273: Umrah DIY M&M (The Journey) - Part 1

21 January 2025

Jam 10.30 pagi, mama hantar kami berdua suami isteri ke JB CIQ. Bas yang ditempah untuk ke Changi Airport jam 11.15 pagi. Ingatkan awal lah juga kami sampai rupanya proses untuk imigresen kat dalam tu boleh tahan jauh perjalanannya. Semput juga kami membawa 2 big luggages tapi Alhamdulillah sempat juga naik bas jam 11.05 am. 

Moral of the story, kene lebih awal lagi bila melibatkan immigration. Nak ke Changi Airport bukan stakat naik bas. Kene lepas custom Malaysia dulu baru sampai bas. Bila dah naik dan bas jalan, rileks sekejap. Sampai Woodlands CIQ kene turun bas, dan perlu bawa keluar sekali semua luggages utk discan melepasi custom. Kesimpulannya untuk berdua dan luggage tak banyak, ok je naik bas ni. Tapi kalau dengan family, better sewa transport je dari JB terus ke Changi.

So kami sampai Changi Airport Terminal 1 around 12.30 pm. Awal juga. Kaunter check-in buka 3.30 pm. Kami naik skytrain ke Terminal 2 kemudian lepak di Viewing Hall ada banyak seats kat situ. Nak solat pun semua prayer area hanya ada lepas Passport Check. So nak tak nak, tunggu je la sampai 3.30 kat situ. Makan bekal bibik bagi dan baca buku. Nak jalan-jalan Jewel dah takde hati sebab anxious. 

Tepat 3.30 kami terus ke kaunter Etihad untuk bag drop sebab kami dah check-in online the day before. Bagus check-in online early, dapat seat best walaupun free dan tak perlu beratur panjang di kaunter check-in. Settled bag drop, kami terus ke passport control and ke transit area of Terminal 2 untuk cari prayer room.

Prayer room agak tersorok tapi selesa. Ada tempat wudhu dan dekat dengan toilet. Toilet ada bidet so mudah nak istinjak. Settled solat kami terus ke terminal departure tapi kami cari Snooze Lounge dulu untuk dapat seat yang selesa dan tempat charge phone. Rehat lagi sampai around 5.30 pm baru kami gerak ke gate E27 sebab boarding time 6.30 pm.

At last around 6.50 pm baru kami boarding the flight. Flight berlepas tepat jam 7.25 pm.

After around 7 hours, kami sampai Abu Dhabi.. waktu Abu Dhabi jam 11.20 pm. Beza 4 jam dari Malaysia/Singapore. Di Abu Dhabi kami cari prayer room dulu. Lebih sangat selesa berbanding di Changi. Ada connected toilet dengan prayer room dan ada bidet sprayer, macam toilet Malaysia. Kalau Singapore, bidet dia yang kene adjust kat toilet bowl tu, susah sikit nak aim, haha. 

Lepas selesai solat Jama' Ta'khir Maghrib Isya, husband tukar pakaian Ihram. Ada shower juga tapi toilet tu jauh dari Terminal departure kami. Di Terminal departure ada juga prayer room tapi tak connect dgn toilet. Tapi toilet banyak je dan dekat. So husband je tukar ihram, I still dengan pakaian dari rumah JB. Just bersihkan diri yang wajib-wajib je.. gosok gigi etc. Transit ni 3 jam, jadi sangat sempat nak khidmat diri untuk bersedia ihram. Mula-mula rasa awkward juga sebab tak nampak orang lain tukar Ihram. Tapi kene yakin je lah, yg nak ibadah diri sendiri.. takyah sibuk ttg orang lain.

Tapi bila nak naik flight baru lah nampak ada dalam few people lagi yang berpakaian kain ihram juga. So lega. Hihi.

22 January 2025

So jam 1.35 pagi kami board flight, jam 2.20 pagi flight berlepas ke Jeddah. Dalam stgh jam sebelum sampai Qarnul Manazil, ada cabin crew buat pengumuman untuk siapa nak buat umrah boleh bersedia. Semasa lalu Qarnul manazil pun ada pengumuman. Maka berniat ihramlah kami masa tu. After 3 hours flight, sampailah kami di Jeddah Airport. Waktu tempatan 4.20 pagi. Beza sejam dengan Abu Dhabi.

