Camping out while waiting for your container

[Cindylou]

OK, I know this idea may go down like a lead balloon, but here goes:

When we left SA we were told that our container would take 6 to 8 weeks. As the saying goes "yeah right" our container arrived almost three months later and by that stage we were camping in our rental unit with a newly purchased bed and not much else. Actually we're lucky because we have family here and they helped us with a rudimentary survival pack, but I remember being invited for a braai and having to borrow a salad bowl from the hostess so that I could take a salad!

This weekend I walked through the High Street arcade in Freo & just behind the St Vinnies and Good Sammy second hand clothing stores there was a treasure trove of second hand shops, all under the auspices of Good Samaritans: one specialises in kids toys and one in household goods. Things like coffee cups, plates, plastic ware, table lamps, salt n pepper shakers, toasters, glasses, even sporting goods. If you're looking for cheapies to see you through while you wait for your container give them a visit. You can always take the stuff back to them when your beloved possessions arrive!

C'Lou

[Patty]

I hereby nominate Cindylou for a special, once-off, Nobel prize for excellence in forum postings!

[Cindylou]

Thanx Patty, just trying to "pay it forward" like the rest of us here in Aus.... It's odd how often something happens (like this shopping experience on the weekend) and one thinks "gee, I wish I'd known about this place/experience/route when I was a newbie"

[KarinaPer]

I hereby nominate Cindylou for a special, once-off, Nobel prize for excellence in forum postings!

I Second that, it is these seemingly small posts that have huge impact on our planning.

Thanks Cindy

Karina

[LuJVR]

What a great post. We will be arriving in arriving in Goondiwindi (Queensland) in October of this year.

We will be staying with friends at first and my guess is that I will get a lot of stuff from them (since they had to buy double due to the wait for their container, thanks Sonja!) but there will still be a lot that we have to buy. I love cooking and just have to have pots and pans in all kinds of sizes available, about crockery I'm not too fussy, neither am I about plastics. When we were in Oz last year on our activation trip I had a good rummage around in the salvation army shops, and saw then that I could get a lot of it for cheap. Bedding, furniture etc etc will also have to be bought since we are going over just with our baggage allowance and don't intend on taking a container right now.

Exciting times, an adventure (now Lu, keep repeating this until you believe it). (Might have to do it another 1000 times, though). Even more adventurous due to the fact that it will all happen while I am heavily pregnant and expecting to deliver our firstborn in a strange country, in a strange hospital and without my family around me, withing a few weeks of our arrival. Planning to buy nearly everything for the baby secondhand at garage sales etc apart from nappies. Now repeat, adventure, adventure, adventure...........................

[AllisonW]

These op shops are a blessing when you first arrive and you need basic stuff and not necessarily the best stuff.

Wanted to share this link of most op shops in Melbourne and where to find them.

http://opshop.org/list/VIC/MELBOURNE/