My Travel Story (Wedding + Umrah) – PART 2

Once back in K-town, it had only three days for us to unpack the shadi stuff and pack-up for another trip – Umrah. And we did well so. It was my first time travelling outside Pakistan, so yeah, the excitement mounted to another level for the fact.

This part captures what I experienced through my 15 days long trip. For part-1, you can check here.

About to take-off from Karachi airport.

Karachi’s view from up in the plane.

Chilling at Muscat airport.

One Week Stay In Madinah:

29 March, 8:00 AM. It was our flight from Karachi to Muscat, and from there, we headed to Madinah. The stay between connecting flights wasn’t long enough to cause tiresomeness. While landing in Madinah, the breath-taking sight of mountains from the air was totally surreal. Also, the first thought I had is, it’s the city of our beloved Prophet (PBUH). Respect, love, affection, and tenderness instinctively gushed into the spirit.

5:00 PM – 11:00 PM. We’re in Madinah. And by the time we reached our hotel, it is time for Isha’a. Got to our room, settled the luggage, and made it to the Masjid-e-Nabwi as soon as we could. It was so beautiful and relaxing that words can’t do justice. Offered our prayer, drank Aab-e-zamzam, and stared at the gorgeous mosque for a while. Went back to the hotel and had some rest.

Neither words nor the pictures can do justice to what it looks in real.

30 March, 3:30AM – 11:00 AM. Made it for Tahajjud again. Stayed there, offered Fajr and waited for the doors to the Rawdah-e-Rasool (PBUH) to open. After a wait of 6 hours, we got to there. Prayed at the Riyaz-ul-Jannah inside, which was such a personal, intimate, and grounding experience (despite people literally walking over you). Not explainable.

While me and mommy praying at Riaz-ul-jannah.

11:00 AM – 1 PM. Returned to the hotel. Got fresh and had breakfast. And there came my chachu (my father’s brother who lives there) who took us to his home. We moved with our luggage for we weren’t liking there much in hotel; and stayed at his place for the rest of days in Madinah.

On regular basis, he used to drive us for prayers. Not just that, but he also took us for ziarats. The places we visited were:

Masjid-e-Quba: It is said that offering a prayer there is equals to an Umrah, and so we did. Wish me, Umrah Mubarak.

Masjid-e-Qiblatain: Where the direction of Qibla changed by befall of a wahi. We prayed there too.

Jabl-e-Uhud: Islamic history of which is so heart-wrenching. Everything that I lived through books, words, and stories up till now, finally felt a connection with all those people and incidents from the past. Saw the spot where all Shuhadas are buried and made dua-e-maghfirat.

Also, saw a lot of sahabas’ home and orchards where they used to be. Sum up to what I explored was that the Islamic history is full of miracles. And the belongingness you feel with which is something unreal.

The days went by like this.

I and my sister sitting in the courtyard of Masjid-e-Nabwi.

5 April, 12:30 PM. It is Friday. We offered Jummah prayer and were ready to leave for Makkah. Since the bus picked us late, we got two more prayers in Masjid-e-Nabwi.

10:00 PM. The bus arrived and took us to Meekat where we prayed and made Niyyat. After which, everyone said Talbiyah loud out. Got me goosebumps.

Rest Of The Days In Makkah

6 April, 5:00 AM. We’re in Makkah. Getting to our room with luggage took more time than the usual for the bus guy’s carelessness. He dropped our luggage with some other passengers to God knows which hotel. Getting sorted with all of which took enough time and made us tired.

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM. Had breakfast and resumed our steps towards the Grand Mosque.

8:00 AM – 9:40 AM. The feelings while stepping towards the Kaaba are SO emotional. I can’t explain. It is said that when you see Allah’s home for the first time, ask Him whatever you want – He listens. And all I got to experience was a hurricane of mixed feelings with tears rolling down my cheeks. How can one not? It’s natural.

We had Aab-e-zamzam, performed our Umrah, and bowed down to Allah for calling us. Made sure to spend as much time as we can and offer our prayers in Haram.

11:00 PM. After Isha’a prayer, now my second chachu who lives in Taif, made all his way (drove with the family) from another city to Makkah to meet us. He brought us Al-baik and we had dinner altogether.

7 April. The whole day went by exploring and praying in the Mosque.

11:00 PM. And then again, chachu visited us with another dinner to our hotel – biryani this time. And while eating food, we decided to stay at their place for some time. Hence packed a little bit of our necessary luggage (typically of daily use) and headed to Taif with them.

8 April. Reached Taif till midnight and just crashed out in bed.

Attended a flower festival happening in Park Ruduf, Taif.

8 April – 10 April. Spent a few touristy days there. Had tiny picnics to some parks and made the most of that short time as much as we can. The city is built in the mountains and I love the peaceful atmosphere. It was literally a good escape against the crowd for a Karachite like me.

My below-average photography skills to capture the view of mountainous roads of Taif.

11 April. Left for Makkah after Maghrib. Again, chachu drove through all those mountainous roads to drop us back. Performed Isha’a prayer and tawaaf at the Kaaba. Now we grabbed some food (read: Al-baik), headed to the hotel where other people (few relatives also there for performing Umrah) awaited us. Everyone just sat together, talk, and had dinner.

12 April, 12:00 AM. Chachu and his family went back and, we to sleep.

9:00 AM. Our last day in Makkah. We performed our farewell tawaaf and stayed in there for congregational Jummah prayer. Once we were all done praying, a sense of realization prevailed that the time has come to have a last sightful stare of this Holy mosque till next time.

3:00 PM. In our hotel room, got done with last minute packing stuff. By the time of asr prayer, chachu from Taif visited us and brought some food along. It was biryani to satiate our hunger. In the meanwhile, we spent time chit-chatting.

7:00 PM. The bus arrived and took us to Jeddah where we had to catch our flight to back home.

9:00 PM. Reached Jeddah airport.

11:00 PM. As soon as our flight (expected to take off on 13 April, 2:40 AM) announcement made, we headed for boarding. But an unfortunate incident met at the time of check-in – our flight has been changed by the airline (all credit goes to our stupid agent didn’t inform before time). Now, we had to wait for 12 hours more ahead.

Faces of someone who desperately want to reach their home and crash into THEIR beds. (Avoid my popping out nose-pin)

13 April, 7:00 AM. A friend’s family living in Jeddah brought us breakfast on airport.

9:00 AM. Finally, we left for boarding and had the privilege of making it to the first in queue. *eye-rolling*. Checked-out, took our seats in the plane, and followed the same journey by connecting flight from Jeddah to Muscat and then Karachi.

The weather was pretty awesome in Muscat at that time since it started raining.

Tired Faces

11:00 PM – 11:30 PM. We reached Karachi and at last home, Alhamdulillah.

Where this journey was long and tiring one, it left an urge to pay a visit again and again and so on to the fullest of heart’s desires. If you’ve already been or even have a true wish to be there, you must have got what I mean. May Allah accept our worships and help us towards the right path. Aameen. 🙂