Inside a huge DVD / CD Warehouse in Johannesburg todayI love shopping. (Show me a woman who doesn’t ?!) Of course I am pretty starved of shopping in Tanzania, although our shops are improving all the time (there was a time when even the most basic items had to be brought in). I miss books and magazines the most. Even though I regularly order items from Amazon, it’s just not the same. One of my greatest treats when I am on holiday in South Africa or elsewhere, is to be able to walk in to a shop and buy the latest magazine – ah … what a joy ! I certainly catch up on my fair share of reading whilst I am here. (Yes, even the trashy gossip mags !) I avoid the local newspapers at all costs – they’re all just doom and gloom !
I often have odd “must buys” on my shopping list …things like picture hooks, Frontline for my pets, Wasabi Paste, Omega 3 supplements for my husband (smoking 20 + cigarettes a day, he has to take care of his heart, you know), yogurt topped rice cakes for my daughter, make-up for me, good quality toothbrushes …. the list goes on ! I have become an expert at getting as much ‘bang for my buck’ as far as luggage allowance goes as possible …. Oooohhh I’ve learnt all the sneaky little tricks to get as much through Customs as possible on the way home, too ….. how do you explain why you are bringing 10 packets of picture hooks in to the country, and that you have no intention of re-selling them ? I was once stopped and questioned over a set of bath towels (“But why do you need 2 large ones, 2 medium sized ones AND a hand towel with matching bath mats, when just one will do the job ?”)
My luggage weighs over 40 kg’s already and I am only allowed 40 kg’s (that’s 20 kg’s each). Ooops. We are allowed 7 kg’s of hand luggage each … obviously my toddler cannot carry 7 kg’s of hand luggage (or .... can she ?) , so I will carry my full allowance, and I’ve bought her a snazzy little kiddies backpack so that she can at least carry a few of her own, light things. I know deep down though, that this sneaky toddler hand luggage trick won't work and that I will end up carrying her (she weighs 14 kg’s) plus the hand luggage and the snazzy backpack in real "pack donkey" style… thank goodness I am relatively fit else I would be forced to cut down on my shopping. Oh, perish the thought (and bring me another set of dumbells so that I can work on my biceps !)
Anyway, excess luggage fears aside, I am making full use of the rest of my time in South Africa and am “shopping ‘til I drop”. (My husband calls it “creeping” as he says I creep up and down the aisles like a chameleon and he just doesn’t see the point ?! He’s more than happy for me to shop on my own, and is most relieved to “get out of it” if he can – men !)
After all my medical tests and Doctor’s visits, I have been given a clean bill of health so if anything, my shopping is a way of celebrating this. Well, that’s my excuse anyway ………….
I often have odd “must buys” on my shopping list …things like picture hooks, Frontline for my pets, Wasabi Paste, Omega 3 supplements for my husband (smoking 20 + cigarettes a day, he has to take care of his heart, you know), yogurt topped rice cakes for my daughter, make-up for me, good quality toothbrushes …. the list goes on ! I have become an expert at getting as much ‘bang for my buck’ as far as luggage allowance goes as possible …. Oooohhh I’ve learnt all the sneaky little tricks to get as much through Customs as possible on the way home, too ….. how do you explain why you are bringing 10 packets of picture hooks in to the country, and that you have no intention of re-selling them ? I was once stopped and questioned over a set of bath towels (“But why do you need 2 large ones, 2 medium sized ones AND a hand towel with matching bath mats, when just one will do the job ?”)
My luggage weighs over 40 kg’s already and I am only allowed 40 kg’s (that’s 20 kg’s each). Ooops. We are allowed 7 kg’s of hand luggage each … obviously my toddler cannot carry 7 kg’s of hand luggage (or .... can she ?) , so I will carry my full allowance, and I’ve bought her a snazzy little kiddies backpack so that she can at least carry a few of her own, light things. I know deep down though, that this sneaky toddler hand luggage trick won't work and that I will end up carrying her (she weighs 14 kg’s) plus the hand luggage and the snazzy backpack in real "pack donkey" style… thank goodness I am relatively fit else I would be forced to cut down on my shopping. Oh, perish the thought (and bring me another set of dumbells so that I can work on my biceps !)
Anyway, excess luggage fears aside, I am making full use of the rest of my time in South Africa and am “shopping ‘til I drop”. (My husband calls it “creeping” as he says I creep up and down the aisles like a chameleon and he just doesn’t see the point ?! He’s more than happy for me to shop on my own, and is most relieved to “get out of it” if he can – men !)
After all my medical tests and Doctor’s visits, I have been given a clean bill of health so if anything, my shopping is a way of celebrating this. Well, that’s my excuse anyway ………….
