Floris Steenkamp
THE ten finalists of this year’s Miss Namibia wasted no time and got straight to work upon their arrival in Swakopmund a short while ago. Their arrival marks the beginning of the countdown to the main event on Saturday night, the crowning of Miss Namibia 2023, at the MTC Dome Swakopmund.
Welcoming the group at the MTC Dome Swakopmund was none other than the current serving patron of Miss Namibia, former Miss Namibia and Miss Universe, Michelle McLean. After lunch, the week’s program kicked off.
A busy week lies ahead for the pageants, with various activities scheduled in preparation for the crowning event on Saturday night. This includes full dress rehearsals, meeting and greeting patrons at various restaurants, as well as a motorcade through the streets of Swakopmund on Friday.
In the pictures: the beauty pageants upon their arrival in Swakopmund from Windhoek. They are in no particular order: Albertina Haimbala, Ausha Abrahams, Lidia Simon, Jameela Uiras, Shasmida Eiases, Martha Kautanevali, Aina Nghipuilepo, Jenica Engelbrecht, Biolla Uzera, and Lency Kuhanga. 
In the pictures: the beauty pageants upon their arrival in Swakopmund from Windhoek. They are in no particular order: Albertina Haimbala, Ausha Abrahams, Lidia Simon, Jameela Uiras, Shasmida Eiases, Martha Kautanevali, Aina Nghipuilepo, Jenica Engelbrecht, Biolla Uzera, and Lency Kuhanga.
Despite the hectic schedule, there will also be some time for leisure activities, as informed by Informanté.
These activities include a dolphin cruise at Walvis Bay tomorrow, followed by a meal at the Dockside Restaurant at the Walvis Bay waterfront.
There will also be time for eco-gliding in Swakopmund, where the finalists will put their Segway riding skills to the test. A Segway is a two-wheeled motorized platform on which the rider stands and holds onto a handlebar. The direction of movement is determined by how the rider distributes their weight.
And just before you imagine a beauty pageant entering the stage on Saturday night in bandages or band-aids, it’s worth noting that Eco Gliding Tours Namibia, the operator of Namibia’s only Segway tours, provides safety gear and proper training in handling these vehicles safely before embarking on a 45-minute excursion. The tour takes riders, also called gliders, to landmarks such as the Mole beach, the Jetty, the iconic lighthouse, and State House.
