What would or wouldn't you take??

[D&S - Perth]

Hello all

Just a random question ................. looking back on your flight over .......... what would or wouldn't you pack/take with....

or

What should you have taken/left

Thanks for a great forum

[somarie]

Yeah, I would also like to know.

[Eva]

Me too! Please share your superior knowledge with us people :rolleyes:

[koosd]

I would take tin's and tin's of coffee. We like Frisco in SA, and went shopping today. I was very disapointing. I't just doesn't tast nearly anything like the coffee we are use to. That is just my opinion at the moment.

[Thys]

An important document we should have brought along is a letter of reference from a landlord or even the agent that sold your house in SA, to say that you have been a good tenant or left the house in a neat & clean state. If you want to rent here, most landlords require such a letter and it was a bit of a hassle trying to organise such a letter from here, especially as the South African house agents or new owners just do not understand why on earth one would want that, and is suspicious that you want to trick them into something.

[polly]

Check under Immigration / General. There is a long topic about this.

http://www.saaustralia.org/index.php?showtopic=16448

There are a few others, just do a search.

[Jill]

if you like frisco, koosdup, try the coles brand coffee, just as nice as frisco and cheap.

[somarie]

Thanks Polly, I knew there was a post some time in the past, but couldn't find it.

[Marina van Zyl]

On this topic…I'm sure you are all aware of IOM flights. You are allowed to take 40kg of baggage at no extra charge.

Looking back I would probably have brought and packed more work clothes. Suits here are very expensive. You can pay anything between $300 (R2100) and $800 for a men's suit. Ladies suits can sometimes be even more and you can end up spending about $400 for a decent suit. For that price you can go to Jenny Button and buy suits.

I would suggest that you avoid bringing food into Aus as much as you can. There are some great South African shops around where you can buy all your favourites. Or even order it online.

Another useful thing for us was to scan copies of all our documents (e.g Passport, Visa docs, Driver's licence (even ID book, although it is pretty useless in Aus)) telephone numbers and email addresses. You never know when you may need it. (Probably not related, but make sure that you have informed you South African bank that you will be leaving the country, otherwise they block your credit card if you use it in Aus and they cannot get hold of you.)

I would also strongly recommend that you bring a laptop computer. You will need it everyday when you are looking for rental properties or even if you are still job searching.

And of course, take photo's of everything in SA. Your house, family, friends and places that are special to you.

Good luck with the packing!!!

[polly]

For the flight / the while before your container comes, I suggest you pack a towel for each person in the family. Preferably something big that can double as a beach towel. A few extra tubes of toothpaste, a favourite toy or two for the kids, a book for each person to read. Spare toothbrushes. Shampoo and conditioner in the largest bottle you can find. Extra socks and underwear. Cameras and related.

All your important documentation: degrees, passports, immunisation docs, etc.

Bring with some of your favourite dvds. It is nice to be able to watch something familiar.

Cellphone. Just buy a simcard this side.

Mozzie repellant

Charger for your phone

Converter plugs

Softcopies of all your important documentation (visas, passports, etc.) It is easier if it is already scanned in.

Contact numbers / email addresses of everyone you left behind.

Birthday calendar (You forget surprisingly easily with all the excitement of arrival)

Takkies (sneakers)

Casual clothes!

Some stationary, a diary and a notebook (you will need to write down a lot, it helps if everything is in one place)

Something like Dirol - any chewing gum for when you don't have time to brush (great for the flight and when you wake up at 3 pm with jetlag and someone is knocking on the door)

Soap / showergel and washcloths / squigies

Hair clippers and scissors!

Nail manicure set

Stuff for when you get sweaty

At least one warm outfit and at least one cool outfit

Two toiletrolls (you should always travel with toilet rolls: they work as tissues, toilet paper, emergency wipes, soft seat, stuffing, etc.)

Credit card

Sunglasses

Flashlight (preferable a windup one, so you don't battle with batteries. We found things would always roll to the dark corner under the bed, then there's getting in behind the washing machine, etc.)

Sunscreen (as high a factor as you can find)

A sunhat if you arrive in summer, a scarf and warm hat for winter

Sleeping bags (great for short term bedding)

Plasters and your favourite antiseptic cream

Painkillers

Alarmclock!

Two tea towels / dishcloths and a spunge

And buy a street directory as soon as you get off the plane

Can't think of anything more

*and most airlines will give you some sort of emigration flight so you can take larger amounts of luggage (we flew with Quantas)

Edited September 24, 2008 by polly

[Eva]

Thanks Polly! That is such a comprehensive list. Will cut and paste it into my word document for all I need later....

Eva

[Rose and Terry]

Thanks Polly for that comprehensive list. Does anyone have any pointers on what not to pack on the flight ie any experiences with stuff being confiscated? I wanted to stock up on my favourite moisturisers, shampoo etc, but have been hearing stories about deodorant and shampoo being confiscated, so I don't want to go and buy if they are just going to whip it away again.

Also IOM don't tell you what you are allowed to take in your hand luggage. Any pointers?

[polly]

The only thing they were worried about at customs after our flight was the trail mix they gave on board.

Oh, take any chronic medication you might need (e.g. asthma pump) in your carry-on luggage. Murphy dictates that the suitcase you need most will be the one that dissapears. (In my case the one containing all the nappies). Just declare everything.

I brought a stash of Pantene with, all went through. So did the lotions, etc. They were in the checked-in luggage. Took juices on board for the kids, ditched the ones left before we went through customs.

[Lynnette]

Hi All,

Don't trust your logic in thinking that a sealed vacumn packed packet of biltong can go through customs - it may not! I had mine for 'breakfast' on the plane, but my husband had to sacrifice his at customs - sealed or not.

We got the chocolates we bought at the duty free shop through with proof of the receipt, but other stuff like the 'muslie/nutty munchies' they give you on the plane may not go through.

Best of luck - it is all WORTH IT!!!!

[Thys]

Some people may smile at this... Until recently, I travelled quite regularly between Australia and Thailand (we had a project there), so much so that I kept a "travel bag" ready at all times. I never had any problems coming and going through Aus Customs & Immigration, except for one day when I had to travel to Bangkok at short notice. I called my wife and asked her to pack a bag for me and meet me at the airport with it, and having finished my last meeting rushed out to the Sydney airport for the flight to Bangkok.

As usual they sent my laptop bag through the security scanner and called me to one side, asking what I was doing with food in my laptop bag. I could not quite understand what they were on about, and then realised I still had the previous day's leftovers in my lunchbox! In the rush I forgot to remove that before leaving for the airport. Felt such an idiot....

PS. On my first trip to Sydney from SA, they also called me out because I did not declare a packet of peppermints which they found in one bag....

[Almost there]

Check here for International Baggage details (SAA) - quite a long list of what you can take over & above your 1 x 8kg cabin luggage. Note - pdf doc, requires Adobe.

http://ww2.flysaa.com/Leisure_master/Downl...gage_policy.pdf

[Anton#1]

Half the fun is in shopping for all those essentials in a new country! Hey, in my mind a clean pair of undies will just about do!

[polly]

Oh, I forgot. Take a boardgame or soemthing like Uno with. It is a great way to keep yourselves busy when you have jetlag. 3am there isn't much else to do