No talks about travel today, too pooped to get my brain to function properly, much less write anything coherent.
There was this thread over at the Pinky-street.com forums, about exchanging parcels for Christmas. Basically, those who wish to participate list down the things they can send from where they live, and if a member is interested, he/she must send a private message to that person.
I am always excited about exchanges, whether it’s postcards or CDs or whatever, so I eagerly clicked on the reply button. When it was time to list down the things I can send out, I stopped: what can I send from Australia? If I were in Manila, I’d know the things that I can buy and can survive the trip. But here, I’m really at a loss. What do I send? Vegemite?
I think about the balikbayan boxes my sister regularly sends: cans upon cans of chickpeas, beetroot, and salmon. Weetbix, cereal and bags of muesli. Timtams, Freddo and even more Timtams. Dried fruits and nuts, and of course, Vegemite.
If you were to receive something from Australia, what would you want?
hello! mee goreng po.. salamat!
Mee goreng? O_o I calculated, onti lang ang difference ng mee goreng bought here in Australia and mee goreng bought in Manila.
Maybe I should just give in and send out Vegemite. Hehehe…
Other household members love TimTams! Our first trip to Australia we picked up a few. Next trip we loaded up! They’re hugely popular to take back to work. (Co-workers always expect “exotic snacks” when travelers return… and they loved the TimTams!)
Weetabix… I love that stuff. Why? Dunno. I mean, it has the texture and flavor of cardboard. But it’s so… English! Occasionally I can find it here. I can’t recommend sending it to people, however….
I understand the Lanard Catwalk Kitties figures are available in Australia, and are fairly inexpensive. Those would be great toy items to send.
The best single thing you can get in Australia, however, if you can still find them at the W.A. Jacobs toy stores, is the singing Kiki Koala kangaroo. Kiki Koala is cute, but her kangaroo friend upstages her.
“Hello hello hello hello hello hello how are you?
Hello hello hello hello hello hello how are you?
Thank you thank you I am fi-ine
And I hope that you are too!”
Also: Coastal Hat Company “Boundary Rider” style bush hat. There are lots of other brands, and lots of different designs, but the Coastal Hat Company “Boundary Rider” is absolutely the “best” Australian bush hat. At the end of the tourist season some of the shops close them out at quite reasonable prices.
Violet Crumble candy bars are awesomely excellent, of course, but seem to be readily available almost everywhere anymore.
=D