Al-Haramain: Satu Pengalaman Perjalanan Umrah

*In Malay

Al-Haramain... dua kota suci. Akhirnya, saya dapat memenuhi undangan menjadi tetamu Allah, menjejakkan kaki ke kota Mekkah & Madinah. Sebelum saya benar- benar tiba di sana, sebelum Kaabah belum betul- betul di hadapan mata, doa saya kepada Allah, undangan yang telah diutuskan kepada saya, janganlah ditarik balik. Saya benar- benar ingin menjadi tetamu Yang Esa.

Bukit-bukit berbatu di padang pasir...

Syukur, Alhamdulillah. Ibadah umrah telah saya laksanakan. Doa saya, semoga ibadah umrah yang telah saya tunaikan hampir sebulan lalu diterima oleh Allah s.w.t. Walaupun rasanya ada kekurangan dalam ibadah umrah saya, saya tetap berdoa semoga saya mendapat umrah yang maqbul dan semoga ibadah saya di 2 kota suci itu akan memberi kesan dalam kehidupan saya sehari- hari, di dalam segala segi. Saya berharap untuk menjadi seorang insan yang lebih berkualiti :) Insan yang berusaha bersungguh- sungguh untuk menjadi hamba Allah yang dirahmati.

Gambar lama Kaabah di Muzium Mekkah

Pengalaman ke 2 kota suci adalah satu pengalaman manis yang tak mungkin dapat dilupakan. Bahkan, ia membuahkan satu kerinduan yang tidak dapat ditafsirkan. Patutlah setiap orang yang pernah menjejakkan kaki ke Mekkah & Madinah, sering berharap akan dapat kembali ke sana. Gambaran Masjid Nabawi & kubah hijaunya, gambaran Kaabah & Masjidil Haram masih segar diruang ingatan. Terasa rindu kepada suasana beribadah di sana. Walaupun ada cabaran- cabarannya, tetapi yang terpahat di hati & ingatan hanyalah yang indah- indah sahaja :)

Kali ini, saya akan kongsikan pengalaman mengerjakan umrah saya & juga beberapa tip- tip yang saya rasakan penting & berguna kepada semua yang bakal menunaikan Umrah.

Persediaan sebelum menunaikan Umrah:

1. Dari segi Ibadah, akhlak & kerohanian:

Pintu Abdul Aziz pada waktu Subuh

• Saya mengikut nasihat Emak & beberapa orang sahabat yang pernah sampai ke dua kota suci, serta teman- teman yang bakal menunaikan umrah dalam jangkawaktu yang sama.
• Nasihat Emak, banyakkan solat- solat sunat, terutamanya Tahajud & Taubat. 3-4 bulan sebelum tarikh umrah saya, Emak sering mengingatkan supaya rajin bangun malam untuk berqiyamullail.
• Teman- teman pula menasihatkan supaya rajin- rajinlah berpuasa sunat & jika ada puasa wajib yang masih belum diganti, gantilah sebelum menjejakkan kaki ke tanah suci.
• Mereka juga menasihatkan supaya saya mula melatih diri supaya banyak bersabar & mengurangkan marah :) Secara kesimpulannya, proses penyucian diri sepatutnya bermula lama sebelum kita sampai ke Mekah & Madinah.
• Fahamkan dengan jelas cara- cara serta bacaan untuk solat Jama' Qasar, solat Jenazah serta solat- solat sunat.
• Lancarkan bacaan semasa tawaf & sai'. Memang benar kita tidak perlu menghafal doa- doa untuk tawaf & sai' seperti yang ditulis didalam buku panduan umrah. Tetapi, jika kita hayati doa- doa tersebut, ia adalah doa- doa yang baik. Jika dapat dibaca, rasanya lebih baik. Lancarkan doa- doa itu supaya kita tidak tergagap- gagap membacanya sewaktu tawaf & sai'. Tetapi, sekadar membaca maksud doa- doa tersebut juga boleh. Mengikut pengalaman saya, membaca maksud doa, lebih terkesan di hati. Kita juga boleh berzikir (tahlil/tasbih/tahmid/takbir) sewaktu menunaikan ibadah tawaf & sai'.
• Fahamkan dengan jelas cara- cara menunaikan umrah, niatnya, larangan- larangan sewaktu di dalam ihram, cara- cara tawaf, cara- cara sai', cara- cara bertahallul supaya kita tidak ragu- ragu dalam beribadah dan supaya kita tidak hanya mengikut- ikut atau terikut- ikut apa yang orang lain lakukan.
• Bacalah buku 'Travelog Haji' oleh Muhammad Kamil Ibrahim. Buku ini sarat dengan panduan dan peringatan buat bakal- bakal tetamu Allah s.w.t.

2. Dari segi kesihatan & kecergasan:

• Mulalah bersenam. Berjalan perlahan- lahan ditaman sudah cukup. Sekadar untuk membiasakan diri dengan aktiviti berjalan kerana kita akan banyak berjalan sewaktu di Mekah & Madinah. Berulang- alik ke masjid, tawaf & sai'.

