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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

What do you miss from the UK. Must be able to be packed in a suitcase.

55 replies

beansmum · 07/10/2008 19:49

My mum wants an xmas list from me soon. I'm moving to NZ at the end of Jan so are there any little things that I am going to miss that I could ask for?

OP posts:
thequietone · 07/10/2008 19:55

In germany I miss (in no particular order):
painkillers
nappy sacks
marmite
Weetabix (have just found a supplier. hurrah!)
Calpol
Maldon salt

See, it's all rather irrelevant, but after a while I miss these!

Oh...and huge at moving to NZ. I don't want to go back to the UK but would love to try an English speaking country next, and NZ is HIGH on my list!
All the best

beansmum · 07/10/2008 19:58

I'm looking forward to proper weetbix!
what about tea?

OP posts:
MissClavel · 07/10/2008 20:05

Living in France, I used to miss:
peanut butter
marmite
the paper

None of which are at all exciting. But I loved it when people came over and brought proper tea - someone arrived with a lovely tin of it from Fortnums once and it was more fabulous than I would ever have imagined.

Also at NZ. Good luck

Cies · 07/10/2008 20:17

living in Spain I miss, in no particular order:

Branston pickle
Marmite
loads of spices (allspice and garam masala come to mind first)
Reading an actual paper paper, not just the online version
Evans shoes (I have fat wide feet, and can´t find cheap, trendy shoes for love nor money.)

beansmum · 07/10/2008 20:19

I think I'm going to miss the paper too. I might just ask for a subscription to the Guardian Weekly.

OP posts:
Othersideofthechannel · 07/10/2008 20:23

the newspapers
marmite
crunchy unsweetened peanut butter
mature cheddar
bombay mix
baked beans

AuldAlliance · 07/10/2008 21:04

oatcakes
unsweetened peanut butter
nice crisps
Savlon (!)
chocolate Hobnobs
Dorset Cereals

The Guardian Weekly is great, for news and crossword: my Mum gave me a subscription one year and it was brilliant. It even improved my social life, as the paper is so thin and sticky my issue often got stuck to someone else's, and I kept having to call and make arrangements to hand over their paper. They ended up as good friends!

beansmum · 07/10/2008 21:07

oatcakes! definitely.
and bart's baharat spice mix

OP posts:
McDreamy · 07/10/2008 21:09

The seasons.......but you can't pack them in a suitcase

British mags

QuintessenceOfFrankenShadow · 07/10/2008 21:12

Red thai curry paste

Kew Retail Park. But it wont fit in a suitcase.

francagoestohollywood · 07/10/2008 21:21

I miss The Guardian. I can actually buy it here in Italy, but not the big fat Saturday one.

I miss the salted butter.
M&S cakes (especially the carrot cake)
Reading the magazines in WHSmith

cafebistro · 07/10/2008 21:29

In Ireland I miss...

Crumpets
Scotch Eggs- though ive recently found an M&S that stock them but its an hours drive away .

Brangelina · 07/10/2008 21:37

Am in Italy and my current miss list is:

Unsweetened crunchy peanut butter
Proper Dundee thick'n'chunky marmalade
Christmas cake
Sliced multigrain bread
English muffins (M&S wholemeal ones)
The whole of Boots

I used to miss flavoured crisps too but now have gone all native and gone off them. Ditto the tea, I can no longer drink PG or any strong stuff. Marmite, custard powder and a multitude of "traditional British" items can be got hold of in Chinese supermarkets and Sri Lankan stores out here.

mumonthenet · 07/10/2008 21:45

battenburg cake
crumpets
decent tea
mint sauce
Vogue or Tatler or even GoodHousekeeping that doesn't cost an absolute fortune.

elvisgirl · 07/10/2008 22:57

I miss Ready Brek, except that DP did bring some back for me in a suitcase from a work trip.

I miss summery Pimms & lemonade but it wouldn't be the same having it outside the UK

We paid an exorbitant price to subscribe to the Saturday Guardian. We get it 5days late but read every last word. It makes me feel sane.

harpomarx · 07/10/2008 23:01

I used to miss

good tea
pickles
spices

erm, that's about it. I bet you can get all of those in NZ anyway.

harpomarx · 07/10/2008 23:02

oh, and cheese that wasn't just called 'cheese' or 'grating cheese'

dodgykeeper · 08/10/2008 00:40

We're over in the US. Here are some of the things people have brought over for us that were very welcome:
proper tea
weetabix
hulahoops (travel better than other crisps although I miss those too)
smarties
milkybar buttons/ cadbury's buttons
rich tea/ digestive/fruit shortbread biscuits
salad cream
brown sauce
double deckers
Q magazine, newspapers, british gossip mags
vimto/ ribeena
calpol
paracetamol
tubigrip
M&S pants
jammiedodgers
polos

There are several other things we miss but they can't really go in a suitcase!

ClaudiaSchiffer · 08/10/2008 01:24

I live in Australia and would deffo suggest getting a subscription to a British magazine that you like. I had (at HUGE expense) a mag flown over here for my first year and it did help make feel less 'abandoned'. I loved looking at all the adds for British stuff - just as good as the articles really.

I also brought over about 50 packs of Twinings tea with me only to find them in the local supermarket (different blend tho I'm sure).

ghosty · 08/10/2008 01:35

You can get things like Tetley tea in NZ.
And you can get unsweetened peanut butter but it will be in the whole foods section (organic bit too)
There are a couple of English food shops in Auckland where you can get jaffa cakes etc
You can get marmite
Weetbix is better than WeetAbix
You can get mcvities digestives and hobnobs
Crumpets too.

I think the only thing I really miss is Walker's crisps/kettle chips/hula hoops/quavers
M&S underwear

NZ does sell paracetamol - it isn't another planet

But yes, agree with newspapers. NZ papers are rubbish

dodgykeeper · 08/10/2008 01:41

Sorry ghosty, I did start by saying Im in the States. No paracetamol for us; we're not on another planet either, although the president might be!

MadamDeathstare · 08/10/2008 01:56

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MadamDeathstare · 08/10/2008 01:57

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CorpseBrideOfJohnCusack · 08/10/2008 02:14

I'm in NZ( good news about your flat bean!) and I'm trying to think what I miss

and it's not much really
Marks and Spencers and Boots - but you can't put them in a suitcase

so maybe M&S pants (although BOnds v.good)

you can get most stuff here (cadburys, twinings tea, marmite (but buy the stuff called 'Our Mate', the stuff called marmite is different))

ghosty · 08/10/2008 02:17

@ dodgykeeper
Don't they have paracetamol in the US?

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