Great news!

My mum’s brother made it back into Mecca! If he had got caught he would have been in big trouble as they don’t allow non Hujjaj into the city at this time.
InshAllah he is going to be with us every step of the way now.

All the lads sleeping out tonight. Everyone making out they are going to be able to survive on the bare minimum. We shall see.

We went to fill more containers with ZamZam water. Huge queues in the designated areas for filling containers with people trying to take enough to supply a small country! We use the taps but we got a guard hot on our tails trying to stop us as we should be in the designated area. Manchester lad seems to be having an easy time so we all flock to where he is. He trying to shoo us away. Proper jokes.

Amazing night. Sleep was not on the menu tonight. Amazing sights. Nowhere else in the world will millions of people converge in one place and worship with such purity and devotion. All waiting for one man to come lead us.
It’s tough keeping your spot to pray, especially right at the front. Trust me, space for one will have be space for two. It’s funny watching people sneaking around pulling sly ones trying to get to the front.

Our roommate Moshy has had breakfast today for the first time in 12 years! Everyone insisting it goes in my diary.

We have a new roommate who joins us. Everyone makes him feel welcome and he fits in so well. I thought he was around 36 but he tells me he nearer fifty! Either the Mecca air really agreeing with people or I am really naff at this game.

Mum called me for something so I went and stood outside her room for a while waiting for her. After a short time I am about to phone her. Then I remember the hadith of the man who was trapped in the cave. He made du’a to Allah by the deed of standing all night with milk for his parents so not to disturb them. What an amazing thing. Made me realise how impatient and selfish we are.
I wait quietly after that.

Only in Mecca do I get scared looking up at buildings.

No shortage of blokes tapping up every plug socket in the Haram and the shopping centres to charge their mobile phones.

The best way I can describe people here at salah time is that they are like water.
They will pour into every gap, every space, every opening and every alleyway they can find.
You realise you just an ant in this great Ummah.