Help about weather,medicine list and tips
 

I will be travelling to Egypt/Jordan at the beginning of May for 13 days. Does anyone has being there around that time and could give me a better idea of what I should expect and what kind of clothes should I pack?

I also would like to have an idea of what medicine basic kit I should take with me? And in case of stomach problems what is the medicine name that I can buy locally? How easy is to buy medicine there?

And my last question is related to tips. I heard that pens are a good tip, and what about US coins instead of dollars?

I really appreciate any input.

Clothes
It's already HOT in Egypt in May, so you need to be prepared for the heat.

You can do a search on the board for what to wear - but my recommendation is lightweight, cool clothing. Also - good, comfy walking shoes, hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen

For guys - lightweight pants and shirts. Long shorts are okay for a Nile cruise, but are not acceptable in Cairo. Long pants are a MUST for mosques and other religious sites.

For gals - long flowy skirts and cool tops work well. In Cairo, you will want to cover your shoulders and upper arms. You will also need to cover your head in mosques. On Nile cruises and in Luxor, long shorts and t-shirts are more common.

Meds
I always take along a supply of meds for our family -anything I think we might need. Better to have it and not use it than NOT to have it at all!

There are some local meds that are good (and there are pharmacies all over the place in Cairo), but maybe some of the local ladies can give you specific names. I don't remember!

Tips
Don't mean to be rude - but whoever told you that "pens" were a good tip are nuts. Sometimes - when visiting villages, pens can be given out to local children, but they are not acceptable as tips.

Similarly, US coins are worthless in Egypt. They cannot be exchanged and are therefore no good to the local people. If you want to use US dollars for tips - take along a bunch of $1 bills.

Thanks a lot. That was really helpful!!

It is easy to get money on ATMs there? It is true that we can pay without credit cards in most places?

Again, any help will be good.

I can only speak for Egypt...

If you bring cash - you can easily exchange money at your hotel. There are plenty of ATMs around and most major places will take credit cards. However, I would not advise using credit cards in the bazaars unless you are buying something pricy. Much harder to "bargain" when you pay by credit card.

thanks

We are trying to calculate how much money we need to take to our ISRAM trip.

We will be spending a total of 13 days, 3 in Petra Jordan & 9 in Egypt.
This is an ISRAM tour that includes 24 meals total.

We will be changing the currency here in the US before our trip.

Can anyone please give us suggestions about the amount of money
in Egyptian Pouns (EGP) & Jordanian Dinar (JOD) we should take for:

1. Tipping (Restaurant, Guides, Hotel, ETC)
2. Food

Also any suggestions on what's a reasonable tip amount for both Egypt and Jordan would be helpfull.


Thanks for your help

Dont bother changing money in the US, even if you could find Egyptian Pounds where you pay for the service and get a terrible exchange rate.

It's easy enough to do on arrival, at your hotel or ATMs. The government sets the rates, so the exchange is the same everywhere.

Likewise, you can purchase your Visa on arrival in Cairo or Amman for less money than Isram or any tour operator will change doing it at home thru a Visa Service. The cost of the Egyptian Visa is USD$15; for Jordan it might be USD$20 or $25 (check the Jordan tourism page for the current amount; if in the US, you can call their Embassy in Wash or Tourist Office in NYC).

Isram should provide you with Tipping Guidelines, or you can search this board for what others have done.