3. Pakaian yang hendak dibawa:

• Ramai yang menasihatkan saya supaya tidak perlu membawa banyak pakaian kerana kita boleh membeli pakaian dengan harga murah sewaktu di Mekkah & Madinah. Tetapi bagi saya, lebih baik kita membawa pakaian yang cukup. Kita ke tanah suci adalah untuk fokus kepada beribadah, bukannya membeli belah. Bukan tidak boleh untuk membeli- belah, tetapi itu bukanlah keperluan utama :) Jadi, nasihat saya bawalah pakaian yang cukup. Cuaca disana menyebabkan badan tidak berpeluh atau berbau. Pakaian boleh dipakai lebih daripada sehari. Tetapi, demi menjaga kebersihan, cukuplah dipakai untuk dua hari, janganlah sampai berhari- hari :) Kalau memilih untuk menghantar pakaian ke kedai dobi juga boleh. Harganya juga tidak mahal.
• Buat jemaah wanita, bagi saya berjubah & berseluar panjang adalah lebih praktikal. Seluar yang hujungnya kuncup adalah lebih baik kerana ia tidak mudah terselak. Sekiranya memakai seluar yang hujungnya lebar, pakailah stokin yang panjang :)
• Stokin pula, pakailah stokin yang tebal. Mengikut pengalaman saya, stokin yang panjang hingga ke pergelangan kaki lebih praktikal. Kadangkala, sewaktu di Masjidil Haram, kita hanya mengambil wudhu di paip air zam- zam kerana bilik air jauh di luar masjid. Di kawasan paip air zam- zam pula, terdapat jemaah lelaki lalu- lalang di situ. Agak sukar untuk memakai semula stokin yang panjang dengan adanya jemaah lelaki kerana stokin panjang perlu ditarik lebih tinggi :)
• Tudung, pastikan labuh menutup dada & tidak jarang. Tidak perlulah terlalu berfesyen. Sederhana sudah cukup.
• Bawalah pakaian- pakaian yang menutup aurat dengan sempurna & 'syariah compliant', bak kata Miss N :)

Di Masjid Nabawi:

Suasana redup yang menenangkan :)

• Masjid Nabawi adalah sebuah masjid yang menenangkan, luas & cantik. Ada payung- payung automatik yang akan dibuka ketika cuaca panas. Menunggu payung- payung tersebut terbuka sudah cukup mengasyikkan :) Apatah lagi apabila ia sudah terbuka sepenuhnya. Cantik!
• Di Masjid Nabawi, kawasan solat lelaki & wanita diasingkan dengan jelas dan ada polis- polis yang menjaga supaya tidak ada jemaah lelaki yang dapat masuk ke kawasan solat wanita. Selepas pintu masuk utama menuju ke ruang solat, tong air zam-zam ada dikiri & kanan.
• Dewan solatnya luas, tetapi masih tidak cukup menampung jumlah jemaah yang ramai. Sesiapa yang terlambat, terpaksalah bersolat diluar. Pengajarannya, datanglah awal ye :)
• Berkunjung ke Makam Rasullullah s.a.w, Saidina Abu Bakar r.a, Saidina Umar r.a & Raudhah adalah satu pengalaman yang mencabar dan tidak dapat dilupakan. Waktu untuk jemaah wanita berkunjung ke tempat- tempat ini yang letaknya didalam Masjid Nabawi adalah selepas waktu Subuh, Zuhur & Isya'. Sekiranya mahu, tunggulah didalam masjid setelah tamat tiga waktu solat ini. Polis- polis akan memberikan arahan & menentukan giliran masuk. Ikutlah arahan mereka, jangan berebut, banyakkan bersabar, tolak- ansur & hormat menghormati. Apabila mendapat peluang untuk bersolat & berdoa di Raudhah, janganlah lama- lama kerana masih ramai lagi yang menunggu.
• Sebelum meninggalkan Madinah, jangan lupa mengucapkan selamat tinggal kepada Rasullullah s.a.w walaupun sekadar mengucapkannya dari luar masjid, menghadap ke kubah hijau, tempat letaknya makam baginda & dua sahabatnya.

Cantik kan?

Di Masjidil Haram:

Pemandangan Masjidil Haram & persekitarannya.

• Masjidil Haram sangat besar & bertingkat- tingkat. Tawaf & sai' boleh dilaksanakan di setiap tingkat. Ruang solat wanita diasingkan dengan ruang solat lelaki oleh rak- rak Al-Quran. Walau bagaimanapun, kadangkala terdapat juga jemaah lelaki berehat bersama isteri di ruang solat wanita. Sesuatu yang tidak patut dilakukan dan seperti tidak menghormati hak orang lain.
• Tandas hanya terdapat diluar masjid. Tetapi jika terbatal wudhu' kita dibenarkan berwudhu' di paip- paip air zam- zam. Cuma kena lebih berhati- hati hal aurat.
• Datanglah awal sekiranya mahu duduk di saf depan atau pun dikedudukan yang strategik. Jangan sampai mengganggu keselesaan jemaah yang ada disitu, sekiranya masih ada ruang, berilah laluan kepada jemaah yang sedang mencari tempat. 

