allyson and bryan

10 Reasons We Joined a Malaysia Gym /



I've had a strong aversion to gyms ever since I joined a women's one in Boston and I was greeted on my second day by the boisterious lead trainer hollering: "ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY ALLYSON AND NEITHER WILL YOU BE!"

So it was with some reluctance that I agreed to Bryan's plan to sign up for a week at Equilibrium, a fancy new gym in one of KL's plentiful mall/office building towers. It took some convincing, but I agreed after realizing the dire need for such drastic measures. And if you're ever in a similar situation, in the middle of a strange city, I might urge you to do the same. Here's what did it for me:

1. The recumbent bikes are built in Medway, MA.
2. Locker rooms house the best showers we've had since leaving the U.S.
3. Not to mention full-size, professional strength hairdryers.
4. The trainers remind me of genies, and they aren't opposed to a good hammy photo op.
5. A not-half-bad city view.
6. 100% empty machines between 9 a.m. amd 5 p.m.
7. Yoga class. In English!
8. We don't have to worry about 95-degree heat and daily, unpredictable thunderstorms.
9. We don't have to worry about leeches.
10. T-MINUS 21 DAYS!

Truly, #10 is really the driving factor. As you can imagine. Today we wrap up our week in KL (with brief sojurns to Melaka and Singapore) and head back to Cambodia for two nights, where we've signed up to make one of my lifelong dreams come true. I can't wait!

Yesterday (before the gym), we toured Malaysia's Batu Caves, which were absolutely teeming with monkeys. Those who know my penchant for cute monkey photos will realize how happy this made me. Monkey photo mania!

After our brief stop in Cambodia, we're headed to the Thai island of Ko Samui, where we'll indulge in a week of beach and yoga. Clare and Andy are meeting us there! I'm not sure what the Internet access situation will be, so if there's a lag in posting, at least you know where we are.

stars, they're just like allyson @ 5:23 PM  

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