What do you stock up on during your travels that you can't get at home?
Dec 5, 2005, 12:56 pm
#166
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Toronto
Programs: SPG LT Plat, Hilton G,Priorty Club G, AC E
Posts: 2,979
Hmmm let me think..
...in the USA - Aleve
...in Taiwan - Green Tea
...in bangkok or shanghai - as many counterfits as my bag will hold
...in Europe - cheap SIMS cards
...in Taiwan - Green Tea
...in bangkok or shanghai - as many counterfits as my bag will hold
...in Europe - cheap SIMS cards
Dec 8, 2005, 2:42 pm
#169
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: somewhere Cl. III / III+, with green waves and friendly holes
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Fiji water - keep from flights
Originally Posted by Internaut
Poland: Vodka
Sweden: Fermented Herring (absolutely disgusting but good for fun at parties)
USA: Cheap DVDs from Wallmart
Fiji: Ineresting local art, Fiji Water at a 10th of the price those nice people in Hollywood pay for it.
Kenya: Coffee.
Japan: If only green tea ice cream would travel well.... Oh, and umbrellas.
Sweden: Fermented Herring (absolutely disgusting but good for fun at parties)
USA: Cheap DVDs from Wallmart
Fiji: Ineresting local art, Fiji Water at a 10th of the price those nice people in Hollywood pay for it.
Kenya: Coffee.
Japan: If only green tea ice cream would travel well.... Oh, and umbrellas.
Fly Air Pacific, keep the water!
Dec 8, 2005, 2:43 pm
#170
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: somewhere Cl. III / III+, with green waves and friendly holes
Programs: *wood Platinum, HH Gold, OneWorld Emerald, QF GOLD, AP Premium, Mabuhay Elite, bunch o others...
Posts: 584
Cookie Crisp
USA - Cookie Crisp Cereal and Salsa Brava salsa sauce (both not available in Canada)
Anybody coming to YVR - free airport pickup for every 3 boxes of Cookie Crisp!
Anybody coming to YVR - free airport pickup for every 3 boxes of Cookie Crisp!
Dec 10, 2005, 8:16 am
#171
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: ATL/SLC
Posts: 3,544
I travel between the US and Sweden quite a bit, and have friends in Malmo that I visit regularly. Whenever I'm over there, I always load up on clothes. I'm rather lanky (6'1", 135 lbs), and the clothes over there just seem to fit me much better than the stuff I find over here, especially jeans.
Conversely, my friends always want me to bring back two things: 1) Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and 2) coffee creamer.
In Germany, I always load up on Ritter and Milka candy bars. We have a few varieties available here, but never the ones I want (coconut Ritter and strawberry Milka).
However, the most unusual thing I like to import: printed Russian classical music scores.
There is some odd copyright dispute the US is having with Russia, which makes it difficult and expensive to buy the scores to some common Russian classical music pieces. For example, the Shostakovich symphony scores run about $60 each, and take a month or so to get in, if they're even available.
However music stores (particularly in Germany) always seem to have them in stock, and they're only around $20 a pop. I always buy as many as I think I can comfortably haul around.
Conversely, my friends always want me to bring back two things: 1) Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and 2) coffee creamer.
In Germany, I always load up on Ritter and Milka candy bars. We have a few varieties available here, but never the ones I want (coconut Ritter and strawberry Milka).
However, the most unusual thing I like to import: printed Russian classical music scores.
There is some odd copyright dispute the US is having with Russia, which makes it difficult and expensive to buy the scores to some common Russian classical music pieces. For example, the Shostakovich symphony scores run about $60 each, and take a month or so to get in, if they're even available.
However music stores (particularly in Germany) always seem to have them in stock, and they're only around $20 a pop. I always buy as many as I think I can comfortably haul around.
Dec 10, 2005, 12:04 pm
#172
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Originally Posted by HomerJ
...in bangkok or shanghai - as many counterfits as my bag will hold
Dec 10, 2005, 12:16 pm
#173
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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I'll get around to putting down my own stuff, but recently when flying SYD-BKK the TG crew were lined up purchasing 6 dozen Krispy Kreme per person!
Dec 10, 2005, 10:44 pm
#174
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: North Carolina / BrentWood, CA
Programs: USAir Preferred, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 157
Luckily I'm heading home soon and will be able to stock up on my some fave things....All food related of course...
Dukes Mayo (its a Southern thang)
Caffeine Free Diet Mountain Dew (CA has no idea what this is, and isnt intersted in getting it either...lol)
Livermush...Definately a Southern thang...
Dukes Mayo (its a Southern thang)
Caffeine Free Diet Mountain Dew (CA has no idea what this is, and isnt intersted in getting it either...lol)
Livermush...Definately a Southern thang...
Dec 11, 2005, 11:45 pm
#175
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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All over the world:
Monopoly sets - try and get hold of a Monopoly set from each new country I visit. Not got as many as I like since soon after I started I ended up visiting my girlfriend in the US a lot...
Monopoly sets - try and get hold of a Monopoly set from each new country I visit. Not got as many as I like since soon after I started I ended up visiting my girlfriend in the US a lot...
Dec 12, 2005, 12:38 am
#176
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: DUB
Programs: AA, CO, AF-KL, [EI]
Posts: 600
Snus from Sweden - have a bag of it in my mouth at the moment. I try and schedule flights through ARN just to get hold of this black gold. A great incentive to fly w/ SK, BTW.
