Moving mountains
Windhoek residents wake up as early as 04:00 to visit the Auas Mountain in Auasblick, which has become a hub of fitness.
Mountain climbing has never been an easy exercise but Windhoek residents have embraced the journey to a healthy nation by visiting the Auas Mountain for climbing.
Despite having a pavement to walk on, there is also a shortcut to the top but an uneven path that some people use to get to the top of the high mountain.
Sport Wrap visited the mountain on Saturday, where hundreds of people were seen engaging in climbing and different exercises.
Different age groups were spotted, from elderly people to young children who all aimed to get to the top.
For about 10 years Salome Knouwds has been a regular climber and at the age of 70 she is still engaging in mountain climbing.
She was walking up with her puppy when this reporter spotted her. “I am not a good climber so this has always been very difficult for me but still it is good when you go home because you feel exercised and relaxed,” she said.
Knouwds has been visiting the mountain since 1996 and according to her the place has never been as crowded as it is nowadays.
“When we started it was never full like this and we would exercise every afternoon when we had a trip and also in the morning because it is quite cool but for now we just do it every Saturday,” she said.
Eye doctor Helena Ndume was also spotted on the paved path as she jogged down from the top.
“I started coming here in 2003 and when I started this pavement was not even here and the group of Knouwds have always been giving us moral support that if these old people are doing it then why not us and they have been charging us a lot,” she said.
Dr Ndume and her friends would first visit the mountain three times a week but according to her they now engage in mountain climbing every day.
“We come here almost every day and it is really nice, I was joined by former health minister Dr Richard Kamwi, and I was even complaining because I couldn''t even go backwards because there were so many people, and those years it was all clear as we started at 04:30,” she said, before running off to rejoin her friends who had left her behind.
NSA deputy director of strategic communication Iipumbu Sakaria was also seen on Saturday engaging in exercise.
He said mountain climbing is a good experience. “I was brought here by some friends from Tsumeb and it is very good for my health.
“The person who inspired me here was Dr Kamwi, he always comes here and jogs and one day he just jogged past us and I thought if an elderly man above 60 years is able to do it then we can also do it so my inspiration is that by the time I get to his age, I must also be able to do what he is doing,” he said.
Sakaria started two years ago and always tries to visit the mountain on Saturdays and when time is on his side also during weekdays.
Elton Beukes and his family were also spotted going down on the uneven shortcut path.
Beukes only started few months ago and is so far enjoying the experience.
“I started few months back when I first came here with the worship team and that was my first time and I had a good experience and decided to bring my daughter along and we had a good time especially working in the early mornings,” he said.
“We do this to build a relationship and also for fitness. I saw a lot of people coming up here, especially people who I didn''t think would make it to the top and just thought I am in a better position so that just gave me more courage,” he said.
While some only go to the top once and then down, Antonius Thimoteus and his group do it in three rounds with a combination of different exercises.
Thimoteus said at his first attempt in June it was tough getting to the top but as the months went by and he became a regular, it has become a walk in the park for him and his group.
“People love the experience and for us we have got a group, and that I just started around June I always come here every Saturday as early as 06:00,” he said.
The mountain has become a fitness hub not only during weekends but also weekdays after working hours.
KAINO NGHITONGO
Despite having a pavement to walk on, there is also a shortcut to the top but an uneven path that some people use to get to the top of the high mountain.
Sport Wrap visited the mountain on Saturday, where hundreds of people were seen engaging in climbing and different exercises.
Different age groups were spotted, from elderly people to young children who all aimed to get to the top.
For about 10 years Salome Knouwds has been a regular climber and at the age of 70 she is still engaging in mountain climbing.
She was walking up with her puppy when this reporter spotted her. “I am not a good climber so this has always been very difficult for me but still it is good when you go home because you feel exercised and relaxed,” she said.
Knouwds has been visiting the mountain since 1996 and according to her the place has never been as crowded as it is nowadays.
“When we started it was never full like this and we would exercise every afternoon when we had a trip and also in the morning because it is quite cool but for now we just do it every Saturday,” she said.
Eye doctor Helena Ndume was also spotted on the paved path as she jogged down from the top.
“I started coming here in 2003 and when I started this pavement was not even here and the group of Knouwds have always been giving us moral support that if these old people are doing it then why not us and they have been charging us a lot,” she said.
Dr Ndume and her friends would first visit the mountain three times a week but according to her they now engage in mountain climbing every day.
“We come here almost every day and it is really nice, I was joined by former health minister Dr Richard Kamwi, and I was even complaining because I couldn''t even go backwards because there were so many people, and those years it was all clear as we started at 04:30,” she said, before running off to rejoin her friends who had left her behind.
NSA deputy director of strategic communication Iipumbu Sakaria was also seen on Saturday engaging in exercise.
He said mountain climbing is a good experience. “I was brought here by some friends from Tsumeb and it is very good for my health.
“The person who inspired me here was Dr Kamwi, he always comes here and jogs and one day he just jogged past us and I thought if an elderly man above 60 years is able to do it then we can also do it so my inspiration is that by the time I get to his age, I must also be able to do what he is doing,” he said.
Sakaria started two years ago and always tries to visit the mountain on Saturdays and when time is on his side also during weekdays.
Elton Beukes and his family were also spotted going down on the uneven shortcut path.
Beukes only started few months ago and is so far enjoying the experience.
“I started few months back when I first came here with the worship team and that was my first time and I had a good experience and decided to bring my daughter along and we had a good time especially working in the early mornings,” he said.
“We do this to build a relationship and also for fitness. I saw a lot of people coming up here, especially people who I didn''t think would make it to the top and just thought I am in a better position so that just gave me more courage,” he said.
While some only go to the top once and then down, Antonius Thimoteus and his group do it in three rounds with a combination of different exercises.
Thimoteus said at his first attempt in June it was tough getting to the top but as the months went by and he became a regular, it has become a walk in the park for him and his group.
“People love the experience and for us we have got a group, and that I just started around June I always come here every Saturday as early as 06:00,” he said.
The mountain has become a fitness hub not only during weekends but also weekdays after working hours.
KAINO NGHITONGO
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