Blogs

Welcome to my website! Enjoy and have a great ride....
Login

Life at 35 - who would have thought it would look like this…

Season 6 : Project Alaska

30 June 2022

'What do you want to be when you grow up?' A question that I'm sure we've all heard when we were kids. For many years, my answer used to be 'I want to be a writer' (… a few years later this changed to 'I want to be a veterinarian' but that's a different story altogether). Given that I am writing this blog right now, I guess that in a way, I did become a writer.

From being a young girl who wanted to be a writer, the first job that I landed was at a Garden Center when I was 14 years old. After that, I worked in a bakery, in a hospital, on a train, as a hostess, as a geologist and as an offshore superintendent. I guess the era when you choose a profession and stick with it for 40 years is gone. Or at least, it was never for me anyway. 

The truth about being a writer

Instead of this becoming a fairy-tale story about how after all these different jobs, I turned out to become a (successful) writer, I have a confession to make. I don't enjoy being a writer. Or well, not as much as I thought I would as a young girl. Most of the time, I suffer from writer’s block and I have to force myself to write two blogs a month. More often than not, I am pushing very close to my deadline to have the blog ready to be included in the next newsletter. As it turns out, I enjoy being a filmmaker and full-time adventurer a lot more than sitting down and trying to get words on paper. Who would have thought!

Why reveal this 'shocking' truth and write a more personal blog? Well, I've just turned 35 years old. For some reason, my birthday is usually a point in the year where I think about where my life is at and where I want it to go. That gives me one year to make that happen and then I'll look again. Turning 35 is perhaps an even more magical number than most others. Mid-thirties. Ugh.

My feelings about turning 35

So, how do I feel about turning 35 and about where my life is at the moment? In three words: pretty darn good! I think it's fair to say that I'm not living the most conventional life or a life that society wants me to live. According to society in some countries, I should have gotten married some 15 years ago and be well on my way to bearing my third child or so. Luckily, I grew up in a country that is a little bit more forgiving to women my age. Even then, riding solo around the world on a motorcycle isn't quite what is expected of me at this age.

Living your own life

Now I've never really understood why society, or, people in fact, care so much about how others live their life.  Perhaps it's just a matter of validating that their own life choices were the right ones by comparing with other people. When you're the odd one out, people get a little anxious. Why is she not doing what the rest of us is doing? Does she know something that we don't? I have no idea whether this is true, or how the human mind functions subconsciously, but I like to think this must be the reasoning.

Luckily, it doesn't bother me what society or people think I should be doing with my life. Because nobody else has to live my life but me. The same principle goes for everybody. You are the only person that can and has to live your life. So you better live it in the way that it makes you the happiest. Some things are simple like that! Looking back now at the past 3,5 years of my life, 10% of my total life lived thus far, I realize that I somehow managed to now make a living doing what I love most; traveling the world while riding motorcycles.

Like any job, I am often caught up in the stress of mundane tasks that come with running a YouTube channel. However, there is not a day that goes by in my journey around the world, where I don’t have a huge grin on my face. I have to pinch myself that I am really doing this full-time. That this is my actual life. Given that my pre-YouTube life wasn't exactly boring either. I backpacked around the world for years and worked crazy jobs from Kazakhstan to Panama and Morocco to Brazil, and many other countries in between. But in terms of being free and doing what I love, the life that I have built right now takes the absolute cake. 

The future

So where will I be in 5 years? I have absolutely no clue. This birthday thing I do, looking back and looking forward, only goes as far as looking one year ahead. No further. And for now, I plan to have seen and shared with you a lot more of the world in the year to come. I hope you'll be there along for the ride. Virtually that is. It will still be just me and my motorcycle on the road and I can't wait to see what's coming!

 

Comments
(138)

Login to comment
Your reply

Ahh Noraly, I am so grateful for you and others like you because I never really got the opportunity to be able to see the world from the vantage point that you do because my health has limitations. I love motorcycles and I married a SA man (I’m American) who’s job for much of our married life was traveling the world in the oil industry. I have gotten to see some beautiful places thanks to him and our retirement plan is over landing in an ambo in the USA until we are just too old to do it anymore! But I thank you for giving me a view of places that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to see!