Tempat- tempat lawatan di Madinah:

• Masjid Quba', Gunung Uhud, Bukit Pemanah, Ladang Kurma, Perkuburan Baqi'.

Untung rasanya dapat menjejakkan kaki ke tempat- tempat bersejarah dalam Islam. Kalau dapat membaca sedikit sebanyak tentang sejarah tempat- tempat ini sebelum pergi, lebih mendalamlah penghayatan kita. Mata mutawwif yang merupakan pelajar Malaysia di Madinah seperti bergenang dengan airmata sewaktu menceritakan tentang kisah Perang Uhud & bagaimana syahidnya Saidina Hamzah r.a serta syahidin- syahidin yang lain menyebabkan saya sendiri terasa seperti hendak menangis.

Hebatnya iman para sahabat... dapat tercapaikah oleh kita tahap iman seperti mereka?

Pemandangan Jabal Uhud & makam para syuhada dari atas Bukit Pemanah.

Tempat- tempat lawatan di Mekkah: 

• Gua Tsur, Jabal Nur, Ladang Unta, Masjid Hudaibiyah, Muzium Mekkah

Kisah tentang hijrah Rasullullah s.a.w dan Saidina Abu Bakar ketika memanjat dan bersembunyi di Gua Tsur amat menyentuh hati. Pengorbanan Saidina Abu Bakar r.a, Saidina Ali r.a serta Saidatina Asma' dalam memastikan keselamatan & kejayaan hijrah Rasullullah s.a.w membuatkan saya tertanya- tanya setebal itukah keimanan saya?

Betapa Rasullullah s.a.w., ahli keluarganya dan seluruh para sahabat berkorban nyawa & harta benda demi menegak & mengembangkan syiar Islam.

Di puncak tinggi itulah Gua Tsur...

Makan malam di kaki Jabal Nur, yang dipuncaknya terletak Gua Hira adalah satu pengalaman yang menarik. Kedinginan padang pasir pada waktu malam sangat menyamankan. Dipanaskan pula dengan nasi Arab berlauk kambing serta buah- buahan & manis- manisan... hmmm...

Sayangnya, kami tidak berpeluang untuk ke Gua Hira'.

Jabal Rahmah

Excited dapat bermesra dengan unta :P

Makanan di Mekkah & Madinah:

• Kurma Ajwa (Kurma Nabi), kurma yan kecil dan berwarna hitam. Kurma kegemaran Rasullullah dan dapat menjadi penawar racun.
• Air Zam Zam - bekalan yang tidak pernah kurang, boleh dipilih antara sejuk atau tidak. Jangan lupa sertakan dengan doa sewaktu minum air zam- zam kerana kesannya adalah bergantung kepada doa kita.
• Nasi Arab - Nasi Arab yang dihidangkan dalam perjalanan menuju Mekah begitu lazat sekali! Tidak begitu berminyak & sangat menyelerakan!

Tengok gambar je dah kecurrrr air liur... nyum nyum...

• Buah- buahan terutamanya buah 'plum' di Mekah & Madinah, sangat manis! Saya sangat suka!
• Teh jenama 'Golden leaf''... dihidangkan panas &pekat. Rasanya amat menyamankan. Teman saya Miss T mengatakan masalahnya seperti hilang apabila minum teh tersebut. Hihihiii...
• Jus buah- buahan, terutamanya jus mangga... mesti cuba! Tapi, boleh menyebabkan demam. So, jangan minum banyak- banyak :)
• Aiskrim... mesti cuba! Lazat!

Sarapan pagi ala Arab... agak kering... tapi, sedap jugak :)

Jus yang sangat lazat. Mesti cuba!

Shopping di Mekkah & Madinah: 

Telekung, sejadah, tudung, minyak wangi, tasbih, inai, celak, pelbagai jenis jubah, pelbagai corak abaya... Macam- macam adaaaaa... cuma berhati- hatilah... jangan lupa tujuan utama kita ke tanah suci :)

Pengalaman yang tidak dapat dilupakan:

• Pada satu waktu solat Subuh di Masjid Nabawi, Imam menangis teresak- esak ketika membaca satu surah yang saya tidak pasti surah apa. Esakan beliau amat menyentuh hati, menyebabkan kami para jemaah turut menangis teresak- esak. Bacaan 'Amin' selepas Al-Fatihah didalam rakaat ke-2 selalunya bergema kuat di Masjid Nabawi tetapi bukan di Subuh itu. Kami semua masih berusaha untuk menahan esakan yang berterusan.
• Saya berpeluang untuk berkenalan dengan 44 orang jemaah lain didalam kumpulan umrah. Semuanya baik- baik & peramah belaka. Setelah hampir 2 minggu bersama, kami sudah seperti sahabat lama terutamanya dengan sahabat- sahabat kecil saya, Miss Wawa & Miss NH.
• Mutawwif- mutawwif kami, sama ada yang mengiringi kami dari Malaysia, ataupun yang menunggu di Mekkah amat menyenangkan. Mereka berusaha bersungguh- sungguh bagi memastikan perjalanan kami selesa & selamat dan membantu memastikan kami melaksanakan ibadah dengan betul & sempurna. Terima kasih menggunung kepada Ustaz Hassan, Ustaz Ab. Razak, Ustaz Muhammad & Hj. Fatah dan kepada semua pekerja- pekerja hotel yang baik hati.

