Need help from the Jordanian MENA's

[~Jackie~ 30]

I am comparing a car trip to Florida vs. flying to Jordan for our vacation. I need a ballpark figure for renting an apartment for a week and renting a car for a week. I know the price of the flights, and what we would spend in gifts, but I have NO idea what an apartment and car would cost.

Jackie

eta---neighboring countries leave your response too, this will help me decide. thx

Edited January 16, 2007 by jmagayreh

[jordanianprincess 0]

Renting a car in Jordan is realllllly expensive. I remember from my last trip there it was an arm and leg. However all pricing is determined by the time of the visit. When are you planning to go?

[jordanianprincess 0]

Oh and which area for the apartment? Will you be staying in Al-Huson or Amman?

[~Jackie~ 30]

Irbid area would be nice

Last week of february

About how much for the car? $200 a week? $400? I'm clueless. And what's your guess on the apartment? I don't need super fancy, just a place to sleep and change. We would be with family most of the days.

Jackie

[jordanianprincess 0]

Well that is low season...but I do remember a car rental being well over $1000 JD's for a month! They usually give you a better discount too when you rent for a long period of time, and it was also a really small car. I know Hertz has rental facilities in Amman, so you can call them to get rates but I would guess about $300-$400 for the week.

As far as an apartment, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding one for about $200-$300 unless the demand is really high for some odd reason.

The real cost however comes in the cost of the gifts that your husband is going to bring with him, which would not be a factor if you went to Florida. Good luck!

[~Jackie~ 30]

Florida would be about $1600.00. Now that entails 10 days in a Sentra and a different hotel every night. All meals in a restaurant and some touristy things, like Busch Gardens.

Jordan would be about $2600.00. That should cover airfare, apartment, car and a few hundred for gifts. There are 10 brothers and sisters, most of them have kids and his parents of course.

I have to present this to Mohammed. I know he wants to see his family, it has been 2 1/2 years. He is saving for a business, but if he opens a business in this year, it will be forever until he takes a break to go home. This is why I feel it is important to go this year.

I want a real falafel sandwich on University Street. And I want to share it with Mohammmed knowing I don't have to leave him behind. I am going to talk to him tonight and explain the reasons to go. A few brothers married in his time away, some babies were born. We need to go.

Thanks for the input JP

Jackie

[jordanianprincess 0]

Florida would be about $1600.00. Now that entails 10 days in a Sentra and a different hotel every night. All meals in a restaurant and some touristy things, like Busch Gardens.

Jordan would be about $2600.00. That should cover airfare, apartment, car and a few hundred for gifts. There are 10 brothers and sisters, most of them have kids and his parents of course.

I have to present this to Mohammed. I know he wants to see his family, it has been 2 1/2 years. He is saving for a business, but if he opens a business in this year, it will be forever until he takes a break to go home. This is why I feel it is important to go this year.

I want a real falafel sandwich on University Street. And I want to share it with Mohammmed knowing I don't have to leave him behind. I am going to talk to him tonight and explain the reasons to go. A few brothers married in his time away, some babies were born. We need to go.

Thanks for the input JP

Jackie

Wow I would be really impressed if you could do it for $2600!

[brnidokiegurl 0]

Of course this price wont help u much but our car out of CASA for about 10 days was 633. but it was new car in perfect shape and this wasnt one of the nat'l dealers.

[~Jackie~ 30]

I was thinking $1800 for airline, $300 for apartment, $200 for car and $300 for gifts. Which area do I need to increase? Is $3000 a better figure?

Jackie

Damn, I'm gonna have to do some serious convincing to make this trip happen.

[jordanianprincess 0]

I was thinking $1800 for airline, $300 for apartment, $200 for car and $300 for gifts. Which area do I need to increase? Is $3000 a better figure?

Jackie

Damn, I'm gonna have to do some serious convincing to make this trip happen.

What about spending money? I know everyone thinks Jordan is cheap but it's not and when you go out in groups everyone will expect the "American's" to pick up the tab and we usually do. I would say a nice conservative estimate would be $3600 and I think the estimate of $300 for gifts is too low but I can give you some good pointers on what to do for that. The best way I know you could convince him is say that we are already going to be spending this much on the Florida trip...so why not tack on this much so that we can really enjoy ourselves!