Selesai immigration dan luggage claim dalam jam 5 pagi. Kami decide untuk tunggu subuh di Jeddah je sebab perjalanan ke mekah sejam lebih. Takut habis subuh je nanti. So kami tunggu Subuh jam 5.40 am. Around 6 am setelah selesai solat kami book Uber. Di arrival airport Jeddah dah siap ada uber pick up area. So mudah je nak di pick up. 

Jam 7.30 am kami tiba di hotel Osturat Emaar. Hotel ni terletak di area Mahbaz Jin, Alaziziyah. Dekat je dgn pedestrian Tunnel .. sebelah Tunnel tu dah Masjidil Haram. 

Kami ke reception but dia kata paling awal boleh check-in jam 12pm. So kami tumpang dulu luggage di lobby, dan dalam 8 am terus cari shuttle bas nak ke masjid. Dari hotel kami, nak ke shuttle bus kene ambil jalan terowong betul-betul depan hotel, terowong ni bawa kami melintas jalan besar dan terus ke bus stop shuttle bus. Orang di reception kata boleh ambil mana-mana je bas yang ke arah Alharam. Bas memang banyak dan kerap. Saya timingkan perjalanan shuttle bas tu hanya 2 minit dah sampai bus stop di Masjidil Haram.

Sampai je bus stop, kami perlu jalan sedikit dalam 300 m baru sampai ke pintu babus salam. Tapi untuk first time tu, kami dah janji dengan kawan untuk buat umrah bersama. Jadi kami janji berjumpa dulu di depan KFC clock tower. Dari Babus Salam tu kene jalan pusing ke depan lagi.. so kami akan mula masuk nanti gunakan pintu 79. 

Untuk masuk ke mataf hanya guna pintu As-Salam dan Pintu King Abd Aziz (79) tu je. Wajib pakai ihram. Selain pintu tu, takkan sampai ke mataf. Hanya dalam atau rooftop masjid je. 

So kami tunggu kak Intan and family yang sudi membantu dan guide umrah pertama kami. Mereka dah ada di mekah beberapa hari, jadi pagi tu mereka perlu ke Masjid Aisyah di Tana'im dulu utk berniat di miqat. Dalam jam 10 pagi bila mereka sampai baru kami gerak bersama-sama ke dalam masjid melalui pintu 79.

272: Umrah DIY M&M (Belanjawan)

 11 Nov 2024

• Beli ticket from Trip.com
• Etihad Airways
• RM 5474 for 2 pax
• 21 Jan 2025: Singapore - Abu Dhabi (3hr Transit) - Jeddah
• 30 Jan 2025: Jeddah - Abu Dhabi (24 hr transit) - Singapore
• Banyak buat survey guna different platform seperti skyscanner.com , airasiamove, etc.

16 Nov 2024

• Book Osturat Emaar (Hotel Mekah) via Trip.com
• 22 Jan - 27 Jan
• Total: rm491.45 for 5 nights
• Hotel ni kalau ikut jarak, jauh juga dari Masjidil Haram. Tapi kawasannya penuh dengan hotel so memang ada bus stop free shuttle bus yang sentiasa ada. Only 2 mins ride to masjid. Bus sangat banyak dan kerap. Bus akan drop dekat area bukit Marwah so kalau nak masuk mataf terus ke Bab As-Salam. 

22 Nov 2024

• Renew passport Mai , and buat passport baru Mahizal di UTC Johor Bahru
• RM200 per person. Plus rm5 untuk cover passport yang wajib dibeli. 
• Untuk renew, submit application online dulu dan bayar online. Ada line khas untuk org yang renew online, so cepat je.
• Untuk buat baru, jam 6 pagi patutnya boleh ambil nombor queue guna apps. Kami tak tahu ada sistem tu tapi nasib baik dapat juga nombor sebab awal. Ramai yang kena balik sebab nombor habis. 

24 Nov 2024

• Beli Takaful Etiqa TripCare 360
• Guna apps MAE
• RM109.12 untuk self + spouse. Ada package lagi mahal tapi ambil yang minimum je.
• Perlu beli awal sebab nak submit permohonan ke luar negara perlu info insurans. 

29 Nov 2024

• Book AirBnb (Accomodation Madinah)
• 27 - 30 Jan
• Total: rm414.41 for 3 nights
• Mula-mula ada book hotel di Madinah, but satu malam dah 300++, jadi fikir2 balik, kami cancel dan book Airbnb. Airbnb ni jauh sikit dari Masjid Nabawi but because only 2 of us young couple, sangat sesuai. 1 km walk to Masjid Nabawi each time. Not so bad, cold weather, flat route, many shops kiri kanan, tak terasa penat. Highly recommended. 

