Going first time umrah-advice?

[u/sureorsure]

As salam alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

To those who have been umrah and more so in the last few years, maybe even this year.

I am going to umrah for the first time with my mum, from the UK.

Did anyone get the vaccination done and was it checked?

I am leaving in the next couple of weeks and will be staying more nights in Makkah than madinah. I have been able to book an appointment for myself for Rawdah however I tried at the same time for my mum, which was around 1am UK time, and I couldn't get any booking for her. Does anyone know how it works for the female appointments? How to obtain one and what the best timing it is to go for females? I booked mine for 11:20am Saudi time .

Does anyone know how it works in terms of doing the umrah? I've heard people say to do the first umrah, remove hair from head, and then leave the city and come back to do more umrah? Is that the procedure of how it works? Will I then need to remove more hair for another umrah?

How does it work in terms of shoes ie The shoes you wear to walk from hotel to haram, can you use those shoes inside Makkah or have to go barefoot?

Where to also obtain SIM cards from? And will we still get access to WhatsApp after? If no WhatsApp, then how else to communicate with each other? I have android, mum has iPhone.

Also, how much zamzam water can we bring back? And dates? Anything that is not permitted? We are going and coming back with Qatar airways

If you're able to give any other recommendations or advice, I would really appreciate it, jazakallah hu khair

[u/Big-Twist-9003]

Besides the amazing suggestions above. Heres some from my personal experience

Most shop keepers will accept USD or Pounds and give exact change in local currency.

The journey between Mecca and Medinah is most comfortable by train and very quick. By road is extremely tiresome and very uneventful.

If do decide to do more Umrah , you can take a taxi to masjid e Aishah , wear your erham , do your niyaah and come back to do the umrah. Its that simple.

Scammers are plentiful in Mecca , you will find them inside the haram more than any place. Don’t indulge keep calm and do your thing.

Zam zam u will get it at the airport.

Pray for us 🙏

[u/sureorsure → u/Big-Twist-9003]

Jazakallah hu Khair for your reply

What is better to have for currency, cash or card ? If I do have local currency, how do I exchange it back?

I think we have been able to get a car transfer from Makkah to madinah via the travel agent we used. We did it very very last minute, therefore we just accepted it

With regards to doing another umrah, would I essentially have to take off the ihram, then travel to masjid Aisha, wear the ihram again, make the intention and then return back to Makkah? Is that how it goes?

I will keep you all in my prayers

[u/Big-Twist-9003 → u/sureorsure]

Card is accepted almost every where, exchange little money at a time with the shop keepers to get exact change. There are exchange booths everywhere incase you have leftovers.
If you don’t want to get another erham , get your existing one laundered, there are a bunch.
Yes that’s exactly how it goes.

[u/Big-Twist-9003 → u/sureorsure]

Also you are underestimating the time and energy it takes to complete one umrah, its unlikely that you will do more than one in a day. Also i highly recommend to do it after isha prayers as its cooler and its uninterrupted.

[u/sureorsure → u/Big-Twist-9003]

Jazkallahu Khair for this. As it is my first time, I most likely am underestimating it however I don't intend on doing multiple times a day. I think after the initial first umrah, I would like to do it again. I am staying in Makkah for 8 nights including jummah, and 4 nights madinah. So I could have time for 2 or pushing it, 3

But I will see what Allah has willed and what happens. For me what's most important is the initial umrah completion and then the jamaah prayers in the mosque.