Oz and NZ-what to bring back
 

Ok what should we be looking for to take home??? besides memories...no I dont want a boomerang....food or something?

If you need any books for children how about some Australian children's classics: The Mudddle-headed Wombat, The Magic Pudding, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, Blinky Bill.

There are good Sydney-themed gifts in the bookshop at the Museum of Sydney: thinkgs like place mats, small design items. Object Gallery in Burke st, Surry Hills is good for Australian jewellery, weaving, ceramics etc. Jam Factory in Adelaide is also great for crafts.

Aboriginal Art--in Sydney buy from Boomali the co-operative in Flood st, Leichhardt.

If you go to Tasmania huon pine is great for cooking implements: smells great and has a natural anti-septic effect.

Aesop and Jurlique are nice natural cosmetics.

Gag gifts from OZ -

Vegemite (suggest you buy the smallest jar possible)
Kangaroo jerky

Gag gifts from NZ - Possum nipple warmers, belly button warmers and willy warmers, squashed possum magents, etc

Non-gag gifts -

Calendars (easy to pack)
Wool items from NZ
Tim Tams (cookies)
Crystalized ginger/chocolate covered or plain
Honey (such as Leatherwood from TAS, Manuka from NZ)
Speciality food items like jams, dukkah, chutneys and condiments (often found at wineries)
Malteasers from OZ (the best malted milk balls in the world IMO!)
Cadbury items
Local cookbooks
Wine
Speciality liquors like Prenzels in NZ, Bundaberg Rum from OZ
Small wood products made from jarrah, marri, Tasmanian oak, blackwood, myrtle, etc (OZ)
Anything with a koala on it (OZ)

And lanolin!

Look for some of our fine merino wool garments in NZ. You won't regret buying them.

Ugg boots, the real thing!

Rob, I'm not sure how your 'friends and relatives' would feel about that!

Hey Melnq8 what's this, vegemite as a gag gift? I know my American friends say it tastes like axle grease, but really it does grow on you.

"...my American friends say it tastes like axle grease"

They probably make the common mistake of smearing it thickly on toast as though it's peanut butter instead of applying a thin scraping on top of a thick layer of butter.

I could add that people who put cheese and pickles on hamburgers are in no position to knock Vegemite.

I'll have to take your word for that Susan. I've been the sole supplier of Vegemite for the Aussie husband of an American friend for years and I buy the biggest tubs I can find for him. His wife claims vegemite makes a good gravy base, but I have no intention of finding out.

I much prefer my toast with butter and jam or better yet, smeared with maple butter (whipped maple syrup) from Vermont (three jars of which will be in my hot little hands by this time next week).

Sometimes I feel like I'm in the import/export business, as it seems I'm constantly taking something to someone or bringing something back.

Funny you mention cheese and pickles Neil, because I've become rather addicted to extra sharp Tasmanian cheese with pickled onions and gerkins. You can keep the hamburger though.

Maybe I'm pregnant??? Nah...

Mel, as you've probably found out by now the traditional Australian hamburger (at least in my book) relies on a large toasted bun, beef pattie, salad (shredded lettuce, tomato and beetroot) with bacon and fried egg as desitable extras. I believe this was the product of Greek cafes attempting to cater to American GIs' tastes during WW2.

For some reason the American cheese and pickle wasn't included and didn't make their appearance until McDonalds started selling their horrible excuses for a burger in the 1970s. To get a real Aussieburger you still have to search out a Green sandwich bar. Don't be tempted to try the Chiko Rolls, though.

Hypatia, sorry for hijacking your thread. I'll shut up now.

Merino is just not my type, Stormbird.

Good to know Neil, but I can't remember the last time I ate a hamburger. I'm just not much of a meat eater. As for American cheese...yuk! You'd certainly never find that rubbery orange processed crap in my fridge.

For the sake of non-American readers, there's American cheese and then there's cheese from America. Not necessarily the same thing.

Sorry, hypatia. Our stomachs seem to have gotten the best of us.

Author: hypatia
Date: 01/31/2009, 09:09 pm
Ok what should we be looking for to take home??? besides memories...no I dont want a boomerang....food or something?

You mean you want food or something?

Well taking hamburgers around the panet could make for some stodgy mouldy reminders but that could be something reminiscent the way Cairns weather is looking if you're not far off arriving.

And where have you been half yoyr life Snoz?
Cheese along with pineapple and onions have been extras well before Maccas.
Different sauces too, but actually pickles sounds pretty good too, much like using it with various dishes at home.

Either flying between NZ or Aus, or other way you'll need to be aware of restrictions, NZ being a bit tougher re some things than what Aus is, eg.
. Honey you can bring from NZ to Aus if you're only going to eastern states, no taking it to WA and pretty sure you'll find going the other way it is a real No No!
Likewise, NZ are pretty stringent on requirements for admitting any timber products, and Australia likewise, inspections and possible treatment being required.

Both countries will have restrictions on a number of other products too so check sites of http://www.daffa.gov.au/aqis and http://www.maf.govt.nz/quarantine/

Basic information will be on your arrivals card and if in doubt always declare - in fact taking something like a chocolate bar [allowed] and declaring you have food even if that is all you'll have will likely have you going through customs quicker.

