As one enters into the twilight years, the question of ‘What should I do?’ comes into mind more often than not. Even questions like ‘Which activity should I do?’ carries more weight than usual.
For 66-year-old Chan Kin Pooi, he found himself fortunate to have answered those questions before he went into retirement in 2017. A former engineer in a local company, Chan realized that time is inelastic and he only has that many years to do the things he would enjoy.
Since retirement, he has picked up new skills and hobbies. Among which is horse riding, scuba diving, cooking, home carpentry and reading. He’s also an avid traveller, covering almost 30 different countries in the last 6 years.
The one most exciting activity that he loves most is a combination of horse riding and travelling. It was introduced to him by his travel companion, Suat, at the start of his retirement. The thrill of riding horses in the rolling Steppes, vast Pampas, or in the mountains, ignite his fire for adventure.
“My first ride overseas was at the Altai National Park in Mongolia. It was also my first experience of a multi-day ride covered in thick snow, on frozen lakes and narrow mountain trails. It was quite a learning experience. I was sleeping in tents and riding in a small group for several days. The riding itself wasn’t tough but the environment was. One of the days, we were in the saddle for 12 hours as we had to make a detour due to the intended road being snowed in. I had minor frost bites because of that. But that’s part of the fun” Chan mused.
Since then, Chan has travelled and ridden in Botswana, Argentina, Turkey, India, UAE, to name a few.
“I get to see places and things on horseback that’s isn’t easily accessible to normal tourist,” he said with a gleam in his eye. “To be able to approach some of these remote sights or be near wildlife is breathtaking.”
Chan further shared that all of his horse riding travels are guided riding tours.
“They’ll provide the horses suited to our riding ability. We are given 2 days to acclimatize with the horses. Each country had their special breed of horses, which can make the riding experience more challenging but exciting. The good thing is that the riding school I took my lessons from in Shah Alam has different types of horses as well, so that helped me tremendously.”
Chan says his travels not only broadened his horizons, but stirred his desire to read more into the history and culture of the countries he visited which in turn spurs him to travel more.
”Sometimes you read about the country, and then you travel. Some other times you travel and it opens your eyes to new experiences. I say to myself, I know so little about this. Then I read. So these reading and travelling just feed off each other,” he said with a laugh.
When he is not travelling, Chan keeps himself busy with his other activities and hobbies. He swims, takes walks with his dog, Pinot, occasional hikes and plays golf to keep his body active and in shape. He also learnt to cook for his friends and family, a skill which he is immensely proud of.
“I learn from YouTube. I do both Western and oriental cooking. My friends usually request for my Beef Wellington. I also do quite a killer siew yuk. Lotus leaf rice as well. There’s lots of trial and error. The bad batch I have to consume it myself,” he chuckled to himself.
During the pandemic, when travelling abroad wasn’t allowed, Chan took the opportunity to learn home carpentry and D.I.Y (Do-it-yourself) repairs. He cleared some space in his home to house his little workshop. His efforts in carpentry have produced a countertop, chairs and small pieces of furniture.
The skills he learnt weren’t just meant for himself though. Chan believes in giving back to the society. He gets involved in social work, including volunteering at soup kitchens, preparing food, as well as doing plumbing work and general repairs for them.
Chan believes that helping in the community is vital for every retiree.
“One very important thing after retirement is human interaction, and volunteering in community work is a good place to meet people. It keeps your mind active and current. I find that our minds deteriorate when we don’t interact.”
Chan added that doing social work doesn’t require much money, just your time and effort, and the joy and experience from helping others are priceless.
Even after 6 years into retirement, Chan still feels excited and rearing to go. He’s planning to take ballroom dancing and Mandarin classes next. And this year he is looking forward to travelling and riding in Egypt and Iceland!
You may ask, “What’s keeping him still so sprightly and full of vigour?”
This is Chan’s reply, “Be adventurous! There are lots of things to learn on the internet. Information that you can acquire to broaden your perspective. Be brave to try new activities. Never limit yourself to mundane things. Everybody has 24 hours. Don’t waste time”
– Patrick Chin
