HW Umrah 2017 (Day 3)

Hari Ketiga (02.02.2017)

5.00 pagi: Ke Masjid Nabawi untuk solat subuh

7.20 pagi: berkumpul di Lobi Hotel

8.00 pagi: bergerak ke Masjid Quba - Masjid pertama yang dibina oleh Baginda Rasullullah SAW selama empat hari berturut-turut.

8.30 pagi: tiba di Masjid Quba. Spent 25 mins. Solat Tahiyatul Masjid dan Dhuha.

9.20 pagi: bergerak ke Bukit Uhud 9km panjang dan tingginya 1050m. Bukit yang kemerah-merahan. Bukit yang akan ada di Syurga.

Ke ladang kurma. Kurma Ajwa - kurma yang ditanam oleh Nabi Muhammad sendiri

Info: (tazkirah Ustaz ketika di Bukit Uhud)

Perang Uhud mengorbankan bapa saudara Nabi Muhammad, Saidina Hamzah Bin Abd Mutalib. Perang Uhud melibatkan 700 muslimin melawan 3,000 kafir dan korbankan 70 para syuhuda. Saidina Hamzah meninggal dunia dalam keadaan yang sungguh menghayat hati.

Info: (tazkirah Ustaz ketika dalam bas)

Air Zamzam - apabila Baginda Rasulullah SAW minum air zamzam, Baginda berdoa tentang 3 perkara iaitu:

1. Rezeki yang luas
2. Disembuhkan dari penyakit
3. Mendapat ilmu yang mulia

Masjid Aqsa - yang menentukan kiblat pertama untuk solat
Masjidil Haram - yang menentukan kiblat setelah Rasulullah mendapat wahyu

Semasa Solat Zohor - Nabi Muhammad terima wahyu

Al Baqarah ayat 144 - selepas menerima wahyu, Baginda terus berpindah arah 180 darjah - arahkan kiblat ke Masjidil Haram

17 bulan menghadap Masjid Aqsa sebelum mengubah kepada Masjidil Haram.

Bukit Khandaq - Masjid Jamek Al Khandaq. Longkang 2000m dibuat sebagai benteng pertahanan. Tidak boleh dilepasi tembok tingginya dan lebarnya tak boleh dilepasi oleh kuda. Salman Al Farisi - idea membuat benteng.

Perang Khandaq 7 kubu

Abu Bakar, Umar, Salman, Rasulullah dan sahabat bergilir-gilir solat dan berjaga.

Surah Al An'am Ayat 15 - mukjizat Rasululullah pukul batu 3 kali untuk membina benteng. Tak ada pertempuran darah.

12.00 tengah hari: Solat Zohor dan lunch

2.00 petang: start packing sikit

3.15 petang: Solat Asar

Berkumpul di dewan makan untuk taklimat ke Mekah

6.08 petang: Solat Maghrib

Beli kebab

7.30 malam: Solat Isyak dan dinner

Bacaan Yasin dan tahlil arwah dibuat di dewan makan.

Ada Wifi dalam bas. Canggih :D

Masjid Quba

                           Masjid Quba - seusai solat Tahiyatul Masjid dan solat Dhuha.

Bukit Uhud.

Di ladang kurma dan membeli kurma serta coklat.

(Wrote this in my phone memo for my future reference)

*Taklimat (selepas Asar hari ketiga 02.02.2017)

Ziarah wada' - hukum sunah. Boleh dibuat di mana-mana. Lelaki boleh buat di Raudah. Lihat Makam Rasulullah bagi salam kepada Rasulullah dan ucap selamat tinggal. Wanita boleh buat di bahagian kubah hijau atau Raudah. Bermula pukul 11 malam. Selepas Isyak atau Subuh, hadap Makam Baginda. Assalamualaikum ya Rasulullah. Illal li qo'.

Bertolak ke Mekah selepas Solat Jumaat. Kelebihan bagi jemaah kami: dapat 2 kali solat Jumaat di Madinah.

Check out - letak beg di luar bilik. Pukul 9 pagi. Berkumpul di lobi hotel selepas makan pukul 2 petang. Bergerak 2.30pm. Berniat di Bir Ali (30 mins). Jangkaan sampai di Mekah pada jam 9.00 malam.