Good luck, Jordanian men are hard headed so I feel with you on this one. Is the only reason he doesn't want to go financial?

[~Jackie~ 30]

All along the plan was to go to Jordan. It was just in the last few weeks we changed to Florida. The reason was money. He has a nice amount in the bank. If the W2's come soon and we can file the taxes and see a nice refund, that would help my cause.

I am a little spoiled, so I think I can convince him that Jordan is the better of places to go. Now the Florida trip sounded like fun, but 10 hours a day in a compact car might get a little crowded. Each has its pros and cons. Going to Jordan is a brutal 13 hour flight. I don't understand or speak Arabic, but the food and family are a big draw for me. Florida is warm, sunny and he has never seen an ocean. Now don't take this part the wrong way, but we don't know how to have fun...lol. We both work and I'm afraid we will get to Florida and say..ok now we are here, what to do?

Gift suggestions if we go to Jordan------what travels easy and don't take up alot of room? 4 sisters, mom and grandma...6 brothers, 2 new wifes, about 8 nieces and nephews and of course his father.

Jackie

[jordanianprincess 0]

All along the plan was to go to Jordan. It was just in the last few weeks we changed to Florida. The reason was money. He has a nice amount in the bank. If the W2's come soon and we can file the taxes and see a nice refund, that would help my cause.

I am a little spoiled, so I think I can convince him that Jordan is the better of places to go. Now the Florida trip sounded like fun, but 10 hours a day in a compact car might get a little crowded. Each has its pros and cons. Going to Jordan is a brutal 13 hour flight. I don't understand or speak Arabic, but the food and family are a big draw for me. Florida is warm, sunny and he has never seen an ocean. Now don't take this part the wrong way, but we don't know how to have fun...lol. We both work and I'm afraid we will get to Florida and say..ok now we are here, what to do?

Gift suggestions if we go to Jordan------what travels easy and don't take up alot of room? 4 sisters, mom and grandma...6 brothers, 2 new wifes, about 8 nieces and nephews and of course his father.

Jackie

When I went to Jordan I took all kinds of gifts. Clothing, it will be really cold in February so take warm things. Perfume makes a nice gift but make sure its an American brand (Ralph Lauren, Tommy, etc) because they have better European perfume there. Jeans are great for the guys, they love Levi's. Women like make up, watches, purses. Kid's are harder because they don't really care for clothes. I got barbies for the girls and game boy for his nephew. People also love stuff that has the name of the city you are from, so maybe you can go to downtown Chicago and get some of those bargain sweatshirts and t-shirts. Candy, candy, candy, always a big hit. You can't go wrong but you will need to get pricier items for the parents.

[~Jackie~ 30]

Thanks for your help JP. I'm torn. The logical trip would be Florida, not restful for sure with all the driving and no real destination in mind. Walking on the beach with a cup of coffee watching a sunset is all I had in mind. But something in the back of my mind says we need this Jordan trip for more reasons than one.

Good gift ideas. Thx. I like the idea of things that say 'Chicago' on them. I was at a loss cuz everything there is so beautiful. I can't bring American jewelery, their gold is better. And you are right about the perfume. I saw a really nice coffee set at the arab store, I imagine his mother would like that.

Wish me luck. I will talk to him tonight when he gets home.

Jackie

[melly 0]

Good luck!!

[jordanianprincess 0]

Thanks for your help JP. I'm torn. The logical trip would be Florida, not restful for sure with all the driving and no real destination in mind. Walking on the beach with a cup of coffee watching a sunset is all I had in mind. But something in the back of my mind says we need this Jordan trip for more reasons than one.

Good gift ideas. Thx. I like the idea of things that say 'Chicago' on them. I was at a loss cuz everything there is so beautiful. I can't bring American jewelery, their gold is better. And you are right about the perfume. I saw a really nice coffee set at the arab store, I imagine his mother would like that.

Wish me luck. I will talk to him tonight when he gets home.

Jackie

Just gonna say..arabic coffee cups...baddddddddd idea. I took some with me when I went for his mom thinking it was this really great thing...omg, what they have there is soooooooo much better than here and cheaper!