Health and Fitness!

Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare it with the lot of the great majority of our fellow men. It then appears that we are among the privileged.   Helen Keller

As I blog this Zambian adventure, I am all over the place in deciding what to share and when to share it.  I placed the quote above at the beginning of this account because, if we look at life through only the eyes of our affluent and lush society we judge harshly what others deem a luxury.  Even as I type this last statement and look again at what I am about to post, I am sharing it because of the high standards our businesses are held to. 

Several members of my  family are in training mode as they prepare for a half marathon and a 15K. Following a conversation today at our family gathering I thought I would share what fitness options are like in Mongu. I have the privilege of traveling a great deal in my business, I have stayed at many hotels and work out rooms are an important part of choosing a hotel for many people.  They can be quite simple, or beautiful state of the art facilities.  (At least that is what I am told.)

Getting and being in shape is the focus of my friends and family planning to race.  Other friends just enjoy going to gym.  After Christmas, health club marketers here in the US will have 'enticing deals'  to help us overcome the gluttony most Americans succumb to over our holidays.  For the average Zambian there is no need for gyms.  However, here in Mongu we find a 'gym' as they attempt to keep up with countries that are more developed.

If you have been following my blogs you know that the women in Africa stay strong because of manual labor.  The young mom who uses the treadle pump several hours a day to water her garden has a 'stair master'.   The woman who will walk 5 miles several times a day to fetch water in a 5 gallon container for her family.  Her weights are this container, as she hoists 40 lbs of water onto her head and then walks home.   The woman who goes to market to purchase her masa in 25-50 lb bags that she balances on her head while she is carrying her child on her back has a workout too.  The weather is always warm with an average temperature year around of 80 degrees, so a sauna time is incorporated with her daily tasks, especially in the rainy season.  She keeps her legs, calves and thighs in shape because she carries her loads and walks through deep sand.   Cars are extreme luxuries so everyone walks or bikes.

My translator and guide, during my 'adventure' day showed me the sport facility in Mongu.  I did not snap a photo of it for we drove past it too fast. It was small but it was a point of pride to have this facility.

Our hotel the Dolphin Lodge marketed their gym on the only bill board for 100's of miles.  I filed that info away on our trip in thinking hmmm this is good.   Not because I had anticipated working out but knowing that having this facility meant we were not in a hut.  The sign below made our hotel  look promising.


As I shared in a different blog our hotel was simple.  We had spent 8+ hours reaching our destination seeing hut after hut, grass and/or mud, so :) to arrive at a building such as the Dolphin Lodge was a relief.  Discovering running water, a shower and toilet that flushed were all pluses.  It was several days before I actually walked around the hotel property.  3 doors down from my room was the 'conference center', the gym and the laundry room.  There had been activity there most of the week but our schedule was packed and our down time did not exist.  I basically ignored that end of the hall.  I am a very curious individual and finally 7 days into our trip I decided that I needed to know what was beyond the end of my hallway.  Get ready for the tour.

Below are photo's of the workout area.  I am a bit of a stranger to these machines though I do know what they are for. I cannot attest to how well they worked but I do know that guests used them during our stay. (You can double click to enlarge the photos.)

The area is small and compact but I am guessing one could get a nice workout using the equipment available.  Just a few steps to my right I discovered a few more amenities.  They had shower facilities!  Now as you continue to look at these photos know that as an American these facilities would be shut down.  However, in this part of Zambia a shower facility is rare! 

Men's locker room. 

This sign below is hard to read but critical to the understanding of how important this shower is!!  The spelling and verbiage are copied as written in the note.

Notice to All

IT HAS BEEN OBSERVED THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCE TO LEAVE DIRT IN OUR SHOWER.  THEREFORE BE INFORMED THAT CLEANLINESS IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH.  DON’T LEAVE ANY FORM OF DIRT AFTER CATCHING A SHOWER.  PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE IT AS CLEAN AS YOU FOUND IT.  YOUR CO-OPERATION WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED.  DO NOT LEAVE MUCAS IN THE SHOWER.        BY MANAGERMENT

The inscription is printed above this photo.

This is the shower.  Is really, really bad.  Fortunately for those of us staying at the hotel our showers were clean!
                                                                                                  

This is one nasty shower!  (If you double click the photo you will get a larger picture).

Each day we had fresh sheets and one towel.  I did not think too much about this but next to the 'gym' was the laundry.  They washed our bedding on the premises and set them out to dry. House keeping here is very hard.

As I end this account today. I do not stand in judgement of what I showed to you.  I remain humbled that I am blessed to live where I do with blessings that abound on every level.