I think if you do go for a longer duration of time say for more than a week, having someone to go with can be a bit more fulfilling as you can where appropriate and possible socialise and speak to others. This was for me one of the things which kind of bugged me when I was there and a bit after.
The buffet breakfasts were the only part of my day where I spoke to others in a casual way which I love. It was incredibly diverse with brothers from every place of the Earth. I love speaking to people, hearing their stories and I love other people’s company that way.
Makkah/Madinah, I accept they might not be places for social activities and that after an extended period can feel a bit lonely. There is a common saying that Arab men are unsociable and rude. I don’t really think they are to be frank as you have to look in the context of where you are.
Makkah and Madinah are very crowded places with thousands of people at any one time. Managing this, I can’t imagine it’s very easy and you do have to operate in a way that everything needs to be a quick turnaround. So they’re not rude but they’re just doing the best that they can in the situation. And on this, I think in the context of everything the Grand Mosque and Masjid an-Nabawi are in fact very well managed and run by the Saudi authorities despite the chaosness of everything.
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