It's been a little while since I posted anything, mostly because I've pretty much been doing work at home and not much else this week.
I definitely worked the most hours in a week that I've done while we've been here (which isn't saying much really!)
Anyway, Friday afternoon so I thought I'd go for a swim at the pool. I went Monday too so I'm not going too badly. I said hi to the lifeguard (partly cause he was down my end of the pool and partly because that is the most boring job in the world; they always look like they want to kill themselves or they're asleep) and did some laps. Cause the pool is only 25m, the laps rack up pretty quickly but by the time I got to 60 I decided I was feeling ok and that maybe I should try for 100. I haven't been regularly swimming that sort of distance since I was in training for my Divemasters which is a fair time ago now so it was a bit pleasing :). I did make my hundred laps (which sounds a lot further than 2.5km) and when I got out, the lifeguard came over and asked me in pretty broken English how many laps I'd done. Probably because I'd been there for a while and a bunch of people had come and gone since I started. I've rarely been so pleased to not know a word in Mandarin :) I can only count to 99!
Quite pleased it's the weekend though, and the Wallabies game is on Sunday at 4pm (Beijing time). We shall have to get to the bar early for decent seats but it should be a great game!
Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts
Friday, October 14, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The Gym
Everyone that knows me knows that I'm lazy and I hate exercising. However, given I have some spare time and the inclination, I decided that I would try to get a bit fitter and stronger before I get too old :)
As such, Jane and I joined the gym in our apartment complex a few weeks ago and I have been trying to go three times a week and push myself a bit.
The gym itself is called First Club (!!) and is sort of like a cross between a nice gym (like I would know what a nice gym is like) and a gentleman's club. There are all the required machines/bikes/treadmills/free-weights/dumbbells and things as well as a pool (which was a must-have) but the change rooms must be seen to be believed (although they frown on photography:). The men's change rooms run over 2 levels and appear to be an all-naked zone as required. Each person gets two lockers, one outer one with a pair of thongs/sandles in them (so you don't have to get your own shoes wet) and then another, inner locker where you actually store your stuff. There's a shaving/haircare/general upkeep area complete with couches and then the normal bathroom stuff. Downstairs there's a row of showers with superfluous curtains that no one uses (except me:) -- as an aside, the woman from Jane's work we were talking to about gyms used to belong to one that she left because they didn't have enough showers and people would just join you in a cubicle when they got busy! -- also a spa with bubbles, a spa without bubbles, a proper sauna with hot and cold rocks and everything and finally, a media room where you can watch TV and play games completely naked if you want to.
It's a brave new world!!
As such, Jane and I joined the gym in our apartment complex a few weeks ago and I have been trying to go three times a week and push myself a bit.
The gym itself is called First Club (!!) and is sort of like a cross between a nice gym (like I would know what a nice gym is like) and a gentleman's club. There are all the required machines/bikes/treadmills/free-weights/dumbbells and things as well as a pool (which was a must-have) but the change rooms must be seen to be believed (although they frown on photography:). The men's change rooms run over 2 levels and appear to be an all-naked zone as required. Each person gets two lockers, one outer one with a pair of thongs/sandles in them (so you don't have to get your own shoes wet) and then another, inner locker where you actually store your stuff. There's a shaving/haircare/general upkeep area complete with couches and then the normal bathroom stuff. Downstairs there's a row of showers with superfluous curtains that no one uses (except me:) -- as an aside, the woman from Jane's work we were talking to about gyms used to belong to one that she left because they didn't have enough showers and people would just join you in a cubicle when they got busy! -- also a spa with bubbles, a spa without bubbles, a proper sauna with hot and cold rocks and everything and finally, a media room where you can watch TV and play games completely naked if you want to.
It's a brave new world!!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunday - markets and more markets then the gym of weird
So today we went to the markets for a change! This time though, we were after clothes, at least I was because I seem to have neglected to bring enough shorts with me.
Short cycle to the shops, they are kind of near one of the embassy areas. Four floors of pretty much stalls, and they sell most of what anyone might need, t shirts, shorts, socks underwear, jackets, pants, shoes, bags everything.
Jane and Anita were bargaining for some t shirts, the lady wanted some huge price for them and when they decided to leave she followed them and started grabbing Jane and tried to bring them back. I ended up having to go back and pry her hand off Jane's arm, not very nice. Not sure why she thought behaving that way would persuade them to buy anything off her. Grabbing is not cool.
The vendors definitely start out high but it's kind of hard to work out what the right price should be. I found some shorts I quite liked and nearly choked when she said the price was Y280 (about $45). I started at Y25 and ended up getting them for Y90. I suspect I still got a bit ripped off but it seemed reasonable. I'm not very good at bargaining anyway.
