Jacaranda Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Sorry to hear about your Father dying.I've just lost my Mum so can understand what you're going through.I think I remember your past posts actually.You're a real water babe right?So I guess in your respect,Australia is a better place for you.I love walking so the UK suits me much better.Where I lived in Sth Aust was freezing in winter.Used to hit 0c some nights,and we would get frosts and even snow one year!No central heating so the woodburner would be on 24/7.I didn't mind though because I actually love winters.I just go with the flow with any season tbh.Funnily enough whilst I was in Sth Aust this year for 3 mths,my OH was reporting back from the UK telling me how nice the summer weather was.In my second winter in a row now. Fwiw,I also know how you felt returning to the UK when you didn't want to.I was in reverse to you.Of course I wanted to spend time with my Mum but I was not excited at all to be going back to Oz.I took this as a positive though because it showed me how much I have settled here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I was just thinking, it's a long time since I wore Doc Martens,and I used to love them. Royal Mail issued us with wonderful Clarks shoes, until they changed the contract and we got vile, uncomfortable, worse than steel toe-cap, ersatz Doc Martens. Perhaps they are too heavy for me now? I do spend a lot of time and money at the podiatrist. I stick to deck shoes or sandals mostly now. I like sandals but I worry a little about catching my foot on glass, or, worse, a syringe, around Surry Hills. I loved wearing sandals in the UK too, though coming to Australia cured me of my 'daggy' habit of wearing socks with them. I liked wearing Teva sandals for a while too, another brand I'm no longer in love with. Almost time for my evening swim, the one thing I could not do in December in England! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adele244 Posted December 16, 2014 Author Share Posted December 16, 2014 Thanks for sharing your replies. So up to now, I shall start to stock up on, single malt whiskey, bottles of mineral water, Doc Martins (I don't even wear them), Clinique, Barbour jackets......Oh and the entire stock of Boots!! Hmmmm think I'm gonna need a bigger plane!!! :chatterbox: Thanks again folks x x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I've just returned and the only thing I could think of to bring back was some make of raspberry ruffles that my wife likes. Clothes and other stuff were much the same as here. Cheap tack shops have cheap tack clothes in them made in China or some other sweatshop. I enjoyed going to the pubs and the beer was a lot cheaper than here, specially the weatherspoons in Melton Mowbray. Other than that the weather was terrible, grey damp, dark at 4:00pm, dark when you wake up and just generally grey and depressing. I guess the pubs have to be good and cheap as there ain't much else to do. I joined the local leisure centre for a couple of weeks for 20 quid, which was OK. Pool could have been better though, 25m and one lane for swimming but you could only use it 2-4 and after 6 at night. Gave me something to do though. Jesus you kidding....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortlepuss Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Shoes and quality clothes. Primark style quality freely available here. Shoes hard to order online unless very confident on sizing. Day to day clothing, bedding etc I get from M&S online. Delivery times are astonishing (3 days to Brisbane). I'd also bring back pubs and british humour.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrutineer Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Thanks for sharing your replies. So up to now, I shall start to stock up on, single malt whiskey, bottles of mineral water, Doc Martins (I don't even wear them), Clinique, Barbour jackets......Oh and the entire stock of Boots!! Hmmmm think I'm gonna need a bigger plane!!! :chatterbox: Thanks again folks x x You can get good mineral water here, but it's very, very expensive unless you buy the big 10 litre boxes, and it's those I've had the trouble with. Some makers are MUCH better than others though, but they will differ from state to state. Definitely bring single malt if you like it - the Australian duty free allowance is very generous and your $45 Laphroaig in the UK is very often well over $100 in Dan Murphy's. (although currently $85 for Christmas I presume - but that's still £45 for a bottle of whisky. I have bought not one bottle of single malt in the six years I have lived here because of the prices - not one, and rely on duty free when I travel or when others visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike@Bonbeach Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I have used EUTHYMOL toothpaste for over 50 years now, and find it is not sold here in Australia, If old friends come out they are always asked to bring some with them. My son's FIL works in the UK and visits his family quite frequently so he always brings me some. Also GERMOLENE and ANTHISAN are two products we couldn't find or anything remotely like them. Clothes are the only other thing I would bring back. We went back 3 years ago, travelled out with suitcases inside suitcases and loaded up on clothes and shoes, mind you it was about $1.45/GBP at the time. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrutineer Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Of course there's a limit to what you can bring in but if you like proper beer then you could bring a couple of bottles and hide them away. What costs £1 or £2 in the UK will cost $8 - $10 here. I like proper beer and it's so expensive here it's a luxury product I get once a year at Christmas - just bought some today for that reason - 10 bottles cost $65. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Of course there's a limit to what you can bring in but if you like proper beer then you could bring a couple of bottles and hide them away. What costs £1 or £2 in the UK will cost $8 - $10 here. I like proper beer and it's so expensive here it's a luxury product I get once a year at Christmas - just bought some today for that reason - 10 bottles cost $65. So that's $6.50 a bottle. Where do you get your $8-$10 from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 So that's $6.50 a bottle. Where do you get your $8-$10 from? Bulk buy cost...