NOW & THEN #11- WALKING



 6/3/2021

I was never a sportsman in my younger days. But when I turned 50, a young friend from SDAR invited me to join his group of mountain bikers. That invitation changed my life. I started riding with them regularly and have kept the habit until today. The mountain bikes may be gone, but the spirit of cycling lives on. These days, I ride a Brompton folding bicycle around the scenic routes of Putrajaya.


At 70, I’ve decided to slow down on cycling and focus more on walking. My new goal is modest—just 60 kilometers a month—but it keeps me active and fit for my age. Alhamdulillah.


Why do I prefer walking over other forms of exercise?

Walking offers numerous benefits for senior citizens like myself. It helps improve cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles and bones, enhances balance and coordination—which is essential to prevent falls—and boosts mood and mental well-being. It’s a low-impact exercise, gentle on the joints, yet highly effective in maintaining mobility and independence. Walking also creates opportunities for reflection, connection, and even a bit of photography.


When we lived in Kuala Lumpur, my regular walking spot was the KLCC Park. The loop there is just 1.2 kilometers, so I’d do three rounds before rewarding myself with a well-earned breakfast at Suria KLCC.


Since moving to Bandar Baru Bangi in 2009, I’ve made Putrajaya my go-to place for walking. Every fortnight, I drive there to explore different walking routes. My favourite spots include Taman Saujana Hijau, Taman Botani, and the area around the Putrajaya Lake Club. On weekends, walking is either a solo ritual or a family activity. I still cycle once or twice a month with friends, and once a month I go on a photowalk with my photographer buddies in Kuala Lumpur.


These days, I often walk weekly at Taman Tasik Cempaka, close to home. Occasionally, I wander into the Putrajaya Wetlands—either on foot or by bike. The serenity of the wetlands is deeply calming, and photographing the natural environment brings me great joy.


I’m reminded of my late mother, who loved walking along the shores of Pantai Irama in Bachok. Whenever I returned home, she would ask me to take her to the beach. Those barefoot walks on the wet sand were filled with simple joys and meaningful conversations. She passed away in 2019, but those memories live on.


The photo I’ve attached shows my first grandson walking at Taman Seri Empangan in Putrajaya. It’s heartening to see him taking his first steps in nature. Good habits, after all, are best started young.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NOW &THEN #15 : SCHOOL LIBRARIES

Image
  Tuesday, 9 March 2021 During a business discussion with Dr. Ghazali Mohd Fadzil on the role of Knowledge Management in government departments and corporate bodies, he shared with me his ongoing project with Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), focusing on supporting school libraries in Kelantan. His efforts struck a deep chord in me—it reminded me of the dire condition of school libraries in my hometown district of Bachok. Bachok, like much of Kelantan, is burdened with long-standing socio-economic challenges. After more than three decades of PAS-led government, meaningful development is minimal. Many communities seem caught in a comfort zone, perhaps resigned to a status quo that offers familiarity but little progress. But what about the children growing up now? In 20 years, they will become adults, carrying mindsets that may diverge dramatically from their parents’. What kind of foundation are we laying for them—intellectually, socially, and spiritually? Frankly, I’ve lost hope ...
Read more

NOW & THEN #18: TGIF

  FRIDAY 12.3.2021 TGIF is famous for many reasons.I love the steaks at Restaurant TGIF at Alamanda. Today, I am writing on Friday for a different reason. Pandemic COVID19 began in March 2020. It is almost one year has passed. Now , we are still in COVID19 period and I donot know when it is going to end. This is the first time I experienced living in physical isolation and movement restriction imposed by government MCO. What comes to my mind, my parents had to go through WW11 experience fearing for their lives from Japanese Occupation and now my turn fearing for our lkives from COVID 19 virus- unseen and very quiet. As Muslims, we have to attend Solat Jumaat at our masjid. Considering my age 69 years old, I prefer to pray only at my home.  Any thing happen if I go to the masjid.  A few of younger friends got inflicted with Covid19 after attneding solat at masjid.  One of my friends died because he got it from his wife who went shopping.
Read more

NOW & THEN #02: REFLECTION ON MY CAMERA AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Image
  Thursday, 25 February 2021 I woke up at 4 a.m. and, as usual, checked my Facebook. To my delight, I saw two compliments from friends who appreciated the way I had composed a photo taken at Taman Saujana Hijau on 24 October 2010. This stunning, multi-million-ringgit elevated garden, located in Presint 11, Putrajaya, was once my favorite place for walking and cycling before the Covid-19 MCO banned outdoor activities in public parks. Photography has been a long and evolving journey for me. My first DSLR, a Canon 400D, was a major purchase in December 2006. As a beginner, spending RM3,500 on a camera felt like a bold investment, especially since I had no clue how to use it properly. But this was not my first expensive mistake in photography. That honor goes to my Nikon F3, a film camera I bought in 1998 for RM2,500 to capture family memories, especially our holidays in London. Excited at first, I used the Nikon F3 for family events like weddings, but after a few months, I stored it i...
Read more