For two weeks we will be visiting these places in this order <BR>Melbourne<BR>Adelaide<BR>Cairns<BR>Sydney<BR>W e hope to get some small items in the end of our trip if possible. Your suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks

Rose<BR><BR>How much do you want to spend? Do you want touristy stuff or quality Australian goods? My English relatives and American friends like road signs you can get everywhere in tourist shops in Australia that say things like &quot;Kangaroos crossing next 10 km&quot; etc. Toy koalas are popular with kids. Nice teeshirts with aboriginal art motifs go down well with the teens. Bottles of Australian wine would always be appreciated by my friends. I assume you are American? Cadbury chocolate is a big hit, Tim Tam biscuits are a perennial favourite. Little jars of vegemite, no-one in the US will eat it but it is Australian! I would think the best thing to do would be to pick up things as you wander around so you can give them out with a story attached.

If you need gifts for kids, I'd recommend buying them Cadbury Yowies. These are sort of egg-shaped, foil-wrapped chocolate creatures, but the really cool thing is that inside the egg there is a little 4-6 piece kit to assemble a nicely-detailed Australian animal. These animals are collector items in Oz, similar to Beanie Babies in the U.S. I'm told that Cadbury can't import Yowies into the U.S. because of laws governing swallowing hazards for young children.<BR><BR>You can buy relatively inexpensive but costly-looking opal doublet earrings in any of these locations.

small and inexpensive<BR>small and nice quality<BR><BR>that would determine what you get--<BR>small nicely painted mini boomerangs can run upwards of $20AUD<BR>bags of mini pinching koalas holding boomerangs can be found 12 for $6AUD (same exact ones were for sale at various wildlife parks for $12AUD)<BR>basic boomerangs for $4AUD if you are willing to shop around<BR><BR>the Furry Friends Cadbury bars were a hit with our neighbor kids<BR><BR>I picked up Lanolin Bar Soap for $2.50AUD they also have Eucalyptus scent etc...<BR><BR>small hand painted aboriginal pottery could run $20+ AUD<BR><BR>small stuffed roos/koalas etc...$5-25AUD depending on quality and size for basic ones<BR><BR>Opals are small but not cheap unless you get doublets/triplets--then a necklace and earrings might only be $50AUD<BR><BR>Get an idea of who you are shopping for an what they like. We lucked up on nice looking Aussie Tshirts for $12AUD at this store in that Darling Harbor shopping mall. <BR><BR>I got a kangaroo/sheepskin leather purse on sale for $156AUD and the same exact bag in a different color was $250 in another store in that mall. <BR><BR>We threw in a few extra items here and there as random gifts beyond the people we knew wanted them for...just in case we had forgotten someone or for Xmas gifts.<BR><BR>My mother in law collects spoons...my husband shot glasses--those were easy purchases.<BR><BR>good luck

Shannon--<BR>Love that email address! It in itself is a hint for a good inexpensive gift.<BR><BR>Have fun in Atlanta this weekend. You'll probably see a bunch of my friends (UVa grads <BR><BR>Debbie

Debbie<BR><BR>what year did your friends graduate?<BR>My husband was a 95 grad from the Comm School. We are going to stay with one of his UVA friends who lives in Atlanta now! It should be fun ;-) I think we are tailgating behind the Varsity somewhere????? I think we are staying near the Virginia Highlands area.

Hi Shannon--<BR>We've gotten this post off on quite a tangent, haven't we? My friends all graduated when you guys were in junior high...ahhh. I guess I'm 10 yrs older than you <BR><BR>The Varsity (icky food but native Atlantans LOOVE it for reasons I just don't get) is near Tech...and the Highlands is a great place to go out. You're going to have a blast!<BR><BR>Email me directly if you want any info about Atlanta. I think Rose might enjoy Aussie gift ideas more than the two of us figuring out if we know any of the same people <BR><BR>Have a safe trip!<BR>Debbie

Aboriginal art would make lovely gifts. It is very distinctive and definitely representative of the real Australia. All kinds of small paintings and pottery items etc. are available.

Are the inexpensive snow-globes available in Australia.....you know the plastic kind that you shake and it 'snows' ??

Try the Queen Victoria market in Melbourne for souvenirs, plus clothes etc.<BR>Our American friends love Cadbury Flake bars which apparently are not available in US.

The Flake bars are now imported to a few stores in NYC. It is very difficult to transport them....very fragile chocolate. I have a nephew who fell in love with them in London and now it is the only candy bar he will eat.<BR><BR>Are 'Minstrals' (those giant M&amp;Ms) sold in Oz?

Hi,<BR>Smarties are sold everywhere--they're basically big M&amp;Ms w/a thicker candy coating....<BR><BR>Noone's brought up Cadbury Crunchie bars. I first ate them in London and love em ever since.

Any Lush products. Cannot get them in USA.<BR>Tea towels or fabric shopping bags with Aussie design.