Plus AY flts 933/938 HEL-MAN stop @ARN - Schengen immigration means that there's enough time to trot to the shop to buy snus. ^ ^ ^
http://www.swedish-snus.com/
"Charles Lindbergh became the century's first hero when in 1927 he flies Spirit of St. Louis alone across the Atlantic between New York and Paris. It's been told that Charles Lindbergh, of Swedish ancestry, became a great fan of Swedish snus after trying it on one of his many journeys to Europe."
Plus AY flts 933/938 HEL-MAN stop @ARN - Schengen immigration means that there's enough time to trot to the shop to buy snus. ^ ^ ^
http://www.swedish-snus.com/
"Charles Lindbergh became the century's first hero when in 1927 he flies Spirit of St. Louis alone across the Atlantic between New York and Paris. It's been told that Charles Lindbergh, of Swedish ancestry, became a great fan of Swedish snus after trying it on one of his many journeys to Europe."
Dec 12, 2005, 7:30 am
#177
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 391
I just love Spezi-"Mezzo Mix": 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezzo_Mix
You cannot just mix Fanta and Coke together in the rest of the world to creat this drink because Fanta in German-speaking countries is produced with a very different formula. For example, Fanta in the US and quite a few Asian countries are too bubbly and sweet to create this Soda cocktail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezzo_Mix
You cannot just mix Fanta and Coke together in the rest of the world to creat this drink because Fanta in German-speaking countries is produced with a very different formula. For example, Fanta in the US and quite a few Asian countries are too bubbly and sweet to create this Soda cocktail
Dec 12, 2005, 2:29 pm
#178
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Posts: 124
Originally Posted by yosithezet
Counterfit whats?
Dec 13, 2005, 3:38 am
#179
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Originally Posted by bratton
When it comes to China, it is counterfeits of anything you can imagine. If people will buy it, they can make/duplicate anything. You just have to be vigilant reviewing the quality of the item.
Apr 29, 2006, 7:01 pm
#180
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: DFW
Programs: DL DM (where is my Diamond Tiara?)
Posts: 1,006
How I spent my Saturday Morning
I've wanted to do this ever since I first saw this thread. I've got a UK trip coming up so it seemed like a good time to make my shopping list using all the good advice found in this thread.
Here you go...organized by country.
I've compiled every post in the thread through post #179. I think we can all find some new things to try based on some great FT advice. Happy Shopping!
Austria
Sacher Torte (Vienna)
Mozart candies
Clever cookies (Like Pim's orange cookies, but way better)
Australia
Vegemite
Tim Tams
Mersyndol (Paracetamol/Acetamenophen, codeine, doxylamine succinate) - great for sleeping on flights
Bonds T shirts
sponges (somehow better than Swiss ones)
That proprietary canned whisky-and-coke (I forget the brand)
Darrell Lea brand chocolate covered licorice
Darrell Lea Licourice
Berocca -- an amazingly effective hangover reliever that's not available in the U.S
tomato sauce [variety of ketchup]...it tastes better to me due to vinegar [or lack thereof] i'm told
Mango/Pawpaw granola bars topped with yoghurt frosting
Burger Rings (totally addicting)
Berocca!!! - always top of my list
Deodorant (Japanese deodorant sucks)
Pine O Clean disinfectant (the smell reminds me of home)
Teatree oil (the stuff costs a fortune in Japan)
Eucalyptus oil
Uncle Toby's oats
Marron (a freshwater cray, or lobster to you Septics out there) that makes plain old lobster, well, plain old lobster
natural whole grain mustard
Always Thick Mint Sauce
Belgium
Neuhaus pralines
Balisto mueslibars (the green variety)
Valrhona Manjari ecorces d'orange chocolate bars
Cracotte brand crispbread
mustard
NewTree Plu Plasir chocolate spread
Pierre Marcolini chocolate
Trappist and Lambic Beers
Canada
Tylenol with codeine (the over-the-counter variety)
Maple syrup
Old Dutch potato chips
Timbits
Smarties, Aero (flavor unimportant), Wunderbar, Crunchies, Coffee Crisp, Kit Kat (the Nestle ones, not the icky US ones)
Tylenol and codeine tablets
Tim Horton's Canadian Maple donuts. Well, I eat them before I get back to DTW
Trident Chlorophyll (sp?) flavored gum
Maple Syrup Candy
Shreddies
Salsa (yup - President's Choice! Friends LOVE it)
Hot Cross Buns (Cinnamon/Raisin buns with a dough cross
on them, not white icing)
Maynard's Wine Gums
Puff's cookies (marshmallow and jam on a cookie covered
in chocolate)
Coffee Break cookies
Tea (Red Rose - only in Canada, eh?)
White Vinegar (we find the stuff in the US is unbearable -
except for washing windows!)
Czech Republic
Studenska Pechat chocolate bars. YUM!!!!!
