* Don't tell the locals you are a "belly dancer", they'll think you're a slut
* Read my articles at
http://www.shira.net/advice.htm#Life - look for the heading "For Belly Dancers Who Travel"
* Take an empty suitcase with you. A large one.
* Try drinking the mango juice, the lemon juice, the sugar cane juice, the yansoun (anise team), and the carcadet (hibiscus tea, available iced or hot)
* Take a couple of trashy novels along to help you pass time when waiting at airports, on board airplanes, on tour buses, or anywhere else.
* If you can do some reading about ancient Egypt before you go, you'll find the archeological sites that much more rewarding. One good option is King and Goddess by Judith Tarr, which is historical fiction based on the life of Queen Hatshepsut.