With less than a month to go before Richard and I head over to Egypt, I’ve started doing some actual preparations. Africa is a new continent for me, and one I willingly admit I know very little about, and Egypt is going to hold some challenges for me I haven’t ever really had to deal with before.
I want to try and pack very lightly for this trip so that I have room to bring things back. I’m unlikely to ever visit Egypt again after this trip, and I don’t want to miss out on some of what I know will be available in the markets. I’m going to be bringing just my messenger bag and a small carry-on duffle bag. I’ll be bringing my large, hard-sided suitcase as well, but it will be empty and will be packed with the duffle bag inside it on the flight over. This way I won’t be tempted to over pack, and will have an entire bag already with me, empty and ready to be filled with cool stuff I will inevitably find.
As it stands, my (clothing) packing list is as follows for our 9 day trip:
- 3 wicking long sleeve button down shirts
- 1 linen long sleeve button down shirt
- 2 v neck wicking short sleeve t-shirts
- 1 pair cargo/swim shorts
- 1 pair wicking beige cargo khakis
- 1 pair lightweight blue khakis
- lightweight cotton jacket
- 1 pair leather sandals
- 1 pair leather sneakers
- 7 pair underwear
- 7 pair socks
- fleece jacket
- straw hat
- sunglasses
I’m planning on picking up a lightweight scarf while I’m there – I want to bring one back anyway, so it makes sense just to get one there, where they’re common and well-adapted to the climate. The shorts and short sleeve shirts are mainly just for lounging around the hotel, including any potential pool time. I’m planning on doing a lot of hotel sink laundry, so almost everything I’m bringing has been chosen for its ability to dry quickly. The weather in Egypt in April is pretty variable, with lows in Alexandria in the 40s and highs in Luxor in the 100s, so layers is going to be the name of the game. As the trip draws closer, I’ll take a look at the weather that we’re predicted to have, and I might add a long sleeved t-shirt and fleece vest if it looks like it’s going to be on the cooler side, or remove the cotton jacket if it looks like it’s going to be on the warmer side.
I will admit that there’s a bit more apprehension about this trip than is usual for me. I’m both gay and trans, both things of which range from problematic to illegal in Egypt. Thankfully our guide has actually taken another gay, trans guy friend of mine through the same trip before, so I’m not super concerned, but I’m going to have to be a good bit more aware of my surroundings and my behavior than I normally do when I’m traveling. Bathrooms might be a particular challenge this time around.
All in all, I’m really looking forward to the trip. I’ve never been to a Muslim-majority country, anywhere in Africa, or anywhere in the “greater Middle East”. I don’t think I’ve ever even been to a desert country, for that matter. It’s also, oddly, my first guided trip ever. It’s definitely going to be a lot of “firsts” for me, and quite a learning experience, so I’m really anticipating a memorable trip and I have a lot more preparation work ahead of me in the weeks to come.