In mid-February, my parents did a extremely last minute two week trip back to Brisbane, to visit family. I couldn't get the time off from work (....retail!) so instead, I house-sat. They brought back some goodies for me as a thank you, which I really appreciate.

I had planned this post differently but a girl's gotta clear some storage space off her camera roll!!!!


I've never really revealed much on my SNS, but I'm a dual citizen of both the US and Australia. Leaving the US at age 4, I grew up in Brisbane, after my mum met my step dad and decided to marry. I've been to Sydney a handful of times, once to Canberra and ventured once down to Tasmania. Through countless trips to the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, with many weekends spent at the beach, I enjoyed the hot climate (my pale skin did not).

I lived with my parents in Redcliffe, Brisbane briefly, then moved to the Northside, living in the 'burbs. When I started Year 7, we all moved to the Southside of Brisbane and happily spent time there. I left Australia half-way through Year 11 and returned to the US, where I've now spent another ten years in the lovely PNW--total opposite climates to a tropical, sunny QLD! I finished school and did college in the US, but could always return, provided that I had sufficient funds (money always makes things happen!!).

So with that backstory, brings some interesting things. Lucas' PawPaw Ointment is now that much more special to me because I've lived a few suburbs over from Acacia Ridge, where this is made.  I knew it was a QLD based product, but didn't know how close to home it truly was until looking at the packing from the photo my mum sent, while on their trip. My mum went to one of the chemists there while shopping with family and sent me this photo, that would make the bloggers go wild:



All the good good!

She picked up some of these goodies for me. I've tried  them out now, and really like the thickness, scent and how effective these beauties are! I've only opened one of the tubes; the other tube and the larger jar will stay in my unopened stash area for now.




These Daiso goodies are actually from the Daiso at the Myer Centre, in Brisbane's CBD. My local Daiso stores over here in WA, USA are smaller, and because of the high foot traffic, are always sold out of the good stuff any time I happen to go in.
 
At the time, I was excited for the peach scented peeling gel, but since taking this photo, it's been a bit of a let down. No worries, thought!

• eye mask
• face peeling gel - peach & rose
• charcol natural pack
• serum

Story time: I went to a particular primary school for Year 5 through 7, one with a prominent German community in the area. Naturally, there would be German products that would be sold in stores. I grew into using Fa, a German brand, for deodorant and body wash. There was a peach one I remember using a lot, and I wish I could have some again--there's a few sellers on eBay that are out of California, so that will a better substitute.

Nowadays, Fa little harder to find, so my mum brought back this Dettol branded peach body wash instead, for my peach mom needs!


I've used Dettol a lot in my childhood too; it's a professional hospital-grade disinfectant for various cuts and scrapes. The smell is forever burned into my nose, but it's saved me so many times from possible infections--no joke!

I actually have three local Aussie sheet masks, but I have no clue where they went--I've lost them twice now since the trip! If I find them, I'll update this text portion,



snacks

You all probably know but US made candy and chocolate tends to be...sweeter (than necessary) and is almost always made with high fructose corn syrup. Lollies (candy) in Australia are made with cane sugar, 'cause, y'know, it grows there. The taste is changed, often tasting less sweet but pure, closer aligned to intended flavours--it just tastes nicer.

The best part of traveling is bringing back goodies, so this is a mini snack haul:

• allens strawberries & cream x2 - I've already opened one of the bags lol
• allens redskins - not very PC tbh, but I kind of liked these...a lot...
• milk bottles x2  (the good ol' Woolies generic brand lol) 
• allens classic party mix (the pineapple are my dads fave but the teeth used to be my faves when I was a kid!!!
• cadbury picnic 12 pk

The best part is that all of these could be bought on Amazon, should I ever want some more, but I'm excited because the milk bottles are actually going to be in two videos!

• twisties cheese party bag size - think Cheetos, but less of a artificial "highlighter" neon orange to the cheese flavouring....
• burger rings - I really wanted Burger Men but I think they've stopped making them.... :~(
• twisties (Chicken) - Oh god....the chicken flavour was my fave back in Year 5 or 6, or around then!!!!

These were more or less as a joke; when I was younger, we'd have Nutri-Grain ceral sometimes, but it'd give us...some...indiestion lol. So I remember there being bar versions out in the shops just as we left Australia--just for nostalgia!


Time to get on with some other plans for the day, have a good one! Thanks for reading~