Umrah: Additional costs that you need to prepare

Do spare some money on top of the whatever amount that you have to pay to the travel agent.  At least three additional costs are known so far.

1. Passport size photos
2. Passport renewal
3. Meningitis vaccine jab

Passport size photos are needed for passports renewal and umrah visa.  For umrah visa, the background is white.  It costs RM10 per set of four photos, without softcopies i.e. no CD given.  Passport renewal for kids below the age of 12 at the moment is RM80 for two years.  For adults, it is RM 100.  Luckily, Along's, Angah's and Abah's passports are still valid until next year.  So, only mum, Achik and I need passport renewal, the total of which is RM260.  Meningitis vaccine jabs cost sob sob RM120 per jab.  The total of RM720 for six people.

In our case, the additional costs are:

Photos	RM77.00
Passports renewal	RM180.00
Jabs	RM600.00
Total	RM857.00

In the search for an Umrah package

I have always wanted to perform umrah.  Who wouldn't?  Ask any muslim.  But at the same time, I always found excuses for 'not to go yet'.  Having small kids is the main one.  But this time around, I just think that it is time.  I will take all of them with me to Makkah, Insya-Allah.  Along and Angah are all positive about going to see Ka'abah and Abah is willing to take unpaid leave from his newly joined company.  It is now semester break and I will not be having any classes until this June.  So the timing is perfect. 

The next thing is of course to look for a 'suitable' umrah package from a reliable travel agency.  There are so many options available and to make a decision is not easy.  Here are basically what I am looking for in the offered packages.

1. Flight.  It has to be MAS.  I don't have much experience travelling with other airlines, even for domestic flights.
2. Direct flight.  No transit.  Because we are taking our kids along.  The preferred route based on my reading and recommendations from other people is KUL-MED-JED-KUL route.  Yes, arriving at Madinah and leaving from Jeddah.  The point is, we will only need to ride on a bus between Makkah and Madinah once.
3. Price.  It has to be affordable, of course.  We will also be taking my mum along, which means that whatever the price, it has to be multiplied by 6 more or less.
4. Distance between hotels and the two masjids, Masjidil Haram and Masjid Nabawi.  Again, taking into consideration my aged mum and the kids.
5. All in one room.  It will be good if all of us can stay in a room, rather than having to pay for two rooms or having my mother stays with another lady in another room.

And the search begins ...  I will let you know the result later :-)