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.

I would like to comment on the last exchanges between LFC24 and FLOOD and put my tuppence worth in. I thought FLOODS questions were quite astute. LFC24 gives the impression he knows all about Arabs/muslims and has been on the Haj “in another way” which is quite impressive considering he is 16 years old and still at school and only appears to mention Dubai. I don’t claim to know everything about Muslim society but I grew up in the Muslim North in Nigeria and have worked in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai and latterly five years in Saudi. In all I reckon I have spent 44 of my 52 years living in Muslim society (3 of those years were spent working at the original AUH airport in passenger services) plus I have a degree in Arabic and I can safely say that I have never ONCE heard any Muslim shouting Allah Akbar in the circumstances described here. But then I do not wish to be unkind to LFC24 maybe he has packed a lot more into his 16 years than I have in 52.

Definitely a good pint at The Royal Oak. Is it still a free house?

Hi wysiwyg, To be honest I can’t remember as I have not been down for a bit but I used to go fairly regularly a while back and I found buying the non -aviation members of your family a nice meal in the pub meant you could look around the airfield without feeling guilty.

I have always found Lasham to be a very friendly place compared to other airfields. I can also recommend the Royal Oak pub in Lasham village for good grub and a decent pint 😀

I was in two minds whether to go that day but I wished I had. I read a report on it in an aviation mag and it sounded like a good day. 🙁