What's in your care packages?

[Kuriusoranj]

So I've had another delivery today from the British Corner Shop - saviour of my mental health since I discovered them. I don't even cry so much at their prices any more.

It struck me that the contents are quite interesting and not necessarily what I would buy normally at home: prawn cocktail crisps, pot noodles, jaffa cakes, Aussie haircare products and twining's teabags. (Seasonal extra chocolate oranges, of course.) Basically random crap junkfood for the most part, but they make me happy out of all proportion, especially considering I wouldn't have regularly had most of them when we were living at home.

So - do you get deliveries from home (shops or loved ones)? What's in your care packages?

Everything takes time and effort but IMO the less time in the car the better! I shop in a local supermarket which isn't overly expaty and get the expaty stuff when I can be bothered and then I stock up.

Not a hijack at all - and I like hearing others' tales of woe. I think that's the thing that struck me this morning - how it is the little things I buy.

And now I appear to have eaten a pot noodle, half a pack of crisps and 4 jaffa cakes for lunch, so I feel a bit sick.

I'm not really a pot noodle lover but I'd certainly enjoy eating one now as I've not had one in a long long time!

Luckily in SA, we can get most of the things that we would have at home. Although when we leave here, there are definitely loads of things that we will miss. We'll probably need an SA care package.

In Singapore I found it near impossible to get what I liked and really ended up craving crisps, proper chocolate etc.

I hadn't had a pot noodle in years but last time I had one I nearly cried! They've changed! Taken all the salt out for starters.

Tampax! OB, playtex and lilets are all rubbish. When I see them I practically buy the lot!

Ironically, you cannot get the Aussie hair care range here in Australia! I've only ever seen it in the U.K., it doesn't seem to exist in Australia.

Liefie you know my pain. Am in Singapore and craving crisps like a crisp mad bastard. All the hawker centres in the world aren't going to make up for a lack of Skips.

I'm flying back to the UK today. First thing I do will be to get crisps. All the crisps.

Actually it will be sleep as bugger head ds never sleeps on a night flight. So second thing.

Buster - I am in Qatar and get Branston pickle in lulu ( express at Education city and megabucks .

Savlon, cheap antihistamines, Maldon seasalt, Waitrose dry cure bacon (several packets, frozen and in coolbag, in centre of suitcase - you learn lots about pork smuggling in the M.E.)

I miss easy foods like Paxo, Pot Noodles, custard powder, tinned soup. And biscuits...

I'm getting a hard time from the kids because I haven't had Christmas crackers shipped over. This year we're totally breaking with tradition and foraging for whatever we can cook with limited facilities on the day before.

Can't wait!

Cadburys now do international deliveries. Yesterday I collected my order from the post office in the supermarket. A huge purple box, almost as big as my coffee table. I was so irrationally happy pushing it round the supermarket in a trolly. Felt like a new proud mummy pushing a pram around. I love my box.

Middle East mumsnetters come to Dubai. We have everything including a Waitrose 😄 Bacon is 49dhs (£10 approx) a kilo. We have, instant coffee, PG tips, vintage cheddar ( albeit at a price more eye watering than the strength), tampax, Aussie hair care. Everything. Come with an empty suitcase. Make a fortune.

I remember seeing a block of cheddar for around £180 equivalent in tier-2 China. To be fair it was around 2kgs and I assume (hope) it was meant for sale to business.

All my visitors from the homeland know that the price of admission to Hotel Smooch is several Green and Black's chocolate and a vat of Daddies Sauce Manna from heaven!