27th February 2011 - 12:45pm
Well, so far, things all seem to be going to plan! I decided to sit down and write this while Ben's watching fighting on Austar. It cost $35. So I'd better not interrupt him...
I am getting used to the very relaxed lifestyle - something I am generally not very good at dealing with. I'm the kind of person that finds it hard to relax and do nothing. So instead of doing nothing, I've been doing exercise and housework, cooking, have started doing some cross-stitch of baby things for some friends who are having babies in the next 6 months and watching movies. The exercise, housework and healthy cooking are paying off - I've lost 3kg in my first week here. Actually, that's probably saying more about my lifestyle before I arrived...
There is only one shop in the community, the Alpa store, about the size of the City Supermarket that is (or was) up Liverpool Street in Hobart. So pretty small. It's something I'm really not used to, after having the variety we have at home, and knowing all of the products in the sixteen aisles at Coles from my eleven years of working there. There are fresh fruit and vegies, but only once a week. So everyone rushes to buy them the day the barge arrives. They're a bit hit and miss too. Last week I had the most amazing apricots I've ever had from a supermarket - just like the ones from Mum's tree. This week they were HUGE, but not very nice at all. The lettuce is ok for a couple of days, then it starts turning brown, and within a few days, it's gone. The tomatoes are fantastic, as are the apples. Although the apples are $10.65 for six. Unless you eat the granny smith ones (I always thought they were for cooking) that Ben eats. There are only three types of milk - all the same brand, but full fat, low fat and skinny. There's yoghurt, but not like my usual choice of Yoplait or Nestle. It's Vaalia and that's it. No such thing as sour cream, greek yoghurt, smoked salmon and dips that I'd normally buy. But there is brie and camembert! Although it'll be a treat for the exhorbitant price.
Next is the freezer. Tonnes of frozen meat. The only meat that comes in fresh is ham and bacon. And when you use that, it seems as though it's been frozen and thawed anyway. As much roo as you want. My usual 'fish in a box' is now $11 a box (I never used to buy it unless it was $5 on special) and Ben's favourite chicken kievs are $14 for two. Three types of frozen vegies and one type of frozen chips. Bread comes in fresh, but by the time it arrives it's already about four days old, so we buy the Helga's frozen bread.
Then we move onto the shelves. It's a bit like the old style Coles around 10 years ago, when it was groceries but also specialised in other things. There are clothes, toys and kitchenware. And not a lot of food. We've managed to eat really well though, probably a lot more healthy food than I would've eaten at home. But without the variety. One variety of canned tomatoes, and you're lucky if there are any left. A few random sauces - worcestershire, out of date salad dressing, balsamic vinegar and that's about it. Baked beans but no spaghetti in tins. The whole selection of Natural Confectionary Company lollies. A few chocolate bars, but not my favourite turkish delight, so I haven't had any chocolate since I've been here. Ben said they come in occasionally. No topping - we've been having milo on our icecream. A few random toiletries. Only long grain rice, and spaghetti is the only type of pasta I've seen. Flour in 10kg buckets. The selection on the shelves seems completely random to me, but it's obviously what sells here.
The other thing that I find really interesting is the prices. Some things are cheaper than at home. The apricots and cherry tomatoes are really cheap. But the apples are really expensive. Most of the things on the shelves are really expensive, but I guess you have to think of the freight to get them here. We'll be paying at least $40 for a load of groceries on the barge when we get an account set up with Perkins (the barge company) and start ordering groceries online. Ben said that some things are subsidised (I assume by the government) because they are healthy, to encourage people to eat more healthy food. The softdrink is really expensive, and the shop is full of signs saying 'softdrink is a treat, drink water' and things like that. I'm not sure how well it works, but I've seen heaps of kids drinking juice.
So, it's a very different world here, but exciting all the same.
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