I had been a member of True Fitness for 16 years of which I was a VIP Founder for 13 years, with a lifetime membership. Unfortunately, the gym’s life was not as long as mine, and it ceased operations on 10 September 2026. While I was saddened to see the gym close its doors, I felt even sadder for the staff, many of whom I had come to know over the years. These were the familiar faces I saw almost every day when I walked into the gym. They are the ones who keep the gym opens.
The closure of a gym, Sadness becomes him. Where do we go from here?
Voices rise. “Why weren’t we told earlier?”
Think a little more. What if they had told us the gym will close next week? A hectic week will follow.
What about the staff? What happens to them?
We lose a membership, They lose their jobs, Their livelihood, And perhaps the plans they had for tomorrow.
There are reasons Why certain things are done in certain ways.
Before we raise our voices, Before we demand an answer, Perhaps we should also think of others.
A little understanding. A little patience. A little kindness. For we never truly know what someone else is carrying.
生意难做 人事难搞
So when one door closes, Let us not only ask, “Where do we go from here?”
Let us also remember Those who helped to keep the door open.
The tour offered a wonderful combination of cultural performances, outdoor activities, traditional cuisine, and the breathtaking beauty of the grasslands.
The itinerary included a Mongolian horseback riding show featuring demonstrations of riding, wresting, and fighting techniques.
We also have the opportunity to experience horse riding ourselves in the vast grasslands.
One of the highlights of the tour was the accommodation in a modern Mongolian hut. I was fortunate to have an entire hut to myself, complete with two beds and a comfortable living space. What I enjoyed most was the beautiful view from my window, where I could watch horses roaming nearby.
As evening approached, the atmosphere became more festive as we gathered for a royal feast. We were treated to an array of food and drinks, accompanied by lively music and traditional dance performances. The combination of delicious food, cultural entertainment, and a cheerful atmosphere made the dinner an enjoyable cultural experience. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Mongolian traditions while sharing a memorable evening with fellow travellers.
The excitement continued after dinner with a bonfire under the night sky. Gathering around the fire created a warm and lively atmosphere, while the highlight of the night was a spectacular fireworks display. Watching the fireworks light up the darkness against the vast Mongolian landscape was a fitting end to an eventful day.
Overall, the Mongolia tour was a delightful blend of culture, adventure, relaxation, and entertainment. From watching skilled horse riders in action and staying in my own Mongolian-style hut to exploring the grassland and enjoying the royal feast, every activity offered something different. The peaceful surroundings, the sight of horses outside my window, and the festive evening of dancing, bonfires, and fireworks made this a memorable experience. It was a wonderful glimpse into Mongolia’s rich traditions and unique way of life, and an experience I would gladly recommend to anyone visiting the country.
I booked a two-night stay at Deguan Hotel, which is conveniently located within a few minutes’ walk of both subway and bus stations. The surrounding area offers a wide variety of dining options, as well as several massage shops across the road. I visited one of them three times during my stay and was satisfied with the service.
The hotel staff were consistently kind, friendly, and helpful, creating a welcoming atmosphere throughout my stay. My booking included breakfast, but unfortunately, I was unable to enjoy it due to an unexpected incident.
The next morning, a fire broke out at the restaurant in the adjacent building, triggering the fire alarm at 6:20 a.m. Guests and staff were promptly evacuated to another building, where packed breakfasts and lunches were provided while further arrangements were made. By the late afternoon, guests were transferred to another hotel, and luggage were delivered there accordingly.
Despite the disruption, the hotel handled the situation with impressive professionalism and efficiency. The staff remained calm, organized, and attentive throughout the evacuation. I was particularly impressed by how they even remembered my room number while assisting others. Although the fire was an unfortunate incident, the hotel’s effective crisis management and the dedication of its staff left a positive impression on me.
During my stay in Beijing, I visited Dongzhimen 东直门, Qianmen Street 前门大街, Yonghe Palace 雍和宫, and the Summer Palace 颐和园. Each offered a different glimpse into the city, making my trip an enjoyable mix of sightseeing and local experiences.
Apart from the hotel, I also spent time at Header Hot Spring 海德温泉, Shui Guo 水裹·汤泉生活, and Beijing Yuting Bay Bathhouse 北京浴汀湾洗浴.
Both Header Hot Spring and Shui Guo offer overnight accommodation, with supper and breakfast included. What made these places particularly appealing was the wide range of complimentary refreshments available throughout the day, including unlimited hot and cold drinks, fresh fruit, durians, and even Häagen-Dazs ice cream!
The combination of bathing and playing facilities, food, drinks, and overnight rest made these establishments a very enjoyable and convenient option. I particularly liked the experience and would definitely consider staying at this type of hot spring or bathhouse establishment again on my next visit to Beijing.