If you get a chance in Australia, get along to a shop of http://www.australiangeographicshop....a/htm/home.asp as they have some great stuff and one thing in particular that is pretty great for travellers is a collapsible sprung mesh brimmed hat - ways about 100g, and one of those you twist together to make a package about as big as your hand[or a mans hand] and it fits in a little pouch - just the thing for shading from the aussie sun.

You'll also find that a lot of food/wines including basics like Tim Tams and Cheery Ripes are available overseas, there being online stores in the US you can order from.

Vegemite is also available in a tube if you want to play pranks and squeeze some into somebody's toothpaste tube.

Bushmans is about the best brand of insect repellant either in tube or rollon and make sure you get some for Cairns way for Dengue fever [spread by mosquitoes] is already rampant and could be more so with the low system rain now falling in bucket loads - you'll find Bushmans in some supermarkets or camping type stores.

Have some long legged/sleeved gear on from afternoon through evening and check around your room in corners and about furniture, and obviosly to make sure you haven't got any unscreened openings or openings with damaged screens.

Also found in NZ are sweaters made from Possum fur - super light to pack and super warm and cosy to wear.

If any of your gift recipients are knitters or crocheters, buy them some merino/possum yarn. It is just lovely - soft and really warm! When we went, I wasn't actively knitting, so I didn't get any.

We bought one daughter some sterling and paua earrings, the other a pair of greenstone earrings, a book for my son, a Maori carving of a koru (fern spiral thingy), and I got a pair of greenstone earrings as well.

Lee Ann

hypatia -

Bushranger makes a good point about taking food from OZ to NZ or vice versa. Both countries are very particular about what you can bring in. Honey is problematic, but most commerically prepared items (jams, cookies, chocolates, etc) are okay.

When in doubt DECLARE and save yourself a lot of grief.

If they all talk like Bushranger I will need a translator.

Now Im scared of Dengue.....

Just watch the possum fur mixture garments. Some of them do tend to "shed" a bit.

Yes, I think shedding, pilling etc can be a hazard - however, mine is Wool, Possum and a small percentage of Nylon - have had it for a number of years and it is as good as new.

Author: hypatia
Date: 02/01/2009, 09:38 pm
If they all talk like Bushranger I will need a translator.

Now Im scared of Dengue.....
!!!!!!!!!
What part now!!!
But you'll find translators a dime a dozen, discount for a 100 words, bargain price 50 cents!

Freebie for now.
This season has been a bit damper compared to past few and looks like staying that way for known outlook and like any tropical area, mosquitoes love water.

The government is deploying some mosquito fighting teams and resort type places ought to be checking grounds, rooms and generally taking precautions.
So, more a case of being forewarned, aware and alert rather than too alarmed.

If you have the skin/blood type of some people that mosquitoes just love, protect yourself better.
Plenty of repellant around ankles, neck ears etc., those places that you are usually not covering up and bare legs under a table can be a prime target.

haha I will, thanks.....thank goodness there's no malaria there to worry about...
I would love to go to Madagasgar but can take the preventatives...

I brought back a small piece of boulder opal on a chain from Australia and a clock in the shape of the North Island made out of Kauri wood in NZ.

How about local music? While in Australia in 2000, I purchased two CDs - Rules of the Road by Lee Kernaghan and Uluru by Tony O'Connor - - love them both. I go months without listening to these CDs but the minute the music starts it takes my instantly back to my visit down under.

I will be back in Australia in March and I plan to pick up a CD by The Audreys while in the Adelaide area.

I also brought back a CD of aboriginal music. CD's are a great souvenir and take up so little room in the suitcase.

The Australian Geographic shops have good stuff, as do the shops of major libraries, museums and galleries. I'm told the shop at the recently opened National Portrait Gallery (Canberra) is a beauty - and in close proximity there are the shops at the National Gallery, National Library and Old Parliament House. Canberra visitors are also well served by the War Memorial and National Museum shops and if making the trip out to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve there's a nice one there as well.

The weekend markets have interesting stuff. I got unique crystalline ice cream bowls at the Ayers Rocks market. From New Zealand I have a huge wooden plate I use to serve ice cream. I also bought Zyliss ice cream scoops - amazing design. I always return laden with wine and buy christmas tree ornaments wherever we travel - a platypus and a santa in shorts (where else!) represent Oz and a paua bird NZ.

I did not buy any wine to bring home. Remember if you change planes anywhere, you will need to put your wine in checed luggage even if you buy it at the airport.

I did buy wine in Australia and NZ but I drank it there.

My favorite gift item was aboriginal art. They are painted on canvas so very easy to roll up and put in suitcase. Once home, I had them professionally framed. Very cool.

Art is always a good souvenir. In my house, however, almost every inch of wall space is taken, so I had to swear off art. I did see a lot of Australian art in the museum in Brisbane, however, and learned a lot.

Then there's the matter of how much I pay the frame guy for framing the pictures when I get back. I figure I should have put him on retainer years ago.

In NZ--honey, All Blacks stuff, clip lock plastic tubs, surf boards,Throwogood Uk saddles, and interestingly pretty cheap Scottish single malt at duty free.