Si comels bermain pasir di pantai Laut Merah

Akhirnya,  selesai juga entri ini setelah sebulan berlalu. Semoga pengalaman yang saya kongsikan disini sedikit sebanyak dapat memberikan gambaran tentang apa yang akan ditempuhi di Mekah & Madinah. Jagalah akhlak sewaktu disana dan gunakanlah sepenuhnya setiap waktu yang terluang untuk beribadat.

Sebelum saya menutup entri ini, saya ingin mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih teman saya Miss T yang banyak bersabar dengan kerenah saya selama 2 minggu perjalanan umrah kami. Mohon maaf ye Miss T apa- apa yang tersilap kata, tersalah laku, terkasar bahasa, termakan & terminum :) Semoga persahabatan kita semakin utuh selepas ini. Amin.

Semoga saya dan semua jemaah- jemaah yang telah atau akan menunaikan umrah akan dikurniakan umrah yang maqbul oleh Allah s.w.t.

A Trip to Historical China...

really taught me to take it one step at a time... literally... no joke... stairs everywhere *panting*

This is going to be a long read... Please be patient & I hope you'll enjoy it.

**********

My travel buddy, Ms. Z & I decided to go on 8D7N adventure in China. This is the first time I ever attempted a travel adventure of this scale, I was a bit nervous. But I figured that Ms. Z is so much more adventurous & outdoor than I am, so I guess we'll be ok :) Until I found out she was also feeling a flock (flock right?) of butterflies flying in her stomach... then I felt a little trembling on my knees... heheheee...

But still, we kept our cool... plus, we already booked all the tickets, tours and accommodations. So, there was no turning back! Chaiyo chaiyo!


Places we visited:
Historical China... means that 'The Great Wall' and 'The Terracotta Warriors are a must' :)

But we added in Datong as well... you all don't really know what is in Datong do ya? ih ih ihhhh... apa la u all ni... :P

Well, actually, me neither... until I was planning our trip that I know what are in Datong... heheheeee...

Our Historical China Travel Map

1st stop: Tianjin 

Where we landed. The weather around Tianjin was cold. Sejuk- sejuk manja... since it is still spring. The places that we went first was The Ancient Culture Street where I felt like I was in a Chinese Kung-Fu movies... heheheeee... the rows of shops there are still preserved with their old traditional Chinese architecture. The carvings, the drawings, the colours... we even got to see people playing with the Chinese shuttlecock... something like our takraw...

After that, we went to the Italian concession which was just wow! It was so beautiful there with all those Italian architecture and ambiance... and those blooming colourful flowers... I love the houses designs there. Maybe I'll design my future house based on those houses. Plus the flowers on the staircases... I'm such a minah bunga. Who would have thought right? hihihiiii...

Ancient Culture Street

The blooming flowers... I loike...

Italian Concession

2nd stop: Datong

Datong is a rich city in Shanxi provice, so I've heard. Because of the coal mines. A friend of mine sent me an email once on a wedding of a coal mine tycoon in Datong. The escorts drove 'Hummers'. That's the escorts! There were also Bentleys, Ferraris... and I can't remember and don't know what brand were the other cars.

In Datong, first we went to the Hanging Temple. It took about 1.5 hours drive to the mountain area from Datong train station. The weather in Datong was cold, like in Tianjin. During the drive, we fall asleep. Not too smart and too brave for two ladies to go sleeping during a drive that far and to a place that we have no idea where it was... but my guts said it was safe to do so... and I believe so did Ms. Z's :)

That was a good sleep... nice...

The mountain area where the Hanging Temple was, reminded me of the view of the Grand Canyon that I used to watch on National Geographic.

If you see the Hanging Temple... you'll be amazed. In fact, all the places that we visited during our trip to historical China were amazing. Just wow. That day, the weather on that mountain was chilly. Like winter... I have to put on my gloves.

The Hanging Temple was built vertically on the side of the mountain. There are pillars placed underneath the structure. The amazing thing is that those pillars are just for decoration, not for support. The supports of the structure were inserted metres into the rocky mountain. It must be a very strong foundation since this temple has been there for about more than 1500 years! OMG! They were built 1500 years ago... no modern machinery to help them. How did they do it especially on putting on the foundations?

Inside the temple there were prayer rooms for Buddhist. The rooms were small... the aisles were narrow and the stairs were steep. Climbing a steep, narrow staircases on a temple 75m off the ground on a day as cold as the winter, can make your legs tremble. If you are afraid of height, don't walk too close to the hand railing along the balcony.

There were suppose to be a river flowing along the mountain, but they are currently building a dam. It would have been more beautiful if the rivers were there.