daytonanative  | 

It all started with an incident. I went to buy a Ducati Multistrada about a year ago. Sales personnel were little skeptical about allowing me to have test ride but more than happy to sell a bike. Their uncertainty about my skill of handling the Multistrada made me realized that I have reached an age. I have all the money in my bank and the bike I want is in showroom but I can’t write the cheque anymore…. After 34 years of intense riding, I am not sure anymore. I have crossed 50 years back…decently fit but 500km / day ride on consecutive days makes me tired…body doesn’t seem to respond even after good overnight sleep. At times I wonder will I be able to again do a Ladakh on Enfield or Route 66 on a Goldwing…. maybe or may be not…but can’t give up riding…motorcycle still makes me feel life more than the car parked.
I have followed your journey since India…in a way I traveled with you to places where I wanted to go but could not…I wanted to ride on Kolyma highway (Vladivostok to Magadan – approx..5000km range) … tried twice but could not complete…by any chance will you be trying that route anytime soon
Keep feeling & ride to eternity….
All the best for your future endeavour…

Deb Bhattacharya  | 

For you in Dutch:
Je zegt het precies goed: leef het leven dat je past als een (motor) handschoen.
En als bonus doe daarmee duizenden mensen een groot plezier met je prachtige video's.
Ik wens in dit nieuwe levensjaar veel gezondheid en nieuwe avonturen toe.

Sluizer  | 

Hi Noraly,
That era is definitely gone, however, many will continue to live in old era and it's just great to see a new era has made way parallelly to it with world conquerors like you :)

KanishKayo  | 

The Pied Piper of Moto
As Noraly reflects upon her life, she must have come to the realization that she has created something special -- a huge, worldwide audience of followers who have come to enjoy her filmmaking. I suspect she might be surprised at the power of her charismatic personality and the breadth of her creative abilities.
Now I wonder how she will harness such capacity -- no small challenge. I look forward to those three little words: "Good Morning, Internet". What treats await us from the creativity of Itchy Boots?

Captivated  | 

Hi Noraly, age is purely a number in a person's mind. I have been following you since India. I like your approach and attitude and the presentations you do. When I was a bit younger than you I had small motorcycles and used to ride to work and university at night. When I finished that I took off to UK, bought an old car and travelled UK, Scandinavia, Europe Greece and some communist countries. A great education in life but could not make a living from it as you do (technology was not there). At the end of that it was back to University for another qualification and a different path in the corporate world. I have different motorcycles now and do a lot of motorcycle touring and have ridden and shipped a bike overseas. I could not have imagined the path I went on. We cannot see the future. You are smart and will make the decisions based on your experiential learnings. Those decisions are for you and no one else. I like your videos and blogs. Stay safe and enjoy the travels and please keep writing.

Mal  | 

Hi Noraly,
I have been accompaying you since March/2022 and despite not haven been a participant in all your seasons. I'm sincerely surprised by your excellent work and specially by your driving quality because I can see that practically nothing that appears in your way stops you from acheiving your outline objetive.
I did attend all 6 stages of the Kalahari Rally and really was amaizing your performance and certanly you gain much more experience to continue. Nothing more for now and continue enjoying Canada, its incredible landscapes and remember that in 60 more days, ALASKA will become a GREAT FREEZER!
Good luck and BE CAREFUL!!!

Miguel MAK  | 

Noraly, I like the tools etc that you are carring with you. One item you may want to look at is the Baja No Pinch tire tool. you will never pinch a tube when re installing your tire. small, and not real cheap $$ but I have used it on tube and tubeless tires. It can be easy to pinch a tube when getting the last part of a tire on. I also have the motion pro tire irons and they are great. Really enjoying all your travels. Do note the guy Roger has a XR650L like mine.. mine is a 2021, but I had a 2000 for 18 yrs, never should have traded it. Stock it is only 13 lbs heaver than your CRF300Ralley. It is air cooled, (been making the same bike for 29 yrs), and a tall bike but you, as I have, can put in a lowering link and lowered the forks also. It can be lowered .. cause you don't need 13" of ground clearance for the type of riding you do, and you do get 40HP.. Have safe travel as you go north, I will be watching, along with another biker buddy, here in the area. Later.. STOCKY.

Stocky  | 

Ha Noraly, doe wat je wilt en geniet ervan. Dat doe ik ook. Ben inmiddels 52, maar ik doe al tien jaar enkel wat ik leuk vind en daar verdien ik nog geld mee ook. Ik volg je al een tijd en bewonder je. Mooi wat je doet. Groetjes uit Zeeland,
Digna van Wandelfreaks - wandelenenreizen.nl

Digna - Wandelfreaks  | 

i see your heading towards me in montana i live right on continental divide north west of yellowstone park keep up the good riding love to buy you cup coffee if you get close

250 husky  | 
Load new messages

Still itchy?

Related blog posts

Motorcycle safety: NO HELMET?!

Stories from the road North America

Do you have to speak the local language when traveling on a motorcycle?

Stories from the road North America