30 Nov 2024

• Hantar permohonan ke luar negara bagi penjawat awam
• Dokumen yang perlu:

1. Borang permohonan (edit guna words utk letak details)
2. Maklumat insurance (print Polisi takaful)
3. Salinan IC
4. Salinan passport
5. Salinan ticket flight

• Maklumat visa tak perlu, jadi kami tangguhkan permohonan visa dalam 2 minggu sebelum flight sebab nak panjangkan tempoh validity. Tak boleh lambat sangat juga sebab nak book slot Raudhah apps Nusuk perlu awal, nanti tak dapat slot.
• Permohonan ke luar negara dapat kelulusan 15 Disember 2024.

4 January 2025

Attended Kursus Umrah oleh Fa Izin Travel di Jalan Padi Emas Bandar Baru Uda. Actually banyak sgt kursus Umrah percuma tapi kebetulan minggu tu yang Tabung Haji dan Andalusia semua penceramahnya Ustazah. Jadi pilih yang penceramah lelaki. Search je di FB. 

Ustaz penceramah sangat bagus dan mengalu-alukan sesiapa je yang nak kursus. Takde persoalkan bukan dari agensinya pun atau DIY. Siap dapat buku panduan umrah percuma.

5 January 2025

• Vaccine injection Meningococcal
• RM140 perpax
• Klinik Mutiara di Taman Mutiara Indah, Johor Bahru. Ni paling murah kami survey kawasan JB. Dapat buku vaksin kuning.

6 January 2025

• Apply visa tourist online https://visa.visitsaudi.com/
• RM488 per pax
• Mudah je, yang penting pastikan semua maklumat betul. Gambar passport ambil sendiri, edit background guna canva. Crop size seperti dimension yang web nak.
• Dah ada visa boleh book terus slot Raudhah di apps Nusuk. Kalau lambat masuk waiting list atau tak dpt slot langsung. Nanti di sana perlu book via Instant Track kalau ada rezeki. 
• Slot Umrah pun boleh book. Tak wajib tapi bila selesai umrah dan ziarah Raudhah, boleh generate sijil cantik.

7 January 2025

• Apply Alkhairi Care (medical card)
• Lite package RM70 per pax
• Apply via agent thru Whatsapp +60 14-304 1434

20 January 2025

• Beli ticket shuttle bus via Redbus apps
• RM13 per pax
• JB CIQ - Changi Airport 
• Kami ambil flight ticket dari Changi sebab memang duduk di Johor. Ikut kesesuaian masing-masing. Kemudian naik bas sebab berdua je, kalau dengan family dan banyak luggage, boleh consider sewa Starex atau setara. 
• Changi - JB masa balik mahal sikit sebab harga dalam dollar, total rm70 untuk 2 orang. 

21 January 2025

- Pagi-pagi sebelum berangkat, activatekan kan roaming di apps Celcom kami masing-masing. Memang dua-dua guna Celcom. 

- RM98 per pax.

- kami fikir roaming paling mudah dan cost effective disebabkan kami akan transit 2 negara lain, Singapore dan UAE. Jadi tak perlu beli banyak sim card dan tak perlu setting phone. Masuk negara lain je auto phone akan roaming. Line mostly okay je sentiasa. Kadang-kadang je slow. Data tak pernah habis walaupun limitnya 3GB sehari.

Ground Transportation Cost: 

Kami tak beli ticket bas / train Mekah - Madinah, Madinah - Jeddah until last minute. Not recommended to follow. Beli awal dapat harga murah. Kami dok mengharap train ada harga offer, but no, makin lama makin mahal je. So ended up naik bas utk trip yang jauh tu. Harga bas pun kira tinggi juga, kalau beli awal mungkin dapat lebih murah.

Bas Darb Al Watan (Mekah - Madinah): SAR75 perpax

Bas Northwest (Madinah - Jeddah Airport): SAR89

Uber sepanjang di sana:

Jeddah airport - Hotel Mekah =SAR138. 98

Alka'kiah - Hotel Mekah= SAR27.92

Bus Stop Madinah - Airbnb = SAR21.94

Masjid Quba - Jabal Uhud = SAR20.94

Jabal Uhud - Airbnb = SAR14.90

Airbnb - Bus Stop Madinah = SAR22.90

Teksi Sapu:

Jabal Nur pergi balik SAR40

Masjid - Alkakiah SAR40

Hotel - Jarwal Bus Station - SAR20

Untuk yang tak mahir berbahasa arab, bagus guna uber je sebab tak perlu pening-pening nak explain destination. Tapi ada masanya terpaksa juga ambil teksi sapu sebab peak hours seperti selepas waktu2 solat di masjidil haram, susah nak dapat uber. So kene mindset bergaduh sikit dgn pak arab.

