5 New Items I’m Packing for Egypt, One I Should Have Purchased Ages Ago!

It’s countdown time–I’ll be leaving for Egypt in less than a week.  This trip seemed so far off when I shared the details in this previous post: Pyramids, Mummies and Cruising the Nile River.

Before every trip abroad, I usually pick up a few new items. I love trying new things, especially if it will enhance some aspect of the trip or prevent a problem.

Travel Supplies

 

2-Stage Filtered Water Bottle, Good for Travel or During Natural Disasters for Filtering Water

When I traveled to Morocco, I enjoyed that trip very much, but the one part I absolutely hated was constantly having to worry about having enough drinking water. Our guide provided us with plenty of water during the day as we toured all about Morocco, but if you forgot to ask for a bottle (or two) before heading back to your room for the night, it made for a miserable evening.

It’s the pits getting back in your room at 8:00 PM at night, only to realize you have just a few inches of bottled water left, and that little bit of water has to last all the way until breakfast the next day–plus, you still need to brush your teeth. Argggg!

I’ve been hearing all about water bottles that filter water, even water taken directly from a stream. In addition to using them when traveling, they are also great to have on hand during a natural disaster where the water may not be safe to drink for a few days.

I think some of the negative reviews on the bottle I purchased are user error…like not realizing the bottle comes with a shrink-wrapped piece of plastic over the tip of the straw or that the filter needs to be primed when it hasn’t been used in a long time. My water bottle came with easy instructions on how to prep the filter the first time you use it or after it has been stored away for a while. I tried it for the first time this evening and it worked great!

Tip: I also found if you tilt your head back, gravity helps a lot with the flow of the water through the filter and the straw. I’m very pleased with this bottle and I think it will be a true blessing in Egypt where the water can sometimes upset tummies not used to it.

You can read more about this water filtering bottle where I purchased mine here: Water Bottle with 2-Stage Filter. Wish I’d had this water bottle with me when I was in Morocco for 15 days. Best Water Filter Bottle for Travel

 

TSA Approved Containers

I’ve tried several different types of containers for holding liquids when traveling and they have all failed. It’s not a lot of fun to find the shampoo you packed for a two-week trip is now coating all your other toiletries inside your toiletry bag!

The first set of bottles I purchased for travel failed when the plastic bottles cracked. The second set failed because the container part was soft rubber and it broke away from the hard plastic tops leaking the contents inside my toiletry bag.

This one looks a lot more promising with screw-on lids, plus, it has great reviews. It also meets TSA’s requirements for size. It comes with two foldable toothbrushes which are quite nice! You’ll find it here: Travel Bottle Set.TSA Approved Containers for Shampoo, Conditioner, etc...

 

Selfie Stick

I’ve never purchased a selfie-stick but I think one would come in handy for this trip based on some of the photos I’ve been seeing online where folks have taken photos of themselves in front of the pyramids and such. I like this one because you can snap the photo easily with the hand that’s holding the stick and it’s super easy/fast to get your camera phone into and out of the little holder. It doesn’t require any batteries to operate or apps to download. Check out the great reviews here: Selfie Stick.

Selfie Stick for Travel

 

Travel Undies

I purchased a pair of ExOfficio underwear a long, long time ago to take along on trips. Sometimes when traveling, I’ll just take older undies and throw them away along the way, but lately, I seem to be having an issue with waistbands giving me a rash. I hope I’m not developing a latex allergy. I think I may be because this past week when I ate 1/2 a banana every day for 3-4 days, I was itching to death all over. I’ve noticed this before when I’ve eaten bananas several days in a row…but it doesn’t always seem to happen. I Googled and read that often folks who have sensitivity issues when eating bananas, often have a latex allergy, too. Have you ever heard of that?

So lately I’ve been wearing these ExOfficio undies and the small rash on my waist is much better. I also quit eating bananas so maybe that helped, as well. These undies are super comfortable so I purchased several more pairs for my upcoming trip.

It’s my understanding they were actually designed for travel. When washed, they dry in 2-4 hours, so you can wash them at night and wear them again the next day. I think their tagline is that you only need two pairs of underwear for every trip…one to wear while the other pair is drying. I’m taking along several pairs so washing won’t be needed very often on this trip. You’ll find these “travel” undies in a lot of different colors here: Travel Undies.

