138 CultureShock! Egypt
to prepare baby food, but I personally think you are better
off purchasing a blender once you get to Egypt.Toiletries
You can find most types of toiletries and cosmetics in Cairo
and Alexandria (but not necessarily in the smaller cities). They
may or may not be the brand you are used to. If you prefer
specific brands of, for example, antiperspirant, cosmetics or
shampoo, bring them with you or take a chance of having
to use another brand. You should also bring insect repellent
and sunscreen lotion with you if you require anything
above SPF15.
Even when I go for short visits, I always take a small first-
aid kit with me. You can buy these ready packaged or you
can make one yourself. Don’t forget bandages, individually
wrapped alcohol swabs and, especially, an antibacterial
cream. If you have very sensitive skin, take a tube or two
of some type of cortisone ointment for those pesky itches.
Special skin cleansing supplies for acne should be brought
with you. Some other items you may wish to bring are hair
curlers, tampons (very expensive where available), panty
liners and hair dyes, along with anything you need to go with
them if you want to maintain comparable tints.Special Foods
Before you leave, take stock of what particular processed
things you really can’t live without. For instance, one of the
things I must have is Picante Sauce, which is not available
in Egypt. On the other hand, all the things you need to
make a really good salsa are there, so if you don’t have to
have the store-bought kind, you will do fine. A lot of foreign
products are not likely to be found in Egypt. One of the
things to consider stocking up on before you come are those
handy little packets of sauce and seasoning mixes. Special
ingredients for Mexican foods are not always available, so
bring your favourite chilli mix.
Other things you cannot find (at the time of writing)
include decaffeinated coffee and tea. The same goes for
salt substitutes. Diet sodas are now widely available. There