Trip Taif 25 Jan 2025, join group DIY satu bas.

SAR100 perpax. 

Perbelanjaan lain, of course banyak shopping keperluan di sana haha. Tapi banyak juga yang tak digunakan. Ada juga yang benar-benar berguna. Untuk items2 ni rasa kene buat post lain. 

Total expenses di atas ni utk 2 orang ialah RM9581.76 . Kalau yang dah ada passport atau visa boleh jimat lagi. 

Untuk shopping souvenir dan makan yang tak berapa ekonomi (sebab saya teringin nak rasa macam-macam makanan), kami peruntukkan dalam RM2000. Itu selesa lah. So total incl makan shopping is RM11581.76.

Jadi kos perpax untuk umrah DIY kami termasuk makan dan shopping dalam RM6000 seorang lah. Boleh la budget kalau berminat nak cuba DIY.

Variables kat sini yang terbesar ialah flight tickets. Kalau pergi ber3, atau 4, akan lebih jimat dari segi ground transportation dan accomodation. Kami pergi berdua je suami isteri, so selesa dapat bilik berdua sahaja dan bebas ke mana2 dengan itinerary sendiri. 

Untuk keep track perbelanjaan, saya banyak gunakan Wise Card. Tukar duit SAR500 je di Malaysia. Kemudian di Mekah ada keluarkan SAR500 sekali, dan di Madinah SAR300 kedua2nya dari Wise. Rate Wise lebih rendah dari money changer. Uber saya link dengan card BigPay. 

Anyway, untuk DIY, yang penting masing-masing perlu berani dan banyak menuntut ilmu dari segi pembacaan dan tanya orang yang lebih berpengalaman. Mesti belajar! Jangan main hentam saje sebab perkara melibatkan ibadah.. ada rukun dan pantang-larangnya. Tempat ziarah pun banyak sirah disebaliknya, jika tak baca atau tak belajar, sangat rugi, tak dapat menghayati ibadah, dan ziarah. 

271: Happy New Year!

It's 2025!

Memang la setahun satu post aje. 

On 1st Jan 2024 I started my weight loss journey. Masa tu memang determined, okay, 1 Jan start! Target masa tu was normal BMI. Mind you, I never had a normal BMI since my teenage years. So it would be a challenge for me. I was thinking there was no better time to start, because my 2 year old had weaned off and I didn't have any plan to expand the family more in the near future!. 2024 was a year to divert my focus to myself more.

So I started. Early weeks was quite okay. I was discipline, lazy keto regime. The first 5 kgs was quite easy. Then after 2 months things been difficult. But I was still determined. If I cheated, I started again. I said to myself I would never give up on myself.

I realized I lack self-control. Woman is emotional being. We eat not just because we are hungry, but it fills our emotional needs. We eat not only because the food nourish us, but we want to experience the taste, the dopamine release by consuming all the foods. So I was battling with my emotions most of the time. But I tried to not be harsh to myself. When I swayed, I went back to the path again. Again and again, and again. I pledged not to give up on myself.

So, one year on, the net weight loss is 10 kg. It wasn't much, but it's a progress. I saw progress, though slowwww. I saw result, though still far from my initial target.

We are starting again, today!!

It's 1 January 2025. So we are targeting another 10 kg. Go me!

270: Idle Mind

Is this my first post for 2024? 

Yesterday my ex-roommate while I was in Melbourne shared few photos for us to reminiscine on. Oh it brought memories, and all the feelings of joy,and carefree. It broughts me back to this blog, because whatever I wrote back then is still here. Thank you blogger for still existing. Preserving my thoughts at that time. This reminds me, I have to download all these blog posts for back up. 

Most of the times, I hesitate to write whatever I think and feel. But reading back my posts, I regrets I didn't write more. So I guess, it's better to write than not. Afterall, this blog has no audience anymore. I'm writing here instead of in facebook so that I'll be far from people's judgement. Kita hati tisu, wak! Cepat sangat tersentuh kalau orang cakap apa-apa.

