# Packing to leave the country for a month: Guess what I'm forgetting **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2008, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525 "2008-10-18T15:04:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/21 "2008-10-18T16:58:04Z")
> [@Dreamy\_B](#): > > Sunscreen and bug spray. Every time I’m out of the country I seem to forget one or the other and they seem to be way too expensive every time. Smart. I think we still have some combo spray in a travel-size spritzer. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/22 "2008-10-18T17:04:12Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > Bring some Purell or other gel-like hand sanitizer. Packed! > [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > It is just starting to get cool. Yesterday morning in Madaba it was cool enough for a sweatshirt but the day before on the Dead Sea highway it was still very warm. Hmmn. I may not have planned well for hot days. I’ll go toss in a t-shirt and a lightweight linen big shirt. > [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > If you are planning to get around by hired car, just be prepared for much higher costs… Syria is still cheap, but Jordan is most certainly not. Not many hired cars. Mostly buses. We do know nothing will be cheap. The economy tankage is affecting Jordan, too, I know. We were planning to attend a wedding over there, but it’s been called off because the groom can no longer afford to finish building the house for his bride, poor guy. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/23 "2008-10-18T17:05:21Z")
Who’s looking after your house while you’re away? Who’s checking your mail? ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/24 "2008-10-18T17:09:56Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Who’s looking after your house while you’re away? Who’s checking your mail? We have an awesome friend who will be living in our house the whole time, taking care of our critters, bringing in the mail, raking the leaves, and so on. Not to worry. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/25 "2008-10-18T17:13:26Z")
> [@emilyforce](#): > > Packed! Hmmn. I may not have planned well for hot days. I’ll go toss in a t-shirt and a lightweight linen big shirt.Not many hired cars. Mostly buses. We do know nothing will be cheap. The economy tankage is affecting Jordan, too, I know. We were planning to attend a wedding over there, but it’s been called off because the groom can no longer afford to finish building the house for his bride, poor guy. Note that if you travel by Trust (the bus company) you are not allowed to bring food or drink on to their long-distance coaches (you have to buy it from them). This is not always obvious at their offices and is I think #9 on the fine print on the ticket. It is however rather strictly enforced. We did manage to smuggle some almonds on board (they made us stow the water under the bus) but it felt like we were in 3rd grade making sure the attendant was not looking at us as we munched our almonds. 🙂 I’ve been a lot of places and while food/drink on city buses is usually not allowed, it is very rare to see it on long distance buses. I am not sure if JETT has the same policy. For costs, the Aqaba to Amman ticket on Trust is 8JD. Amman 7th Circle to Madaba in a minibus is 650 fils. Amman to Jerash is 1JD. It is only still hot in Aqaba and along the Dead Sea. Bring some cotton trousers and a cotton shirt if you plan to do the Wadi water-hike. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/26 "2008-10-18T17:18:34Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > Note that if you travel by Trust (the bus company) you are not allowed to bring food or drink on to their long-distance coaches (you have to buy it from them). This is not always obvious at their offices and is I think #9 on the fine print on the ticket. It is however rather strictly enforced. We did manage to smuggle some almonds on board (they made us stow the water under the bus) but it felt like we were in 3rd grade making sure the attendant was not looking at us as we munched our almonds. :eek: Do they check inside your bags or anything like that? One of my migraine triggers is low blood sugar so I always carry trail mix or health bars or something. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/27 "2008-10-18T17:38:02Z")