Bagi jemaah yang menginap di Abd Aziz Hotel - nombor bilik mesti sama dengan no. Bilik yang diberikan di tanahair.

Tulis nama hotel selain Abd Aziz Hotel.

Jam 9 pagi berkumpul di lobi dengan memakai ihram. Potong kuku, rambut semasa mandi gugur dahulu tak apa (bukan semasa tawaf), bulu ketiak atau janggut, pakai wangian sebelum berniat ihram. Letak beg di luar pintu pukul 2.00 petang dan ketika berkumpul hendaklah bersiap memakai ihram lelaki dan wanita yang menutup aurat.

Solat Jumaat terus jamak qasar Asar. Jangan ikut solat jenazah tapi teruskan dengan jamak Asar. Tiada lagi solat sunat lain selepas itu.

Bas bergerak 2.30pm. Berniat di Bir Ali pukul 3.00pm. Masuk masjid - solat tahiyatul masjid dan solat sunat ihram. Niat dalam masjid atau dalam bas. Terus jaga 13 pantang larang dalam ihram. 10 mins pertama dalam bas hendaklah perbanyakkan talbiah dan zikir.

140km sebelum sampai istirehat - solat jamak maghrib dan isyak. Ada restoran untuk makan. Jika mencuci tangan dengan sabun (wangi) - hendaklah berniat untuk bersihkan tangan.

Baca doa dalam bas. Sampai di Mekah jemaah dibahagi kepada 8 hotel. Tunggu arahan bila berkumpul untuk tawaf dan saie. Suara wanita adalah aurat. Pintu babulsalam dibaiki, jadi hendaklah ikut petugas. Mulai tawaf dari hajarul aswad (ada lampu hijau pada tiang sebagai penanda). Tiada bacaan tertentu dalam tawaf - hanya ketetapan ulama. Nabi Adam baca subhanallah wallhamdulillah wala ila haila Allah wallahuakbar. 7 pusingan. Bersentuhan wanita dan lelaki semasa tawaf bukan mahram tanpa nafsu, boleh teruskan tawaf. Kentut - tanda tempat dan ambil wudhuk. Kalau tak ingat tempat tanda, kena mula semula dari pusingan pertama. 

Lepas itu minum air zamzam dengan niat yang baik. Terus ke Saie antara Safa dan Marwah. 10 meter kesemuanya 7 kali. Lampu hijau - sunah bagi lelaki berlari lari anak. Wanita tak boleh berlari-lari anak tetapi boleh percepatkan langkah. Berjalanlah dengan kadar kita.

Bertahalul - aurat wanita hendaklah dijaga. Lelaki: bergunting atau bercukur.

Miqat Jaranah dan Miqat di Hudaibiah. Singgah diladang unta - minum susu unta.

Mandi sunat ihram sebelum zohor. Pakai ihram selepas makan.

HW Umrah 2017 (Day 2)

Hari Kedua (01.02.2017)

Imam Abd Rahman Hudaifi - 82yo imam tertua. Pernah jadi ketua imam di Madinah dan Mekah

4.00 pagi: bangun dan bersiap
5.00 pagi: ke Masjid Nabawi
6.50 pagi: sarapan
8.00 pagi: lawatan ke masjid Nabawi dan makam Rasulullah serta para sahabat, isteri-isteri dan anak-anak Baginda dan ziarah Raudah yang diketuai oleh Ustazah dari Indonesia (dilantik oleh pihak Rayhar)
10.30 pagi: dalam Raudah - solat tahiyatul masjid, solat dhuha dan solat sunat mutlak
11.00 pagi: selesai Raudah. Jumpa HH di Pintu 25 dan pergi makan kebab
12.30 tengah hari: zohor - makan tengah hari
Wakaf Al Quran dan derma anak yatim serta tahfiz

3.30 petang: Solat Asar

Beli souvenir disekitar kedai-kedai berdekatan Masjid Nabawi dan hotel.

6.00 petang: Solat Maghrib
Stay antara Maghrib dan Isyak di Masjid Nabawi. Habiskan Surah Maryam.

7.30 malam: Isyak

Ini adalah gambar pertama tatkala melihat Masjid Nabawi untuk menunaikan solat Subuh. Tiba-tiba rasa sayu dan bergenang airmata (menangis juga sebenarnya) sebab rasa macam mimpi dapat menjejakkan kaki di Madinah menunaikan Umrah despite of all challenges yang dihadapi sebelum berangkat kemari. Yang paling terkesan dihati is the fact that I come here with the man I love so much and we are bringing our third little khalifah with us. Alhamdulillah, rezeki dari Allah.

