Field Trip Logistics

What to Bring:

A typical day starts early, breakfast is made over a campfire, then we head to the field.  We would spend an entire day hiking and driving around, so one might bring a small day pack to hold miscellaneous items for the day.  We finish near dark, back to camp, dinner, sit around campfire and enjoy the usually spectacular night stars.  We will have potable water with us.  Bathing will be occasionally available in the streams that pass through the wadis.  This will be the routine for the week or so we are in the field.

• Sleeping Bag
• Space in a tent
• Boots, moderate to heavy in weight
• Good sunglasses
• Long sleeved shirt and pants (light weight pants are better)
• Shorts and t-shirts
• Sunscreen
• Hand/facial lotion/lip balm
• Rain gear (yes it does rain).
• Flashlight
• Hat (sun shield)
• portable camping bed (can be bought in Muscat, though we have often had problems finding a sufficient number of these.  If you have space in a tent, and plan to use it every night, then you should be free of scorpions in your bag.  I prefer to not use a tent and thus use a camp bed.  One problem here is mosquitos, so I plan to bring some netting for around my head.
• Mug
• Plate/bowl
• pocket knife
• knife/fork/spoon
• Smallish pack for day hikes
• Water bottle
• Soap/shampoo/towel

Immunizations:

Following is some information related to immunizations and travel in Oman.  Please note, however, that what you choose to do is ultimately up to you and that this is only posted here for your conveneince.

Derek found the following on immunizations.
 

"Health Center recommends coming in VERY SOON, to make an appointment
to get immunizations.  I've gone through them in the past, and they
seem to do a thorough job, including giving you a packet of information,
all at probably the cheapest."

Faculty and Staff are also welcome at the Travel Clinic, but there's a
surcharge of $15.  However they provide vaccinations at cost.
 

You may want to add the following links.  I can put them on my
web page as well.

An informative oman travel immunization page can be found at:
http://www.tripprep.com/country/sp139.html#drs
I recommend everyone visit this page.

Also the Center for Disease Control Middle East Page is at:
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/mideast.htm
John Stimac forwarded the following:
 

"You might also tell Derek that they [the Oman Winter School Home Page]  have the info concerning vaccinations (none needed) and other medical recs.  The only suggestion is mosquito spray and possibly a malarial prophylactic such as Mefloquine.  Note however that during my trip to Thailand and China I was prescribed Mefloquine from Student Health and found that after each pill, there was ensuing vomiting!  Dr. Weldon, Ray's father, has worked in malaria infested regions for the last thirty-forty years and said that these prophylactics aren't that useful unless we go to high risk areas which Oman isn't."