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09.07.2019, 22:17
|  | Member | | Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Baselstadt
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| | Does anyone else bring things back from home?
I'm in a situation where I have to return to Scotland every 3 months. Long story, but we have a house back there that subsided shortly after we moved here, consequently we can't sell or let as there are various ongoing legal wrangles (thankfully we're not alone, over 30 owners are involved).
I find I keep bringing stuff back - last visit was 2 weeks ago and I returned with sausages, smoked bacon and black pudding from a local pork farm, potato scones, Soreen, plain and dark choc digestives, Peppermint Aero and Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles. My kitchen cupboards are like a cornucopia of British stuff.
Then we have to buy 10 packs of Mrs Tilly's tablet and a huge box of 36 Tunnock's Teacakes for my OH's office because the Swiss, French, Germans and Italians he works with have decided they can't live without them. He has to lock the Tunnock's up and ration them or they'd be gone within a week. (People were hiding them in their desk drawers)
I used to be one of those people who was irritated by Brits abroad moaning about not being able to get a decent cup of tea, having to take their own teabags with them etc. I even used to joke with my OH if I ever became like them he had permission to take me out and shoot me.
What has happened to me  I have now just remembered the mini Scotch Pies in my freezer and the Scottish Blend teabags | The following 5 users would like to thank Cherub for this useful post: | | 
09.07.2019, 22:44
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Zurich
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
One of the best things I did was stop bringing tons of bacon and sausage back from the UK every time I visited. I do of course miss the taste, but my arteries are thanking me. I think we eat way too much of that stuff in the UK and I used to know people who when on business trips to the UK had a large fry-up every morning. For some people (including me some years ago) fry-us are like a habit or addiction. Eek.
Other than that, there really isn't much food I miss from the UK that I can't either order online or buy/cook here. | 
09.07.2019, 22:55
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Leimbach, Zürich
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
Yes I do, either since I can't buy those things here or since it is much cheaper like Paracetamol and Ibuprofen because they are only a 10th of the price. If I can buy something equal in the store and it is just a normal amount more expensive I don't bother dragging it along.
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09.07.2019, 23:19
|  | Member | | Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Baselstadt
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
I bring back off the shelf and over the counter medication as it's a lot cheaper. I have also not found a good cough syrup here so bring back different types of Benylin. I had really bad flu in Nov 2016 which left me with a cough, the pharmacists kept giving me herbal stuff to try which didn't work.
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10.07.2019, 00:08
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: CH
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
Yes, I also bring over the counter medicines - just in case. Last time the pharmacist told me she knew I live abroad because of the medicines I buy and the quantity.  Apparently all of my countrymen who live abroad have the same habits.
Other than that - wines, a bit of cheese, pastrami and the likes, some snacks, condiments and pralines, but not huge quantities. I don't moan when I don't have them. Oh, and books (yes I know, I can order online but I just love shopping in my favourite libraries)
Expats/immigrants have a lot in common, who would have thought...;-)
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10.07.2019, 00:35
|  | Member | | Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Baselstadt
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
After being a contractor for 3 years, OH's company offered him a permanent job at the beginning of last year. They offered us a relocation package, so we went back to Scotland last spring, packed our house up including books and paintings (I used to work in a gallery in London back in the 90s, so had a fair collection of etchings and watercolours), then had them shipped in the autumn. I really missed not having my stuff as I love having things like books around me. Some are academic from when I did my history degree in my mid 30s and sentimental as they're signed by a Professor who taught me in my final year.
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10.07.2019, 00:36
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Küsnacht, Switzerland
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home? | Quote: | |  | | | .... and a huge box of 36 Tunnock's Teacakes for my OH's office because the Swiss, French, Germans and Italians he works with have decided they can't live without them. He has to lock the Tunnock's up and ration them or they'd be gone within a week. (People were hiding them in their desk drawers) | | | | | Where do you live? Mmmmm....
Same as many, I stock up on ibuprofen, paracetamol, hayfever tablets, etc. We haven't been to the UK for over a year now, so we get what we can in other countries. Just bought ibuprofen in Greece but you can only get them from a pharmacy, hayfever tablets, proper bath sponges, certain toothpaste brands and Sanex shower gel. I could fill a couple of suitcases of British stuff I can buy in Athens that I can't get in Zurich, along with clothes from Next.
As a side note, Orell Fussli bookshop sells the large peppermint aero's.
My best mate is visiting soon and I'm paying for her luggage so that she can bring me loads of Original Source Mint Shower gel and Asda £4 bras.
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10.07.2019, 07:56
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Switzerland
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
Yeah, pretty much the same for us. Aspirin, paracetamol, cough medicine if we need a stock up, migraine tablets, toothpaste. Also various chutneys, tea bags, meat - got some nice gammon steaks last time - other stuff I can't remember offhand atm and of course some Costco muffins. But it also goes the other way; on the take back with us list for the next UK trip is coffee, toilet rolls (can't stand the thin stuff the UK uses these days) and some Durgol. | 
10.07.2019, 08:14
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: May 2013 Location: Up above Nyon
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
Indeed stornaway black pudding, tattie scone and square sausage.. On the list every time..
I keep forgetting to bring a bottle of buckfast to let the locals try.