Para muslimat jemaah kami dipimpin oleh tiga orang ustazah dari Indonesia yang telah dilantik oleh pihak Rayhar untuk guide kami ke Raudah. Ada waktu tertentu yang dibenarkan untuk memasuki Raudah, bersolat dan berdoa di dalamnya (dikatakan diantara tempat yang paling mustajab doanya) yang diperuntukkan oleh Kerajaan Saudi iaitu:

1. Pukul 7.00 pagi hingga 10.30 pagi

2. Selepas Zohor hingga pukul 2.00 petang

3. Selepas Isyak hingga pukul 12.00 pagi

Sewaktu jemaah kami selesai dengan ziarah ke makam Rasulullah, jam telah pun menghampiri pukul 8.50 pagi. Ustazah kata, kadangkala pintu untuk memasuki Raudah tutup pada jam 9.00 pagi jadi kami perlu bergerak pantas untuk memasuki pintu masuk ke Masjid Nabawi untuk ke Raudah sebelum ditutup. Sebelum itu ustazah pesan untuk berwudhuk bagi yang telah batal wudhuknya.

Alhamdulillah, jemaah kami berjaya memasuki pintu untuk ke Raudah sebelum ditutup tetapi Uztazah memaklumkan bahawa ada beberapa orang jemaah muslimat kami yang tidak berjaya kerana sebelum itu ke tandas dan berwudhuk agak lama. Ustazah juga telah terpisah dengan seorang lagi kawannya yang sama-sama membawa rombongan kami. Sementara menunggu giliran, kami ditempatkan di kawasan ini (gambar atas) dan sementara menunggu, kami digalakkan untuk membaca Al Quran dan berzikir. Dari tempat ini, kami boleh nampak kubah hijau iaitu, Makam Baginda Rasulullah.

Boleh nampak betapa sesak jemaah yang ingin memasuki Raudah. Yang tangan ke atas memegang beg berwarna ungu tersebut adalah Ustazah dari jemaah kami yang berasak dan lead kami untuk memasuki Raudah kerana terlalu ramai jemaah lain yang ingin memasuki Raudah pada masa yang sama.

Kawasan yang dinamakan Raudah (atau Taman Syurga) di dalam Masjid Nabawi dipisahkan dengan karpet berwarna hijau (kawasan lain dalam Masjid dibentangi dengan karpet berwarna merah). Ini adalah kubah di dalam Raudah.

Raudah di dalam Masjid Nabawi mempunyai tiang berwarna emas ini. Raudah terletak diantara makam Rasulullah dan Mimbar Rasulullah SAW.

Alhamdulillah, berjaya menjejakkan kaki dalam Raudah, bersolat dan berdoa. Jemaah kami yang dipimpin Ustazah mengambil masa selama dua jam untuk menunggu giliran memasuki Raudah, bersolat di saf pertama dalam Raudah dan berdoa. Itupun kami sesama jemaah perlu bantu-membantu dan tarik-menarik supaya semua boleh berada di saf pertama untuk solat sunat. Di saf-saf belakang memang tak ada ruang untuk bersolat kerana dipenuhi jemaah lain.

Makam Rasulullah dari lensa suami. Kami para muslimat tidak berpeluang melihat makam sebegini dekat kerana ada barrier yang memisahkan antara muslimin dan muslimat.

Ini gambar dari lensa suami saya, dalam Raudah ketika lengang kerana kebanyakan jemaah telah beransur untuk menunaikan solat fardhu berjemaah.

Jumpa suami seusai ziarah Raudah dipintu No. 25 untuk pergi makan kebab :P

Kebab kegemaran kami :P

Antara Maghrib dan Isyak ada tazkirah-tazkirah oleh ustaz-ustaz yang mengendalikannya dalam kumpulan-kumpulan kecil dalam Masjid Nabawi. Ada juga yang mengaji dan memperbaiki tadarus Al-Quran. 

HW Umrah 2017 (Day 1)

TGG – KL (30.01.2017)

Our parents buat tahlil dan solat hajat a day before kami bertolak ke KL. Penerbangan kami dari KT ke KL pada 30.01.2017 jam 3.45 petang dengan penerbangan MAS. Dari mula lagi bagitau my parents yang K and H would not be following us to the airport sebab risau ada drama airmata and susah nak berpisah nanti. So we bid goodbyes at PIL’s house – tu pun ada drama airmata sikit. Teehee :P

Drama airmata sikit :P

My parents together with my MIL sent us off at TGG airport and upon reaching at the airport, ada petugas Rayhar dah sedia menunggu kami untuk urusan check in dan tickets. We had to be at the airport 2 hours before departure sebab bagasi kami terus check in ke Madinah dari TGG airport. After check in, kami had a meal at Secret Recipe. 

We landed at KLIA at 4.20pm and bila keluar ke balai ketibaan, dah ada seorang petugas Rayhar menunggu kami. Just an excellent service! We got to know that we were the only couple who took the 3.45pm flight from TGG. The rest of jemaah (ada 11 orang dari TGG yang under Rayhar Travels Sdn. Bhd.) took the 5.50pm flight. We then being transported to Empress Hotel by a coaster and we were guided to the hotel room by one of the petugas. Bagus sangat layanan yang kami terima.  

At Empress Hotel (and baby bump of 18w)

We went out for dinner with Harris that night. Hujan lebat.

Hari Pertama (31.01.2017)

7.00 pagi Breakfast at Empress Hotel. Mingled with other jemaah.

9.00 pagi: ke KLIA untuk taklimat ringkas menaiki bas. Jumpa Kak Liana and family. Taklimat di booth TH berdekatan McD. Beli extra nose protector. Tukar hand luggage (for free!) sebab hand luggage kami yang dibekalkan oleh pihak Rayhar KT handle tarik tu rosak.

12.30 tengah hari: ke satelit building KLIA

1.25pm solat jamak dan qasar berjemaah di Gate C17 KLIA (perlu berwuduk sebelum naik ke tingkat 2)

2.20pm boarding - tunggu pelepasan. Ada re route baru menjadikan journey 9h15m (sebelumnya 8h)

Gate C17 KLIA (lepas berwudhuk)

Meals onboard

7.00pm (waktu Madinah) / 12 malam (Malaysia): selamat tiba di Jeddah airport urusan imigresen 20mins dan claim luggage

9.00pm : bertolak ke Hotel (Dallah Taibah)

9.30pm tiba di hotel dan makan malam dan taklimat

 Hotel di Madinah (Dallah Taibah)

HW Umrah 2017

*This post has been created by yours truly in the phone memo while performing umrah last January.*

Alhamdulillah, kami dijemput menjadi tetamu Allah dan berlepas ke Madinah pada 31.01.2017. Details of our flights:

JADUAL PENERBANGAN UMRAH MH 3I JAN 2017

SEKTOR	TARIKH	ETD	NO. PENB	ETA
TGG - KUL	30 JAN	15:45	MH 1335	16:50
KUL - MED	31 JAN	14:00	MH 8202	18:10
MED - KUL	10 FEB	20:40	MH 8209	10:30+1
KUL - TGG	11 FEB	17:55	MH 1338	19:00

+1 HARI BERIKUTNYA

Sedikit info berkaitan Umrah dari pemerhatian saya: 

1. Madinah suhunya lagi sejuk berbanding di Mekah. Madinah semasa kami berada di sana suhu adalah antara 23°C - 8°C. Sementara di Mekah suhunya antara 28°C - 32°C.

2. Air zamzam sangat easy access di Madinah dan di Mekah. Kebiasaannya air zamzam disediakan dalam tong-tong berwarna peach dalam keadaan sejuk atau tidak sejuk (ditandakan dengan sticker 'Not Cold' untuk tong yang tidak sejuk) dan disertakan dengan cawan minuman pakai-buang. Drinking water boleh didapati dari build in water cooler yang ada dalam segenap Masjidil Haram dan kawasan luar Masjid Nabawi.

3. Bagi wanita, datanglah awal ke Masjid Nabawi dan Masjidil Haram kerana ruang solat yang dikhaskan untuk wanita adalah terhad. Sekurang-kurangnya sejam sebelum masuk waktu solat fardhu adalah waktu terbaik untuk mendapatkan tempat dikawasan yang berkarpet. Kalau lambat, kena solat di luar masjid atau di atas lantai yang sejuk.

4. Sejadah kecil atau lapik solat amat digalakkan untuk dibawa ketika ke masjid untuk solat fardhu.

5. Lelaki Arab (dan bangsa dari seangkatan) akan selalunya menghantar isteri atau keluarga wanita ke tempat solat di Masjidil Haram dan akan datang semula untuk menjemput isteri atau keluarga wanita mereka di tempat yang sama.

*** PREQUEL ***

At first, when we registered and pilih tarikh for umrah in September, 2016 (sebab mula-mula nak pergi pada bulan November atau Disember, 2016 memandangkan school holidays so senang nak tinggal kids, tapi trial schedule Hubs was full until January, 2017 – so we decided to slot in for end of January trip). I wasn’t sure about my pregnancy as at that time, my period was not due yet. Kata petugas Rayhar, sebaiknya kami memilih tarikh umrah yang tak melibatkan period saya so that I could get all the ibadah in one trip. We paid for the deposit in September and booked for the above trip.

When I knew that I was pregnant, it took me 4 days (and I did 4 tests to confirm, LOL!) to tell my Hubs as I was really scared kalau tiba-tiba Hazri berubah fikiran and re-scheduled our umrah trip because of the pregnancy sebab at that time, memang terpanggil and nak sangat pergi umrah. Rasa yang nak pergi tu mendalam sangat, up until I cried when I knew I was pregnant. Cried literally sebab takut tak dapat pergi umrah and at the same time, cried because I was so happy tapi rasa takut tak dapat pergi tu lagi banyak dari rasa happy (sorry baby!). When I told hubs about the pregnancy; again, I cried a bucket. To my surprised, hubs was very supportive with me going for umrah and never had a second thought about re-scheduling it. He even promised to take a good care of me while performing umrah. Alhamdulillah.

We didn’t spill the good news to our parents just yet; instead we went to consult with 3 different doctors about traveling and performing umrah while pregnant. I did my research and found that it was okay to perform umrah while pregnant provided you have to be extra careful and consume a lot of vitamins. The 3 different doctors also assured that as long as I didn’t push myself, it’s going to be okay. After getting a clear picture and all the feedback from the doctors and my friends who had experience performing umrah while pregnant, we were ready to tell our parents but knowing my mom, I could predict that she was not that happy for me going without having the vaccinations to protect me and my baby.

Info: the umrah vaccinations is not allowed for pregnant woman during first trimester and not so recommended to pregnant woman after first trimester unless to those who willing to take the jab at their own risks.

So my prediction was true when I told my mom about the pregnancy (at that time I was 12w pregnant), she was quite worried that I did not take the vaccinations for my health protection, that I will go there during pregnant and the whole trip itself, considering it was my first time to perform umrah where I actually didn't really know what to expect. She was referring and discussing the matter with my MIL and yes, both of them were quite worried of me and gave suggestion to re-schedule our trip. I cried again as without their blessings, I wouldn’t dare to proceed with the trip tapi masa tu memang rasa sangat-sangat nak pergi umrah. Kata orang, rasa terpanggil ke sana. So I texted my aunty who is also a doctor in KL (my mom’s sister) and asked for her opinion. I switched off my phone after texting my aunt as I put a point of reference that whatever her opinion, will determine my decision whether to proceed with the trip or to re-schedule it to a later date. I started with my solat istikharah that night for 3 consequence nights.

The next morning, after switching on my phone, first message to read was from my aunt and according to her, performing an umrah while pregnant is okay provided I need to take a lot of vitamins and stay hydrated and be extra careful with myself. Alhamdulillah. That was a big relieved! I quickly told my mom and she was happy with that and agreed to allow me to go. During my third night of performing solat istikharah, after I woke up the next morning, I accidentally tapped on my Facebook timeline and the first thing appeared on my phone screen was Raudhah. MasyaAllah.

All the preparation was smoothly done and our rezeki was filling from so many ways, MasyaAllah; and I considered all those as rezeki baby and with our parents’ blessings, we couldn’t be so much happier and feel so grateful. Alhamdulillah.

Long Silence and Good News

#I wrote this in my handphone notes to publish in this blog but unable to do so in the nearest of time until my confinement days. Teehee :P 

(Oh, did I tell you anything about our 3rd bundle of joy? Will write on this later, I promise).