> [@emilyforce](#): > > :eek: Do they check inside your bags or anything like that? One of my migraine triggers is low blood sugar so I always carry trail mix or health bars or something. :eek: Well, they did not look inside my small canvas bag, but a plastic bag from the shop was not allowed and I was made to put it in my large bag under the bus. I would carry a purse or small tote bag of sorts and be very clandestine about it. They do sell some waffer and/or chocolate snacks on board, but we managed to be careful and have dried apricots and almonds… we had licorice too but decided the smell would blow our cover. I’d ask JETT if their policy is the same before buying another Trust ticket. A letter from a doctor would be one idea, but it may be over kill. Aqaba to Amman is only 4.5 hours with one 5 minute smoke-stop. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/28 "2008-10-18T17:48:36Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > A letter from a doctor would be one idea, but it may be over kill. Aqaba to Amman is only 4.5 hours with one 5 minute smoke-stop. Oh, I don’t have clinically low blood sugar – I just gets me more megrims when I’m too hungry. I can go foodless (or be sneaky enough) for five hours if I’m forewarned – I’d make sure to have a snack before we get on the bus, for instance. And I’m very glad to hear about “smoke breaks,” since that implies smoking is not commonly done on the bus itself. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/29 "2008-10-18T17:55:25Z")
No smoking on long-distance buses, but on minibuses, restaurants, street-corners, shops and anywhere else people go I think it is required by law. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/30 "2008-10-18T18:26:39Z")
> [@emilyforce](#): > > bringing in the mail, Ah, but by ‘checking your mail’, I mean far more than just bringing it in. I mean actually opening it and acting on it if necessary. Say you got called for jury duty or something - you need someone to call you to alert you of this. I’m not talking about giving them a power of attorney - a month’s too short for that. ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/31 "2008-10-18T19:24:39Z")
Just want to make sure – are you actually packing CLOTHING? That might be important after a couple of days 😃 ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/32 "2008-10-18T19:33:24Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Ah, but by ‘checking your mail’, I mean far more than just bringing it in. I mean actually opening it and acting on it if necessary. Say you got called for jury duty or something - you need someone to call you to alert you of this. Oh, that’s an interesting point. I’ll mention it to our house-sitter. I pre-paid all our bills, but hadn’t thought about unusual items like jury summons. > [@Merhouse](#): > > Just want to make sure – are you actually packing CLOTHING? Please see Post #12. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![criminey.jicket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@criminey.jicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminey.jicket)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/33 "2008-10-18T23:43:04Z")
Antibiotic cream for cuts and small wounds. I’ve found it’s better to be a little more aggressive treating open wounds in hotter climates. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/34 "2008-10-19T00:05:15Z")
Imodium and Dramamine. Dental floss. If you’re not bringing a skirt or dress, bring a 2nd big scarf to wrap over your pants if you want to go to religious sites. If you’re planning to wash your delicates in a hotel sink, bring a flat drain stopper in case there isn’t one. An extra battery and memory card for your digital camera. A couple of Eagle Creek luggage locks and a luggage cable so you can string your bags together into a mass that’s not so easy to swipe. ---
**Author:** ![dgrdfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/35 "2008-10-19T01:11:28Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Photocopies off your passport to go in each piece of luggage? Why is this necessary? I will be going out of the country soon and this is something I had never thought of. I guess I could lose my passport, but who is going to believe an easily photoshopped copy of one? ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/36 "2008-10-19T01:19:57Z")
> [@dgrdfd](#): > > Why is this necessary? I will be going out of the country soon and this is something I had never thought of. I guess I could lose my passport, but who is going to believe an easily photoshopped copy of one? I always understood that the copy made it easier (not foolproof) to get a replacement – not that the copy IS the replacement. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/37 "2008-10-19T01:21:34Z")
> [@criminey.jicket](#): > > Antibiotic cream for cuts and small wounds. I’ve found it’s better to be a little more aggressive treating open wounds in hotter climates. Maybe a small bottle of liquid bandage as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/38 "2008-10-19T02:09:33Z")
Bring twice as much money as you think you’ll need. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/39 "2008-10-19T02:35:29Z")
Did you obtain and submit an Absentee Ballot…? ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525/40 "2008-10-19T03:48:47Z")
Bring both European (2 prong) and UK (3 square prong) plug adapters to charge your camera and other things (they should all work at 220V, but check to be sure). In most of Jordan the 2 prong plugs are used but a few places, esp. in Aqaba are UK-type plugs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packing-to-leave-the-country-for-a-month-guess-what-im-forgetting/468525.md?page=3)