"Our" Hajji (our IS director) is back with his family also but his entire tent in Mina picked up a nasty cough and fever (perhaps because it was quite cold) so I haven't gotten a full report as yet. He said Medina particularly was breathtaking but just the logistics were overwhelming! They travelled on various buses, most of them brought in from surrounding countries, some luxurious, some very not and had many bureaucratic "waits." So many things to prepare for. For example, he had purchased and broken in running sandals to wear with his robe. He's very fit but of course many older people died so every prayer included a funeral prayer. Security in FRA on their way back was horrid but they were able to bring back the water.
Yes, the water has been making it through. We have been received plenty of water and Dates from our returning Haji friends so far.
Hajj is, as your IS director has experienced, an exercise in patience. There are points where it takes eight or nine hours to drive 4 miles (Makkah to Mina) and the Travel Agents seem to insist all departing Hajji's arrive at JED 12 hours or so before departure.