Quick Drying Exofficio Underwear for Travel

 

Bag Cover

Of course, you already know about the Away bag I purchased and the cute cover I bought to protect it if it ends up being checked on a regional flight. If you missed that post, check out yesterday’s post for more information about the cover and THIS post for more information about the Away bag.

Protective Luggage Cover for Away Carry-on Bag

 

Have a trip planned? Check out these previous posts for more tips on my must-haves for travel.

5 Items I Always Take When Traveling Internationally

The One Part of Travel I Always Dread and a New Tactic for Managing It

 

UPDATE: I’ve had several questions about the jacket in this photo. It’s a  jacket I purchased a few years back when I first started traveling. This jacket goes with me on every trip because it takes up little to no space and is perfect for travel.

It’s light-weight but amazingly warm when layered on top of a sweater. I love the hood because you can still take photos on those misty/rainy days and not have to worry about holding an umbrella. Love that!

It comes in a bunch of colors but the aqua color is my favorite. I definitely recommend it for travel, or really anytime! It’s available here: Jacket. It’s also available here: Raincoat.

You can read more about it in this recent post: https://betweennapsontheporch.net/packing-for-travel-to-egypt-and-a-cruise-along-the-nile-river/.

Travel Supplies

*If a post is sponsored or a product was provided at no charge, it will be stated in post. Some links may be affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. *



 Never miss a Between Naps on the Porch post! 

*Subscribe to have updates delivered to your Inbox. 



Comments

  1. Susan, these are great new travel items for you. I know you will have a wonderful trip and I will be following you on Instagram!

    • Thanks, Pam! I’ll try to post there a few times a day. Hopefully, I’ll have good wifi in the hotels and can create several posts while there, too.

    • Lauren Ashley Lewis says

      I just returned from a hunting trip to Africa and highly recommend the Exofficio undies! I just hopped in the shower and washed them myself, rolled them up in a towel to squeeze out the water, and they were dry in three hours. Have fun!

  2. Robin Lambert says

    Watch out for that possible latex allergy! I have a severe one-I wheeze with contact or near airborne latex. Think balloons, rubber bands, even swim goggles (or water bottles). aaaai.org has good information. It never gets better, just worse with more exposure. Be sure to take Benadryl with you, and avoid the bananas. You may want to discuss with your doctor when you return.

    • Thanks, Robin. I hadn’t thought about taking Benadryl on the trip but that’s a good idea. I had to take one the other night and it helped a lot. It seems to happen when I eat bananas several days in a row. Guess I just have to give them up entirely. Seems the older I get, I keep developing new allergies or I guess I should call it sensitivities. I didn’t have any the majority of my life. Sooo annoying to have to give up foods you like.

  3. Hey Susan, I recently traveled to the American Southwest for 10 days and really noticed how dry my nasal passages were, enough so that my throat became really sore. I wish I had thought to look for a saline nasal mist spray. If you use Benadryl, you may find that your nasal passages would be even dryer than normal in the Egyptian climate and the nasal mist would help. Have a wonderful time!

    • Thanks for letting me know about that, Teresa. That’s good info to know! I’ll just take the Benadryl along in case I eat something that I react to while in Egypt. Probably unlikely I’ll need it while there.

  4. Susan I hope you have a wonderful time! I am always so impressed with the thoroughness with you prepare for everything. Bon voyage!

    • Thanks! I think this trip will be a lot like the one I took to Morocco and the Sahara Desert although that one was in March, so it may be hotter this time. Thanks, Susan!

  5. Susan, hope you have a wonderful, safe trip! You didn’t mention the cute rain jacket you showed. i am going to Ireland next May and need one. Where did you find that one?

  6. Think how much smoother and more comfortable each travel adventure is than the one before. Such a super travel prep resource, to include great tips in the comments too. And so many of your travel items, and tips, can be used in a disaster, such as an impending hurricane!

  7. I am curious about the rain jacket as well..saw no mention of it in the post. Tand Enjoy!

  8. Donna zoltanski says

    Enjoy Egypt! I look forward to all your beautiful photos and discoveries. Have a safe trip!

