Gym and Music

Music

Imagine living on Lakeshore (or Spring Garden for my Bajan readers) and Caribana happened every day (and night).  Close your eyes and open your ears and imagine.  Well, welcome to Mlango Mmoja (that's where I'm living for the next two months).  I couldn't even make this up when I say the trucks that pass right infront my bedroom are so big and the soundsystems are so loud that all you need is Lil Rick or Pong and you've got the best seats at Kadooment.  (If you don't believe me, ask my sister how loud it was when I was speaking to her on Skype this afternoon from my bedroom)

Strangely enough, I still manage to get to sleep at night.

Gym

Went to the gym (ukumbi wa michezo) today here in Mwanza.  I've been to all kinds of gyms and weightrooms, and this one was pretty much standard.  It was a lot like York's weightroom in the Track Centre or what Western or UTM used to look like.  It was Cold War era weights and probably some of the first treadmills ever invented, but it does the trick.  Had a lot of universal multi-use equipment, a bench, incline, free weights, but the one noticeable gap was that there was no squat rack.  No big deal really. 

If I can get in the gym at least twice maybe three times a week, I'll be happy.  It's hard because we don't eat a lot of meat or drink any milk here.  Mainly starchy foods that fill you up, but don't give you a lot of protein, nutrients, and energy.  Even after a week of being here, I can feel myself losing some of my strength and size I worked so hard to put on before I left.  I figured it was gonna happen, so at least I'm gonna lose that 20 some odd pounds of gut I added by time I get back.

Sidenote:

It costs 2,000 TSH (less than two Canadian dollars) per visit, which isn't bad at all for what they have.  But - and it's a pretty big but - if you choose to get a monthly pass, it'll cost you 60,000 TSH.  I know I'm not doing my PhD in mathematics, but let's do some math here: 2,000 multiplied by 30 days equals 60,000.  There are 31 days in January and 28 in February.  Maybe this is the Canadian in me talking, but isn't a pass supposed to save you money and not cost you more?  And who works out in a gym 7 days a week anyway just to break even?  I guess it's one of those Tanzanian quirks.

Still no luck with uploading my pics and vids.  But I'm trying everyday.

Comments

  1. ha ha ha... lil rick or pong.

    glad to hear you survived your first tanzanian gym experience.

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  2. I like that business model. You think you get a teensy discount every other month, but you're just getting robbed in February. Genius.

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  3. Hi I am going to be travelling to Mwanza and was wondering what the name of this gym is and where it is located. If you could let me know that would be much appreciated.

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