The Hanging Temple

After the Hanging Temple, we went to the Yungang Grottoes, another temple and again... wow! Here, you'll see so many carvings of the Buddha statues in different caves, presentations, sizes, colours... my favourite would be the music cave where there were so many colourful statues and each of them holding different kind of musical instrument. Those people were too crafty and patient. Carving a mountain into a piece of art were not an easy task, I believe.

Yungang Grottoes. The caves, the carvings, the view...

3rd stop: Xi'an

We arrived at Xi'an train station and our guide already waiting for us. Xi'an is a busy city and the weather was hot! Our travel agent already arranged for an hour at the local hotel nearby for us to refresh ourselves... just a walking distance from the train station. We had a very refreshing shower!


Then it's time to visit the warriors! Yeah baby!

The Terracotta Warriors. Each of them have different faces... impressive right?

There were 3 halls at the Terracotta (local people call it 'Ping Ma Yong') sites. Hall 1 is the biggest, the other 2 are smaller ones. Excavation activities in hall 1 & 2 are still in progress, while no activities in hall 3. This is because the technology to excavate the warriors while maintaining their colours is still unavailable. Actually, when the warriors were excavated, they have colours on them but after a few minutes, the colour disappeared. So, that's why they stopped excavation activities on hall 3 until the right technology was invented. The excavation activity on the emperor's mausoleum hasn't been started at all and the location is quite a distance from the 3 halls.

We had the chance to meet and get an autograph from the man who first found the relics. He must be so happy... I bet he's rich now. If he's not then he should be... if it's not for him, we wouldn't have the chance to witness such amazing ambition. That's right... the terracotta was built because of the emperor's ambition to have the same kingdom in his after life... phewwww...

The massive collection...

After the Terracotta, we went to visit the Great Wall of Xi'an. These walls are not as great as the Great Wall of China, but it's pretty great. It's huge... Xi'an used to be the capital of China long time ago. That's why it also has a protection wall. We learned a bit of Feng Shui here. Just for fun :)

The Great Wall of Xi'an :)

Then we went off to the Muslim street... which is my favourite place in China so far.

I'm not sure why but the feeling there was so peaceful. Plus there were a lot of trees.

The Masjid in Xi'an looked and made me feel like I'm in a palace garden. It's beautiful and calming. The faces there were so friendly...  

Menyejukkan hati...

Muslim Street in Xi'an

 The calm, peaceful and beautiful masjid in Xi'an

4th stop: Beijing

The city of the Great Wall. We visited a lot of places in Beijing. Tired... tired...

On the 2nd last day, we almost had to drag our feet... pancit! On the way from the subway station, we had to stop by Starbucks for a drink first before we could continue the way back. *panting... panting...*

How much walking we did in Beijing? Too much. The climbing? Too too much... what's up with all the stairs in the historical buildings??? They were really testing my legs muscles.

Our first day in Beijing, we went to see the Pandas at Beijing Zoo... yeay!!!!! They were so fat and cute!  Lazying around all day.... so syok!

Gerammmm...

Aaaaaaa.... so cute!

2nd Day - The Great Wall... we decided to go to the Mutianyu Gate because they said it's a combination of easy and hard climb, plus the view is much nicer there. The bus ride from hostel to Mutianyu was about 1.5 hours. We were so excited... until we saw the wall. It was up there, and we were down there... the up and down looked like a one day climb... *panting panting*...

That was why we took the cable car that brought us straight to the 4th tower... to save time :P

The cable car ride was fun... and to go down, we took the luge... It was nice although mine can't go any faster even I've already pressed all the way down. I upset a few people behind me that day... oppssss... sorry guys!

Mutianyu Great Wall has 22 towers. We climbed from the 4th-3rd and from 4th-16th. Arrrghhhhh... sweating all over but don't know why, we couldn't stop and kept on climbing. The view from up there could have been more amazing and I should have been able to shoot great photos... but, too much haze... no blue sky whatsoever... all grey... *sigh*

On the wall, we climbed too many stairs but still we have the energy to climb on the towers. We were not too bad. On each tower, there are people selling snacks & drinks. The price is slightly expensive. But, come on... they have to carry that from down there remember? The lady that we bought drinks from walks daily from Mongolia... that's not near.

I think I should visit the Great Wall during winter... I bet the view is going to be amazing.

The Mutianyu Great Wall - view from & on the wall

3rd Day - Tian'anmen Square, The Forbidden City, took the rickshaw ride along Beijing Old Town, The Summer Palace & watched KungFu Show.

We exited subway station Tian'anmen East and greeted by a swarm of people. Too many... it was Saturday and the place was full of local tourist. The day was hot and dry, there were too many people, too many staircases,difficult to get a clean shot... there were always someone who will inter- frame :)

I think I drank about 5L of water that day...

The swarm of people, The Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City. It is truly a city by itself. Huge area...

Then we took a rickshaw ride around Beijing's old town. We didn't plan this but the rickshaw driver was smart... I think his persuasion skill was very good. I would say that we got tricked into taking up his offer, but I didn't regret it a bit! The ride was enjoyable & not as per what I expected...

Our rickshaw driver explaining the meaning behind the structure of the door. He was funny, speak good English and very knowledgeable... He should be a tourist guide... or the tourism department should provide him with a nicer rickshaw.

