Where deoderant and talc powder do no wonder!

One thing that I miss doing in Makkah is putting on my roll-on deoderant and talcum powder as soon as I jump out of the showers. This is a routine back in Malaysia where it is common in order to ease any possible indecent smell. Here, on the other hand, bares witness a tendency of getting away without admitting to the routine. The air is as such that it allows a rather lackasidical attitude towards what is considered to be hygenic. Do not mistaken, thinking that the pilgrims fail to exercise cleanliness; they are constantly taking ablution (wudu') in order to reinstate the emphasis of cleanliness. There are some who remain religious at their Malaysian exercise of constant showering before going to bed to which I later notice their tendency to catch cold and cough as due to cold chest.

Another observation on the quality of air here enables cookies to a stay crispy despite of its unattended or left uncovered. This, I noted, twice while attending to invitated local homes when I nervously reminded the host to place back the cookies into the jar.

On another note, I also notice a rather laid-back attitude that co-exists among the locals that are quickly picked up by the pilgrims, especially Malaysians. What used to be seen as hacklers was then gradually turned to be tolerable, particularly when queuing for turns to take the lift. In the beginning, the idea of waiting for one's turn was a foreign concept.

Taking the lift to go up to the room or to go down for prayers is quite common in Makkah for pilgrims are placed within tall hotels around the Kaabah. So what started out to be impatient people who rushed into the lifts were noticeably turned into a progressive behaviour of waiting. Hastiness is seen as inappriopriate for there is no rat race to chase after. If one is seen to be hasty in his action, he is bound to stand out for straying eyes would follow his impatient act of forcing his way into the lift.

Although offensive words were never uttered, a quick renouncement of displeasure is quickly uttered at times.