I have a lot of Australian friends who either live permanently overseas or who periodically take long holidays in strange countries. I myself am soon to embark on what could end up being two years of living in the UK and travelling through Europe, so I’m about to be welcomed into the illustrious fold of Aussie expats. The last few weeks I’ve been thinking about products and items that I might crave whilst away from our lovely sunburned country, as I can ask my family to send me care-packs filled with specific items. I know a few of my other friends already ask this of their families and there are also several businesses - such as Homesick.com.au - which rely on the same premise. Aside from the philosophical question this raises (is Australia a place or is it signified by products and items which are unique to a commercial region?) I think it’s a great idea to carry a little bit of ‘home’ with you wherever you go, just so that you can retain a degree of normalcy and connection with your family and friends.

Here are some of the items that I or friends of mine have noticed are hard to find overseas and which are missed the most:

- Bonds underwear. The comfiest, snuggest, most colourfully and funkily designed underwear in the whole world.

- Allens’ and Natural Confectionery sweets, including but not limited to those awesome Allen’s snakes and those really yummy Natural Confectionery soft fruits.

- Milo, a malty powder which you add to hot water or hot or cold milk, rather like Ovaltine but miles better. It is also fantastic on icecream.

- Red Rooster takeaway. Their hot chips are heaven-sent.

- Proper Australian wine. I know that in the UK, Australian wine is considered as being ‘Jacob’s Creek’, ‘Wolfblass’ and ‘Rosemount’. Guess what? We only send our cheapest wine overseas, we keep the best for ourselves.

- Flavoured Freddo Frogs. Why do they only do solid milk chocolate flavour in the UK? Do people realise that Freddo Frogs also come in strawberry, peppermint, white chocolate, turkish delight, and white and milk combination?

- Minties and Fantales, cube shaped chewy sweets (mint and caramel) which have been known to pull out fillings and loose teeth.

- Bundaberg Rum. It tastes like sunshine.

- Twisties and Cheezels. Cheese flavoured crisp-like snacks which are really bad for you but taste really good

- Caramel Tim-Tams. Sainsburys and Tescos stock the plain Tim-Tams but not the caramel. Why?

- Natio beauty products. Made from natural products and not tested on animals, their moisturizers, scrubs and hand creams are to die for.

- MOR cosmetics. Their marshmallow lip-gloss is the safest way to consume marshmallows without actually eating them (and thus putting on weight).

- Witchery, Cue, Portmans and Sportsgirl clothing. Luckily most ship overseas now, with huge postage costs to boot.

- Vegemite in a tube. Most UK supermarkets stock Vegemite in a jar, but what good is that to you if you have to travel light?

- Shop Til You Drop magazine. Yes, it’s a whole magazine filled with the newest fashion and home products to hit stores.

- Bundaberg Ginger Beer. Missed more by Rob than me.