MALAYSIANSKINI | Armed with a full tank of petrol and her faith, Anita Yusof, 58, revs up the engine of her trusty Yamaha FZ150 daily - often at the crack of dawn - on her second Global World Ride journey across seven continents.
She crossed the Malaysian border into her home state, Johor, on Dec 27, 2025, still with mud on her bike after a narrow escape from the floods in Sumatra during her final leg across Indonesia.
She said she first took up motorcycling after dreaming of travelling to Kyrgyzstan, and quickly grew more ambitious, embarking on her first world ride in 2015, just three years after learning to ride.
Anita took a year off work and returned having travelled across four continents, 40 countries, and 65,269km, but found it difficult to resume her old teaching routine after the experience changed her.
She later chose early retirement and spent three more years saving up for a second, slower-paced world ride, still on her same motorcycle.
In 2019, she began the second journey, choosing to start in Cape Town, South Africa, after Africa was the only continent she had missed on her first ride due to time and financial constraints.
In an interview with Malaysiakini, Anita recalled that one of the most defining chapters came in early 2022, when border travel was hit by Covid-era restrictions.
“When I began my journey in December 2019, after a few months on the road, Covid hit the world. I travelled from South Africa through 14 countries until I reached Ethiopia - and that’s when it happened,” she said.
“I discussed it with some friends - adventure riders from other countries - but we were all scattered across Africa: some in Uganda, some in South Africa, some in Namibia.
“After that, I decided, ‘Okay, I’m going to leave my bike in Ethiopia.’ I had a friend there,” she said.
Little did Anita know that she would end up “stranded” in Tanzania for 13 months, during which she completed a travelogue, before the looming threat of war in Ethiopia forced her to return or risk losing her ride.
“So when I returned to Ethiopia, it was January 2022,” she said, recalling the start of a “magical” Ramadan ride towards Mecca.
“It took me three weeks to finally get permission and fly my bike to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“Because I cannot cross the Ethiopian border. So I have to fly the bike.
“Since the Saudi government has banned flights from Ethiopia for passengers, I have to go to another country that is not banned by the Saudi government,” she said.
Anita revealed that she detoured to Egypt, where she quarantined for two weeks and took a Covid test before she was allowed to fly to Jeddah.
Upon arriving in Saudi Arabia, she underwent another quarantine period before she could finally collect her motorcycle.
Riding into Ramadan - and Mecca
Anita said she delayed her departure from Jeddah as Ramadan approached, wanting to ride during the holy month and perform umrah.
“And on the second day of Ramadan, I left Jeddah for Mecca. Because I purposely want to ride in the holy month of Ramadan. I want to perform umrah,” she said.
Reflecting on the events that unfolded later, the author of multiple books on her travels described the experience through a spiritual lens.
“I believe because of my perseverance, my patience… In the end, God granted me things that are like magic. It’s a miracle.”
She noted that the ride took place in early 2022 — a period she described as socially restrictive for women riders in the kingdom.
“You know, at that time, in early 2022, the Saudi government just allowed its women to drive cars. And they never allowed their women to ride a motorbike until now,” she said.
Anita recalled passing through multiple checkpoints when entering the holy city, but was spared scrutiny of the armed military on duty.
“I’m wearing a full-face helmet. So in the first place, maybe they think I’m a man.
“I managed to bring my motorbike into the holy city. And then, I perform my umrah,” she said.
She said that even after achieving what she considered a major milestone, she began aiming for something more difficult: photographing herself with her motorcycle against the backdrop of Masjid al-Haram.
Anita explained that access was tightly controlled and vehicles were restricted.
“At that time, for your information, only the official government taxis can enter the mosque’s compound. Other vehicles, including Uber, are not allowed,” she said.
On her last day in Mecca, she decided to try her luck, and once again, she was blessed with success.
“Alhamdulillah. I managed to pass like four checkpoints. Like, I am invisible.
“They don’t see me passing through. So, it was magic. Really, really magic,” she said.
A Malaysian woman she knew followed her in a taxi and recorded the moment, she said.
“I told her, ‘If I managed to bring my bike to the last place… cepat-cepat ambil gambar (quickly take a photo) or video or whatever,’” she recalled.
Anita said a guard watched them for some time but did not immediately intervene.
“But we got like almost half an hour. There is a guard there. He was looking at us, but he didn’t come and chase us out,” she said.
“He was looking at us, but like, we were not there.”
Only later did the guard approach.“So, almost like after half an hour, then he realised, oh, there’s someone there. Then only he came,” she said.
Instead of being chased out, Anita said the encounter ended unexpectedly after the Malaysian woman accompanying her spoke in Arabic and explained her story to the guard.
“My friend explained to the guard who I am and what I’m doing. I’m the first Muslim woman who rode solo around the world.
“So, instead of chasing me out, he took out his phone and then got a selfie,” she said.
‘Not pious’ - but ‘connection with God is very strong’
Anita said her travels have strengthened her spiritual relationship, particularly during her journeys.
“I’m not pious, but my connection with God is very strong, especially when I am in musafir (on a journey).
“I always talk to Him,” she said of her daily adventures that end at nightfall.
On her windshield, baby photos of her two grandchildren ride with her, silent passengers on every continent.
For Anita, faith is not about arriving. It is about continuing - one road, one border, one dawn at a time. - Mkini
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