I was at the flat of a colleague in the UAE and was looking things over and next to his bedroom window was a minaret with a loudspeaker pointing directly at his window. I asked him if it woke him up or if he was used to it, his response was “Wakes me up every God …. morning!”.

People honking car horns is another sound you will get hit with in such travels. Even in the big cities here in the states car horns are not often used, but in the UAE one would hear the taxis beeping incessantly. Honking for fares, honking at other cars to.

Yeap, while in the Philippines I had to deal with the sounds of hogs, chickens, and dogs all at once. I agree suck it up and deal with it or pay for insulated digs, but remember the insulation also insulates you from discovery.