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10.07.2019, 08:20
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Switzerland
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
Oh yes, take a couple of bottles of ice tea to the UK with me as well. Can't seem to find it there for love nor money. | 
10.07.2019, 08:49
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Baselland
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home? | Quote: | |  | | | I'm in a situation where I have to return to Scotland every 3 months. Long story, but we have a house back there that subsided shortly after we moved here, consequently we can't sell or let as there are various ongoing legal wrangles (thankfully we're not alone, over 30 owners are involved).
I find I keep bringing stuff back - last visit was 2 weeks ago and I returned with sausages, smoked bacon and black pudding from a local pork farm, potato scones, Soreen, plain and dark choc digestives, Peppermint Aero and Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles. My kitchen cupboards are like a cornucopia of British stuff.
Then we have to buy 10 packs of Mrs Tilly's tablet and a huge box of 36 Tunnock's Teacakes for my OH's office because the Swiss, French, Germans and Italians he works with have decided they can't live without them. He has to lock the Tunnock's up and ration them or they'd be gone within a week. (People were hiding them in their desk drawers)
I used to be one of those people who was irritated by Brits abroad moaning about not being able to get a decent cup of tea, having to take their own teabags with them etc. I even used to joke with my OH if I ever became like them he had permission to take me out and shoot me.
What has happened to me I have now just remembered the mini Scotch Pies in my freezer and the Scottish Blend teabags  | | | | | But no haggis?  I love haggis.
We regularly bring back paracetamol, ibuprofen, boxes of teabags, marmite, penguin biscuits and pork scratchings.
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10.07.2019, 09:06
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: May 2013 Location: Up above Nyon
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home? | Quote: | |  | | | But no haggis? I love haggis.
We regularly bring back paracetamol, ibuprofen, boxes of teabags, marmite, penguin biscuits and pork scratchings. | | | | | Hmm haggis .. I actually love the cheap crap you can sometimes get here in a tin, Grants .. The more expensive stuff I'm not too keen on, i think that has more lungs, heart and esophagus .. The cheap stuff is more spice and grizzle.
I have enough OTC medicine to last a lifetime from our last holiday in Florida.
Actually one other thing .. Crisps. Proper salt n vinegar from Goldn Wonder and all the meat based flavours.. Beef crisps, i miss them.
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10.07.2019, 18:55
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Geneva
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
TCP liquid, Haggis, tattie scones, Parma Violets, smoked salmon, Paracetamol, Boots Cold and Flu tablets, Isle of Mull Whisky.
| This user would like to thank McTAVGE for this useful post: | | 
10.07.2019, 19:00
|  | modified, reprogrammed and doctored | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: La Cote
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
Really coursely ground flour. The stuff here is too smooth. Then hair masks. A lot. For 3ft of hair. Potent USB sticks. Pro- and prebiotics. Lysates of bacteria for immunity. Baby cookies.
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10.07.2019, 21:04
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Geneva
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
Tetley teabags. You can buy them here but they cost 18x as much.
Sainsburys spiced fruit and/or cheddar cheese muffins
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10.07.2019, 21:29
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Albisrieden
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
Yorkshire teabags and HP. I know you can get them at Jelmoli but they cost an arm and a leg. And Warburton’s crumpets.
Now and again on visits to the UK I’ll happen upon stuff at Sainsbury I’d forgotten about. One time it was Wagon Wheels. Then I got a pack and after having one couldn’t remember why I liked them. Ditto chocolate bourbons and custard creams.
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11.07.2019, 08:34
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Timbuktoo/Zürich
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
I usually bring back a couple of crumpets from Australia
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11.07.2019, 12:06
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Zurich
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home? | Quote: | |  | | | Yes I do, either since I can't buy those things here or since it is much cheaper like Paracetamol and Ibuprofen because they are only a 10th of the price. If I can buy something equal in the store and it is just a normal amount more expensive I don't bother dragging it along. | | | | | I think there are also UK pharamcies who will mail stuff to Switzerland.
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11.07.2019, 13:40
|  | Member | | Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: ZuriOberland, CH
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
I usually go back to the UK 4 or 5 times a year...always driving, as I had a dog, now sadly gone over that rainbow bridge. I have a roof box and boot loaded with food and medicines I can't get here or brands I don't like here. I actually brought back a lovely Devon Red Sirloin joint and a leg of lamb recently....try and find Horseradish sauce here in the Oberland....impossible. And clothes and books, always buy then in the UK...the buying power of a Swiss income compared to cost of living in the UK has many advantages....and hundreds of bags of Yorkshire Tea! :-)
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11.07.2019, 14:25
| Member | | Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Basel
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| | Re: Does anyone else bring things back from home?
We should collate all these into a shared shopping list!
Items of particular interest also for me are Walkers crisps (yes, can get similar quality here but next to impossible to get any flavours other than pap-phukin-rika), potatoes (larger variety esp. ones for homemade chips), assorted bakery items (e.g. self-raising flour, crumpets, soft cookies, biscuits, good quality sliced bread!!), even fridge items (cheddar cheese [much cheaper in bulk!], quiche, hot smoked salmon, deli type stuff like various flavours of hummus (is it hummi for plural?  ), samosas etc. among many other things.
Living in Basel has also made me start to miss things I didnt really car for when living in the UK.. like Branston pickle, domestos toilet bleach (UK blend.. cleans s**t without the effort). As others point out, the buying power shopping in the UK coming from CH is crazy.... real dopamine rush... maybe im depressed
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