As for Beijing Yuting Bay Bathhouse, I only stayed there to relax and freshen up until the evening before heading to the airport for my midnight flight. It was a convenient way to make the most of my final day in Beijing before departure.
The Kubuqi desert offers a wide variety of exciting activities, including desert trekking, dune buggy rides, camel riding, and sand sliding. Despite the scorching heat, the experience was made more pleasant by occasional gentle breezes that swept across the vast expanse of golden sand, offering a refreshing touch of cool air against our sun-warmed faces.
Of all the activities, I particularly enjoyed the camel ride. Sitting atop the camel as it slowly trudged across the sandy terrain was a unique experience, allowing me to appreciate the beauty and tranquillity of the desert from a different perspective. However, the ride felt far too short, and I found myself wishing I could have spent more time swaying gently atop this fascinating desert companion.
The highlight of the day, without a doubt, was sand sliding down the towering dunes. It was thrilling to glide down the steep sandy slopes, with the fine grains of sand rushing past me as I approached the bottom. But the best part came at the end of the ride where refreshing watermelon waiting to quench my thirst!
My visit to the Kubuqi desert was a delightful blend of adventure, laughter, and simple pleasures. From the gentle rhythm of the camel ride to the adrenaline rush of sand sliding, every activity offered a memorable experience. And as I savored the refreshing watermelon, I realized that sometimes, the smallest pleasures can leave the sweetest memories.
The grassland was quite different from what I had expected. Instead of the vast, peaceful landscape I had imagined, it felt more like a recreational playground, with various activities and rides for visitors to enjoy. We could even get close to the lambs and gently touch them.
However, the experience was somewhat affected by the weather. Under the hot, blazing sun, it was difficult to fully appreciate the surroundings or enjoy the activities. The heat made me feel tired and uncomfortable, so overall, the visit was not as enjoyable as I had hoped. Perhaps visiting on a cooler day or during a different season would have made the experience much more pleasant.
I reached Hohhot at about 3pm. According to the hotel, the nearest subway station is about 25-minute walk away. However, with my luggage and some uncertainty about the route, the journey took me almost an hour! For first-time visitors, I would recommend taking a taxi directly from the railway station to the hotel. It is much more convenient, especially when travelling with luggage.
In Hohhot, I spent time exploring some of the city’s attractions and and spent some time browsing the various shopping malls and commercial areas around the city.
Mongolia Museum 内蒙古博物院
Genghis Khan Square 成吉思汗广场
Yili Modern Smart Health Valley 伊利现代智慧健康谷
Saishang Old Street 塞上老街
In total, I spent six days in Hohhot, and it turned out to be a truly memorable part of my journey through Inner Mongolia. From the vast grasslands and desert landscapes to the unique experience of staying in a Mongolian ger, the trip offered something very different from the usual city sightseeing. The cultural experiences, comfortable accommodation, delicious food, and warm hospitality all came together to make my stay in Hohhot a special one.
My arrival in Manzhouli was certainly an interesting one. On the day I arrived, the city was experiencing a temporary water restriction. When I checked into the hotel in the afternoon, there was no water supply. Fortunately, the hotel staff was very kind and considerate. He brought me a large 5-litre bottle of drinking water for my personal use, which was very much appreciated. By the time I returned to the hotel in the evening, the water supply had thankfully been restored.
I stayed at the Metal Hotel, which is in an excellent location along the China-Russia Golden Walking Street. The area is lively and colorful, with plenty of shops and interesting architecture that reflects Manzhouli’s unique blend of Chinese and Russian influences.
One of the highlights of the area is Matryoshka Square 满洲里套娃广场, famous for its giant Russian-style nesting doll and colorful buildings. It is only a few minutes away from the hotel by taxi but I decided to walk there instead. The walk gave me a chance to take in the sights and atmosphere of this fascinating border city at a more leisurely pace.
There are free rides and shows in the Matryoshka Square.
From Matryoshka Square, the Guomen Scenic Area 国门景区 is just about five minutes away by taxi. Guomen, meaning “National Gate,” is located near the China-Russia border and is one of Manzhouli’s important landmarks. Although foreigners are not permitted to enter theGuomen scenic area, we are allowed to go up to the top of the tower. From there, I could enjoy a fascinating aerial view of the surrounding border region, where China, Mongolia and Russia meet.
The place where I stayed is very convenient to get around. The Manzhouli Railway Station is located at the end of the street and is within walking distance from the hotel.
