My Special Vacation

      At 21^st November 2008, my family and I went to Makkah for pilgrimage to complete our ‘Rukun Islam’. It is our first time, before these, we only go to Makkah for Umrah in 2005 and 2007.

      We made a lot of preparation, in mental or physical in several month before we were going to hajj. We go to ‘kursus haji’ that our agency was arranged. It was started in January 2008 until August 2008 before Ramadan. Our hajj was confirm a few days after Aidilfitri, that’s mean the end of September. Our agency said our departure will be on 10^th November 2008.

       In 10^th November 2008 at 8.00p.m after maghrib prayer, we went to Tabung Haji Complex at Kelana Jaya where all of the pilgrims need to gather. We need to check in at 9.00pm and send our luggage to Tabung Haji to be sent to KLIA. Our first bus ride to KLIA at 1 a.m after 1 hour briefing at Tabung Haji’s hall. We was enjoy in the bus because the polices block all the vehicles at the highway so that our 20 buses can arrive at KLIA on time without any problem. We all feel like VVIP in a bus. So enjoy. Our flight at 6a.m after subuh prayer.

       We arrived at Jeddah airport at 9.pm in Saudi Arabia’s time. We did Haji Tamattuk so after arrived at Makkah we need to do Umrah for Haji Tamattuk. Many activities provided by our agency until the time to wukuf at Arafah is coming. We arrived at Arafah one day before Wukuf day. In Arafah, we need to stay until zohor prayer to hear khutbah Arafah. For those who want to get ‘waktu mustajab doa’, they will be stay until asar prayer. After that all pilgrims start to move to muzdalifah. At muzdalifah, we need to stay until 1/3 of night before we all move to mina for ‘melontar jamrah’. At Muzdalifah, we saw an old lady passed away because of heart attack. We fell sorry to her because no chance to go to Mina to complete her Hajj.

       At 5.30 in the morning, we go to Mina for ‘melontar di Jamrah’. We all stay at Mina until 3 days because we will do Nafar Thani. After that we go back to Makkah to complete the balance of our Hajj.

       We go back to Malaysia at 2^nd January 2009 with Saudi Arabia Airlines that give us a lot of problem during in the air. For me, it is my special vacation that  I ever go in my life.