My Simple Love Story

In the Austrian meadows in Faschina, Austria , 2013 

The right Nordic Poles

I love the rolling hills and undulating plains , the plateaus, the glacial peaks, the Himalayan Range that I have trekked many a time,  high mountains and mountain ranges, frothy foamy  waterfalls, crystal clear cold water cascading down rocks small and big,  series of almost hidden rapids as they find their own outlets and shapes over Nature's little stones and boulders, the sound of insects that you often can't distinguish one from the other ... but above all, I love Nature's simplest form of exercise. Yes, you got it right. No equipment ; no booking of halls;  no fanfare of getting the right attire ; but just a comfortable pair of shoes, and these days a constant companon for security and safety and Nature besides  natural surroundings - a pair of special Nordic poles . It instantly cheers me up.

Yes, I have always loved walking. Ever since my young days having been an estate "walla" .. a rubber plantation lass,  there was no other sport available and accessible in the remote estate in Johore. So, to escape the humdrum of life without a mother whom I lost at a tender age of 5, ... the rubber trees and a brook nearby became our constant companions. When we , five siblings, quarrelled and argued and fought which we literally did too often , I ran into the jungle . I stood for a while cooled down and strode back smiling. That was the instant effect ... almost magical to be close to the trees and bushes .  I watched the way latex moved sluggishly down to its huge metal  bucket placed on the grassy floor. The magic of Nature! Don't ask me I don't know how and why. But I needed it !

Back home Papa Ji  was looking for me." And where did you think you disappeared?"
" No I was just here a moment ago, Papa. "

So, the daily  humdrum of our routine life of the six siblings in a motherless home in a rubber estate every morning at 6 am was to stand in a  line on the sandy street outside my home to the authoritative words ,"On your marks, get set, go!" And we ran daily as if we were running in the SEA Games to win the gold but gold we didn't but had fun and joy... halfway walking and talking and really bonding not over today's kind of extravagant meals in the finest of hotels but reaching the stream  a mile away to wash our face with the cold clean water as proof we had not cheated on Papa, and then running back to the finishing line .... and the innate passion for all things walking, running, trekking, hiking and eventually Nordic Walking took its origins.

Fortunately for me I made a best friend in a "gentle" man , a real and true gentleman, who loved sports albeit different from mine; his were tennis, cricket, golf and like all Punjabis hockey, mine was the simple walking. Would you like to walk with me today was a humble question I then asked when I wasn't minding kids ; and still ask some mornings when I could do with his company?

When I first initiated Nordic Walking, it was a NO-NO .. you go ahead and I for golf but one day I secretly saw him with my poles trying to walk strangely .. with the elbows bent and certainly walking with the aid of the elbows  and looking rather odd. "Let me teach you!" I said confidently. "It's as easy as ABC if you care to listen"  knowing secretly how much it is a challenge for a woman to teach her man ; but I wanted deep down to ensure he was doing the right thing as I am somewhat obsessed with this right technique; this was what my International coach had  impressed upon me!!  "Jagjeet, "  I still remember his stern voice, my coach originally from Austria,  Patrick B added, "it's all in the technique. You've got to get it right for the right effect! See you are bending your elbows. See you are using your elbows. You think you are doing the right thing. I'm afraid, you're not!"

I invited my hubby into the study for the philosophy and know-how of Nordic Walking ... together we sat and I learnt more as I shared my knowledge of Nordic Walking with him. It was very important not to scare him off and to undermine his confidence for then he would never want to walk again. 

Today, together with this fitness walk we have scaled many hillocks, hills of different terrains and mountainous regions of the world including the mesmerising Austrian Alps slopes and flowering valleys. Our love and romance for each other grew as our love for Nordic Walking as we were always close to Mother Nature's creations - the beach, the grass, the valley , the jungle, and the sand.

I have found my niche and from  a simple school teacher, an ex-newspaper  columnist , an English Language specialist and Malaysia's  first  international debate and public speaking coach and adjudicator,  I have happily moved on to a more serene and peaceful vocation sharing and imparting my love and postive Nordic Walking  addiction to many others especially in my neighbourhood and all those I meet in my daily life. So if you suddenly see a couple in their twilight years walking not hand-in-hand guiding each other through the winter of  their life, you will know it's a healthy happy pair Nordic Walking . The invaluable Nordic Poles are guiding the golden couple ... and every move I make and every step I take ... I'm guiding you ...I shall never walk without the poles again.

I love you, my poles! I love you for the weight you hold, for the strength you give me and for guiding me .. and keeping me smiling. The hundreds of close

 friends I have made via Nordic Walking completes my simple love story!