Despite the little surprise of arriving during a water restriction, I had a very pleasant stay in Manzhouli. The friendly service at the hotel, its convenient location, and the unique atmosphere of this border city made my visit a memorable part of my journey through Inner Mongolia
In Baotou, I stayed in a smart hotel equipped with AI technology. It was quite an interesting experience when almost everything in the room could be controlled by voice commands through a virtual assistant. I could switch the lights on and off, turn the TV on and off, and even open and close the curtains simply by speaking to the AI.
The AI assistant could do more than just control things in the room. I could ask it to give me a morning wake-up call, and it could even recommend places to visit and attractions to explore in Baotou. I felt like having a personal assistant in the room.
The following day turned out to be a long and busy one. I took a taxi out to the Saihantala Urban Grassland赛汗塔拉城中草原and later took another taxi to Northern Weaponry City 北方兵器城.
Along the way, I chatted with the taxi driver, who kindly recommended a few more places for me to visit. Taking his advice, I continued on to Baotou Ancient City 包头古城, followed by Baotou Golden Street 包头金街 and Flower Dance World 花舞人间.
Unfortunately, Flower Dance World was closed when I arrived. There was nothing much I could do except taking a few photographs at the entrance before moving on. It was a little disappointing, but these unexpected moments are also part of travelling.
It had been a hot and tiring day, and I finally returned to the hotel in the late afternoon. I found that there is a night market near to the hotel, so I headed there in the evening to look for something to eat.
While browsing the stalls, something suddenly caught my attention, a stall selling Singapore-style ice cream. What a surprise! Seeing something so familiar in Baotou. It was one of those small and unexpected moments that made the day memorable.
Overall, I really enjoyed my stay in the smart hotel. The AI features were fun and surprisingly useful, and the hotel was comfortable and convenient. If I return to Baotou in the future, I think I might just stay there again.
I arrived in Hailar 海拉尔 from Baotou 包头 by plane. As the taxi drove me towards the city, the driver casually remarked that Hailar is a small place. “If I just keep driving straight,” he said, “we’ll soon reach the end of the road.” His words gave me my first impression of Hailar is a small, quiet city surrounded by the vastness of Inner Mongolia.
I stayed in a large 4-star hotel with a nice window view. Although the hotel was somewhat old, it was comfortable enough. My booking did not include breakfast but I was given free breakfast for the 2 nights stay.
The hotel is located outside the city centre, but getting to Genghis Khan Square 成吉思汗广场 was easy. A taxi ride took less than ten minutes and cost 8 yuan (S$1.44).
From Genghis Khan Square, I continued on foot and eventually reached Hulunbuir Ancient City 呼伦贝尔古城. The walk gave me a chance to see the city at a slower pace, rather than simply passing through it in the taxi. Later that afternoon, instead of taking the taxi, I decided to walk all the way back to the hotel from Genghis Khan Square. It was a long and pleasure walk, roughly the distance of 10 bus stops.
Not far from the hotel, there is a small square where local people gathered in the evening to sing and dance. As I walked past, the music caught my attention. Groups of people were dancing together, seemingly without much concern for the cold evening air. Their energy and enthusiasm were infectious. I stopped to watch, intending to stay only for a few minutes, but ended up spending more than an hour.
It was one of those unexpected travel moments that cannot be found in the travel guidebook. There was nothing particularly spectacular about the square, just music, dancing, and ordinary people enjoying their evening. Yet somehow, it became one of those memories I carried away from Hailar.
I took the public bus for one yuan (S$0.18) to the train station to check on the train schedule. I took another bus to visit the museum.
Hailar does not have many attractions, and after 2 days, I felt that I had seen enough of the city. Following the advice of the hotel staff, I decided to take a coach rather than the train for my next journey to Manzhouli 满洲里.
The hotel I stayed in Qiqihar is just a few minutes’ walk from the train station. The room I stayed offered a lovely view, which added to the comfort of the stay.
Although breakfast was not included in my booking, I decided to pay an additional S$4.71 and I found the money well spent. The breakfast spread was surprisingly impressive, with a good variety of choices ranging from fresh salad and noodles to toast and yoghurt. What made it even more enjoyable was the pleasant aerial view from the dining area, allowing me to have breakfast while looking out over the city.
I visited the Longsha Park 龙沙公园, where I enjoyed a peaceful walk and had a chance to slow down and take in the surroundings. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to visit the Zhalong Nature Reserve, which is famous for its red-crowned cranes. The reserve is located quite far from the city, so I decided to give it a miss on this trip.
Overall, I spent 2 days in Qiqihar and had an enjoyable and relaxing stay. Although the city may not have as many attractions as some of the other destinations on my journey, it provided a pleasant break and a chance to experience a quieter side of Heilongjiang 黑龙江.