The Summer Palace - we just browsed through the area because we are already so tired and had to rush back for the KungFu show. Everything at The Summer Palace was man made. Including the lake... The place is so unreal... I mean unreal to exist in old time because to me it looked modern. Overhead bridge, lakes and rows of houses by the lake, river cruise... The Summer Palace was built as a summer retreat for the royalties. From what I saw, I'm guessing that it was definitely a relaxing retreat for them.

The Summer Palace - I can imagine relaxing here... niceeee...

The KungFu show storyline was not so good... But the KungFu actions were impressive. Obviously, it is possible to do those flips and kicks and fly outside tv. However, those actions were done by professionals. Please do not repeat them at home *wink* No photo shooting allowed in the theater by the way.

Last day - Olympic's Bird Nest & The Cube - amazing architecture. But other than that... nothing. The highlight on this day was of course... shopping at the Silk Market... muahahahaaaa...

 We were there ok :)

Transportations we took:

We didn't try all public transport in China. Mostly because of language barrier. I so wanted to try riding the 3 wheels motorcycle. They look so cool. But, if we took those then we have to ride separately. So, we better don't.

However, we did ride on the train (hard + soft sleeper), took cabs, subways and also rickshaw around Beijing's Hutong (old town) It was so much fun! Better than we expected. Rickshaw ride around the old town is definitely a must do!

We took hard sleeper train from Tianjin-Datong. Thanks to the unavailability of the soft sleeper, we got to experience the hard sleeper which was so fun... heheheeee... The hard sleeper coaches don't have separate compartments. The 3 tiered beds are on open aisles. Lucky for us, we got the bottom beds. Otherwise, we have to climb up to the upper beds. Something I haven't done in a long time. We share our section with an uncle & auntie. The uncle was friendly even though he don't speak any English. It was not easy but I think we got what each of us was trying to say... hahahaaaa...

 Tianjin train station & a sample of the train ticket

At first, I thought that I would be uncomfortable lying down in open spaces, but once the light go out and the eyes so sleepy... I forgot all about that :P
Plus, the air were so soft and cool... make the eyes heavy easily...

From Datong-Xi'an we ride on a soft sleeper compartment where we share with friendly Chinese guy. At first, before the warm- up, we were all serious and not talking to each other. But, after the ice has been cracked, we couldn't stop talking... despite a communication barrier. He spoke a little bit English and we spoke a little bit Mandarin, you can imagine how crazy was our communication. After the ice was broken and with all the nut cracking jokes, I bet ours was the noisiest compartment of all. Heheheeeeee...

To Beijing from Xi'an we took a soft sleeper as well. At first, we suppose to share our compartment with 2 Chinese guys... one spoke a little English, the other one spoke a little than a little English. It was hard until of them found a compartment that we can switch to. So after that, we share a compartment with 2 Russian ladies who also spoke a little than a little English. It was very hard to communicate, so Ms. Z & I just communicate with each other.

In hard sleeper or soft sleeper trains, they provide each section or compartments with big flask where you can fill with hot water that they provided on board. So, we had our dinner & breakfast on the trains. They also go round selling foods/ fruits/ drinks... so no need to worry so much :)

Around Tianjin, Datong & Xi'an, we ride in a car since we already booked travel agents to bring us around. So, we have no public transport experience...
In Beijing, we took mostly subways to get around and taxi from/to the train station to/from hostel.

3 wheels auto, a motor-bicycle that is so quiet and a rickshaw... that visor the lady is wearing is a normal view all around Beijing :)

From Beijing to Tianjin... we took the 30 mins bullet train. RMB 88 for the hard seat which was not hard at all. The train moved at maximum speed of 327km/h... so fast!


People we met:

• Our guides... YanYan, Mr. Wong, Fay and Monica and the drivers :)
• The friendly uncle on the train from Tianjin to Datong
• The nut cracking guy on the train from Datong to Xi'an. You rock!
• The Russian ladies on the train from Xi'an to Beijing... and again at the Forbidden City.
• The staff at Sanlitun hostel.
• 2 American students on their holiday trip. The girl was so funny & cheerful. I can't stop laughing listening to her talking :)
• And others like the funny sellers at Silk Market and the friendly taxi drivers...

Accommodation we stayed in:

Sanlitun Youth Hostel in Beijing, twin sharing en suite for RM37.00+ a night. Towels, kettle, tv and air-cond provided. The staff there were friendly, helpful and speak good english. The room was comfortable and the toilet was clean. There were even services everyday to tidy up the room and clean up the bathroom.

Access to the internet is also free for the first hour and the hostel was a walking distance to the subway station...
They even have cute pets! Kittens, rabbits, birds... I loved the kitten... she's so active and adorable!

Sanlitun Youth Hostel - Reception Area

I'll definitely recommend this hostel.

Our helpful travel agents:

We contacted Vivian Xie from EasyTourChina. She was very helpful and patient with me... I'm not a difficult client, but not so easy as well I would say. But, she pulled through. Unfortunately, she just resigned... because of personal reasons ok... not because of me :P

She arranged for our travel in Tianjin with Ms. Yan Yan, in Datong with Mr. Wong and in Xi'an with Ms. Fay. All three of them was very helpful, knowledgeable and fun!

