Colgate toothpaste - the stuff here says it's Colgate, but it's not. Every time we went back to the UK, our teeth felt great! Here, they feel minghy by lunch time.
Radox, Lush, nice bath products you actually would use to have a bath. Resorting to cheap shampoo just isn't the same. For some reason it's all shower gel. I think it's because the locals think sitting in a bath isn't very clean. But the swimming pool is ok because the pump circulates the water.
Tampons - the pharmacists tell me 'napkins' are better - yeah, how would you know? Who told you that? Mate, they are not the same.
Anusol/Germiloids/Prep H - the local tubes of nasty are a waste of time. And they don't work.
Cycle helmets - why we can't get adults ones stuns me. I know ladies have just been allowed to ride bikes (under male supervision), but we can't even get male ones.
Creme eggs in fact any sweet egg shaped - though Kinder eggs sometimes get through. I bought a huge bagful last weekend when we were in Oman.
The time difference still gets people, only been here 5 years I suppose. When we go back to the UK, folk always say how white we are too. It's too stinking hot from May to Sept to BE outside, even if we sunbathed everyday til May, it would fade by July.
We don't get many visitors though. Getting visas is problematic. My DIL's was refused because they were convinced her husband was already here, infact they had his residence number. It was our 15 year olds number. No way did he have a wife and child, but once they'd made their decision, it was final. My DD1 and her son have managed to come out, they brought a few things - toothpaste, tampons.
Our cases are so full when we come back, we always have to buy an extra case and pay excess too.