Greetings,I would like to welcome several new people to the blog email list. Remember if for some reason you do not want to receive the emails let me know and I will remove you from the list. Also remember you can see all of the posts (even the ones you have missed) at the website http://krp2009.blogspot.com
This site also displays Jordanian time on the bottom, so you can always know the time in Karak. There are also links to the weather in Jordan and to Middle East and Archaeology news.
I leave Monday evening from Columbus, Ohio for Chicago and then on to London and finally Amman, Jordan.
I have just a few touches left to do on the book I am editing, tomorrow afternoon so that is a big job out of the way. I plan to email the files to Oregon tomorrow.
I have to pay some bills and go to the bank on Monday. But the main job ahead of me is packing, and with the new restrictions I have to plan more carefully than in days past. 50 pounds can add up fast in a bag, especially if the bag itself weighs 7 or 8 pounds. As I depart I sometimes feel like the guy in the picture above. Just wait until our team has to load all of our luggage, along with tools, and other supplies into a Dump Truck to haul it to Karak.
Also I now always pack some clothes in my carrying on bag. Not having my luggage for 5 days in Greece a few years ago made me a believer. I used to scoff at those who worried so much about losing their bags, but I learned my lesson the hard way.
This evening I made my pilgrimage to WalMart and Best Buy for some things for my trip. It seems like I do this each time, a day or two, before a big trip overseas. I bought a memory card and battery for my digital camera at Best Buy. Then over to WalMart for lotion, toothpaste, hard candy, work gloves, some work clothes and other small items. I also picked up a roll of DuctTape, I always take a roll with me, it has a 1001 uses when traveling. You can repair everything from tools, to clothes with it. I never go to the field without a roll in my bag.
I also find Ziplock bags essential. I double bag anything that might leak or spill. I put extra ones in my bag because they also have many uses. By the way, I usually throw in a jar or two of Peanut Butter (also in Ziplock bags). It tastes plenty good after 2 or 3 weeks of rice with chicken or my favorite chicken with rice. (By the way if you take Peanut Butter remember to put it in your checked bag because according to the TSA, peanut butter is a "jell" and therefore falls into the 3 oz limitations. I also found this out the hard way last summer.)
The motto of KRP is "plan ahead and be flexible." That takes on new meaning once we arrive and get started. We have to hit the ground running in Jordan, no time for jet lag. We have to pick up rental vehicles, visit the Department of Antiquities to renew our permit, get our stored tools and equipment in Amman, and buy supplies. Then we have to load everything up in the vehicles and get it all to Karak. After our 2 hour journey we have upload it all and get settled in. That is just the first day after our long flight. So I will try to sleep on the flight but my long legs don't fit well into the seating area.
Have a good evening.
John Wineland
Grayson, Kentucky
