Red Lantern: SISU Gymnasium

A few days after my arrival in Shanghai, and having gone to a few meetings and walks around the Bund and some other touristy areas, I decide to join the gym. My accommodation is on campus and directly opposite the SISU Guesthouse is the massive SISU Gymnasium. I had heard from Andrew, our programme leader, that it is quite expensive, but it's the only possibility around here to get or remain fit. The weather is unfortunately not suitable for outdoor sports. It's too rainy in June and too hot and too humid in July and August. The only bearable time for outdoor activities, at least until the big heat begins, is very early in the morning. With very early, I mean 5 - 7am. That's the time when all the locals go to the parks and do their yoga, tai-chi, play tennis, feather ball, sing, dance, jog, walk backwards, etc. The busiest time is between 6 and 7am. The last ones leave around 8am.

So I walk over to the gym to ask for packages. Swimming pool is minimum 6 months membership, which is too long for me. I'm offered two different gym memberships, one for a month and one for three months. I go for the three months. Price: 900 Yuan = 100 GBP. It hurts to pay this much, considering that I paid less for a yearly membership in Guiyang. The shock came when I saw the actual 'gym'. It's a small room with only a few things in it (photos below). In the price however, there are various yoga and other classes and the indoor courts for tennis, basket ball, etc.

The opening hours sound ridiculous too. July and August from 9 to 9, the rest of the year from 12 to 8. There goes my plan to exercise early in the morning before class. There's the racetrack behind the gymnasium, which seems to be open from very early in the morning until very late in the evening. Too bad, that it is being used as a car park and it is not possible to jog around. Luckily two or so weeks after my arrival, the cars disappear and it's open to the athletes again.

My second task for the day is to get a Chinese SIM card. I have lost the one I had and need a replacement. Since that SIM card was on the name of a Chinese person, I need to go with him to a China Mobile shop to get a replacement. That's not possible, because he is in Guiyang. So I walk into a China Mobile shop somewhere near the university and walk out again a few minutes later, due to language barrier and communication problems. To my fortune, there's this tiny shop next to the Guesthouse that sells SIM cards. I walk in and see a young Chinese man with his wife and little son. I ask for a data SIM and he explains in English the various packages. I go for the 36gb costing 400 RMB, valid for a year. No passport and no registration needed. He calls and texts someone to activate the card and tells me that I'd be able to use it after 7 to 9 hours. Indeed, roughly 9 hours later, the card is activated and I'm online.

SISU Gymnasium