The Somali Deception Episode I Virtual Tour

Whether you have already read THE SOMALI DECEPTION or are beginning the adventure now – this Virtual Tour will show you many of the exciting places visited during the adventure.  Do not worry about spoilers.  The images and descriptions contained in this Virtual Tour mention moments from the story that do not necessarily give away the plot.  This Virtual Tour is intended to enhance your reading experience so follow the Tour while reading THE SOMALI DECEPTION for added fun.

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EPISODE I

CHAPTER ONE – An island nation, Seychelles is located to the northeast of Madagascar and about 1,600 km (994 mi) east of Kenya. The island of Curieuse is 40 km (25 mi) from the capital of Victoria on the large island of Mahé.  Many private small islands en route are holiday hideaways for the rich and famous.

Curieuse Island Seychelles

The island of Curieuse was the location of a leper colony from 1833 to 1965 and is now the home of roughly 500 Aldabra Giant Tortoise.

Curieuse beach

A mere day trip from Mahé, wealthy tourists often anchor off this beautiful island to tour the leprosarium, observe the Giant Tortoises, and enjoy the beautiful beaches. 

CHAPTER TWO – The Excelsior Hotel on West 81st street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan was the inspiration for Hotel West and the location of Le Dragon Vert. THE CATHARI TREASURE was the first Cameron Kincaid adventure to feature Le Dragon Vert.  Though when THE CATHARI TREASURE was written the adjoining restaurant space was vacant, the upscale Latin American restaurant Calle Ocho now services the luxurious Upper West Side Excelsior Hotel.

Excelsior Hotel

Excelsior Hotel

Bar at Calle Ocho

The Bar in Latin American restaurant Calle Ocho – When THE CATHARI TREASURE was written the ambience of the bar mirrored the description of the bar in Le Dragon Vert.  Though the basic architectural elements remain unchanged from the original inspiration, the upscale design now favors a vibrant latin flavor.

Hayden Planetarium

The Hayden Planetarium located in the American History Museum Rose Center for Earth and Space on the south side of West 81st street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan across from Excelsior Hotel.

CHAPTER FOUR – The London Heathrow Airport – Heathrow is a main international airport serving London, England, United Kingdom. Located in the London Borough of Hillingdon, in West London. It is the busiest airport in the U.K and the 3rd busiest airport in the world (as of 2012) in terms of total passenger traffic, serving more international passengers than any other airport around the World. Heathrow is also the busiest airport in the EU by passenger traffic and the third busiest in Europe given the number of traffic movements, with a figure surpassed only by Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and Frankfurt Airport.

Heathrow Terminal 5

The London Heathrow Airport

CHAPTER FIVE – The May Fair, set in the heart of Mayfair, London, is a historic 406-room West End hotel.  First opened in 1927, The May Fair has been updated with a modern design and features Fendi furnishings, Baccarat chandeliers, a private theatre, ten signature suites, the May Fair Bar, Asian-inspired May Fair Spa and high-end Palm Beach Casino.

The May Fair Hotel

The May Fair

The Amber Suite

The Amber – One of ten signature suites in The May Fair suites collection.  The Amber Suite’s richly dramatic five-star rooms provide a spectacularly elegant, state-of-the-art setting.  The Amber Suite provides an impressive setting with personal security management ensuring privacy and discretion.

The Amber Suite

The Amber – The Amber Suite’s sophisticated private cinema technology and Bang & Olufsen entertainment system ensure impact.

CHAPTER EIGHT- A high-performance member of the Ecureuil (Squirrel) family, the AS350 B3 plus outclasses all other single engine helicopters for performance, versatility, and safety.

AS350 B3 plus

The AS350 B3 plus
AS350 B3

The AS350 B3 plus excels in hot conditions and very high altitudes, and broke records when a standard production aircraft landed on the top of Mount Everest in 2005 (altitude: 29,029 ft / 8,848 m).

CHAPTER NINE – Laikipia Plateau is considered the gateway to Kenya’s wild northern frontier country. The plateau covers an area of 9723 sq km – roughly half the size of Wales in the UK. Altitudes range from 1700 to 2600 m above sea level. Wild and sparsely populated, much of Laikipia is covered by large privately owned ranches. These ranches cover a wide range of landscapes, and the plateau is dominated by acacia bushland with large areas of open grasslands to the north and south of the district, and dense olive and cedar forests to the east. It is, without doubt, Kenya’s greatest conservation success story over the last 15 years or so; an area of beautiful wilderness, where protected game roams freely and safely, while preserving traditional farming methods and ways of life. 

Laikipia Mt Kenya

Mount Kenya

loisaba

Loisaba Wilderness Lodge is a luxury hotel in a private game ranch in northern Kenya on the edge of the Laikipia Plateau, which borders Kenya’s Northern Frontier District  70 kilometers north of Mount Kenya.

Laikipia-PlateauLaikipia Plateau Wildlife

Reticulated giraffe, Lewa Wilderness Conservancy

Laikipia Plateau Wildlife

Laikipia

Laikipia Plateau Wildlife

CHAPTER FOURTEEN – Somalia has the longest coast in Africa with a coast length of (3,980 sq mi) along the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

Southern Somali Coast

Lower Juba coastline, Southern Somalia

U.S. Navy SEALsU.S. Navy SEALS conduct an insertion demonstration from a Sikorsky Helicopter. SEALS are Special Operations Forces. (U.S. Navy photo)

Fast Rope dark

U.S. Navy SEALS conduct a fast-rope insertion demonstration from a Sikorsky Helicopter. SEALS are Special Operations Forces. (U.S. Navy photo)

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If you have additional images to share from locations featured in THE SOMALI DECEPTION email info@danielarthursmith.com.

The images in this Virtual Tour were gathered from Creative Commons and Public Domain shared image sites (as well as a few of my own.)  Please notify if you own an image displayed here and have modified the license.