Norita explores Wyoming, USA on a two-wheeler.
The question is simple: What are your favourite activities to indulge in during your spare time?
For Norita Mohd Noh, a 62-year-old grandmother, her list looks like a YOLO bucket list for those dreaming of living life to the fullest. Add some tick boxes, and it’s ready to go.
Cycling, swimming, travelling, diving, archery, painting, horse riding, playing the piano, golfing, and going to the movies – her life goals don’t stop there.
The retiree from Selangor is also into stand-up paddling (SUP), camping, and even flying drones.
For those unfamiliar with the term “YOLO” (short for “you only live once”), it’s the Gen Z slang equivalent of the classic Latin phrase carpe diem – seize the day!
Norita’s wide range of hobbies reflect her colourful life journey and her aspirations for both health and spirituality.
“Most of these activities are personal interests, but some, like horse riding, swimming, and archery, also hold spiritual significance as they follow the practices encouraged by Prophet Muhammad,” says the mother of three sons.
Among her many pursuits, swimming and cycling remain her favourites.
“These two come naturally. I love being close to nature, feeling the wind in my hair, and, most importantly, they’re highly recommended by health professionals,” she explains.
Across land and sea
Her connection with water began in childhood when her father introduced her to the sea with weekend beach outings and swimming lessons at the age of 11.
Unsurprisingly, her love for water sports grew from there, leading her to activities like diving, white-water rafting, and her latest passion, SUP.
“I first tried SUP two years ago, but the passion reignited during a visit to my son in the United States a few months back. I even bought my own paddle board but haven’t had the chance to use it yet,” she shares.
Cycling, on the other hand, has its own backstory. Norita recalls learning to cycle at nine, with a fading scar as proof.
However, a tragic accident involving a childhood friend made her stop cycling for decades. She only picked it up again at 53 when her cholesterol levels started to rise.
“It also helped me cope with my dad’s passing that same year,” she reflects.
Since then, cycling has taken Norita on adventures across Malaysia, as well as cycling tours in Argentina, India, New Zealand and Indonesia.
“Cycling allows me to experience a place more intimately than a typical bus tour,” she says.
Her love for travel is evident to anyone who follows her on social media. Travelling has been a constant throughout her life, starting with weekend beach trips with her father and continuing through her schooling and career, which took her across continents.
While studying in the US, she explored the country extensively by car, leaving only Maine, Rhode Island, and Alaska unvisited.
Later, her professional life further fuelled her wanderlust, with postings in Germany and Indonesia and countless work-related travels.
“Travel broadens the mind. It gives better perspective than just reading someone else’s experience, opens up my views and makes me more independent and confident,” says Norita who has travelled to almost 80 countries.
This year alone, she has had colourful adventures including hiking up Mount Ijen in East Java, took a train from Jordan to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, travelled on the treacherous Karakoram Highway and explored the beautiful Hunza valley in Pakistan, and travelled to Colorado, US to visit her son.
Equipped for exploration
“When online travel agencies started sprouting, I began to plan my own trips. It might take longer and require more effort, but in the end, I am happy with my choices and timings,” Norita says.
After a series of self-planned trips, Norita occasionally treats herself to a packaged holiday, but she prefers smaller groups.
Norita isn’t deterred by her age or by snide remarks from those who don’t share her interests and aspirations.
“Especially about my cycling. But well, I would say that age is just a number – it’s all in the mind,” she says.
But instead, she continues to push boundaries with new adventures, like camping and drone flying.
“Camping isn’t new to me. I was exposed to it through school outings with my uniformed society, but camping now is more elaborate – like bringing a bungalow into the woods,” she jokes.
“The only no-fun part is packing up to go home. It can be backbreaking,” adds Norita, who has been going solo camping since early this year.
The certified trainer in branding and marketing communication has three approaches to packing for camping trips.
For solo trips, she opts for car camping, using her car as part of the setup and sticking to basic, solo essentials. For bike camping, she packs light to fit everything into the pannier bags on her bicycle.
But for group outings, she brings a larger tent, complete with lounging chairs, decorative lamps, string lights, and even an AeroPress coffee maker.
“With all this equipment, I don’t plan on camping overseas. Anyway, there are plenty of campsites here,” she says.
Since she’s constantly travelling, camping, and cycling solo, Norita finds a drone more practical than a camera.
“I used to think drones were complicated and risky as I’ve seen them get stuck in trees or fall into lakes. But nowadays, drones are more user-friendly and affordable,” she explains.
With her drone and camping gear, one can only imagine Norita’s collection of equipment and tools for her hobbies.
“I don’t splurge on designer bags, clothes, or watches anymore. My spending goes to my bike collection and equipment, diving suits, and gadgets like heart-rate monitoring watches,” she shares.
For her, owning her own equipment is about safety, not vanity.
“If the equipment isn’t well-maintained, I could fall while riding or drown while diving,” she reasons, though she prefers not to reveal the cost of her collection.
Through her hobbies and adventures, Norita hopes to inspire others and leave a positive impact on younger generations.
“Life is too short, the world is vast, and there’s always a new adventure waiting,” she concludes.