Top ten never-before travel preparations

I'm a fan of top ten lists, as you'll learn.  And this trip is unlike any other I have ever taken, as I'm sure I will learn in more detail than I care to.  So, just to bring everyone up to speed, here are the top ten things I have done in preparing for a solo trip to Egypt that I have never done before in preparing for any other excursion:

1) Got stuck with a needle for Hepatitis A (three times), Hepatitis B (three times), seasonal flu, and H1N1
2) Injested four vials of live typhoid (attenuated, of course)
3) Ate all the salad, fresh fruits and raw vegetables I could stand (these things are off limits in Egypt to Americans wishing to keep their colons)

4) Obtained a Cipro prescription from my doctor, as fruits and vegetables aren't the only colon assailants in Egypt (meat can also be problematic - what's left, bread and bottled water?)

5) Asked a nice teller at the bank where she bought her hijab (headscarf)

6) Integrated my brain with YouTube videos about how to donn said hijab, and also a niqab (full face cover) - just in case

7) Modeled said hijab in front of my dog, Haley, and the mirror.  Haley said, "Mom, you look rad!"

8) Did some heavy landscaping in 100 degree heat wearing jeans and a black sweatshirt (it's currently 109 in Luxor)

9) Bought a bogus wedding ring (yes, family gossips, it IS bogus - sorry to disappoint!)

10) Learned Arabic (my next post will be about why I have nicknamed this language "Satanic")

Cheers!