  9. Tanya Copeland says

    Hi, Susan. I often purchase items that you have researched. I’ve been looking for a rain jacket for an upcoming British Isles cruise. Do you mind sharing where you found this pretty blue one? Thanks

  10. I always enjoy reading what you are packing for your excursions, I am horrid at packing, I pack too much stuff and never have exactly what I need when I arrive at my destination. Hopefully, your wonderful tips will help me improve my packing skills in the future.
    Have a wonderful trip and safe travels!

  11. Have a wonderful trip! I have noticed that many places I have visited have started to ban the use of selfie sticks (so many people have abused their use and been inconsiderate in their use). I know nothing about the area you are travelling to but you may want to watch for signs in case that restriction exists. Looking forward to hearing about your travels!

    • I bet they don’t like them inside buildings. I read at TripAdvisor that you’re not allowed to take a camera or your handbag inside a pyramid. I’m not going to be too happy handing my handbag over to a complete stranger/guard.

      • Figure out a way to have your passport and wallet in your jacket pockets – hopefully you can take very little with you the day you visit that spot. It would make me Leary too. Maybe they have lockers you are supposed to use.

        • That’s a good idea. I’ll check with our guide when we get there, see what he says about it. I like the idea of just taking a few things in my pockets. Thanks, Chris!

  12. Cyndi Raines says

    Awesome tips, thank you! Sadly, no travel plans (sniff ) in the near future for me, but pinned the panties and the cosmetic bottles for hopeful future trips. For dry air affecting nasal passages, even a little bit of Vaseline helps keep the area moist. Found this out living in New Mexico. Can’t wait to see the pics of the pyramids! You go Cleopatra! Lol

    • I think I’ll try the Neosporin trick for the flight over. After getting Influenza A in Germany, I may show up at the airport inside a bubble! 😉
      lol Thanks, Cyndi!

  13. Awe thanks for the tips. I do hope you have a fun and wonderful trip. Praying for safety for you as well. Enjoy the moments of life that are given to us. So jealous. Wish I could go. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

  14. Great travel tips. I’ve always wanted to visit Egypt but have been too scared too. Can’t wait to hear all about it 🙂 Have a safe and blessed trip.

    • People are really going back like crazy now…tours are booked out a few years in advance. Hopefully, it’s all safe now. Will report back how it goes! Thanks, Sandra!

  15. Susan, I keep some of the places we have traveled to on my weather ap. At 5:30pm right now in Cairo it is 83. And, tomorrow’s temps are predicted to be in the 80s. Won’t that be wonderful. In case you want to know, in Seoul later today it will be high 50s, Likewise in Skien Norway, in Northwest IA our high will be 44. I think Cairo temps sound perfect!

    • That’s great! I haven’t checked it in a few days. That doesn’t sound too terrible, although I’m sure it can get chilly at night. I love long summers. We are just now starting to get some cooler weather here in Georgia…just started this week. And by cooler, I mean 79 instead of 90. lol

      I don’t think I could handle a Norway winter, would love to visit one day, though! 🙂

      • We took a train across the top of Norway one year in November, it is the highest railway in the world and was fantastic! Ice fields and snow. Our daughter was living in Copenhagen and we toured with her.

    • This is wild! I just added the city of Cairo to the clock app on my phone and it shows the weather, too. It’s actually hotter right now in Atlanta than it is in Cairo. It’s 81 degrees here at 1:47 pm, and 78 degrees in Cairo at 7:47 pm.

  16. Love all the comments your blog generates. Very good ideas and suggestions here. Looking forward to see the selfie pictures as this opens up a whole new venue for you and picture taking. Just be sure to look behind you before taking pictures in case you decide to step back! My raincoat came yesterday. I love the aqua and am relieved it is a bit heavier material than my current one. I ordered a medium (I weigh 134; 5’3″) and it fits! Seems to be enough room for a sweatshirt underneath and I also like that the wrists can be tightened to keep out the wet. I bought mine from Walmart online. If you use a Walmart credit card you get a little bonus credit back; I’m all for that. It was less than Amazon and also had free shipping!

    • Thanks for that info on the coat, Kathleen…I added that to the post. Yeah, not sure how many “selfies” I’ll share on the blog. I’m not a big selfie fan. I mainly bought it to get pics of my friend, Teresa and I in front of the pyramids or in the hot air balloon. I’ll see if any are good enough to share on the blog.

