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 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.

“The Big Book of Being Rude” contains about 7,000 slang of insults, collected from a research done by Johnathon Green. Here are some of them.

(1) Fire-tail – A woman who loses her temper easily
(2) Alarm Clock – A nagging woman
(3) Barber – A tediously talkative person, especially in sport use.
(4) Church-bell – A talkative woman
(5) Fanny Merchant – A person who is “all talk and no action”.
(6) Foghorn – A person who talks too loudly.
(7) Joey – One who pretends to great religiosity.
(8) Pickthank – Curry favour, especially by informing against someone also.
(9) Fatso, Fatty or Feather-bed – A fat person
(10) Buffalo, Bargain Bucket or Slow – A fat woman
(11) Copper-belly, Mr Double or Buss-belt – A fat man
(12) Hairpin, back-and-belly or Monkey on a stick – A thin person
(13) Monet – A woman who from a distance looks attractive, but close up she is a mass.
(14) Dough Face – A woman who wears an excess of cosmetics
(15) Easter Egg – A woman who wears too much make-up
(16) Dirty Bundle – An untidy person
(17) Bog-eyed – A person having tired eyes, the result of too little sleep or too much alcohol.
(18) Bottled Blonde – A woman with dyed blonde hair.
(19) Hairhead – A long-haired man.
(20) Who Robbed The Barber – Said to a person whose hair is seen as over-long.
(21) Pullet-squeezer – A woman who prefers younger partners.
(22) Chubby-chaser – A man who prefers plumper fat woman.
(23) Old Cat – An unpleasant, gossiping old woman.
(24) Christmas Tree – A heavily over-made-up or over-dressed woman.
(25) Esprit Chick – A young lady who wears only designer clothing and looks down on others who dress differently.

Source : “The Big Book of Being Rude” by Jonathon Green. Published by Cassell & Co.

(1) Writing is nothing more than a guided dream – (Jorge Luis Borge)

(2) If your writing falls apart, it probably has no primary idea to hold it together – (Sheridan Baker)

(3) Write the way an architect builds, who first drafts his plan and designs every details – (Schopenhauer)

(4) The investigation of words is the beginning of education – (Antisthenes the Sophist)

(5) What is written without effort is, in general, read without pleasure – (Dr Samuel Johnson)

(6) True ease in writing comes from art, not chance – (Alexandra Pope)

(7) Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man – (Francis Bacon)

(8) Always be nice to those younger than you because they are the ones who will be writing about you – (Yril Connolly)

(9) Bureaucrats write memoranda both because they appear to be busy when they are writing and because the memos, once written, immediately become proof that they are busy – (Charles Peters)

(10) Television has raised writing to a new low – (Samuel Goldwyn)

(11) It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give up because by that time I was too famous – (Robert Benchley)

(12) Report writing, like motor-car driving and love-making, is one of those activities which almost every English man thinks he can do well without instruction. The results are of course usually abominable – (Tom Margerison)

(13) Tomorrow’s illiterate will no longer be the person who cannot read. Tomorrow’s illiterate will be the person who has not learned how to write – (Alvin Toffler)

(14) Without trust, words become the hollow sound of a wooden gang. With trust, words become life itself – (John Harold)

(15) Words – so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them – (Nathaniel Hawthorne)

(16) Words are, of course, the most powerful drugs used by mankind – (Rudyard Kipling)

(17) A broken bone can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester forever – (Jessamyn West)

(18) Words without actions are the assassins of idealism – (Herbert Hoover)

(19) A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged; it is the skin of a living thought, and may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and the time in which it is used – (Oliver Wendell Holmes)

Source : “FAQs About The English Language” published by the Civil Service College, Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM).