A round-up of my visit in KSA

Just last September 10, 2009, I flew to Saudi boarding Kuwait Airways at exactly 3:20PM. But before that, I thought, I couldn't make it because my passport had not been released yet from the embassy for the visa stamping. But then, thanks God, He made my flight possible though.

I arrived at Riyadh International Airport around 15 minutes before the expected arrival time. Finally, after more than 7 months of being separated from each other, I'd be seeing my husband again. But perhaps a thrill was really intended to put in between us, so I still waited for him for about 30 minutes at the airport before we finally saw each other again. We were really speechless then. No physical contact like hug happened between us when we saw each other at the airport, as it's been forbidden in public places in Saudi even for a married couple. But anyway, Thanks God, what's important, the long awaited moment finally came true..From there, we both got in the car and just looked ahead of our way.

There was a little traffic on our way to the villa where my hbb has been staying, but after around 40 minutes of ride, finally, we got home, which was nearly iftar (breaking of fast). We took some rest for a while until the adhan (muslim call to prayer) had been called out. We broke our fast, then prayed. However, at past 11 in the evening, the caretaker of their villa called & knocked at our room and told my husband that we should look for another room where we could both stay in because a Mutawwa (secret agent in Saudi) just living nearby the villa, didnt allow me to stay there because the villa was only for bachelors. So, we moved to a hotel nearby. There we were obliged to pay 120SR per night for four days.

After four days in Riyadh, my husband and I decided to go to Makkah (the holiest place for Muslims) to be able to catch the remaining days of Ramadhan. We went there by bus which took us about 14 hours of ride coz of stopovers. It was tiring yet fun, because we were together..When we arrived at Makkah, our best friends Sax and Joeh met us and helped us carry our stuffs. That time, I just couldn't explain my feeling, I wanted to cry yet smile because finally I'm able to stepped on the Holiest place-the Al-Haram Mashaallah..It was full of mixed emotions.



We were in Makkah for 10days and able to do some religious acts. There, we were able to experience things which were really unexpected like among the crowd, I was one of the luckiest who had been given by a totally covered lady 5SR, then one day an old man suddenly approached and greeted me with Salam while I was sitting beside my husband with other else, and I was shocked when I was the only one he had given dates. I was really happy even with those simple favours done to me however, I felt I was lucky because not all were able to be given the chance to experience what I had especially in that most special place. But, if there's one thing that I would want to share with, it's during the 27th night of Ramadhan, it was really great. Mashaallah, until you're there praying with the Grand Imam like Sudais, you wouldn't really feel how these millions of people feel every year during ramadhan. Everyone was teary while the Grand Imam was making supplications to Allah on behalf of the Muslims. Mashaallah..I could hardly explain the feeling but rest assured, the experience was really priceless. You would really live up with it, for the rest of your life..

On our eight day in Makkah, September 21, we decided to go to Madinah to spend one day there. We rode a bus for about 8 hours. When we arrived there, I was really dumbstrucked upon looking at the Holy Prophet Mosque. It was kinda heartbreaking and teary looking at it because I could hardly even believe that I was there especially together with my husband. "Alhamdulillah, this is it..I'm already able to visit the Holy Prophet Mosque as well as his grave..Allahu Akbar!"I was really happy. There we prayed fajar and zhur but went back to Makkah after, at around 1:30Pm and arrived almost 1am in the morning. We're very exhausted but it's okay, because we knew that everything would be rewarded by Allah in due time..

We went to Jeddah after 1 day of rest, that was September 23. There, we met my husband's elder brother. He at first, brought up and treated us at a Filipino restaurant. Afterwards, he toured us in some malls nearby. It was only the second time, I really experienced roaming at malls because ever since I came abroad, I've been afraid to go out alone, thus I'd rather stay at home, than risking my life going to malls. My husband and I really enjoyed with the kind favor his brother did for us..It was really kind of him, thus, among his siblings, I really look up much to his brother as how my husband respects and loves him..

September 25, I think was the saddest day again for me and my husband because we'll be going back to Riyadh for my flight on September 26 to Kuwait. We rode a bus and it took us 14 hours again of ride. To think that I'll be leaving the next day, was something like pounding my heart, breaking it again into pieces, because we'll be separated again from each other..the happy moments that we've just shared with each other, would merely turn into memories again by tomorrow. So sad..

September 26, 5:30am, we arrived at the bus terminal in Riyadh..We stayed there for about 4 hours, but then we decided to just go to the airport after..My flight was at 2:20pm, then I checked in at 11am. After checking in, I was told by the Kuwait Airline crew to go to the boarding area in which I didn't do..Instead, I was weeping. My husband also got emotional. If there's one thing I wanna wish then, I wanted the clock to stop from moving because I didn't wanna leave. It was really hard, but at 12:30 I finally decided to get inside and have my exit stamped on my passport. I was full of tears leaving my husband and so was he. That was again the most painful moment in our lives.

Now, I'm already here in Kuwait while my husband is in Riyadh, KSA. We're both just trying to bear up so well in all the things happening to us now. But, I'm really looking forward to be reunited with my husband a few months from now and if that happens, nothing and no one could take us apart anymore except death..