On the last day of Hajj, all pilgrims must have their head. It's a sign of equality and a reflection that life and personal beauty are not more important than their God's demands. That means a lucrative day for barbers.
But as their fees Quadruple in that day. Some pilgrims would provide that service for about 20 Saudi riyals (5.3 Dollars) and that's half what a barber shop would cost.
A quick feasibility study would make anyone want to become a barber during the Hajj. Demand is incredible. In a single week, half of the pilgrims here in Mecca must cut or shave their hair at least twice.
A bottle of shampoo and a box of 20 disposable blades cost just three dollars. And you break even after your first customer. In fact, that first set of blades could earn you up to 70 dollars in a matter of hours.
"Any foreign pilgrim would want to save as much money as he could. In this case, I can be a pilgrim and make money. For example, if I shave 20 people, I'll get three dollars from each of them. So why not anyone can shave!" said Islam Tayeb, Egyptian pilgrim.
Well, maybe not anyone. This year I had been determined to start my own portable shaving business. But at the last minute, I changed my mind. With no experience at all, I decided to stick to being a customer.
It was wise of me not to try this out on a stranger. People here tell me I'm lucky. The government has banned street barbers to protect pilgrims from accidental injuries, but some people -- like me -- only learn the hard way.
"I used a regular barber. First of all because they have a health certificate, secondly, all his tools are clean, thirdly, there's no way I'd go to those street barbers -- I might get injured or contract some disease," said Badr Al Fadl, Bahraini pilgrim.
For a shave with a blade on the streets of Mecca, you're looking at about six dollars. An electric razor is more expensive - the rate goes up to 10. Many professional barbers quadruple their prices during the Hajj. But when they're supervised, barber shops will charge a fixed price of around six dollars.
