Afghan Autumn Trip

“I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom...” General George S. Patton

Our two week Afghan Autumn Trip will cover most of the major towns such as Kabul, Mazhar-e Sharif, Balkh, Kholm, Bamyan, Herat and Nangarhar and their significance to the Ancient Silk Routes.

Afghanistan is one of my off the beaten track destinations. And people were wondering why on earth we want to venture into this war-torn country.

From a security perspective, Afghanistan has improved a lot and is relatively safe. Afghanistan's history has been dominated by extensive warfare. After the US withdrawal in 2021, the conflict-ravaged country, has seen an increase in tourism since the Taliban returned to power.

For those who love nature, Afghanistan's countryside offers some of the most unspoiled, authentic and mesmerizing scenic landscape with ancient history. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for visiting Afghanistan, when the weather is pleasant across the whole country.

Afghanistan is a landlock country, sharing borders with Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, China and Tajikistan. During this trip, we will be visiting some towns near these borders.

We had to buy a separate travel insurance coverage as our existing travel insurance does not cover Afghanistan because of its notorious reputation.

Afghan Autumn itinerary:
Day 01: KL
Day 02: KL - Sharjah
Day 03: Sharjah - Kabul
DaY 04: Kabul - Mazar-e Sharif
Day 05: Mazar-e Sharif - Balkh - Khulm
Day 06: Mazar-e Sharif - Kabul - Bamyan
Day 07: Bamyan - Band-e Emir
Day 08: Bamyan - Kabul
Day 09: Kabul - Herat
Day 10: Herat
Day 11: Herat - Kabul
Day 12: Kabul - Nangarhar
Day 13: Kabul
Day 14: Kabul - Sharjah
Day 15: Sharjah - KL

My Travel Blog: munmus.blogspot.com

2024 - 16th Umrah Trip...

“Nothing binds you except your thoughts; nothing limits you except your fear; and nothing controls you except your beliefs...” – Marianne Williamson

(Masjidil Haram - Tawaf Wida at the Mataf area)

My body is working hard to heal, and recovery can take forever…

It was just two months after my laparoscopy hysterectomy. By this time, according to my Gynae, I should be fully recovered and back to my usual routine, although I may still be feeling fatigue and slight discomfort around the lower tummy.

Different story for dear hubby. His Angiogram procedure was two weeks ago and he was up and about right after the procedure! His heart specialist advised him to avoid strenuous activities and heavy lifting for several days.

This year we joined MKM Travels with a group of 35 others for our spiritual journey to the holy lands. This is our 16th Umrah trip, Alhamdulillah...

 

(Ta'if - Masjid Abdullah bin Abbas)

(Masjid Nabawi, Madinah)

Date: 19 – 31 August 2024
Flight: 19/08/24 MH156 1450/1900 KUL-JED
            31/08/24 MH159 2230/1310+1 MED-KUL
Hotels:
19 - 20/08/24 - Taif Platinum Park Hotel
20 - 25/08/24 - Makkah Pullman Zamzam
25 - 31/08/24 - Madinah Emaar Elite

Mutawwif: Ustaz Muhammad Ilyas bin Md Zin +6010 6679245

(A group photo at Museum Kuno, Hudaibiah)

Umrah Menara Jam MKM Itinerary:
Day 01: KL – Jeddah – Taif
Day 02: Taif – Makkah
Day 03: Makkah – Tannaeim
Day 04: Makkah – Ja’aranah
Day 05: Makkah Free and Easy
Day 06: Makkah - Hudaibiah
Day 07: Makkah – Madinah
Day 08: Masjid Nabawi Tour
Day 09: Madinah Free and Easy
Day 10: Madinah City Tour
Day 11: Madinah Optional Tour
Day 12: Madinah Jannat al-Baqi
Day 13: Madinah – Kuala Lumpur

My Travel Blog: musmun.blogspot.com

Next Trip: Afghanistan Autumn Trip

My Laparoscopy Hysterectomy Procedure...

“Maybe life isn’t about avoiding the bruises. Maybe it’s about collecting the scars to prove that we showed up for it...” - Hannah Brencher

(Sedated after a 4-hour surgery)

I have been grappling with this decision to have my ovarian cyst removed.

This surgery brought a lot of mixed emotions. I know it is perfectly natural to feel anxious but it is necessary for a peace of mind. Finally, I opted for a total Laparoscopic hysterectomy as the procedure is minimally invasive unlike abdominal hysterectomy. I had the cyst and the reproductive organs removed through the vagina. It is supposedly to have less pain, less bleeding, less risk of infection and quicker recovery period. During the surgery, I was under general anesthesia and was attended by my Gynae and my heart specialist.

