Mava comes up with a plan.

He wants us to go to Mecca tonight for tawaf, sai and come back before Fajr. I think it would make a lot of sense and thankfully mum agrees.

After Isha, Mava tell us to get ready as the rain is coming. Huge winds start the proceedings by blowing away at the tents and the dust gets right into your eyes and face.
This is it. I knew it. So many people kept saying that the hard part was over and we are almost home. I kept telling them about 2004 when we had finished and were flooded out. It is not over till Allah wills it to be over.
I am so worried we are going to pay for other’s words.
We start to walk with the thunder and lightning starting.
I am making non-stop dua that it holds as we are in no man’s land with no cover and mum is with us.
Guards are not letting us cut through the camps. If they were not Muslim and if I wasn’t on Hajj they would be getting flung out the way but patience has got me this far so why should I turn my back on it now. We carry on.

The army is clearing the roads and the people are running for cover. At any other time I would have stood there in awe watching the scenes but not now. The beggars are still out and the funny thing is they are carrying on as if nothing is happening.

Really truly, me and mum have got to have this talk about travelling light as these bags are tearing into my shoulders.

Things are getting tough but the rain has not poured down yet. I feel a few heavy drops as an indication of what is on its way.
We manage to walk back to Mecca and see taxis. We flag one down and subhanAllah as soon as get in the rain pours down.
I sit in the car and watch the people take shelter any way they can.
The driver has told us he is going to charge us around £6 for the journey which gets me thinking. That for us is nothing but how many people would not be able to afford that and would have to brave these conditions. Truly so many things in life we take for granted.
The drive takes about half an hour and it’s amazing but all the roads around the Haram are blocked off except for the one we need to get us right to our hotel. I love these mini miracles.

Feels like weeks since I’ve seen this place but in truth, it has been barely three days.
To use a bathroom without queuing behind eight men, power shower, mattress and peace of mind? Priceless.

We have a quick bite to eat and get into the Haram. It is absolutely empty and if I didn’t have mum with me I would have gone for the Black Stone. It’s so empty that we are doing tawaf on the ground floor and I am not even having to hold mum’s hand.
It was so soul enriching.

We go do Sai. I am sad as this will be my last Sai before I leave.
Someone has taken both mine and mava’s slippers. Mum has a good laugh at us both.

We return to the hotel and have a kip. We have a real early start for Mina.