Things you can get in South Africa but not in Australia and vice versa

[sbhennops]

Brown onion soup, there isn't a big variety of soups in Aus and I miss the mayonnaise in SA. Apart from that I am happy with everything in Aus.

Go to an IGA they have plenty of brown onion soup

[heidim]

TraceyLee, for the cordials try Juicee at IGA. So far the best taste we could find without paying an arm and a leg. We get Halls juice here from the SA Shop at $8 and it makes 2l less I think than the Juicee at $3.99. Definitely not worth it when we're constantly hydrating on cordials in the Brisbane heat.

Edited March 19, 2014 by heidim

[TraceyLee]

Thanks for all the tips of where to find substitute cordials and drinks...I'll be checking out the IGA and Woolies more closely for them.

[rozellem]

This juice/cordial thing made me think of our recent trip to RSA. In Sydney, pre schoolers like mine generally only drink water, with the occasional box of juice at a birthday party or special event. In RSA, I dont think I ever saw any of my extended family or friends kids drink water at all. They did however drink a bottomless supply of juice. It was very difficult to hide this from my kids, who copied the cousins every move, and within days mine was standing in front of the fridge whining for "sappies" too! Thankfully they shook it the moment we came back.

[heidim]

@rozellem - I also prefer the kids drinking water, but they don't like the taste (and I can't blame them as I'm also not a big fan of plain water - I always squirt some lemon juice in). So I have a hard time forcing the kids to drink water. They'd rather drink nothing than water. And in the heat we have here, they have to stay hydrated. So I make a very weak cordial, just to change the water taste. Rather that than dehydration...or a full scale tantrum.

[RYLC]

Heidim we used to live in Brisbane and NEVER got used to the water. Maybe try using a filter jug because it did help us a bit.

Funnily enough we are in Adelaide now and the water tastes most like South African water of anywhere I've been here.

Perth water is terrible too

[TraceyLee]

We are in Brisbane ( Bayside) and drink loads of water....but it is filtered so maybe that helps as we don't find any different to SA.

[HadEnoughofJuju]

Man I would kill for a Wimpy burger and chips right now... with extra relish.

:<

The wimpy burgers and breakfasts would probably kill you these days with the amount of oil they use.

[OubaasDik]

Perth water is terrible too

Depends on the suburb - when I lived in Currambine, I drank tap water and it was fine, and also when we moved out to Somerly.

And then I got a job in Joondalup.

That water was truly foul - sort of like swimming pool water, but from the baby wading pool - more chemicals and unmentionables that actual water.

And all those suburbs are within spitting distance of each other.

[Donovan83]

I'm in East Perth and the tap water tastes gross to me. A filter jug thing helps get rid of the weird minerally taste.

Found the water in Joondalup and the CBD to be much the same, kinda weird.

[Renny]

It really worries me that people are going to miss spur and wimpy when they leave RSA. We have sooo many good restaurants to experience with good wholesome healthy food, great ambiance and still reasonably priced. Try a new place every time in the time before you leave RSA. , if you dont already do it. At least you will look back and have a broader memory of all thay was on offer. This will also start putting you in a mind frame of trying new stuff for your ozzie adventure. If we get stuck on routine we are usually a little less open for change and different people around us in our lives.

[Donnyvcpt]

I think it has a lot to do with familiarity and memories renny. Whenever I'm in wimpy I think back to when I was very young and my mom and aunt would take me there after they finished clothing shopping. Now, I take my daughter there whenever we go grocery shopping. It might not be the best or the healthiest, but there are many sentimental memories attached to it and that's what I'll miss. Well, that and their cheese and bacon burgers.

[AndreaL]

I'm with DonnyCPT

It isn't that I can't survive emigration because of the thought of never having a Wimpy or Ocean Basket again..............it IS more about the memories. When I was a little girl, my Granny used to take me to an old fashioned tearoom in the UK, we would have a toasted teacake..................I still remember this and the stands of yummy cakes..............then when we lived in Scotland and I went shopping with my Mum, we would have a meal at the Chinese restaurant....................and Thursday was payday, so it was takeaway curry day................then in RSA she would take me for a Wimpy breakfast.................I also got to know the joy of a burger from the Portuguese cafe owner.....................or slap chips, or Bimbos after a night out, Fontana and so on.................it really is the memories.

I've bought some of the things that I used to love in RSA and the UK and my tastes have changed and I didn't like them anymore, but the memory is still there.

[RYLC]

Nostalgia is good. Comparing every burger you have in Australia to the "gold standard" of a Wimpy burger will leave you disappointed because it doesn't have a side order of memories. By all means remember the good times but don't measure your new life against them.

It would be like comparing an aged bottle of wine with one from the latest harvest. Given time, the new bottle will taste as good as the aged bottle.

I often think too when I read on here about a situation in Australia that has upset someone. Usually the reason is because they have certain expectations about how it "should" be. Being able to manage your expectations and being more open and willing to go with the flow is the key to happiness.