Becherovka
Croatia
Giant wafers (about 12"x18") that are great for spreading Nutella on from Croatia. They're hard to bring home, but they're fun
rose hip jam
Egypt
Papyrus paintings
Fiji
Interesting local art, Fiji Water at a 10th of the price those nice people in Hollywood pay for it
France
Labello brand lip balm
Humex cold medications
Stabila fine point pens cost about 0,5 EU very hard to find even in US art stores
a 6 pack of my favorites soft-drink Orangina
Sweetened hazelnut butter -- like nutella, but without the chocolate -- that's the world's best spread for toast. I used to find it (called creme de noisettes) from a line called La Vie Claire, but a few others put it out as well
Throat lozenges. "Strepsils
French band-aids ("pansements") are much better than the crummy ones we have in the US
Roger and Gallet soap
'Cochon' brand wart remover, more effective than Dr.Scholl's
URGO band-aids. Actually, they are called Urgo"discret transparent et esthetique."
hand blown glassware of all kinds from Verrerie de Biot
Macarons (Ladurée)
pate aux fruits from gerard mulot
calvados from the farmer's markets
soaps from the farmer's markets
Nutella (generic and really cheap at super marches)
cocoa mix (from the CDG Admirals Club)
pain au chocolates
Twining's Vanilla Tea
Balisto mueslibars (the green variety)
Haribo crocodiles
Valrhona Manjari ecorces d'orange chocolate bars
Cracotte brand crispbread
mustard
Vichy skincare products (available online but SO expensive!)
Roget Cavailles Pain sur gras soap
Hediard Tea (wonderful, who knew) especially in the sexy silky teabags
Jars of dried wild mushrooms bought for a couple of Euros at Monoprix; the jars are plastic, so they're ideal gifts too - light, packable, hi-value
Provencal fabric bought at ordinary fabric shops, for a fraction of the cost at the tourist shops
NewTree Plu Plasir chocolate spread
ROC sunscreen. It has a great ingredient that isn't yet approved for use in the U.S.
Amora mustard
Cafe Noire coffee
Germany
Gummi Bears
Ovaltine chocolate bars
notebooks, pens, nivea, funky kitchen stuff
Balisto mueslibars (the green variety)
PEZ. I always find a good selection here for some reason, esp. at the Edeka at MUC
Lavazza espresso, also from Edeka
Zimtsterne
Museli
TEMPOS (Kleenex packets, but muuuuch stronger for big sneezes)
THOMY SCHARFER SENF - great hot mustard
Apfelwein from Frankfurt!!!
Mirabel Mozart kugeln. Must be Mirabel. Hard to find as "Reber" is so much more prevalent, but unfortunately also crap. Mirabel can be found at one small shop in the Frankfurt Airport (also can be found in Salzburg everywhere and recently found it by lucky chance at the duty free shop in the Amsterdam airport)
Kinder Eggs (lots and lots)
Haribo Weingummis
Playmobil not yet released in the U.S.
Assorted Trachtenmode from Adler. You never know when you might need to have a dirndl on hand
Super 85% or more dark chocolate
Liqueur cherries
Bravo Magazine (gives me something to cipher through during the long flight home)
Fa Soap
Wileda spongey cloths
fizzy vitamins
beer mats
Greece
olive oil
Guatemala
Ron Zacapa. You wouldn't think of mixing this nectar of the gods of a rum into a drink, just s-i-i-i-p it and enjoy
Hawaii
Coconut syrup
Holland
Dutch cookies
Licorice
Gestamtimaios (spelled wrong - Dutch powdered suger and candies that are put on toast. Yummy)
old cheese
shirts that are colorful, flowery and unusual
Peanut Butter…the best I’ve ever tasted
Siroopwaffels (sp?)
the sweet mayo you get at French Fry stands
Trappist and Lambic Beers
Hong Kong
SK-II Face Mask
The famous "Jet Goose" from Yung Kee
SK II & H2O products
Pocky snacks
Schweppes Cream Soda
Hungary
Salami
really hot green pepper (can't get it anywhere else)
"Turo Rudi" (round chocolate bar with curd inside)
Indonesia
Indofood Sambal Lampung and Sambal Extra Pedas. Also, for when you are travelling, little sachets of Sambal Asli (From ABC brand) This is only for those who really enjoy superhot chili sauce. I have not been able to find a Thai product yet that beats these
Italy
virgin balsamico
Lorenzo Banfi shoes
good Grappa
Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella, Pecorino
pangiallo and mostaciolli romano from valzani
glasswear and funky kitchenware
seeds(arugula, basil, chicory and tomatoes)from the nurseries of via appia antica nivea products~~I love the deodorant
Idrasol Body Cream from the famous and ancient Pharmacia in Florence
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese wedges. They pack well, freeze well, and are a steal at less than $4/lb
Truffles & Truffle Oil
Vinegar
Japan
'Unacool' mosquito bite treatment (great applicator, instant relief, no residue, the best this perpetual mosquito target has found on 5 continents)
office supplies: lots of nifty goodies, such as mechanical pencils, mini-brooms, etc.
yokan
space-saving computer accessories
lightweight and strong folding umbrellas
funky packaging stuff, pens, paper
ume flavoured gum
pocky
koshihikari rice
mirumiru
the occasional can of lemon chuhai!
home geegaws (serving plates/dishes/bags...)