Dear Vivian, thank you so much!

For the travel in Beijing, we arranged everything via our hostel once we got there. So, the visit to the Great Wall and Kung Fu show were arranged by them and not to forget, our guide Monica.

Thanks a lot you all for your help! We really appreciate it!

Finding halal foods:

Not too hard especially in Xi'an & Beijing. In Xi'an you can always go to the Muslim street... just make sure you don't miss to try the delicious plum juice. OMG! I want it... I want it...

But as always.... we brought our own ration, just in case... especially for breakfast *wink*

Our lunch/ dinner at Xi'an... yum yum... the spicy cold noodles, the soft meatball soup, the something made of potato... and the ever delicious thirst quenching plum juice! I wanttttt moree!!!!

In Beijing... not that easy but surprisingly we managed to find them... using our sense of smell of course. hahahaaa...You can easily find Muslim restaurant at Ox Street, there's one nearby the KungFu Theather, one nearby our hostel... so, not that bad.

Shopping like mad:

twice...

1. Muslim street in Xi'an... lucky we still need to go to Beijing. So, our shopping in Xi'an were not as mad as in Beijing.
2. Silk Market in Beijing - subway station Yong An Li. It can drive you mad. Trust me. There were so many things and I wanted to buy them all... arrggghhh.... Fortunately, I still have my self control and Ms. Z beside me. Just make sure that you bargain and that you have a rough idea what is the price range for the item.

Culture shock:
I have only two:

1. Spitting - not an ordinary spitting. I don't want to talk about it coz it makes my stomach wants to empty itself. So, look where you're stepping on or sitting down.
2. Public toilet - have no lock. It's a scary feeling trying to do your business and be on the look out at the same time... heheheeeee...

Weirdest question I got:
Are you chinese?
Oh yes... yes I am...
That was not the first time I received this question. That was the 5th if I counted correctly. But, when I got this question from Chinese in China... it really completed the weirdness...

Lesson learned:

1. If you're NOT on a tight budget, I strongly advise against flying budget for a long journey... especially those that takes more than 4 hours with an economic seat that cannot recline. If you cannot imagine why I said this, I suggest that you try it once first :)
2. For backpackers, travel light or lighter. We need our body to carry us for a time longer than 8D7N... heheheee...
3. Same advise as always... on a short trip on tight deadline, plan well... this is the same as long trips as well. But for longer trip, you have longer time. So, I think you can afford to lose a few wrong turns, or time looking for accommodations or missed trains :)
4. Be healthy & keep fit... especially if you're on a free & easy. I was not so fit, but fit enough to climb the Great Wall of China! Not too shabby eh?!
5. If you're a shopping manic here... you're a shopping manic everywhere. So, make sure you bring enough $$ and a spare bag or two... or three??? too much... buy the 3rd bag there... heheheeee...
6. Sharpen your common sense and guts... they are useful when you're not in a familiar places. My friends cautioned me so many times about how cunning people in China can be. Lucky for us, those that we met were all very, very nice people. 
7. If you're visiting a country where neither your language nor English is the first or second language, please learn a little bit of the local language. It will help a lot. People will feel appreciated and impressed. It will make your travel easier :)

Looking back... I really truly enjoyed our trip to China with the cool Ms. Z *wink*. We've visited 2 great wonders of the world! We plan to do this again... different country of course.

Bila agaknya tu Ms. Z?!

Zaijian!

MH - Malaysian Hospitality

That's definitely one of the reasons why I prefer to fly Malaysia Airlines (MAS)... patriotism aside and when cost is not in question :)

I have not been on many airlines... just a few... and comments about airlines that I haven't been on, I collected from other people. Above all, in my opinion MAS is the best. You wonder why?

I'm not sure. I believe, mostly because I'm a Malaysian and being on MH flight makes me feel at home. But seriously, MAS provides a good in-flight services, whether you're in an economy or business class. I'm sure there are some people out there who had bad experience with MAS, but to be honest, I never had that kind of experience. I hope I will never. All these time, my experiences flying on MH flights has always been pleasant and calm. The steward and stewardess were friendly, polite, gentle and they speak softly which is very important in a close and compact environment.

One time, on my flight to the UK, I was surprised with a mug of 'teh tarik' even when all I asked for was some biscuits for an evening snack. That was an unforgettable experience... the little things always make an impression :)

However, I must tell you... the main reason why I would always choose Malaysia Airlines is that they put a disclaimer in their menu... all foods served on MH flights are HALAL.

Phewww... that's the biggest relief.

All of us have different reasons for choosing an airline, cost especially. But, if cost is not a problem and especially if you're muslim and Malaysian, do choose Malaysia Airlines because no other airlines can understand Malaysian better. As for muslims, flying MAS is really worry free. Trust me.

Even if you're not Malaysian nor muslim, you should still choose MAS to experience Malaysian Hospitality... they really demonstrate how we Malaysian treat our guests :) which is GOOD...

