{Expat life} Homeward bound!

Team Somerville

This time next week Team Somerville will be on a plane to Brisbane, Australia. An 8-day visit to catch up with family and friends.

It's been 12 months since we were home and I'm often asked what I miss most about Australia (aside from family and friends of course!).

For me it's the little things, like being able to walk into a shop and communicate in English knowing I'll have paid for exactly what I wanted.

Or walking into a clothing store and choosing from neatly organised racks with clearly marked Australian standard sizes (and for anyone over 6 foot with an above size 30 waistline that's extremely important!).

My top to do/buy list in Australia is as follows:

• Drive a car! It's not just about the freedom of driving a car, but also the fact that I can drive on the right side of the road (the left side, that is!).
• Give in to the ridiculous food cravings that have popped into my head over the last 12 months (simply because I can't get them here!): Arnotts savoury shapes (for Rob it will be barbecue shapes!), Iced Vo Vo biscuits, salt and vinegar crinkle cut chips, Cadbury dairy milk buttons (they taste better than the squares!), non-UHT milk, freshly baked bread (without sugar!) and twisties.
• A visit to Zone Fresh in Windsor - my favourite deli/fruit-vege shop. I just know that I'll be gobsmacked by the ridiculous prices but just walking by the glass case with chicken kievs and crumbed lamb cutlets is sure to send me into a frenzy!
• Walk into a bbq chicken shop (eg Chicken Magic or Red Rooster in Clayfield) and buy a takeaway chicken minus the head/beak! Can't bring myself to buy one in Vietnam because the chicken heads freak me out!
• Buy all of the new release books I can fit into our suitcase (despite improving in the 18 months we've lived here, finding latest release novels in Vietnam is a rare event).
• Underwear shopping - can't beat Bonds underwear and my supply is looking a wee bit sad. Yeah sorry, too much information! I need to approach Mr Bonds about a trade agreement with Vietnam!

What I know I am going to miss about Vietnam:

• The noise - crazy as it sounds I just know I'm going to find Brisbane a little too quiet and sterile. I've grown used to the noise and chaos.
• The cheap cost of daily essentials - I love the fact that I can go to the market and buy fresh fruit and vegetables for so little. I'll have to resist telling the girls to stop eating because it's too expensive!
• My housekeeper - a no brainer! Crap...I'm not sure I know how to turn on the washing machine! Must ask the manager at our serviced apartment to have a folder of takeaway menus on hand!

See you soon Brisbane xxx

PS -are you an overseas expat? Write and let us know what's the first thing you'll do/buy when you arrive in your homeland.