[AndreaL]

It should be obvious to most that memories are what make us who we are and that it takes time in a new country to build new memories.............friendships too, the key is to be open to it.......................but I still do enjoy a trip down memory lane every so often.....it reminds me of where I've been and how I got to where I am now

[HansaPlease]

I think the thing that a lot of people like about Wimpy and Spur is you pretty much have an idea of what you're going to order before you walk in the door... Or at least a couple of options. It's all familiar.

I don't really like the "protea foods" biltong or the Aldi one that much but for some reason I keep buying them because, well, it's biltong!

There are absolutely plenty of amazing choices of restaurants here in Aus, but some of the time I find that I'm torn between trying something new, or having something I've had before because I KNOW it will be good.

Yesterday was a good example. We went out for breakfast and tried a new place. It was rubbish. I wasted an opportunity to go to our usual place where I know it would have been good.

I think that's part of the attraction to the likes of Spur and Wimpy - you know most of the menu anyway.

[OubaasDik]

I miss Steers takeaways and Mi Vami Shuwarmas - they have kebab houses here with the rotating meat and all, but it's pitifule against a Mi Vami shuwarma.

[Crossedover]

I love the idea that wimpy and spur come with a side of memories.... Boy I am depriving my kids... I hate wimpy and we have long given up spur, the food is awful and expensive.... But the kids will remember having fun in their playground I guess!

But I guess we have to start that memory bank at zero.... And Aussie parents , do any of you have tips on what kids just love in Aus? Besides Tim tams they already know about them! And they already love the things from the "smuggle" (stationery shop).... What is it with females and stationery...I love it too!!!! My kids are 7,11 & 12!

I am going to miss the South African "woolworths" and all my loyalty card benifits .... Ha ha! The joys of Dicovery medical aid - BUT I believe they are both on their way!!!!! Yippy yippy yippy.

[Bronwyn&Co]

My son loves a Chicken Parmi (parmigiana) here in Aus. Some sort of chicken coated in crumbs and then smothered with melted cheese and a tomato sauce. It comes with a side of chips and salad which he gives me. Served at 99% of Australian places.

Well this morning when we drove around an unfamiliar area for over half an hour looking for a place to eat breakfast I was really trying to manage my expectations. In the end it was a choice between a white bread sandwich or a wrap in plastic containers or a garage pie for $7. Or one of those sticks with the 'meat' on and crumbs. Is it a hotdog? Oh my life sucks so bad.

[RYLC]

The things my kids like are not brand specific. Ice-cream at the beach, pizza night on Tuesdays. That sort of thing. So wherever we live they can have the same experience.

[AndreaL]

Smiggle. I remember when we first arrived in RSA all the girls were crazy about collecting fancy writing paper and so forth from CNA..................so things haven't changed that much Crossingover.

Hansa, I am so similar, in that I tend to order the same thing over and over, the odd time I order something different and have a fail............I seem to take it personally................lol

[RYLC]

Well this morning when we drove around an unfamiliar area for over half an hour looking for a place to eat breakfast I was really trying to manage my expectations. In the end it was a choice between a white bread sandwich or a wrap in plastic containers or a garage pie for $7. Or one of those sticks with the 'meat' on and crumbs. Is it a hotdog?

Bronwyn those meat on a stick things are called corn dogs I think although each state has a different name for them.

Pity about the breakfast choices on offer this morning It doesn't sound like you were in a popular breakfast/cafe strip area to have had such limited options.

[Bronwyn&Co]

Yes! It's called a corn dog. Yuckky.

We went to a motorbike show at the Brisbane showgrounds. So mmmm. A bit industrial I guess.

[Donnyvcpt]

Yes! It's called a corn dog. Yuckky.

We went to a motorbike show at the Brisbane showgrounds. So mmmm. A bit industrial I guess.

I love corn dogs

Edited March 23, 2014 by Donnyvcpt

[Renny]

Sorry did not mean to diss the memories but is is probably just me but the wimpy makes the most horrible food i have ever tasted. I think i have been to the wimpy a full 5 times in my life. Once I got a little bit of food poisoning from a toasted chick and mayo sarmy. The other times i have ordered a burger and know i did not finish it casue i thought it was horrible. For me they make a nice tooti fruito smoothie. We do go to the spur about twice a year after our big cycle races and we need some oil and fat back into the body. I cry for two days from tummy pain after loading in a beef burger with chips and loads of pink sauce. So i guess my memories are not good ones. We tend to change things around alot. We are more about new experiences than memories. Yes we are probably weird but even when we go to the same restaurant i try to order something different every second time.if it was bad I just would not order it again. . . . . But no regrets! When we go on holiday we try new spots when we go for a weekend away we try a place we have never been to.

Sorry so off topic here!

I think i will miss the veggie patties from woolies. My aussie family are mostly vegaterian and when they came to visit they even commented about how good they were.