in Africa namely Blue and Black Wildebeest. You will find them a lot inside the Kruger National Park and also private Game Safaris in the rest of the country. You will find them sharing the grazing space with Zebra and they are attacked by predators as they weight around 180kilograms making the whole Pride of Lions feel full.

The great migration of Wildebeest happens in the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya as the population is huge in those areas which can be predominantly seen during the months of July and August. If you going to Masai Mara, do book your trip with the trusted travel agents as a lot doesn't fulfill the promises after taking your money. 

It feels great to feature all these animals in a separate post each and then select the best shots to share on my social media platforms. I hope you are liking them too and plans to see them live in Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

SHOOTER Season 1 @NetflixSA #TVSeries #Action #Thriller

Hi Friends, 

I watched the Shooter Season 1 on Netflix after I watched the movie on the same name some years back starring Mark Wahlberg based on the novel Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter. 

I totally loved the fast-paced action thriller Season 1 which keeps on the edge but as it comes towards the last few episodes of Season 1, there is a lot of double crossings, triple crossings and multiple crossings between the same people where everyone is using everyone and not killing anyone whereas as a viewer you know that they have to kill them eventually. I think the first season could easily be reduced by 2 episodes to keep it to 8 episodes rather than 10 episodes of 45 minutes each on the average.

Shooter features the story of a Marine Sniper Bob Lee Swagger played by Ryan Phillippe who has retired and now lives with his wife Julie played by Shantel VanSanten and daughter Mary played by Lexy Kolker.

Shooter Season 1 focuses on Bob Lee getting trapped into the assassination attempt of the American President and killing of another Top official from another country. Now the group behind the same never thought that Bob Lee will survive and they thought they will be able to take him out but somehow he survives and the struggle starts. Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Nadine Memphis is an FBI officer who catches Bob Lee and Omar Epps as Isaac Johnson who earlier used to be the Commanding Officer of Swagger and who brought Bob Lee back from retirement to save the country and put him in this position.

How Bob Lee Swagger survives the jail and comes out of the same along with finding the clues behind the whole planning and execution? and how the group behind the assassination starts feeling the heat once Swagger is on the run and how he gets support from Nadine is the whole storyline behind the 10 episodes in the first season of 45 minutes each. As this is a fast-paced story, new characters are regularly introduced and then taken out from time to time. Swagger is shown to be a great sniper and the story goes into flashbacks too where his life along with Donny Fenn, a spotter played by Rob Brown is showcased in various missions leading to Donny's death.

Overall, Shooter Season 1 will really keep you on the edge of the seat and you can definitely binge-watch the series. The whole series has 3 Seasons and about 31 episodes in total and Season 1 has 10. I finished watching Season 1 on Thursday and Friday evening till it got finished. The season was first showcased from 15th November 2016 onwards on USA Network and now is available on Netflix. RATING 3/5

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Bats at #Satara Rest Camp @SANParksKNP @SANParks #KrugerNationalPark #SouthAfrica

Hi Friends,

As we were passing through the Satara Rest Camp and entered the small market inside the camp for some Ice cream and to go to washrooms etc, I checked out a tree outside the market. I was totally afraid to even watch these bats and click photos. 

There were flying all over the market and I really wanted to run away from that spot. But as this was something I have never felt in my life, I took out the camera and clicked some photos before leaving this place for our continued journey inside the Kruger National Park. 

Bats are an integral part of the Jungle ecosystem as a single bat can eat up to 2000 insects a night which will otherwise keep you from sleeping. They eat all kinds of agricultural and household pests even mosquitoes. 

They are part of many camps and are found in large numbers in Kruger National Parks and comes in 65 species only in South Africa out of 1200 species worldwide. SAN Parks have now tried to isolate their chalets and houses free of bats entering the houses by closing all kinds of holes in the roofs and chimney openings. This has helped the tourists to sleep perfectly well inside the rest camps but the jungle is a jungle and you can't restrict them so be prepared to stay with them as you are in their house. 

All the photos are taken using Nikon D7000 using the Sigma 70-300mm lens. 

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!