13.06.2017 | 18 Ramadhan 1438H

I only asked pizza for berbuka since yesterday was my birthday, but my hubs booked a hotel buffet berbuka instead (and invited my parents, my brother and my best friends to join us);

I pray that my firstborn would get at least top 5 for her mid term exam, but she got an excellent result that made us proud;

I hope that Dato' Boss will consider my half day working plan as recommended by my gynae due to my health issue, but he suggested for me to come to the office whenever I have appointment with clients only and can work from home for 3 months instead;

I only imagine to have sahur at PIL's house due to my condition, but both of my parents and PIL invited us for berbuka AND sahur everyday with them;

I hope to give birth to our third child after Hari Raya, but insyaAllah we will see our baby at the nearest time;

And with that, I am forever grateful to Allah for everything :D

Happy (belated) birthday to me (yesterday)!

Hello, 2017!

Hello, 2017! A quick update before I forget everything.

K is now in Standard 2. How time flies. I still remember her smiling baby face when she was barely 3 months old and how she taught her dolls about ABC when she was 3 years old.

H is now entering the same kindy but in a new class with new classmates. There were 5 or 6 familiar faces from her previous class during 4yo. She talks a lot right now and a drama queen at home :P

My husband and I still working at the same firm. Nothing new to tell. Hehe.

I am a bit sleepy right now. Did not get a proper sleep since last few weeks. But I am all energetic during the day and quite melepek after the office hour ends. Heh.

Need to resume work. Tata!

Life

Image from Pinterest

“Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear” – Al Baqarah : 286

Day 8: Sydney - KLIA2

DAY 8: 20.03.2016

(SYDNEY – KLIA2)

“We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone”. – Anonymous

We booked another (final) trip with Mohamad to the airport. Masa untuk pulang ke Malaysia and flight kami adalah waktu siang (tak suka bila travel flight lama siang but we had no choice sebab next flight malam adalah for another next 3 days, so cuti sekolah pun dah habis – terpaksa juga pilih flight siang). Dah siap check in and everything, we had our breakfast at Nando’s inside the terminal. 

Our flight was delayed for 40 minutes and we had 2 meals on board for the 8 hour flight (pre booked meals). Sebenarnya kami dah booking flight malam to KT on the same day (supposed sampai KLIA2 at 5.30pm and next flight to KT was scheduled at 8pm). Dah ada back up plan kalau missed flight malam sebab kami kena juga balik ke KT that night memandangkan Khayra ada mid year exam esoknya (got to know this a week before we went to Sydney, mood ada sikit ke laut sebab kesian juga dia nak exam tapi kita nak pergi holiday). 

Flight panjang + siang hari + sempat buat latihtubi esoknya nak mid term exam -_-

Memandangkan flight was delayed from Sydney, so we arrived at KLIA2 at 6.05pm, kami berlari collect bags and to the domestic check in counter. Haha. Satu pengalaman yang tak boleh dilupakan sebab cuak semua ada. Kalau boleh memang nak check in juga balik hari yang sama. Both of my PIL tak balik KT sebab stay in KL for another 2 days, so hubs had to rush send them to our pre booked taxi and kami yang lain berlari nak pergi check in. 

Nak dijadikan cerita, bag kami ada 1 yang the last to arrive at the conveyor belt, memang dugaan sungguh padahal kami ambil priority lane. Yang bestnya, stroller tak kelihatan langsung so kami ambil keputusan just nak tinggal je stroller kat situ sebab mengejar masa (made a phone call to my hubs to check on the stroller kalau dia sempat sebab hubs keluar lambat sikit to settle the wheelchair of my FIL). Masa dah sampai di check in counter, kami cari lane yang paling pendek (siap 2 kali tukar lane sebab nak cepat), so the next in line adalah 3 orang students UMS depan kami. Students tu nampak kami cuak so tanya nak ke mana, kami kata nak check in balik KT, flight dari Sydney delayed so we had another 15 minutes for the bag dropped tapi sebenarnya I salah tengok ticket! 

