Joining A Gym

It's a "Good News - Bad News" scenario:

I took the YMCA up on their offer of a free pass to have a look around. I was disappointed to find out that there isn't much to that gym at all, and they offer even less. You can see a lot of the gym through windows from the outside, but what I didn't realise was that there is nothing else to see. I thought that there would be more equipment, and more space, elsewhere that isn't evident when looking from the outside. There isn't. You even have to provide your own towels and water bottles! I chose it initially because it was the cheapest, but now I realise why. I had a 10 minute run (which killed me) and then felt too intimidated to go on the weight machines as every other one was inhabited by a kid from the local stage school. I left, without having a shower, as I had not thought to take a towel. That was the bad news, in case you hadn't guessed.

The good news was that I made myself walk down to Virgin Active and got someone to walk me around there. It is massive and labyrinthine. You get complimentary towels (as should be provided in every gym) and if I decided to join any of the classes they are included in the price (which really surprised me!). I didn't use the gym today, as I want a proper induction first, but I should get a call tomorrow to arrange that. The bad news, to go with the good news that I actually signed up, was that the price is twice as much as the YMCA. £77 a month, but I managed to sign up for just 3 months, so if I don't use it then I won't have to pay for a whole year. I can use almost any other branch IN THE WORLD! And, if I use the gym a certain amount of times in the initial period I get free gifts (such as water bottle, guest passes, towel, 50% off personal training & entry into a draw to win a year's membership).
I can't really afford this membership, but I signed up anyway.
I wouldn't have hesitated at the cost if the gorgeous South African at the next desk when I was signing up, had walked me round the place. Instead I got a friendly, but not attractive (to me) Ghanaian. And hey, he did time it just right so that, when we walked into one of the changing rooms I got to see a sexy, muscular guy totally naked with an impressive muscle between his legs too! I know for a fact that that is one muscle that I CAN get worked out here.
There is a website called Squirt which lists the places, all around the world, where guys can go for a hook up with other guys. It lists cruising grounds, toilets and other places such as gyms, where sex is likely. Virgin Active at Barbican is well known for be, well, Active for this sort of stuff, especially in the upstairs steam / sauna room. I didn't get shown that changing room area, and to be honest, this was another part of the reason why I didn't want to join this particular gym. My reasoning was that, if there is sex available then I am more likely to be hanging around in the changing room, than actually in the gym working out! Let's just hope that I can resist long enough to get my body in shape. Then again, it could save me money in the long run, meaning that I won't have to go to Chariots any more. Yeah, right!!!
Let's just hope that I use the bloody gym and manage to get my money's worth.