The Road to Makkah

Having spent our time in Madina for now, we hired a taxi for Makkah. Thats around a 4 hour drive with a good car. The route is the same. We could have taken a longer route, which would have taken us through the Badr battlegrounds. But the taxi driver didnt give us that option.. I would have loved to go that way. That would also have taken us through the route which our Prophet s.a.w. took, while migrating. But, there it is. Next time, we might choose to travel that road.

Well before we got on the road we stopped at the Miqaat for Madina dwellers. We women had showered and changed into our Ihram clothes at the hotel. There isnt a prescribed dress for women for their Ihram like it is with men. Yet we chose white scarves for ourselves and a different Abaya than we usually wear. Just gave the whole situation a formal touch. My husband showered at the Hotel too, but re-did his wudhu at the Meeqat and changed into his Ihram. We changed Abdullah too, and a right cute sight that was :)

So we prayed our two nafl of Intention. Prayed and got back in the car. In case someone forgets to bring something, everything from Ihrams to shoes are available there.

So. The surrounding areas on the road to Makkah are as barren and as uninhabited, save a few camels and horses, as from Jeddah to Madina. With the exception that the Makkah road is decorated with mountains. The nearer we came to Makkah, the more the mountains were covered with black rocks ... like so much snow on the mountain tops. We were told that these rocks have been laid there by the government, to avoid sandstorms wrecking too much damage.

Well, the more realistic answer was that Saudia is volcanic region. Those rocks were not just placed there, they were the result of seismic activity and volcanic eruptions. It really is a beautiful sight actually. So many mountains, such beautiful rock formations.. different colours.. there were mountains with red and golden stipes in the rocks.

I couldnt take pictures, the driver didnt want to stop. Stopped for a while at a small restaurant. Prayed, had some food. They had a good variety, but we opted for vegetables. I rather liked the mixed vegetables..

We entered into Makkah and then through different tunnels and over high roads carved through mountains. It is really fascinating. People have built homes on the mountains, all across. One feels one is actually just riding over mountains. Lovely.

Checked into the Al Ka'aki Hotel on Ijyad Road. Directly in-line with the Haram. The main gate, the Gate King Abdul Aziz, was the nearest for us.

Here too a 4-bed room cost us 300 the night. Same situation - they dont set much standard by cealing the room themselves. But call them in and they'll do it well enough.. one just has to stand by and watch.

So we dropped off our stuff...