[Tamara]

I have just received a phone call from my adult nephew who is currently in Canada on a uni exchange for a semester. He is actually thinking of transferring for a further semester should his exchange not be able to be extended. This is a good sign. Although he says he misses elements of home, like some foods. Being an athletic chap, he gets to indulge in things like milo, peanut butter and tim tams for training purposes. Unfortunately, he says the milo tastes different to our milo at home and so I am putting this question out there to anyone who has sent food stuffs overseas, are we able to send milo? I thought a food parcel will be just the ticket to cut back on the burgeoning winter blues and so that he can feel on top of things again, I am considering the milo in that package.

Whilst I am happy for him to extend his stay, it means we won’t be able to celebrate his 21st birthday with him at home – we are the closest thing to his parents so it would have been nice. We can have a belated celebration when he returns I’m sure.

Any thoughts woukd be greatly appreciated.

[needlewoman]

This is a great idea, T; I’m sure your nephew would really appreciate a food parcel – especially with Xmas fast approaching. Once a upon a time I would have suggested that you contact David Jones – they did great food parcels but of course you paid a higher cost for the edibles. What about ‘Send a Basket’? Even if they can’t help with an overseas shipment, they may be able to suggest a company that can. The only problem I can anticipate is the security issue, especially an international perspective. Google a Canadian company? There must be something out there similar to Interflora for flowers. Good luck. Lovely to know that this young man feels confident enough to stay abroad despite missing home. One of my nieces is headed to Canada after her sister’s wedding, next January. Originally, she expected to be working there about now but she has fallen in love with India, and travelling around there prior to returning to Australia to be a bridesmaid.

[Lisa]

I think you would be pretty safe to send milo, it’s a processed product so typically seen as low risk. Sending just a small amount to someone for their personal consumption shouldn’t be an issue, if you were to send vast quantities it may arouse interest as it would likely be assumed it was being imported for resale. I think when you send a parcel you have the option to declare it as a gift. Also, when you mail your package the courier company often has some info on what you can and can’t send.

I drank Milo when I was working in NZ, the North American versions are certainly much sweeter. I imagine it would be sickly sweet if you weren’t used to it.

[Tamara]

He tells me he has milo on everything 😜😳 but then he is training with the wrestling team and of course needs the stuff for energy. He tells me it tastes wierd (no offence to Canadian products or anything. I think he is used to the way it tastes at home). He’s also been looking for timtams and can’t find them anywhere.

I did look up some information about perishables. I think it is safe to send those two products but will clarify with the post office lady to make sure I don’t have to declare it as food or a gift or anything absolutely specific that warrants the customs officers “breaking and entering” the parcel. I usually send other items overseas (fabric was the last one I sent but not to Matt of course).

I was hinting about whether or not he has a nice winter coat yet and knowing my nephew he will probably leave it until the first big snow fall of the season to get thermals or anything of that sort. I was sounding him out as to whether he’d like me to make him one but as yet the answer is “um err” I will wait for the sos!

He doesn’t know where he will be for Christmas as apparently the team tours (over the holidays???) so as to sending a parcel for Christmas I will have to get dates from him as to when he will be off touring so I can get it to him before.

Does it have to go by courier and not a postal service? That is confusing.

@needlewoman I was told India was where he wasn’t allowed to leave the airport because of not having a visa (and he did research before leaving and found he didn’t require one but it turns out he actually did😐). It was also where he lost all his luggage and his phone! It still isn’t fully replaced so the one he has for the interim is very basic and not very smart😕 That means no facebook or instagram etc. So that means international calls are from the computer using skype (had we known that we could have used ours but can only hear and no talk so it would be slightly bothersome!).

Thankyou ladies so much for your input it is very gratefully received. This young man has no parents (like I might have stated before) so he is pretty much like our son and we miss him so much but we are thrilled he is enjoying himself (apart from being nearly run over by the apparently “crazy” traffic) and being a country kid he is loving the bright lights.

I told him he is not to stay past June or I will have to come and escort him home.

[nzsewist]

Timtams are available at some walmarts in the US now so don’t know if that is an option for him from Canada? A friend of mine who travels from here in NZ to the US once a year always takes some for her friends over there but they’ve been able to get themselves now so that they don’t have to wait 12 months between their Timtam doses! 🙂

[Tamara]

I’m really unsure as to variety of flavours or anything for overseas. I’m even not that sure about how accessible it would be for him to access them from the US. Even that would incur some research. I think he just mentioned it because that was something he missed about home. I am happy to send to him. It would help relieve the homesickness.

[Lightning McStitch]

I’ve just been to see a fabulous exhibition David Bowie Is…
Well, he is an absolute genius in my opinion. And I’m sure you can imagine how much I’d love to recreate almost every stage costume he ever wore. I think the silver clown suit with cone hat from Ashes to Ashes would make the best halloween costume ever.
Anyway, favourite quote was Bowie describing the mad quilted jumpsuit he wore on BBC for Starman as; “ultra -violence in liberty fabric”
I vote for a Ziggy Stardust sew along! (but I may have had a few glasses of wine already tonight! 🙂 )

[Tamara]

Sounds like a wonderful exhibition!

[Robin]

Tamara what part of the country is he in? In British Columbia you can buy TimTams at Save On Foods, but not very many different flavours.

[Tamara]

@Robin he sent through his address and we are guessing ON is Ontario? He’s not very specific otherwise.

[Robin]

@Tamara, That’s Ontario. The link is to retailers in Canada. It sounds like you can buy them in a lot of places, just not a lot of flavour choices. http://timtamslam.ca/where.php

[Sarvi]

For you, @lightningmcstitch

http://photos.costume-works.com/full/jareth_from_labyrinth.jpg

[Tamara]

Thankyou so much @robin! I will forward that information onto Matt and should he “need” any flavours he can’t get over there, I will just send them along with the milo.

[Lightning McStitch]

That’s awesome @sarvi
Now, if only I could knit like you, I’d have Halloween sorted…..

• This reply was modified 9 years ago by Lightning McStitch.

Attachments:

1. 

   FOT6C2F.jpg
   

[Sarvi]

Oh, that’s a look and a half!