Traveling on Saudi Airlines is always an experience and a half.. Either the trip is super smooth sailing or its a disaster.Having a plane load of South African Muslims on board is an even more interesting experience. My trip yesterday was super smooth sailing with just a hiccup or two along the way. Not really a train smash. On arriving at the airport check in counter we were instantly upgraded to business class due to my Al Fursan membership. However, once we boarded the flight in Jeddah, we realised that my seat was double booked. The confusion started when an agent from South Africa block booked the whole plane the day before and issued boarding passes randomly. This led to double booked seats and also families scattered in the plane with the husband, wife and the kids all sitting miles apart. This created lots of problems and of course bikkering. As for me I made mom take the business class seat and I simply moved to the back. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I landed up sitting next to a Bangladeshi lady who was disabled after falling from the roof of her double storey home in Bangladesh. She was unable to have full use of her hands and so whilst sitting next to her I had the opportunity of assisting her with her meals thereby taking her duaas and prayers in return. Whilst moving to the back of the plane I noticed a group of men quarrelling over a wiindow seat and then I noticed two women quarrelling over an aisle seat with the one claiming that her ticket was more expensive and thus she deserved the aisle seat.Please take note that these were Muslims returning from Umra who should be returning with better character and qualities...If you ever visit a plane toilet to find that it is flooded with water to the extent that the toilet paper is also drenched, the person before you was definitely a MUSLIM...Cleanliness is half of faith and yet in any function where there are MUSLIMS you would find dirty flooded toilets.I guess some people feel that its not their property so its very much ok to use and abuse other peoples property...and the most interesting part of the trip was the gang of gossiping women who sat a row away from the lavatory. You would think that if you gossiping about someone that you will be a little soft and secretive about it but they were so loud that I heard everything they said. In typical South African Indian Muslim fashion they were perturbed about me wearing make up whilst assuming that I was returning from Umra...So its a case of how dare she wears make up after pilgrimage...Errrr excuse me....For a start where is it written that a woman can not adorn make up after pilgrimage and even if I'm wearing make up its pretty much my own business. It shouldn't be bothering anyone else... On returning from the horrific toilet experience, I went up to the women, greeted them and then said instead of talking about me you can ask me questions directly....Please do not assume that I am returning from Umra....I am traveling from another city and simply using Jeddah as a transit airport.....Their faces turned red with embarrassment...To top it up all on returning to my seat I noticed two "holy" men back mouthing the air hostess for she could not serve them sandwiches or tea due to turbulence as everyone needed to be seated..At the end of the plane ride one thought ran through my mind, what is the purpose of performing a hundred and one pilgrimages if there is no change in character. Have we lost the purpose and the aim of a pilgrimage. Has it not become more of a holiday and shopping expedition with one family being more dramatic than the other one regarding the amount of goods they purchased....I must say though it was a pretty entertaining ride....!!!!!!
