Walking back to happiness

Al Estiqlal Walkway has provided a safe haven for nearby residents and workers to practice their routine exercises to a healthier life.

Scores of people, young and old, go to the walkway and spend hours walking, jogging or just simply enjoying the time out with family and friends.

Fifty-year-old Bahraini Abdul Jaleel Mearaj said walking helps him relax. "I have been walking for the past 20 years and I love it. If I am stressed and under lots of pressure, I walk," he said.

"Walking releases all my pressure. Sometimes if I am upset with my wife or children I leave the house and go for my walk. It is much better this way, instead of shouting at them or saying things that I might regret later I release my anger by walking and by the time I get home I am all relaxed and calm.

"I walk Saturdays to Thursdays and I don't miss my exercise except for when I am sick or out of the country."

Mr Mearaj said that walking also keeps him fit.

"I am a healthy man; I don't have any sicknesses or diseases. People at my age or even younger are complaining about their blood pressure and heart problems but thank God due to my regular walk I am fully fit," he said.

"I have started coming to this walkway for almost two years now. I like it here, it is a safe area for a good walk."

Mona Salman has started walking only two months ago.

"I walk because I am planning to lose weight. My weight is 75kg at the moment and I want to drop it to 60kg," said the 24-year-old Bahraini.

"I have applied for a job of a policewoman at the Interior Ministry and to be able to get the job I have to be fit and healthy, and that is another reason why I am exercising."

Ms Salman enjoys her time at the walkway.

"It is a good fun to be out here and walk in a special area designated for this sort of exercise, plus there is a mosque here where I go and pray when it is the prayer time, there are toilet facilities and sellers buying refreshments and snacks," she said.

Fifty-year-old Bahraini Yousif Mubarak goes to the walkway every other day to jog.

"I jog minimum three times a week, it makes me happy, healthy and more focused on my work," he said. "Although the walkway is a much safer place for exercising than roads, there are few points that I would like to highlight for authorities to look into. For example, there is no gardening and landscaping in this walkway and there appears to be little security.

"Another thing I would like to point out is that some of the people who are selling snacks here do not appear to be licensed and sometimes throw papers and water near the walkway when they leave which is inconsiderate."

Mr Mubarak said he would also like more attention paid to cleaning the toilets and other facilties.

Forty-four-year-old Indian Asim Das has been using the walkway for the past two years.

"The only disadvantage of this walkway is that it is near a highway and it is not very safe for people trying to cross the road - plus the car fumes pollute the air," he said.

"But I enjoy walking here because there are high and low laps and you can measure your speed and time."

Walking has also worked wonders for 57-year-old Bahraini Ahmed Mohammed. "I suffered from a high blood sugar level a year ago so the doctors told me to exercise and now thanks to my regular walks, my sugar level is balanced and I feel fine," he said.

"I have been coming to this walkway for almost a year now. I walk for an hour-and-a-half then I go home feeling relaxed and fresh."

Mr Mohammed said that the walkway provided him a secured place to exercise.

"Walking here is much safer than on the roads, of course, but it needs couple of improvements, for example the bathrooms are sometimes broken and dirty and there appears to be no one to maintain them, plus there are kids playing football in the playground which is against the rules, so it would be great if the authorities put a security guy to look after the people's safety and make sure that no one is damaging the premises," he said.

Bahraini couple Hassan Ali, 33, and Khulood Abdulla, 32, have been exercising for the past seven years.

"We have started our walks after we got married. It's refreshing to go out and walk in the fresh air," said Mr Ali.

"Walking also help us release the daily life pressures that we face either at home or work, so it is a good exercise for both of us."

Ms Abdulla said there are times when they take along their two daughters with them.

"When the weather is good for an outing, we bring along Samana who is six-and-half-years-old and Saja, who is two, and let them play in the playground," she said. "The walkway is a great place for the whole family to spend time together and have a little fun."