But anyway, its exam period. That explains why I have time to write. Though, answered papers have bundled up on my table, waiting to be marked, but of course, I procrastinate. 

I'm 37 this year. 20 years ago I sat for the SPM which marks the pivot to where I am right now. I have become the adult, the teacher that keeps on membebel to her students on not to screw up their school years. I guess as a 37 year old grown woman, I have seen enough to not let this kids wasting away their life, with functioning brain, and healthy body. What a waste, kids... you have so much potential, bright future, only if you usaha.. takyah usaha byk pon, give me the minimum work, you can see a big effect. But, oh well.. kids, will be kids. Selagi mereka tak hadap, selagi tu takkan dengar.

I'm also a mother of 5 now. My eldest daughter is turning 12 this year. I have a teenager to handle now. And oh, its another level of struggles here. I just pray that He never let me decide anything by myself. I leave her in Your Care. Because I know nothing... I'm so afraid I make mistakes that will scar my kids for life.

We as parents, just want the best for the kids. But of course, they will never realize that.. before they have their own. 

269: Difference

Di SMKBBU, kertas ni dipanggil 'testpad'. Pernah saya sebut 'kertas kajang' dekat pelajar, terkebil-kebil dia tak faham apa tu kertas kajang.

Di SMKPU yang sebaliknya pula. Pelajar elok sebut kertas kajang. Bila saya sebut 'testpad' pula mereka terpinga-pinga. 

Just a random thought. No judgement in both situation. I celebrate the difference. I appreciate the different experiences I am fortunate enough to live through.

Change is hard. Hijrah is hard. I am still in transitioning period. Adapting myself to everything different here. Numerous time I feel like I am unhappy. What have I got myself into. But I feel alive. At least all my senses are working and functioning... thinking, struggling, living through it all.

If people ask me about it, will I advocate people to 'change'? Yes, totally recommended. 5 stars. You should live in motion. You should always choose 'change'. You should be brave to choose 'hijrah'. Go for it. Be brave! This is life. 

268: Finding joy, again

This morning as I was scrolling the Facebook feeds, I came across this post saying how funny the opening chapter of Pinocchio was. It went like shown in the picture:

I was instantly interested to read the rest of the story. I never came across the physical book of Pinocchio before, only watched the movies. Then, it dawned on me how this is what missing from my adult life now. The joy of reading. Reading books, as a pleasure. Or specifically fiction. Not so much of gaining knowledge, or life lessons. But the feeling of being intrigued, in malay like 'perasaan dibuai-buai' like that ... If you are a reader yourself, you know what I meant. When the author wrote something so beautifully, when they succeed to depict feelings into words so perfectly.. like you feel, yes she killed it! 

I used to read lots of books during my high school year, and undergraduate years. But stopped once I got married and have kids. I still buy books now and then but many left untouched , unfinished because most of the time I felt there were just more things to prioritize over. Reading has become such a chore. No joy in it anymore. 

One voice in my head will tell me that reading for pleasure is nafs. Like time here in on earth is so limited, so much to achieve, being carried away by fictional stories are such a waste of time. (Reading non fiction, books for the knowledge, is another topic altogether). But, another voice will say.. this is what makes life beautiful. We need to live, but happily. We need to find again, the pretty things in life. The joy, that brings so much reasons to keep on living despite the struggles. 

Our mission on earth is one definite thing. To obey Allah, to preach others obeying Allah, too. If Allah wants, He can, to just give us such basic things like one type of food only for our sustanence. That will suffice for us to reach our goal in life... but no, He made infinite amount of varieties! and each was so perfectly created, colourful and pretty! He made everything, arts. So I believe, it's okay to indulge ourselves in arts, as long as we still in the path towards Him. In fact, we will feel so much happier, so much in love, knowing Him as the Greatest Artist. 

267: Hijrah

Tahun baru 2023, adalah tahun hijrah bagiku. Aku beranikan diri, membuat keputusan untuk keluar dari zon yang teramat selesa. People would think I'm stupid for making this decision. Leaving all the best things in life... for a new beginning at a new place.

But living, is a struggle, jihad, to be the best version of ourselves, before we meet HIM in the best state. I had been praying for Him to show me, if this hijrah is the best thing for me, then make the path to it, easy. And easy it was .. I was kinda shocked He allows this to happen this fast.

I need to be brave to move. To change. To learn and unlearn. 

Semoga Allah redha <3