Kenya
Coffee
Korea
mosquito coils: far more effective than the less noxious Swiss equivalent
dried laver: better price/quality than in Japan
metal chopsticks + spoons
'takeshio' products - the 'bamboo and salt' body washes, as well as the toothpastes, are simply out of this world
Ginseng chewing gum (actually all sorts of chewing gum since it comes in a rainbow of flavours and is dirt cheap). Just make sure its made by Lotte, they are the market leader
Mexico
That illegal Solarcaine brand topical spray that is 10x more powerful than what can be purchased in the US. Takes the sting away permanently from any sunburn
Coffee
Cachaça
good quality anejo tequila
Kraft Jello. More intense flavor than what we get in the US and some flavors not available in the US…my favorite is apple. Yum!
New Zealand
Pinkys, they are a marshallow chocolate bar
Darrell Lea Licourice
natural whole grain mustard
Philippines
cotton T-shirts, always high quality heavy gauge material
Poland
Vodka
Vichy skincare products (available online but SO expensive!)
Zubrowka
Vodka
Cheese (org packed and vacumm sealed)
clotted cream (mmmmmm.... clotted cream)
Teas.. lots and lots of teas
Portugal
Vichy skincare products (available online but SO expensive!)
Scottland
butter tablet. Must be pure butter and sugar- no nutritional value at all
Cashmere gloves
Odd-lot whiskeys from Royal Mile Whiskeys
Singapore
Enema (don't laugh, they're in 40ml sizes compared to the 200ml ones at your neighborhood US pharmacy)
Commestibles from the little shop at Raffles.
Tea (whatever brand they have at the Conrad, name escapes me)
Real chocolate-covered orange sticks. Why you can only get the crappy fake stuff in the U.S. is beyond me.
Bikinis with a foam shelf built into the bra. Nice if I'm feeling nipple-conscious.
Sexy shoes
Ultra-thin pashmina shawls
Laksa kits
Cigars
Spain
socks, oh my god, such socks...
Valor chocolate bars from Spain for making the best hot chocolate ever
(thanks to a FTer in Spain for sharing the secret)
Arbequina olives
Chupa chups lollies
porno playing cards(not for me)
A. G. Spaulding pens, which are a NY-based company and made in Japan. Go figure.
MAJA Soaps - wonderful, spicy scent
South Africa
rooibos tea
tomato sauce [variety of ketchup]...it tastes better to me due to vinegar [or lack thereof] i'm told
BILTONG!!! Ostrich especially, but it is s-o-o-o much better than the "jerky" that is meat-flavoured cardboard in the US...
Sweden
Fermented Herring (absolutely disgusting but good for fun at parties)
Vasterbotten cheese
Svenska nubbar (aquavit samplers)
Snus
Switzerland
Ovaltine chocolate bars
Winston's hand lotion
Muesli
handmade truffles from one of the local bakeries
Wernli cookies
Hanro undies and nighties
dark chocolate for making the best brownies ever
Tempo tissues pocket packets fill the nooks and crannies of the suitcases.
Dentaguard Herbal toothpaste (a great change from minty stuff)
Calida underwear
MEBUCAINE - very strong lozenges for very bad sore throat (the "caine" is really numbing, like "novocaine") available in any pharmacy
Thailand
Curry pastes
jasmin rice and soup mixes from department stores in Bangkok - so ridiculously inexpensive
Tokyo
Japanese Red Bean cakes
Tunisia
Harissa paste
Spices
Bouhka
Pottery/glassware
UK
Charles Worthington hair products
Botanics face creams there and the Garnier cleansing pads
Solpadine which is a paracetamol and codeine mix, it's the best thing to get rid of really bad headaches
Oxo lamb broth cubes
McVities Chocolate Digestives
Christmas crackers (if it's Christmas)
Paracetamol (for a friend who can't take Tylenol)
Underwear from Marks and Spencers
Kenneth Turner candles,in the original scent
Rennie Rap-Eze in 4 fruit flavours
Marks & Spencer Chicken Tikka Marsala and Mutton Korma
Jaffa Cakes
stains devil brand stain remover
bonios for dearest Jacques (dog treats?)
leaf gelatine
neal's yard goat cheeses and mark's and spenser cheeses (the organic mature cheddars with a much longer shelf life than the neal's yard ones)
orange club bars (find at Tescos, waitrose, sainsburys)
marks and spenser peds (footies) for wearing with loafers, much better than the one's I get in the states
McLeans toothpaste
paracetemol with codeine
nurofen plus (from Boots duty free at Gatwick)
Marmite (yuck! but I'm married to a Brit)
Boot's cough syrups for children
elderflower cordial
self-rising flour
greeting cards
Duchy's cookies and oat biscuits
Frank Cooper's marmalade
Twinings fruit infusions - pink grapefruit, madarin & lime is a favorite
Cadbury Mint Crisp bars
Harrods' cream caramels
Tins of Haggis, preferably the stuff with whisky mixed into the offal
Beer mats for my growing collection (including a classic Portcullis beer mat liberated from one of the bars in the Houses of Parliament, of which there are several.)
HP Brown sauce
Johnson & Johnson baby crème
Crunchie bars
chocolate truffles (luxury ones from Selfridges)
Fruit gums. The red food dye used in them makes them illegal to import into the U.S.
Dairy Milks (from the underground only)
Malteazers
TWIGLETS!!!! There is nothing better than the marmitey, salty tang of Twiglets while watching a DVD at home, or a football game, or a sitcom.. Oh hell, Twiglets are good for eating anytime, anywhere, while doing anything!!!