Then we went to another multistory market thing, this time for tech products. There seem to be a bunch around, they had all kinds of laptops, screens, basic camera gear, projectors and as we went up there were more and more components like cases, video cards etc. Lots of fun.
After that, back to the apartment for a restful afternoon.
In the evening we decided to join the gym onsite at the apartments. It's called First Club. The price is similar to a gym in Aus (or so people tell me!) but this is not quite like any gym I've been to. After we sign up, the guy takes me through the change room. Shows me my first locker with some shoes (so I don't have to get my own shoes wet). Then we go to my second locker with towel, more shoes, coat hangers etc. All very nice. He shows me the shaving area complete with couches then downstairs to the showers, private giant spas (one with bubbles, one without) and games room, all in the men's locker room by the way! So if you want, you can sit and play video games while naked. Then I notice that I have to wear a swimming cap in the pool, so back to the front to ask if I can get one somewhere. "No problem sir, I'll bring you one." Well that was easy! I thought I was going to have to buy one.
It's at this point I think that I manage to lock my keys in my locker (they were in my shorts pocket). Grrrrr. So I am now half naked, trying to explain to the locker room attendant that my key is inside my locker while he looks at me blankly before saying something. I then look at him blankly. I did manage to get him to go and get the front desk guy who let me in. Note to self, don't do that again.
I walk through the disinfectant pool thing and into the proper pool. It's only 25m, but there are about 5 or 6 lanes wide which means I can have two to myself if I need them. Not really like swimming at home where there's about 8 to a single lane. Mostly people were just playing in the pool, no one but me was actually swimming. Oh well, I will take this time to get fitter I think. After that it's back to the locker room, sit in the spa for a while, have a look around then back home for dinner. I don't know whether gyms in other places are like this but we're certainly getting more for our money here than at home. Plus it's about 5 minutes walk from the house. Tomorrow I might go for a run.
Short cycle to the shops, they are kind of near one of the embassy areas. Four floors of pretty much stalls, and they sell most of what anyone might need, t shirts, shorts, socks underwear, jackets, pants, shoes, bags everything.
Jane and Anita were bargaining for some t shirts, the lady wanted some huge price for them and when they decided to leave she followed them and started grabbing Jane and tried to bring them back. I ended up having to go back and pry her hand off Jane's arm, not very nice. Not sure why she thought behaving that way would persuade them to buy anything off her. Grabbing is not cool.
The vendors definitely start out high but it's kind of hard to work out what the right price should be. I found some shorts I quite liked and nearly choked when she said the price was Y280 (about $45). I started at Y25 and ended up getting them for Y90. I suspect I still got a bit ripped off but it seemed reasonable. I'm not very good at bargaining anyway.
Then we went to another multistory market thing, this time for tech products. There seem to be a bunch around, they had all kinds of laptops, screens, basic camera gear, projectors and as we went up there were more and more components like cases, video cards etc. Lots of fun.
After that, back to the apartment for a restful afternoon.
In the evening we decided to join the gym onsite at the apartments. It's called First Club. The price is similar to a gym in Aus (or so people tell me!) but this is not quite like any gym I've been to. After we sign up, the guy takes me through the change room. Shows me my first locker with some shoes (so I don't have to get my own shoes wet). Then we go to my second locker with towel, more shoes, coat hangers etc. All very nice. He shows me the shaving area complete with couches then downstairs to the showers, private giant spas (one with bubbles, one without) and games room, all in the men's locker room by the way! So if you want, you can sit and play video games while naked. Then I notice that I have to wear a swimming cap in the pool, so back to the front to ask if I can get one somewhere. "No problem sir, I'll bring you one." Well that was easy! I thought I was going to have to buy one.
It's at this point I think that I manage to lock my keys in my locker (they were in my shorts pocket). Grrrrr. So I am now half naked, trying to explain to the locker room attendant that my key is inside my locker while he looks at me blankly before saying something. I then look at him blankly. I did manage to get him to go and get the front desk guy who let me in. Note to self, don't do that again.
I walk through the disinfectant pool thing and into the proper pool. It's only 25m, but there are about 5 or 6 lanes wide which means I can have two to myself if I need them. Not really like swimming at home where there's about 8 to a single lane. Mostly people were just playing in the pool, no one but me was actually swimming. Oh well, I will take this time to get fitter I think. After that it's back to the locker room, sit in the spa for a while, have a look around then back home for dinner. I don't know whether gyms in other places are like this but we're certainly getting more for our money here than at home. Plus it's about 5 minutes walk from the house. Tomorrow I might go for a run.
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