Slightly Off Topic

Hello again. Just a quick question for the locals. My daughter is traveling to Sydney in July. For a few days she will stay with a host family. What can she bring from the states as a small token of thanks, that they would enjoy? Thanks ahead! :D

Anythng from your hometown would be appreciated, but as long as it's NOT food, or customs will confiscate it.

A gigantic box of See's Candy :D

Keep the idea's coming. :) I have never heard of See's candy.:confused: I did a Google and found it...Really?? Good candy that you can't get there? I thought no food?

Keep the idea's coming. :) I have never heard of See's candy.:confused: I did a Google and found it...Really?? Good candy that you can't get there? I thought no food?

 

We do get good candy here but I'm just a big fan of See's since I first tasted it in 1979 in San Francisco. I always bring them back to Australia and just declare it on the Customs form. It is never a problem. Actually I always do a lot of shopping for various spice mixes and stuff like that that you cant get here. I'm a card carrying member of Ralphs frequent shoppers :D

 

And Costco as well :p

 

Seriously though, I'm sure something representative of your local area or State would be greatly appreciated.

 

Maurice

We do get good candy here but I'm just a big fan of See's since I first tasted it in 1979 in San Francisco. I always bring them back to Australia and just declare it on the Customs form. It is never a problem. Actually I always do a lot of shopping for various spice mixes and stuff like that that you cant get here. I'm a card carrying member of Ralphs frequent shoppers :D

 

And Costco as well :p

 

Seriously though, I'm sure something representative of your local area or State would be greatly appreciated.

 

Maurice

 

 

:p Thank you! We may just have to try See's over here on the East coast.

What about a bottle or two of your local wines or liqueurs. Of course, you would need to pack it very carefully. You can bring food, you just have to be really careful. Check this site first

 

As Kennex mentioned - candy or chocolates and biscuits (cookies) are probably OK, just make sure you declare it. This page might be helpful as well.

 

Or a coffee table book about your local area and its history. When my daughter was in high school she did an exchange and the German girl brought us a lovely book on the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) where she came form and some local schnapps (which was not so lovely). Still it was just nice to receive a gift.

Hello again. Just a quick question for the locals. My daughter is traveling to Sydney in July. For a few days she will stay with a host family. What can she bring from the states as a small token of thanks, that they would enjoy? Thanks ahead! :D

 

How about tiny Statues of Liberty? I know you do not live in NY, but the Lady is still representative of all things USA :)

 

You could probably order them from somewhere online.

. I always bring them back to Australia and just declare it on the Customs form. It is never a problem. :D

Maurice

 

See, I think it is a prob, because you have to go thru the dreaded "red zone", instead of the "green zone", and then they will more likely go through everything...I know they can still go through your stuff in the green line, but in all our travels(lots) they never have...

only the time I declared a box of turkish delight!!..never again.

Thank you everyone. You are so kind. We do get to NY from time to time (3 hours away) and we do have beautiful picture books of our area as we are in the mountains. (Don't do "RED" zones) :p

I thought no food?

Commercially produced cooked food which is still in its originally packaging is very often OK - so there is little risk that a box of See's Candy will be prohibited.

 

But - and this is important - it must be declared to Customs so that they can make the decision. Even if the food is permitted, you will be in serious trouble if you do not declare it so that they can see it.

See, I think it is a prob, because you have to go thru the dreaded "red zone", instead of the "green zone", and then they will more likely go through everything.

The red zone/green zone system has been abolished, because too many people were deliberately pretending to declare something in order to go through the red zone - and doing so because the red zone was usually much faster.

 

My own experience was consistent with that - whenever I have had something to declare (usually gifts of food), it took me much less time to get out of the red zone. The only time that I actually got held up there was when I had a pair shoes covered in Kiwi sand that they took away to clean.

.The red zone/green zone system has been abolished, because too many people were deliberately pretending to declare something in order to go through the red zone - and doing so because the red zone was usually much faster.

.

Globaliser, which Aussie International airport are you talking about??

They still do it in Brisbane, and I 'm almost positive it was still there last year in Sydney..

Globaliser, which Aussie International airport are you talking about??

Sydney: I can only speak about the oneworld side, because I haven't flown in to the other side of the international terminal for many years. But everyone has to go through the same gate now. If you're declaring something, you then get sent to talk to a customs officer rather than just going to get your bag X-rayed.

Sydney: I can only speak about the oneworld side, because I haven't flown in to the other side of the international terminal for many years. But everyone has to go through the same gate now. If you're declaring something, you then get sent to talk to a customs officer rather than just going to get your bag X-rayed.

they XRAY everrryyythingggg in Brisbane!..in and out.

And everytime we go thru Sydney..the same.

Maybe something that your area is known for... or maybe some local art? hmm but me personally, any food or drink tastes good will be a winner!

Maybe something that your area is known for... or maybe some local art? hmm but me personally, any food or drink tastes good will be a winner!

Yep, exactly - something that the host family may not have had access to before; and of course it depends on your budget.

 

I think I once took Jason placemats (which I thought were quite tacky)that had paintings of Australian bushland and scenery, my hosts loved them. So who knows?;)

if they have teenagers maybe something baseball related or basketball.

Great ideas. :)