      I have finally come to realize that I must have shorter arms than the average person. I always have to buy a small in coats, sweaters, shirts or else they will be tooo long in the sleeves. That’s super annoying because often I like the way a medium fits better over a sweater.

      That’s great that the medium worked for you! So the sleeves weren’t too long? When I first purchased that coat, I bought both a small and medium to see which would work and the sleeves were definitely too long in the medium. We are about the same height…I’m 5’3-1/2″ inches tall.

      • I’ve only taken one selfie of myself with my horse and my arms aren’t long enough either! The sleeves on the jacket hit right on my wrist which I think will be ok. Sizing is so tricky. Sometimes I need a large in a T-shirt rather than a medium because with age I seem to have developed a chest which I didn’t have in my youth. lol But, the jacket in a medium works well in that area too.

  17. Thanks for the tip about the water bottle. Can replaceable filters be purchased where you bought the bottle ?

  18. You’re going to have such a wonderful time on this trip. I’m jealous! I was reading an article several months ago about affordable little luxuries for travel and the one I ordered was an assortment selection of Marvis toothpaste which is made in Italy. Love it. I don’t use it daily but take along some on every trip. Amazon sells it. Check it out! I plan on buying another assortment to put in traveling friends’ Christmas stockings.

    Wish you would do a post showing all you bring in your carryon. I watch those on YouTube all the time.

    • Ginger, thanks for telling me about the Marvis toothpaste…I just ordered some! What a great idea…love those little affordable luxuries! 🙂
      I will do that…sharing what I end up putting in my carryon. I haven’t even started packing but need to start working on that soon.

  19. Susan, I suspect you and your readers have solved my problem today. I have been suffering from an allergy/sensitivity for months. The doctor seems to think it is flowers or fauna since we have something in bloom at all times, but I thought not since I have been here for years with no problem. I thought it was a food since I have previously shared with you all the foods that give me grief, but I just could not seem to isolate what it was/is.

    Two weeks ago I went in to the doctor for my pneumonia booster. My thought was if the flu shot did not work at least I would not get pneumonia. After the injection, my arm just lit up with a rash and ran down my arm. When I notified the doctor she asked if I was allergic to latex. I said not that I know of, but now I am having second thoughts and I am thinking since I have a banana 4 or 5 times a week this could be my problem. I learn so much from you and your readers. If you were closer I would give you a hug.

    Sorry for such a long comment. Have a good trip, and I will be checking in to see what you are doing.

    M.

    • I know it’s so aggravating to have some mystery sensitivity/allergy and not be able to figure out what it is. I went through that for months with mangos and finally figured it out myself when I had a partially bad itching episode after eating them two days in a row. Madonna, you may find you are sensitive to Kiwi’s and avocados, too. Apparently, people who are sensitive to bananas are often sensitive to those, as well. I can eat avocado once in a while, but if I eat them too many times in a week, I start to notice problems. Same with Kiwis. My triggers are Kiwi, avocado, mangos, bananas, red pepper (which is in a ton of sauces/dips) and peanut butter. I can eat peanut butter once in a while, but I buy a jar and eat the PB and Jelly sandwich every day, I start to notice a breathing issue…like fluid in my lungs or something. So now I just don’t eat it at all…and I really miss it.
      Seems the older I get, I keep developing more and more food sensitivities. I Googled that yesterday and it turns out that’s very common, to have more and more issues with food sensitivity as you get older. 🙁

  20. Beverly Anderson says

    Some fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains can cause cross reactions with latex.
    Some of the fruits that can cause cross-reactions include: Bananas, Figs, Kiwi, Peaches, Papaya, Nectarines, Melon, Cherries, Strawberries, Pineapple.

    These vegetables may also cause cross-reactions:
    Celery, Tomatoes, Avocados, Potatoes

  21. Lynn Lovelace says

    Hi Susan,
    Great items!
    My mother and I took this trip. You are going to love it. I would like to take it again.

  22. Go check out My Fab Fifties Life…my bffs cousins blog and Instagram. She is traveling the world and is in Egypt today staying in hotel overlooking the Nile!!!! You will love her travels!!!

Leave a Reply to Mary L Cancel reply

*