56 days in Saudi

Back!

56 days in Saudi was a long time! It was an amazing experience - to work and to fulfil the last Islamic Pillar. Amidst the whole prepartion prior flying off to Saudi surely built up anxiety and apprehension in visiting the Holy Land. But Alhamdulillah all went well. In Brunei, we had crash courses on common gynae and paeds probs and a very quick 3-hr Haj crash course! All within 2 weeks!. In Saudi what we did before the jemaahs arrived was setting up clinics both in Madinah and Mekah. Picking up medical boxes of equipments and medicines from Jeddah International Airport Cargo Terminal and Jeddah Consulate Office, unpacking them and making sure everything was in tip-top shape before work started.

We landed in Jeddah Haj Terminal with our ihram's on for our umrah in Mekah. Alhamdulillah all went well, the next few days spent in Mekah by praying in Masjidil Haram, also got the opportunity to kiss the Hajr-Al-Aswad Stone and prayed in Hijr Ismail a couple of times.Mekah as far as my memory went back to 2000 has changed a lot. Back then the Makkah Hilton Towers was the 'in-place' to be and shop at. Now, there's the Abraj Al-Bait - u have Accesorise, Nine West, MAC, Debenhams, Top Shop, Next and the usual Burger KIng, Shawarma King, KFC, etc. Not that I shopped mind you, it was just conveniently located outside Masjidil Haram.


After spending 5 days in Mekah, we left for Madinah via Jeddah. The distance from Jeddah to Madinah was 472km and the journey takes about 4 hours or so with a service and snack stop in Sasco. On arrival in Madinah, the feeling of bliss came back. Madinah has always been a favourite. It's so peaceful, clean and just....bliss! I was over the moon when I found out I was part of the Madinah Team and stayed on there for 23 days till the last pilgrim left for Mekah.

enroute Jeddah from Mekah

Masjid Nabawi, Madinah

one of our clinics

We arrived in Mekah for the 2nd time only a few days before Wukuf. Nevertheless the work load in Mekah was busier as we had 2 clinics and jemaah's had more ailments and wanted to get better for Arafah n Mina.

Taibah's (Madinah) pharmacy

our ambulance

Arafah has changed and very pretty now. Laid in the middle of flat land surrounded by hills were nicely laid organised huge white tents. We arrived early on Monday after Zuhur prayers to set up Arafah Clinic and by evening jemaahs trickled in. On Wukuf day everything was serene and peaceful, everyone doing their zikirs and tasbihs and after Zuhur prayers Haj was performed. Note: Datuk Siti Nurhaliza was spotted when she arrived in Arafah alongside hubs and family. Later that evening most jemaahs left for Mina while others returned to Mekah to perform Tawaf and Saie Haji.

Arafah

Us medics were'nt required to stopover at Muzdalifah so our journey was cut short to 4 hours to travel 20 km towards Mina. Traffic was horrendous as expected. Arrived in Mina at 3am, and were greeted by Haj Attache. Showed us our tiny tent where we were to sleep, pray, work in the next 3 days. We didnt dally long and went straight to Melontar the Jamrah Aqabah. Amri gave us 7 stones each to throw at the Jamrah. Since 2006, the Saudi government has developed an excellent a multi-storey one way system to throw stones at these devil spots. Despite our tents were located near the Jamrahs, the entrance to it was quite a 30 minute walk. The sound of stone throwing was overwhelming but the system was efficient and safe. After then, we had our tahallul awal and was allowed to change clothes and have a quick shower. Toilets are basic as per Arafah; non-flushing communal toilets and only 6 pipes to do your ablutions.

Mina

Challenging Mina was, I found. Mina being 5km away from Mekah, we walked almost all the way there as stunted traffic would not allow transport to pick us up to mobilise back to Mekah. Walking then was..experience is an understatement. On our way were people sitting on streets selling all sorts of things from water to clothes, some begged for money and food and decorated camels were on display for pricey pictures. There were fumes from buses and cars and litter on the road...was a good thing we were wearing face masks. We met up with our driver in the GMC by the 2 mosques and Bin Dawood in Aziziah which is only a 5 minute drive - non Haj traffic. In Haj traffic, it took us 1 hour to get back to our Ajyad hotel. On arrival, I only realised the basic hotel we stayed in was a luxury. Showered properly and did no.1's and 2's properly too! Had lunch and caught up with sleep for 3 hours till Amri and I had to mobilise to Dar-Al-Salam to reopen the clinic. Work finished at 10pm and went for Tawaf n Saie Haji at 3am, completed just in time for Subuh prayers, and started work again 2 hours later. The word for the day was Exhaustion!

A few days later jemaahs started to leave for Brunei. Yet work was still busy despite the declining numbers of jemaahs, and staff too. So what cases do we see here? Common things such as coughs and colds, the occasional D+V's, skin problems, dehydration and a handful of inpatient cases of exacerbation of asthma and cardiac failure. Being an internal medic you get used to having bloods done whenever you want to, but in situations like this is limited as per blood test would cost approx SAR 50. Alhamdulillah, all jemaahs came and went home safe and sound! Yay!

New Year 2008 came and it was like any normal night. Local TV stations were showing western movies! Came 3rd January 2008 and the last group of jemaahs left. Work ended and packing started. Finished by evening and took the opportunity to do another umrah. Left for Taneem after Isyaa' and we completed the umrah just before midnight.

The remaining days in Saudi were filled with lunch and dinner invitations by Sheikh Ali Yassin, Muassasah in Jeddah, Brunei Consul in Jeddah and the 1st secretary to Jeddah Consulate. We thank them for the lovely food that was served. The boys also had an obligatory futsal tournament, dressed in official Saudi jerseys, held at the Consulate and won 2nd place (Well done!); 1st place went to the Consulate team and 3rd place went to RBA.

Medics Futsal Team


Food

bitter bitter Arabic tea

Mandy Kambing

at 1st secretary's house

All in all, AMAZING but inevitably tiring experience. Someone asked if I would do it again. Answer is yes. To serve the country and your people who are God's guests and at the same time to perform Haj. Definite yes.