..back to Makkah..

..we came back from Mina much relieved and with a measure of freedom...no more bounded to wearing ihram, we were back to robes and kopiah....but we have not yet cleared the final hurdle of the haj, the tawaf and the saai....

.it was a much cleaner Makkah that we came back to...the authorities used our absence to clean up the city off the rubbish and litters left by us...water tank were replenished...over flowing septic tanks were flushed of scum and sludge....the squares were washed and swept clean...even the air smelt clean...

..pakmat felt invigorated...the time in Arafat and Mina recharged him...he could see that the missus felt the same way, too...the next day, after the tawaf and the saai, and thereon the final tahallul,  he kissed her on the forehead..congratulations, makhajji...may the Lord accepts our haj...insyaAllah....

..water tanks being replenished..

....signs of overflowing septic tanks..

..now for the umrah....which we both did with gusto...woke up before dawn, a quick bath and the donning of the ihram...out of the hotel onto the main road...haggled with the cabdrivers...anything from 10 to 15 rial per head and off to Tanaim Mosque, the choice miqat of the day...2 rakaat solat..the niat and off to Haram for dawn prayers...most times led by Imam Sheik Abdul Rahman Al Sudais, the man with golden voice...later the tawaf and the saai..a brief cutting of hair...and a leisurely 2km walk back to the maktab for breakfast of roti and hot coffee served by Ahmad....

..

Ahmad from India manning his eatery..

                                   

..miqat at Tanaim Mosque..

but for some, it was time for packing and heading for home...but for us of KT49, it was awaiting the day when we would be heading for Medina...and the Prophet...