Patak's Rogan Josh paste
Sophie Ellis Bextor CD's
Floris aromatic lavendar oil for potpourri
US
Oral-B waxed dental floss
Theraflu
aerospace-certified titanium bicycle parts (European makers tend to use Russian CP titanium)
Quickgrid conductive pen
Jeans
burrito mix
lots of chocolate chips, baking powder, vanilla, oats, cornmeal
Aunt Jemima's pancake mix
Ditto, big bottle of her pancake syrup
Boxer briefs underwear
Bags of cinnamon rolls
Computer text books
Cheap DVDs from Wallmart
"CERTS" mints (the green ones)
children's Advil (liquid)
adult Advil (jumbo bottle)
Oral-B Winnie the Pooh toothpaste
Fig Newtons
Bisquick
children's party supplies
vanilla
chili powder
pecans
Butterfingers
peanut butter
Bounce Fabric Softner sheets
2 in 1 shampoo - Pantene & Fructis specifically
Altoids mints - love the tins - also not available here
Bras! Much cheaper in the US.
Travel sized toiletries. Just love browsing drug stores!!!
Tigi Shampoo,Conditioner
Anthony for men skincare profucts
Slimfast High Protein Low sugar Bars(ideal for long flights)
a few cans of diet Mountain dew
Ambercrombie clothing
paper denim cloth or chip pepper jeans
California fruits skittles
New York Times (esp Sunday)
taco seasoning (I think I've got plenty now)
Hamburger Helper (it's a college thang)
Blistex Lip Medex
couscous
Frito-Lay's Smartfood Cheese Popcorn! Cannot find it ANYWHERE in Houston so I get it when I visit Florida or Georgia!
Totstitos salsa con queso
Toms of Maine toothpaste and mouthwash - my favourite brand of mouth products anywhere in the world! - I love the cinnamon flavour)
Neutrogena T-Gel shampoo and soap (it's 16€ in pharmacys here)
big bottles of Ibuprofen
cold medicine
Ranch dressing!
BBQ sauce
beef jerky
metamucil wafers
Orval Redenbacher microwave popcorn (extra butter!)
Pearson's Salted Nut Rolls, especially from MSP, where they are manufactured
Giant (2 Gallon) Ziploc bags
Lysol disposable tiolet brushes
brownie and blueberry muffin mix
Shake 'n Bake
chillis (try getting chipotle or ancho in the UK for a reasonable price)
Annies mac n cheese
Bell's Seasoning
BAGELS (why has noone noticed that they are almost non-existent in Europe?)
JELLO - packets (ditto)
VITAMINS - fraction of the cost from European prices
A & W ROOTBEER - as many cans as I can carry (Rootbeer also doesn't exist in Europe)
GOOD SEASONS Italien Dressing packets
SWEET & LOW packets
SLOPPY JOE seasoning mix packets
TYLENOL
SECRET Deodorant - so much milder than German deodorants
Red Vines red licorice
Hot Tamales
Brownie mix (and sometimes a 9" pan and measuring cup in ounces)
Froot Loops, Lucky Charms, Captain Crunch, or whatever (yes, disgusting I know, but my cousins love it. I notice however that they hide it from their own children)
Stomp Rockets (for the kids)
Neosporin 3-1 ointment
Starbuck's Double Shots
Starbucks frappichunos
Starbucks' umm.. Coffee
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Cookie Crisp Cereal
Salsa Brava salsa sauce
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
coffee creamer
Vienna
Käsekrainer (sausage with cheese inside)
Kürbiskernöl (pumpkin seed oil, styrian product, the best for salads, beats olive oil by miles)
Vietnam
clothes -- shirts, ties, tailored stuff, silk, etc... nice stuff costs next to nothing compared to the US
toothbrushes (it's VERY cheap)
Wales
Tregroes Chocolate Waffles (with Soft Butter Toffee Centre)
Here you go...organized by country.
I've compiled every post in the thread through post #179. I think we can all find some new things to try based on some great FT advice. Happy Shopping!Austria
Sacher Torte (Vienna)
Mozart candies
Clever cookies (Like Pim's orange cookies, but way better)
Australia
Vegemite
Tim Tams
Mersyndol (Paracetamol/Acetamenophen, codeine, doxylamine succinate) - great for sleeping on flights
Bonds T shirts
sponges (somehow better than Swiss ones)
That proprietary canned whisky-and-coke (I forget the brand)
Darrell Lea brand chocolate covered licorice
Darrell Lea Licourice
Berocca -- an amazingly effective hangover reliever that's not available in the U.S
tomato sauce [variety of ketchup]...it tastes better to me due to vinegar [or lack thereof] i'm told
Mango/Pawpaw granola bars topped with yoghurt frosting
Burger Rings (totally addicting)
Berocca!!! - always top of my list
Deodorant (Japanese deodorant sucks)
Pine O Clean disinfectant (the smell reminds me of home)
Teatree oil (the stuff costs a fortune in Japan)
Eucalyptus oil
Uncle Toby's oats
Marron (a freshwater cray, or lobster to you Septics out there) that makes plain old lobster, well, plain old lobster
natural whole grain mustard
Always Thick Mint Sauce
Belgium
Neuhaus pralines
Balisto mueslibars (the green variety)
Valrhona Manjari ecorces d'orange chocolate bars
Cracotte brand crispbread
mustard
NewTree Plu Plasir chocolate spread
Pierre Marcolini chocolate
Trappist and Lambic Beers
Canada
Tylenol with codeine (the over-the-counter variety)
Maple syrup
Old Dutch potato chips
Timbits
Smarties, Aero (flavor unimportant), Wunderbar, Crunchies, Coffee Crisp, Kit Kat (the Nestle ones, not the icky US ones)
Tylenol and codeine tablets
Tim Horton's Canadian Maple donuts. Well, I eat them before I get back to DTW
Trident Chlorophyll (sp?) flavored gum
Maple Syrup Candy
Shreddies
Salsa (yup - President's Choice! Friends LOVE it)
Hot Cross Buns (Cinnamon/Raisin buns with a dough cross
on them, not white icing)
Maynard's Wine Gums
Puff's cookies (marshmallow and jam on a cookie covered
in chocolate)
Coffee Break cookies
Tea (Red Rose - only in Canada, eh?)