I was warded for almost a week. Physiotherapy sessions appointments were fixed after I was discharged.

(Iwan and Ella came visiting)

(A cute bouquet from the grandkids)

Trans-Siberian Railway Adventure

"We learn something from everyone who passes through our lives. Some lessons are painful. Some are painless. But all are priceless..." - Unknown

We have been lucky to see many parts of the world denied to others.

Although we have been to Mongolia in 2019 and Russia in 2014, we decided to endeavor traveling on the famed Trans-Siberian Railway. We expected the railway journey to be rough and bumpy as the train chugged along the vast terrain but we were mistaken. The locomotives were electric powered and modern with the average speed of about 120 km/hr. The journey was smooth and the cabins and beds were quite comfortable.

The highlights of the trip were the train stops in the cities of Irkutsk, Yekaterinburg,  Kazan and several other small cities and ended our train journey in Moscow. We explored the charming streets, visited the many historìcal attractions and experienced the diversity of the cities, its local cuisines and its lovely people.

This trip brought us to places we have not set foot before. It was truly a unique and unforgettable experience.

(Complimentary chocolate bars on the Trans-Siberian train)

The full Trans-Siberian railway line span a length of over 9,289 km and eight time-zone journey. It is the longest railway line in the world. It runs from Vladivostok in the east to Moscow in the west. To shorten our trip, we started from Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia to Moscow in Russia spanning over 6,266 km journey.

The Trans-Siberian Railway Trip itinerary:

02 - 17 May 2024

Day 01: KL - Incheon, Korea✈️

Day 02: Incheon, Korea - Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia✈️
Day 03: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Day 04: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - Irkutsk, Russia🚂
Day 05: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - Irkutsk, Russia🚂
Day 06: Irkutsk, Russia - Lake Baikal, Russia
Day 07: Irkutsk, Russia - Yekaterinburg, Russia🚂
Day 08: Irkutsk, Russia - Yekaterinburg, Russia🚂
Day 09: Irkutsk, Russia - Yekaterinburg, Russia🚂

Day 10: Yekaterinburg, Russia - Kazan, Russia🚂
Day 11: Yekaterinburg, Russia - Kazan, Russia🚂

Day 12: Kazan, Russia - Bolgar, Russia
Day 13: Kazan, Russia - Moscow, Russia🚂
Day 14: Moscow, Russia
Day 15: Moscow Russia - Doha, Qatar ✈️
Day 16: Doha, Qatar - KL✈️

Our journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway is not just about train rides. It's about a trip that will be remembered for a lifetime.

My Travel Blog: munmus.blogspot.com

The company of old friends...

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends...” - Martin Luther King, Jr

(Mus, Nas, Mazlan, Hafiz and Salleh)

The other day when we were in KGNS, some of us planned to visit our bedridden friend, Ridwan in Jenjarum. It has been quite a while since we met him.

Physically he is quite weak but still his cheerful self.  We updated him on mutual friends, shared nostalgic stories, and informed him about things happening outside that he might miss.

We kept our visit short as we know that he needs his rest.

A memory no one can steal...

"True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost..." - Charles Caleb Colton

(ITM Applied Science gang at KGNS)

Our circle of friends may naturally shrink as we get older.

Life becomes more of a patchwork quilt, each piece stitched together by memory, layered with love, loss, laughter, and longing. We look around, and maybe there are fewer people at our table than there once were. Our friendships feel like treasures gathered over time, some friends have traveled the whole journey with us, others only for a while. 

The memories are all there, stitched in that quilt, and we pull it close on quiet nights, letting it warm us with reminders of all the lives we’ve touched and been touched by.

2024 Kembara Ramadhan

"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it..." - Greg Anderson

(Masjid Al-Rahman Kubang Batang, Kelantan)

2024 Kembara Ramadhan

(19 - 28 March 2024)

01 Kembara Ramadhan - Melaka

“Never look down on anybody unless you're helping them up…” - Jesse Jackson

(Masjid Selat Melaka)

Day 01: Tuesday, 19 March 2024
Route: Taman Bidara - Melaka
Distance: 171 km
Hotel: Hallmark Crown Hotel, Melaka (Rm81)

Today was the start of our 10-day Kembara Ramadhan. We had the opportunity to have iftar and perform solat tarawih at some of the mosques we visited along our kembara routing.