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrutineer Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 So that's $6.50 a bottle. Where do you get your $8-$10 from? It's an average of $6.50. Spitfire is $9.50, Theakstons is $8.50. If you buy a six pack of Speckled Hen you bring your average down. These are beers that cost £1.25 - £1.99 in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 It's an average of $6.50. Spitfire is $9.50, Theakstons is $8.50. If you buy a six pack of Speckled Hen you bring your average down. These are beers that cost £1.25 - £1.99 in the UK. You need to join a local Homebrewers group! (PM me if you want details of one) - decent beer, friendly folk, bargain prices! OH is out at the Wheaty tonight on a SA Brewers Christmas do... It is pretty addictive though (the brewing habit, as well as the beer), so I'm told... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 It's an average of $6.50. Spitfire is $9.50, Theakstons is $8.50. If you buy a six pack of Speckled Hen you bring your average down. These are beers that cost £1.25 - £1.99 in the UK. Better to work out a percentage of cost compared to your salary you can earn here. There's a reason beer is cheap in the UK, wages are lower for the average working class guy that's likely to go out for a pint and drinking is a national pass time. I was there a few weeks back and I agree on the cost. I loved the local Weatherspoons in Melton Mowbray and the "old engine oil" beer I had there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 You need to join a local Homebrewers group! (PM me if you want details of one) - decent beer, friendly folk, bargain prices! OH is out at the Wheaty tonight on a SA Brewers Christmas do... It is pretty addictive though (the brewing habit, as well as the beer), so I'm told... I used to brew my own in the UK and found I was really drinking too much just because it was there. I love going to a pub to drink, socialise and have a few pints. I found when I brewed my own it was getting to the point I was having a beer when I got in from work then another couple before going to the pub. I was putting a bit of weight on and it took someone close to tell me how much ZI had started to put away. I used to go to the boozer just about every night in the UK too so I backed off on the homebrew. It wasn't saving me anything either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrutineer Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Better to work out a percentage of cost compared to your salary you can earn here. There's a reason beer is cheap in the UK, wages are lower for the average working class guy that's likely to go out for a pint and drinking is a national pass time. I was there a few weeks back and I agree on the cost. I loved the local Weatherspoons in Melton Mowbray and the "old engine oil" beer I had there. Cost to wage ratio is essential for all comparisons, but I don't earn 600% more than I did in the UK and neither does anyone else, I'd wager, so in terms of beer it's very expensive, hence why I consider it a luxury product. I agree about half the problem being beer prices in the UK actually being too low as well - it makes for a very large disparity in prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrutineer Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 You need to join a local Homebrewers group! (PM me if you want details of one) - decent beer, friendly folk, bargain prices! OH is out at the Wheaty tonight on a SA Brewers Christmas do... It is pretty addictive though (the brewing habit, as well as the beer), so I'm told... Thanks Diane, My brother in the UK does home-brewing and he's got me interested in it a few times, to be honest. I've even thought about buying those kits as well. I'll keep your offer to connect with a group in mind as well. Things are unusually hectic for us right now but I wonder if in a few months if things settle down a bit I could get into that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I like to do a some clothes shopping when in the UK & certain OTC & prescription medications are way cheaper but then the internet is helping with that a bit now. Same would apply to my visits to other EU countries. Otherwise its much of a muchness !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I just did 23 lt lager. Took 6 days to brew in dark bathroom all equipment, materials and bottles came in a kit for $ 90 Thanks Diane, My brother in the UK does home-brewing and he's got me interested in it a few times, to be honest. I've even thought about buying those kits as well. I'll keep your offer to connect with a group in mind as well. Things are unusually hectic for us right now but I wonder if in a few months if things settle down a bit I could get into that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I like to have a bottle of TCP antiseptic fluid. Never seen it here in Oz. Has anyone else ? I have used EUTHYMOL toothpaste for over 50 years now, and find it is not sold here in Australia, If old friends come out they are always asked to bring some with them.My son's FIL works in the UK and visits his family quite frequently so he always brings me some. Also GERMOLENE and ANTHISAN are two products we couldn't find or anything remotely like them. Clothes are the only other thing I would bring back. We went back 3 years ago, travelled out with suitcases inside suitcases and loaded up on clothes and shoes, mind you it was about $1.45/GBP at the time. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiffanysamantha85 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Anymore thoughts/ tips/ advice on this post ladies and gents? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 I like to have a bottle of TCP antiseptic fluid. Never seen it here in Oz. Has anyone else ? Coles used to sell it as I bought it for the boy's acne but I haven't seen it lately..............probably because I ain't looking :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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