White Vinegar (we find the stuff in the US is unbearable -
except for washing windows!)
Czech Republic
Studenska Pechat chocolate bars. YUM!!!!!
Becherovka
Croatia
Giant wafers (about 12"x18") that are great for spreading Nutella on from Croatia. They're hard to bring home, but they're fun
rose hip jam
Egypt
Papyrus paintings
Fiji
Interesting local art, Fiji Water at a 10th of the price those nice people in Hollywood pay for it
France
Labello brand lip balm
Humex cold medications
Stabila fine point pens cost about 0,5 EU very hard to find even in US art stores
a 6 pack of my favorites soft-drink Orangina
Sweetened hazelnut butter -- like nutella, but without the chocolate -- that's the world's best spread for toast. I used to find it (called creme de noisettes) from a line called La Vie Claire, but a few others put it out as well
Throat lozenges. "Strepsils
French band-aids ("pansements") are much better than the crummy ones we have in the US
Roger and Gallet soap
'Cochon' brand wart remover, more effective than Dr.Scholl's
URGO band-aids. Actually, they are called Urgo"discret transparent et esthetique."
hand blown glassware of all kinds from Verrerie de Biot
Macarons (Ladurée)
pate aux fruits from gerard mulot
calvados from the farmer's markets
soaps from the farmer's markets
Nutella (generic and really cheap at super marches)
cocoa mix (from the CDG Admirals Club)
pain au chocolates
Twining's Vanilla Tea
Balisto mueslibars (the green variety)
Haribo crocodiles
Valrhona Manjari ecorces d'orange chocolate bars
Cracotte brand crispbread
mustard
Vichy skincare products (available online but SO expensive!)
Roget Cavailles Pain sur gras soap
Hediard Tea (wonderful, who knew) especially in the sexy silky teabags
Jars of dried wild mushrooms bought for a couple of Euros at Monoprix; the jars are plastic, so they're ideal gifts too - light, packable, hi-value
Provencal fabric bought at ordinary fabric shops, for a fraction of the cost at the tourist shops
NewTree Plu Plasir chocolate spread
ROC sunscreen. It has a great ingredient that isn't yet approved for use in the U.S.
Amora mustard
Cafe Noire coffee
Germany
Gummi Bears
Ovaltine chocolate bars
notebooks, pens, nivea, funky kitchen stuff
Balisto mueslibars (the green variety)
PEZ. I always find a good selection here for some reason, esp. at the Edeka at MUC
Lavazza espresso, also from Edeka
Zimtsterne
Museli
TEMPOS (Kleenex packets, but muuuuch stronger for big sneezes)
THOMY SCHARFER SENF - great hot mustard
Apfelwein from Frankfurt!!!
Mirabel Mozart kugeln. Must be Mirabel. Hard to find as "Reber" is so much more prevalent, but unfortunately also crap. Mirabel can be found at one small shop in the Frankfurt Airport (also can be found in Salzburg everywhere and recently found it by lucky chance at the duty free shop in the Amsterdam airport)
Kinder Eggs (lots and lots)
Haribo Weingummis
Playmobil not yet released in the U.S.
Assorted Trachtenmode from Adler. You never know when you might need to have a dirndl on hand
Super 85% or more dark chocolate
Liqueur cherries
Bravo Magazine (gives me something to cipher through during the long flight home)
Fa Soap
Wileda spongey cloths
fizzy vitamins
beer mats
Greece
olive oil
Guatemala
Ron Zacapa. You wouldn't think of mixing this nectar of the gods of a rum into a drink, just s-i-i-i-p it and enjoy
Hawaii
Coconut syrup
Holland
Dutch cookies
Licorice
Gestamtimaios (spelled wrong - Dutch powdered suger and candies that are put on toast. Yummy)
old cheese
shirts that are colorful, flowery and unusual
Peanut Butter…the best I’ve ever tasted
Siroopwaffels (sp?)