 

(The start of our 10-day Kembara Ramadhan)

Started from Bidara House around 9.00 am. By noon we reached Melaka and drove direct to my hometown, Kampung Seri Minyak. Solat jamak Zohor/Asar at Masjid Al-Abrar where we met with my brother-in-law, Zul and my big brother, Abang.

 

(Pantai Siring overlooking the Straits of Malacca)

(Jetty Anjung Batu)

At the Tanah Perkuburan Kg Seri Minyak, we cleared Ja’s grave and recited prayers to those who had earlier left us.

 

(Masjid Al-Abrar Kg. Seri Minyak)

(Reciting the doa at Ja's grave)

By 4.00 pm we checked-in Hallmark Crown Hotel Melaka located in Taman Melaka Raya and rested the whole afternoon.

Had iftar and performed solat terawih at Masjid Selat Melaka. The magnificent mosque seems to be floating on the bank of the Straits of Malacca, the longest and busiest straits in the world. At sunset, the rippling reflection of the modern mosque with Middle-Eastern influences was a spectacular view. Terawih prayers were 8 rakaat with witir. Here, the Imam recited a different qiraat. Later we had mee goreng for moreh at Alif Maju Restoran in Melaka Raya.

 

(Watching the sunset at Masjid Selat Melaka)

(Hallmark Crown Hotel, Melaka)

02 Kembara Ramadhan - Kuantan, Pahang

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less…” - C. S. Lewis

(Masjid Sultan Ahmad 1, Kuantan)

Day 02: Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Route: Melaka - Bandar Muadzam - Pekan - Kuantan
Distance: 318 km
Hotel: Hotel Shahzan, Kuantan (Rm136.29)

Had sahur of nasi kandar and toasts at Subaidah Restoran Melaka Raya. Solat subuh was at Masjid Kampung Hulu, Melaka. The mosque is located in Malacca City and the oldest in Malacca and among the oldest in the country, having originally been built around the year 1720 - 1728 and had underwent several renovations.

(Masjid Kampung Hulu, Melaka)

(The old mosque is located in the middle of the city)

Checked out at 9.30 am and drove towards Pekan via Bandar Muadzam Shah, Rompin. A brief stop in Bandar Muadzam for solat Zohor/Asar at Masjid Al-Muadzam Shah. The mosque that was built in 1986 has the influence of local architectural design and does not have a dome. The pyramid roof design is the identity of this mosque. The mosque reflects the characteristics of traditional Malay house architecture. There is a square-shaped minaret, with pyramid-shaped roof resembling the roof of the mosque.

(A short break for prayers)

(Traditional Malay house architecture)

Arrived in Pekan around 3.30 pm and visited the two mosques Masjid Sultan Ahmad Shah and Masjid Sultan Ahmad Shah Al Haj. As there were no accommodations near the two mosques we drove on to Kuantan.

(Our favorite mosque in Pekan, Pahang)

(Dark clouds looming over the horizon)

By 5.30 pm we checked in Shahzan Hotel which is strategically located near Masjid Sultan Ahmad 1, the State Mosque of Pahang and next to the Pasar Ramadhan. The mosque is located in the heart of Kuantan town. The smaller original mosque, was built in the 1960s. Due to its centralised location and importance, the mosque was later demolished and rebuilt to make way for a new and bigger mosque which became the State Mosque of Pahang which was completed in 1994.

(Muslims families breaking fast on the field)

(We had iftar in the mosque)

Had iftar and solat terawih at Masjid Sultan Ahmad 1, Kuantan. Received two packs of nasi berlauk for sahur, alhamdulillah.

(Checking out next routing at Shahzan Hotel)

03 Kembara Ramadhan - Kerteh, Terengganu

“The greatest friend of truth is Time, her greatest enemy is Prejudice, and her constant companion is Humility…” - Charles Caleb Colton

(Masjid Tengku Mizan Zainal Abidin, Kerteh)

Day 03: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Route: Kuantan - Paka - Kerteh
Distance: 137 km
Hotel: Kerteh Inn Homestay (Rm100)

Woke up at 4.30 am. After solat tahjud, had our sahur of rice with sambal ikan and vege. This morning we solat subuh in the hotel room as I was not feeling well. We checked out at 11.00 am. On the way out of town we visited Masjid Tepian Putra, Kuantan.

(Our reliable lunch box to heat up food)

(Checked-out Shahzan Hotel a little bit late)

(Masjid Tepian Putra, Kuantan)

We drove to Paka, Terengganu and stopped for solat Zohor/Asar at Masjid Taman Hadhari, Paka. We could not find a suitable accommodation in Paka so drove back to Kerteh and checked in Kerteh Inn Homestay. Rested the rest of the afternoon.

