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Notes from the road.

What we get asked most, written down properly. Getting around, preparing for Umrah, and the practical things worth knowing before you go.

Getting around

Uber, Careem or a street taxi in Saudi?

Three ways to get around Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah, what each actually costs, and when the one nobody recommends is the right answer.

July 28, 2026 · 4 min read

Preparing

What you actually need for Umrah, and what you can leave at home

The short list of things people are glad they brought, the things they wish they had, and the things that stay in the suitcase all week.

July 28, 2026 · 3 min read

Where to stay

How far is your hotel really from the Haram?

Booking sites quote a straight line. You walk a route, five times a day, in the heat. Here is how to read the number properly.

July 26, 2026 · 3 min read

Money

How much money to take to Saudi, and where to change it

What still needs cash, what a card handles fine, and why the rate at the airport is the worst one you will see all trip.

July 24, 2026 · 3 min read

Getting around

The Haramain train from Makkah to Madinah: is it worth it?

Two and a half hours at 300km/h, against five hours in a car. What the train is good at, and the two situations where it is the wrong choice.

July 22, 2026 · 3 min read

Preparing

Ramadan Umrah: what nobody warns you about

The reward is the reason people go. These are the practical realities that catch first-timers out, and how to plan around them.

July 20, 2026 · 3 min read