the sweet mayo you get at French Fry stands
Trappist and Lambic Beers
Hong Kong
SK-II Face Mask
The famous "Jet Goose" from Yung Kee
SK II & H2O products
Pocky snacks
Schweppes Cream Soda
Hungary
Salami
really hot green pepper (can't get it anywhere else)
"Turo Rudi" (round chocolate bar with curd inside)
Indonesia
Indofood Sambal Lampung and Sambal Extra Pedas. Also, for when you are travelling, little sachets of Sambal Asli (From ABC brand) This is only for those who really enjoy superhot chili sauce. I have not been able to find a Thai product yet that beats these
Italy
virgin balsamico
Lorenzo Banfi shoes
good Grappa
Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella, Pecorino
pangiallo and mostaciolli romano from valzani
glasswear and funky kitchenware
seeds(arugula, basil, chicory and tomatoes)from the nurseries of via appia antica nivea products~~I love the deodorant
Idrasol Body Cream from the famous and ancient Pharmacia in Florence
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese wedges. They pack well, freeze well, and are a steal at less than $4/lb
Truffles & Truffle Oil
Vinegar
Japan
'Unacool' mosquito bite treatment (great applicator, instant relief, no residue, the best this perpetual mosquito target has found on 5 continents)
office supplies: lots of nifty goodies, such as mechanical pencils, mini-brooms, etc.
yokan
space-saving computer accessories
lightweight and strong folding umbrellas
funky packaging stuff, pens, paper
ume flavoured gum
pocky
koshihikari rice
mirumiru
the occasional can of lemon chuhai!
home geegaws (serving plates/dishes/bags...)
Kenya
Coffee
Korea
mosquito coils: far more effective than the less noxious Swiss equivalent
dried laver: better price/quality than in Japan
metal chopsticks + spoons
'takeshio' products - the 'bamboo and salt' body washes, as well as the toothpastes, are simply out of this world
Ginseng chewing gum (actually all sorts of chewing gum since it comes in a rainbow of flavours and is dirt cheap). Just make sure its made by Lotte, they are the market leader
Mexico
That illegal Solarcaine brand topical spray that is 10x more powerful than what can be purchased in the US. Takes the sting away permanently from any sunburn
Coffee
Cachaça
good quality anejo tequila
Kraft Jello. More intense flavor than what we get in the US and some flavors not available in the US…my favorite is apple. Yum!
New Zealand
Pinkys, they are a marshallow chocolate bar
Darrell Lea Licourice
natural whole grain mustard
Philippines
cotton T-shirts, always high quality heavy gauge material
Poland
Vodka
Vichy skincare products (available online but SO expensive!)
Zubrowka
Vodka
Cheese (org packed and vacumm sealed)
clotted cream (mmmmmm.... clotted cream)
Teas.. lots and lots of teas
Portugal
Vichy skincare products (available online but SO expensive!)
Scottland
butter tablet. Must be pure butter and sugar- no nutritional value at all
Cashmere gloves
Odd-lot whiskeys from Royal Mile Whiskeys
Singapore
Enema (don't laugh, they're in 40ml sizes compared to the 200ml ones at your neighborhood US pharmacy)
Commestibles from the little shop at Raffles.
Tea (whatever brand they have at the Conrad, name escapes me)
Real chocolate-covered orange sticks. Why you can only get the crappy fake stuff in the U.S. is beyond me.
Bikinis with a foam shelf built into the bra. Nice if I'm feeling nipple-conscious.
Sexy shoes
Ultra-thin pashmina shawls
Laksa kits
Cigars
Spain
socks, oh my god, such socks...
Valor chocolate bars from Spain for making the best hot chocolate ever
(thanks to a FTer in Spain for sharing the secret)
Arbequina olives
Chupa chups lollies
porno playing cards(not for me)
A. G. Spaulding pens, which are a NY-based company and made in Japan. Go figure.
MAJA Soaps - wonderful, spicy scent
South Africa
rooibos tea
tomato sauce [variety of ketchup]...it tastes better to me due to vinegar [or lack thereof] i'm told
BILTONG!!! Ostrich especially, but it is s-o-o-o much better than the "jerky" that is meat-flavoured cardboard in the US...
Sweden
Fermented Herring (absolutely disgusting but good for fun at parties)
Vasterbotten cheese
Svenska nubbar (aquavit samplers)
Snus
Switzerland
Ovaltine chocolate bars
Winston's hand lotion
Muesli
handmade truffles from one of the local bakeries
Wernli cookies
Hanro undies and nighties
dark chocolate for making the best brownies ever
Tempo tissues pocket packets fill the nooks and crannies of the suitcases.
Dentaguard Herbal toothpaste (a great change from minty stuff)
Calida underwear
MEBUCAINE - very strong lozenges for very bad sore throat (the "caine" is really numbing, like "novocaine") available in any pharmacy
Thailand
Curry pastes
jasmin rice and soup mixes from department stores in Bangkok - so ridiculously inexpensive
Tokyo
Japanese Red Bean cakes
Tunisia
Harissa paste
Spices
Bouhka
Pottery/glassware
UK
Charles Worthington hair products
Botanics face creams there and the Garnier cleansing pads
Solpadine which is a paracetamol and codeine mix, it's the best thing to get rid of really bad headaches
Oxo lamb broth cubes
McVities Chocolate Digestives
Christmas crackers (if it's Christmas)
Paracetamol (for a friend who can't take Tylenol)
Underwear from Marks and Spencers
Kenneth Turner candles,in the original scent
Rennie Rap-Eze in 4 fruit flavours
Marks & Spencer Chicken Tikka Marsala and Mutton Korma
Jaffa Cakes
stains devil brand stain remover
bonios for dearest Jacques (dog treats?)