Actually we had another 5 minutes only (counter closed at 7pm and at that point of time, it was 6.55pm!) to do the bag dropped and kalau tak sempat, memang kami tak boleh check in! Huwaaa. Nasib baik tengok semula tiket and dengan politely saya minta dari that students to check in first (read: potong turn mereka) sebab kami mengejar masa. Their flight was to Sabah and scheduled at 9.30pm if I’m not mistaken, so diorang dengan baik hati bagi kami check in dulu. Ya Allah, bersyukur sangat.

To cut the story short, kami berjaya check in for that flight back to KT that night and tatkala dah the last bag to check in, Hazri tiba with our stroller. Syukur! Dah berdoa dari sepanjang flight semoga urusan kami dipermudahkan Allah. Alhamdulillah.

Lepas dah buat bag dropped, kami terus bergegas ke boarding sebab plan nak solat dulu before masuk boarding gate. Lagi sekali berlari-lari merentasi manusia di airport. Hehe. Alhamdulillah sempat solat Jamak Ta’akhir di airport and dalam masa yang sama dah ada announcement for boarding flight to KT. The moment masuk perut kapal terbang ke KT, rasa syukur tak terhingga sangat. Baru rasa letih berlari-lari dari tadi. Kahkah! -___-

Alhamdulillah all went well and I feel so grateful Allah bagi rezeki kami boleh ajak parents and PIL pergi holiday with us even banyak dugaan in between dan kena plan dengan sangat thorough sebab bawa warga emas kan, but all in all I am so so so happy with this trip. Semoga Allah berikan rezeki lain untuk kami sekeluarga in the next future, insyaAllah.

Day 7: Queenstown - Sydney

 DAY 7: 19.03.2016

(QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND – SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA)

“Travel is still the most intense mode of learning”. – Kevin Kelly.

We woke up early as usual and did last photography session inside Wakatipu House, had our quick breakfast (roti and telur), signed the Guest Book, kemas sikit-sikit and loaded our luggage inside the minibus. Our Jetstar flight to Sydney was scheduled at 9.40am and we left Wakatipu House at 7.15am.

Sampai kat airport, Hazri dropped us at the nearest departure gate, we took the trolleys and Hazri went to park the minibus at the designated area for Thriffty rental car at the parking lot. Next, we checked in, isi borang and we were good to go. Flight to Sydney from Queenstown took about 3 hours 25 minutes and most of us were dozed off inside the plane sebab bangun awal pagi. Teehee.

Checked in for Jetstar flight to Sydney

Love this photo so much! Macam cover album – haha! Taken by my brother at Sydney Airport sementara nak tunggu Mr. Mohamad ambil van dari parking area.

We arrived Sydney at 11.05 am and Mohamad was already waiting for us. We booked him to fetch us at the airport before we went to Queenstown. This time around, we booked a standard suite with 2 bedrooms and a standard king sized room at Valentine On George Hotel, Sydney. The hotel was apparently run by a Malaysian couple berasal from Perak. There was a Thai Halal restaurant connected to the hotel known as Time For Thai (which replaced the Kasturi Café – we had our lunch and dinner at Kasturi Café back in 2013). This hotel is located not far from University of Sydney, so kadang-kadang the receptionist diambil alih oleh students from Malaysia yang bekerja as a part time there (we had a chance to talk with one of the student yang bekerja part time di situ). 

Had our lunch at Time for Thai

Valentine On George Hotel, Sydney.

We had our lunch at Time for Thai (with big portions and delicious, some of the food had to be packed sebab banyak sangat), solat at our respective rooms and at about 3pm, we went to Paddy’s Market which was located about 5-7 minutes walk / 400m from our hotel. Aktiviti shopping ni tak payah cerita lah kan tapi all of us enjoyed habiskan duit AUD. Teehee. 

Paddy’s Market

Next, kami dropped by at Woolworths sekejap sebab terjumpa on the way balik ke hotel. For dinner, some of us still kenyang, so my father pergi tapau nasi goreng and roti canai at Time For Thai and makan dalam bilik masing-masing je. My father sangat suka with the hotel sebab dekat dengan restoran Halal yang makanan dia sedap and dekat dengan Paddy’s Market. Haha. He even said that next time kalau datang Sydney, he wanted to stay again at the hotel. Hehe. Semoga ada rezeki untuk kembali, amin! Since we booked the 2 bedroom suite with bath tub, the kids had fun playing with water.

We didn’t go out at night and just lepak around, packing and be ready for our next day long haul flight back to Malaysia.