For the record… I challenged since I assumed that LFC24 was suggesting something that – for his 16 years of experience – seemed less than likely. Yet his answers suggested that he was slightly more familiar than I, so I just acknowledged his response.
I was also unsure of him saying that he had done Hajj (or Hadj according to my dictionary) in a different way, since a quick search on Google shows that all pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia is Hajj to Mecca – and the knowledge that, apparently, westerners are not at all welcome was the cause of my wavering emotions – so was left open to interpretation any way you want.

Flood

I think this has had a good airing now but to clear up any up any misunderstanding on “Westerners not at all welcome in Mecca” etc Anyone is welcome in Mecca of any race or colour (westerners included) provided they are Muslims. There are check points as you go into Mecca and anyone who is not a muslim is turned away (this can be seen from your visa or internal passport which is an offence not to have with you at all times). The road around Mecca is nicknamed the “Christian Bypass”. It is correct that any Muslim making a trip to Mecca for the purpose of Pilgrimage constitutes Haj (The spelling is virtually irrelevant just as it would be trying to convert English words into Arabic script) and there is a set period for this. Anyone making the same pilgrimage outside the set period is performing “Umrah” and still constitutes having undertaken the Haj which LFC24 has performed and fair play to him for having done it at such a young age.