leaf gelatine
neal's yard goat cheeses and mark's and spenser cheeses (the organic mature cheddars with a much longer shelf life than the neal's yard ones)
orange club bars (find at Tescos, waitrose, sainsburys)
marks and spenser peds (footies) for wearing with loafers, much better than the one's I get in the states
McLeans toothpaste
paracetemol with codeine
nurofen plus (from Boots duty free at Gatwick)
Marmite (yuck! but I'm married to a Brit)
Boot's cough syrups for children
elderflower cordial
self-rising flour
greeting cards
Duchy's cookies and oat biscuits
Frank Cooper's marmalade
Twinings fruit infusions - pink grapefruit, madarin & lime is a favorite
Cadbury Mint Crisp bars
Harrods' cream caramels
Tins of Haggis, preferably the stuff with whisky mixed into the offal
Beer mats for my growing collection (including a classic Portcullis beer mat liberated from one of the bars in the Houses of Parliament, of which there are several.)
HP Brown sauce
Johnson & Johnson baby crème
Crunchie bars
chocolate truffles (luxury ones from Selfridges)
Fruit gums. The red food dye used in them makes them illegal to import into the U.S.
Dairy Milks (from the underground only)
Malteazers
TWIGLETS!!!! There is nothing better than the marmitey, salty tang of Twiglets while watching a DVD at home, or a football game, or a sitcom.. Oh hell, Twiglets are good for eating anytime, anywhere, while doing anything!!!
Patak's Rogan Josh paste
Sophie Ellis Bextor CD's
Floris aromatic lavendar oil for potpourri
US
Oral-B waxed dental floss
Theraflu
aerospace-certified titanium bicycle parts (European makers tend to use Russian CP titanium)
Quickgrid conductive pen
Jeans
burrito mix
lots of chocolate chips, baking powder, vanilla, oats, cornmeal
Aunt Jemima's pancake mix
Ditto, big bottle of her pancake syrup
Boxer briefs underwear
Bags of cinnamon rolls
Computer text books
Cheap DVDs from Wallmart
"CERTS" mints (the green ones)
children's Advil (liquid)
adult Advil (jumbo bottle)
Oral-B Winnie the Pooh toothpaste
Fig Newtons
Bisquick
children's party supplies
vanilla
chili powder
pecans
Butterfingers
peanut butter
Bounce Fabric Softner sheets
2 in 1 shampoo - Pantene & Fructis specifically
Altoids mints - love the tins - also not available here
Bras! Much cheaper in the US.
Travel sized toiletries. Just love browsing drug stores!!!
Tigi Shampoo,Conditioner
Anthony for men skincare profucts
Slimfast High Protein Low sugar Bars(ideal for long flights)
a few cans of diet Mountain dew
Ambercrombie clothing
paper denim cloth or chip pepper jeans
California fruits skittles
New York Times (esp Sunday)
taco seasoning (I think I've got plenty now)
Hamburger Helper (it's a college thang)
Blistex Lip Medex
couscous
Frito-Lay's Smartfood Cheese Popcorn! Cannot find it ANYWHERE in Houston so I get it when I visit Florida or Georgia!
Totstitos salsa con queso
Toms of Maine toothpaste and mouthwash - my favourite brand of mouth products anywhere in the world! - I love the cinnamon flavour)
Neutrogena T-Gel shampoo and soap (it's 16€ in pharmacys here)
big bottles of Ibuprofen
cold medicine
Ranch dressing!
BBQ sauce
beef jerky
metamucil wafers
Orval Redenbacher microwave popcorn (extra butter!)
Pearson's Salted Nut Rolls, especially from MSP, where they are manufactured
Giant (2 Gallon) Ziploc bags
Lysol disposable tiolet brushes
brownie and blueberry muffin mix
Shake 'n Bake
chillis (try getting chipotle or ancho in the UK for a reasonable price)
Annies mac n cheese
Bell's Seasoning
BAGELS (why has noone noticed that they are almost non-existent in Europe?)
JELLO - packets (ditto)
VITAMINS - fraction of the cost from European prices
A & W ROOTBEER - as many cans as I can carry (Rootbeer also doesn't exist in Europe)
GOOD SEASONS Italien Dressing packets
SWEET & LOW packets
SLOPPY JOE seasoning mix packets
TYLENOL
SECRET Deodorant - so much milder than German deodorants
Red Vines red licorice
Hot Tamales
Brownie mix (and sometimes a 9" pan and measuring cup in ounces)
Froot Loops, Lucky Charms, Captain Crunch, or whatever (yes, disgusting I know, but my cousins love it. I notice however that they hide it from their own children)
Stomp Rockets (for the kids)
Neosporin 3-1 ointment
Starbuck's Double Shots
Starbucks frappichunos
Starbucks' umm.. Coffee
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Cookie Crisp Cereal
Salsa Brava salsa sauce
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
coffee creamer
Vienna
Käsekrainer (sausage with cheese inside)
Kürbiskernöl (pumpkin seed oil, styrian product, the best for salads, beats olive oil by miles)
Vietnam
clothes -- shirts, ties, tailored stuff, silk, etc... nice stuff costs next to nothing compared to the US
toothbrushes (it's VERY cheap)
Wales
Tregroes Chocolate Waffles (with Soft Butter Toffee Centre)
Last edited by Flyin'Mom; Apr 30, 2006 at 12:47 am Reason: clarification that this is a compilation of all previous posts in the thread