Job Discussion Forums

[Edward]

Let's hear from everyone; what great "Cant live without" products have you found WHILE in China that you would recommend?

I will start with my favorite few:

Soho Touch--an antibacterial "no water" hand cleaner you can carry with you. Buy at TrustMart or Park and Shop. Comes in a small clear bottle with pink "flip top" lid.

Amoxicillin Capsules, Coltalin--The first of course, is a "broad spectrum" antibiotic. I keep a supply at home when I come down with a throat infection or "something buggy". The second is a LIFE safer! Great product for those "flu like aches and pains" or just a two day stuffy nose.


Berberine hydrochloride--Little yellow foul tasting pills, that knock out diarrhoea or "similar maladies". WARNING! Only take a few, maybe two-three, follow up with two-three later in the day IF IT'S BAD! Otherwise you will become a walking wheelbarrow of ..."intenstinal bricks".
[*NOTE--go here if you aren't sure of what this drug is for http://www.cmt.com.cn/article/021017/a021017e02.htm ]

French Coffee Press--Look around, you can find one if ya try! The absolute ONLY way to make a perfect cup of coffee; the "prose" swear by it and so do I, because...it's SIMPLE. The Chinese will gawk at you and say "WHY you using a TEA maker for coffee?" And I usually gawk back and say "why do you use two sticks to eat your food?"
[*NOTE--and where to buy coffee in Guangzhou? I found bags at the Friendship Store for around 45 RMB/500grams. Bought another brand at Park and Shop about the same price, so I think that's the going rate.]

Ok, take it away everyone...ADD your favs

Michael

[gerard]

I caught a chest cold when I got here and the school gave me a bottle of "Liqourice Mix" Think they mean licorice since thats what it tastes like. The box is in English and claim it contains opium. Dont know about that but I was having some weird dreams. I also love those bags of dried fish -not unique to China but they are great with beer. Speaking of which I am crazy about the beeer. A pleasant surprise. I also like those little cans of coffee---a good quick fix.

[Roger]

To Edward,
At Guangzhou Friendship Store in Taojin Lu you can buy genuine LAVAZZA coffee. You can also shop for a Italian-made coffee-maker, you know those espresso pots that havea screw-on top. They sell at a totally unrealistic price (I can sell you one for 100 RMB if you like!).
I buy baguettes at Park'n Shop in Shunde at 3.9 RMB. They cost 12 RMB at CHINA HOTEL's bakery.
If you are into cheese, salami, feta and so on, you need to buy from an importer in Guangzhou. Unfortunately,m you will have to buy in bulk, but with a couple of expat friends that is manageable! The price then will be lower than if you shop in Hong Kong!

[Edward]

Yum yum, LAVAZZA coffee and baguettes and cheese, salami! Oh I want to go today, it's Sunday!

That coffee maker sounds great too. Thanks for the info. I think I also want to check out the licorice Opium! Hahahaha

Great stuff so far people,

Michael [Edward]
*NOTE--My name is both Edward AND Michael, so either is fine!

[ChinaLady]

Okay, popcorn. For a while I was finding it in bulk. NO! I do not want those nasty microwave packets. Real popping corn!

And blue corn chips? the small store at the Portman got some in - and poof - they were gone. Let's see - maybe if we all vow to only buy two bags? They have stacks of salsa - green from Spain, yum. Blue chips?

Love the pharmacies in China. the amazing stuff they have OTC. and, and, most of the larger places have a small book with English names of drugs and their Chinese name.

Enjoy!

[carken]

I love the huge variety of soaps here, the cheap kinds you can get in the supermarket but that smell as wonderful as the expensive ones in the bath shops in the U.S.

Also, for these old joints, there's something "magical" about those little plasters called Gutong Tiegao, available at the pharmacies. They come in a box containing 10 packages, 2 to a box for about Y18-20.

And how about all the junk food? There's no way I could live long enough to try it all!

Carole in Hangzhou

[yvechina]

To my horror...there is no Vegemite!!!!
And only one brand of deodrant!!!
Urgent supplies requested from home!!!

[goldstar]

Try "Baxi" ice cream Made in Beijing, white container, blue lid. Real, as advertised, flavors: chocolate, strawberry, cookies and cream, rum raisin, coffee, green tea, vanilla, coffee, mango. All quite good!

[gerard]

Hello---yvechina.....I would think one is hard pressed to find vegamite anywhere... I tried it once though and liked it. But if you get it that is only half the battle as you need to locate good bread...

For deodorant if you found 1 brand that is 1 more than I have seen here -or anywhere in asia...

[yvechina]

Hi Gerard
What kind of a world do we live in when Vegemite is not freely available??? Its an outrage!!
Dalian has great bread...look for the "salt bread". Its the secret code for no sugar.

[chinasyndrome]

Hi yvechina!

I thoroughly agree with your comments about vegemite! 1000 years from now they'll be digging through the ruins of our cities, when someone will cry out gloriously: 'There WERE highly civilized people living here! We have proof of a vegemite culture!'

I have a personal stash of 2kgs which I tell everyone tastes JUST AWFUL.

In the local supermarket in my 'hometown' here they flog "Australia Cookies' - that smell like the burned inner tube of a tyre and are not only not in the same ballpark as anything I've tasted back home, but are not even in the same game. Then there's the 'Australian' milk - with a picture of Vanuatu on the tin. And the 'Australian' butter with a picture of a chicken on the wrapper. S'true! How do you get butter out of a chicken? I get queazy every time I contemplate that one.

Capilano Yellow Box honey, Aeroplane jelly (raspberry), anything baked, Gravox Supreme gravy mix, cappucino, razors that don''t lacerate your face, Palmolive shave sticks. These are the simple things that make life meaningful!

A sunday roast used to define the smell of home. Now it's been replaced with the smell of an open drain. The danger is in becoming so accustomed to it all that when I eventually go home to the smell of roast lamb I'll long for the smell of s***. Reverse culture shock. It happened to me last time I went home.