Although, I do wish MH in-flight cabins can be as good as SIA...

Before I sign out, I would like to express my admiration to all 'smooth' pilots who had made my landing experience pleasant. They showed that landing can be done smoothly and gently and I've always admired them for that. To Captain Benedict Jody (I hope I got his last name right), captain of flight MH65, Incheon to KLIA via KK, thank you for the 2 times of smooth landings. You're the man!

I'm promoting MAS :) Kindly visit http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/ for flight reservation.

Braving Seoul - Wrap up

What I learned during my trip to Seoul?

A lot of things...

The most important thing that I learned was, people appreciate it when we showed appreciation for their culture and language. So, when travel to a country where English is not their first language, learn a few words in their languade. When conversing, use those words that you have learned. It might seems simple and easy, or sometimes inaccurately pronounced but I think it will still be appreciated. I got a very big smile from a taxi driver when I said 'Kamsahamnida' instead of 'Thank you'. He even warmed up to me :)

So, let's learn a few Korean phrases (that I used most during my visit there):

• Good morning, Good afternoon, Good evening --> Anyeonghaseyo?
• Yes --> Ye/ Ne.
• No --> Aniyo.
• Thank you --> Kamsahamnida.
• I am sorry --> Mianhamnida.

Walking around Seoul was safe. The people are nice to strangers :) But still, pick the right person when you want to ask something... and same advice again... for ladies travelling alone, please be very careful and prepared. Know where you want to go, how to get there... don't wander around.

Enjoy your travel and be safe ok!

Choosing a TRAVEL BAG

When looking for a travel bag, there are a few points that you need to consider:
1. How much do you want to put in?
2. How heavy you can carry?
3. How safe is the bag?

1. How much do you want to put in?
Well this is pretty much depending on the duration of your travel and in what weather. Of course you’ll need more thick clothing if you’re traveling in a winter. In this case, you would need a bigger luggage.

2. How heavy can you carry?
This is very important. The heavier you can carry means you will be able to lug around a bigger bag. Even a trolley bag is very convenient, it can also be heavy to pull around, especially if its weight is more than yours :)

For us ladies, I’m sure there will always be a gentlemen who would be kind enough to help *wink*… but I would suggest that you keep your belongings as far away from stranger as possible. That is why it is important for you to carry only as heavy as you can manage.

3. How safe is the bag?
Safety is the most important aspect of a traveling bag… I sacrificed looking cute and funky and opted for a black, dull and serious looking backpack for my travel. Boringgg…

But, what do I mean by safe?
It means that, strangers cannot take things out OR put things in, without you knowing and permission.
None of us wants to unknowingly became a drug trafficker ‘mule’.

I have surveyed a lot of backpacker’s bag. I’ve been to every luggage and adventure shops that sell bags. The bags are sturdy, water resistant, light with a lot of compartments. However, I noticed most of the backpacks, do not have zippers where we can put a lock on. Most of it use string and then covered by a clip-on flap ( I think those are the right words… errrkkk). Hopefully pictures below will help explain what I mean :P


Boleh imagine tak? Heheheee...















The problem with this kind of bag is it’s big enough for our travels, but too big for the overhead compartment. Therefore, you cannot carry it on board and it needs to be checked in. How can I check in an unsecured bag? It's so scary! Even the bags that I carry on board have locks on :P

There are also times when your luggage needs to be checked in, not because of its size or its weight, but because you carried more than 1 litre of liquid. You know, shampoo, conditioner, your contact lens solution. So, in this case, please consider buying a bag that can be safely checked-in.

For check-in bags, I personally prefer trolley bags. This is because trolley bags are usually tough. You can be almost 100% certain that the things inside will not be broken or messed up.

I use Timberland backpack for my short travels. It looks something like this picture. Actually, it's a laptop bag but really good for traveling :)
I can put in all the things that I need for a 3-4 days travel.
The bag is water resistant, lockable and can fit into the over head compartment.
It has a lot of pockets for organizing your things.


When I arrived at the travel location, I don't carry around the big backpack. Instead I usually use a smaller backpack. But, since I have my best buy imitation Kipling sling bag from my trip to Cambodia (hihihiiii..), I prefer to carry this sling bag. I prefer sling bag to backpack because it is carried in front. So, you can really keep an eye on your things.
This imitation Kipling bag that I bought has been proven to be stylish (important, yes?), strong and water-proof (experiment done by Anastasia during her trip to Jakarta).I'm sure the real Kipling bags are much better. If you have extra cash, it's better to get an original one.
The one that I have look similar to this. You can see it in my Langkawi trip photos.

Eagle Creek and Urban has came out with different size of cubes, to help you organize your luggage. I'm sure there are other brands out there. But Eagle Creek is my favourite.






You can also use this for your folded clothes, to keep them wrinkle less :)









You can use this kind of wallet to safe keep your important document e.g. passport, air ticket, personal information etc.
This small bag usually carried underneath your shirt. Far from the sneaky eyes.

I guess that almost covers my advice on what to consider when buying a traveling bags. If you have anything to add, please do. I welcome any good recommendations and reminders :)

Travel safely and happily globe trotters!