(Masjid Taman Hadhari, Paka)

(Kerteh Inn, a comfortable clean homestay)

Had Iftar and solat terawih at Masjid Tengku Mizan Zainal Abidin. This mosque is located on the side of the Kemaman - Kuala Terengganu main road. This mosque was built in 1991 at a cost of RM 5.1 million donated by PETRONAS. The mosque can accommodate about 3000 worshipers at a time.

Received 2 pack of nasi lemak for sahur from the masjid. Bought fruit juice from a mini-mart and ice-cream from McD.

(Located along the Kemaman - KT road)

(A special table for orang musafir)

(Simple tasty dishes for iftar)

04 Kembara Ramadhan - Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu

“Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you…” - Andrew Murray

(Masjid Tengku Tengah Zaharah, Kuala Ibai)

Day 04: Friday, 22 March 2024
Route: Kerteh - Kuala Terengganu
Distance: 114 km
Hotel: Sumai Hotel Apartments, Kuala Terengganu (RM138.26)

Sahur was the packed nasi lemak from Masjid Tengku Mizan. We performed solat subuh at Masjid Lama Kg Baru Kerteh. Checked out by 9.15 am and drove towards Kuala Terengganu. Stopped at Masjid Sultanah Nur Zahirah in Marang for solat Dhuha. Another stop was at Masjid Sultan Ismail in Chendering.

(Subuh prayers at Masjid Lama Kg Baru, Kerteh)

(Dhuha prayers at Masjid Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Marang)

(Masjid Sultan Ismail, Chendering)

Arrived at Sumai Hotel & Apartment in Kuala Terengganu around 11.30 am. The receptionist managed to get us a room before check-in time. Dear hubby performed Friday prayers at Masjid Al Muktafi Billah Shah, a short walking distance from our hotel. I performed my prayers in the room and rested the whole afternoon.

(Sumai Hotel and Apartment Kuala Terengganu)

(Our lodging for the night)

Drove to Masjid Tengku Tengah Zaharah, the floating mosque for iftar and solat terawih. The mosque is the first real floating mosque in Malaysia. It is situated in Kuala Ibai Lagoon near the estuary of Kuala Ibai River, 4 km from Kuala Terengganu Town. The mosque was constructed in 1993 and completed in 1995. There was a Pasar Ramadhan nearby and a recreational area at the lagoon. It was a full house tonight as it was a weekend holiday. 

(The Floating Mosque of Kuala Ibai)

(The main prayer hall during terawih prayers)

After solat terawih, we drove to Nasi Dagang Atas Tol Bandar located in the middle of town to pack for sahur.

(Restoran Nasi Dagang Atas Tol, Kuala Terengganu)

05 Kembara Ramadhan - Kuala Besut, Terengganu

“Real genius is nothing else but the supernatural virtue of humility in the domain of thought…” -Simone Weil

(Masjid Nasiruddin Shah, Besut)

Day 05 - Saturday, 23 March 2024
Route: Kuala Terengganu - Kuala Besut
Distance: 103 km
Hotel: Temu Primula Hotel, Kuala Besut (Rm105.30)

Woke up at 4.30 am for sahur of packed Nasi Dagang. Walked a short distance to Masjid Al-Muktafi Billah Shah for solat subuh. By 11.00 am we checked out and headed towards Kuala Besut via the coastal route. Stopped for refuelling at Petronas Gong Badak.

(A bus cafe at Masjid Al-Muktafi Billah Shah)

(Kuala Terengganu Draw Bridge)

Detoured to Masjid Lapan Kubah, located at Kampung Lapan Kotak in Besut for solat Zohor/Asar. The architecture of the mosque is similar to St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Russia. The mosque was built from public donations to replace the old wooden mosque which was over 100 years old. Met Munawar and Ros who were on a road trip with some friends.

 

(Masjid Lapan Kubah, Jerteh)

(An antique carriage to keep the kitab and quran)

Later drove around Kuala Besut to buy some provisions. By 3.30 pm we checked in Temu Primula Hotel and rested the whole afternoon. Iftar and solat terawih were at Masjid Nasiruddin Shah Kg. Raja, located about 6 km from our hotel.

(Solat terawih at Masjid Nasiruddin Shah Kg Raja, Besut)

(Reciting the quran before Isya' prayers)

Brought back a pack of nasi lauk from the masjid. Bought nasi goreng and tomyam for sahur later.

(A spacious room at Temu Primula Hotel, Kuala Besut)