What do, or would, you miss most about SA?

What do, or would, you miss most about SA?

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Original Poster:

18,444 posts

193 months

Thursday 8th March 2012
quotequote all
As it says on the tin, what is to be missed most about SA?

Family aside, and the Cape Town weather, I could kill for a meal at the Spur.

Things I could buy at a South African shop if I was bothered include Peppermint Crisp, Romany Creams and proper Fanta.

bobskii

14,107 posts

208 months

Thursday 8th March 2012
quotequote all
Next time I fly to the UK I'm sure I could pick you up some bits and send them to you. A sort 'home from home' munchy box!

smile

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Original Poster:

18,444 posts

193 months

Thursday 8th March 2012
quotequote all
bobskii said:
Next time I fly to the UK I'm sure I could pick you up some bits and send them to you. A sort 'home from home' munchy box!

smile
That's very kind of you but they don't take kindly to biltong passing through customs. smile

AlleyCat

811 posts

170 months

Thursday 8th March 2012
quotequote all
Not sure where you are based in the UK at the moment, but if you are London way there is a Spur in the O2 thumbup

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Original Poster:

18,444 posts

193 months

Thursday 8th March 2012
quotequote all
AlleyCat said:
Not sure where you are based in the UK at the moment, but if you are London way there is a Spur in the O2 thumbup
I'm in the South West - Swindon & Bristol - so a trip to the O2 is somewhat out of the way.

Wasn't there also one in Slough?

green944

138 posts

145 months

Thursday 8th March 2012
quotequote all
I miss the reptiles especially the snakes, they were just a part of life I suppose and when I see a twig on the road my first thought is "snake". I miss Pick and Pay and ....ummmm not much else

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Original Poster:

18,444 posts

193 months

Thursday 8th March 2012
quotequote all
green944 said:
I miss Pick and Pay and ....ummmm not much else
You miss P'n'P?
What do you miss about it? The pies?
They did make some pretty amazing pies.

bobskii

14,107 posts

208 months

Friday 9th March 2012
quotequote all
Pints said:
That's very kind of you but they don't take kindly to biltong passing through customs. smile
One of the local chappies brought me in some biltong his dad made on his farm the other day.

Bloody lovely.

Shame they don't like you importing such things into the EU.

smile

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Original Poster:

18,444 posts

193 months

Friday 9th March 2012
quotequote all
Apparently there are places where it's available over here (if you're prepared to pay a bit more), but it never tastes quite the same.

bobskii

14,107 posts

208 months

Friday 9th March 2012
quotequote all
I've got a taste for Boerewors too, especially a Boerie roll.

The food is pretty great down here!

smile

green944

138 posts

145 months

Friday 9th March 2012
quotequote all
Pints said:
You miss P'n'P?
What do you miss about it? The pies?
They did make some pretty amazing pies.
Liked the pies...a good variety too, that is what I miss...all the sauces,salad dressings, veges, fruit. What was your favourite pie?

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Original Poster:

18,444 posts

193 months

Friday 9th March 2012
quotequote all
green944 said:
Liked the pies...a good variety too, that is what I miss...all the sauces,salad dressings, veges, fruit. What was your favourite pie?
Pepper steak.

King Pies were pretty good too.

green944

138 posts

145 months

Friday 9th March 2012
quotequote all
Someone in my area is starting a business making and selling biltong, just having to go through the lengthy process to be able to sell it as it is not cooked. Hope it will not be too long.

Alfanatic

9,339 posts

218 months

Saturday 10th March 2012
quotequote all
Biltong (we've got a biltong maker now).
Simba Smoked Beef crisps (sorry, I mean chips). Also O'Gradys and big korn bites.
Alfa Giuliettas - the '80s ones - and rust free, at least they were where I was based, which was behind the Boerewors Curtain
GTVs too.
Proper Fanta too.
Creme Soda
Wimpy (they're different to UK Wimpy)
Wide roads that don't have hedges and walls crammed right up to the shoulder. I miss the road holiday road trips from Boksburg (oops I said it) to the coast.
The Garden Route
Tsitsikamma and Storms River mouth
The weather. Perfectly mild. Lovely.
The wide open spaces
Well behaved children
Thunderstorms
Crickets
Friendly locals, at least the ones that aren't trying to take your stuff.
SA Car magazine. It's just... quaint. And it's still got Garageman's Casebook!
Oppikoppi. Actually, no, I don't miss that.
Christmas and new year being highlights in the long summer holidays.
No snow.
Clear night skies with lots of stars
Cheap meat, and braais
Warm oceans (not applicable in CT)
Bobotie

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Original Poster:

18,444 posts

193 months

Saturday 10th March 2012
quotequote all
Alfanatic said:
.
Simba Smoked Beef crisps (sorry, I mean chips).
Many moons ago, as a student, I was actually Simba Lion for a few marketing events.

As a poor student the pay was pretty decent. Still have a Simba t-shirt knocking about. smile

Alfanatic

9,339 posts

218 months

Saturday 10th March 2012
quotequote all
Nice! Did that get you in to any decent events, and if so, did you actually see anything through the suit?

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Original Poster:

18,444 posts

193 months

Saturday 10th March 2012
quotequote all
Nothing especially exciting. Just a few events in East London.

You always have a "minder" with you who you have to pretend to whisper to. She then tells the crowd what I've alleged to have said.

Rule number one they drum into you: Simba may not speak.

Thumping rowdy kids who kick you in the shin is also a nono

hehe

JimBaboon

30 posts

192 months

Monday 26th March 2012
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I miss car guards believe it or not. They're like human versions of pay and display meters except you decide how much to pay for parking depending on your mood, available change or whether you need the few rands you have to buy a loose cigarette with at the Engen garage on the way home.... You pay and they display...gratitude...sometimes. The ones down on Durban beachfront used to keep my keys while I went for a surf, still do now. Slipped the guy a bluey for his troubles at the end of my holiday.

After ten years I'm considering moving back. Each time I go I see the small positive changes taking affect. and YES! Pepper steak pies! my god, can't they make them here? Decent ones??

Anyone else considering the move back?

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Original Poster:

18,444 posts

193 months

Monday 26th March 2012
quotequote all
JimBaboon said:
Anyone else considering the move back?
No. Absolutely not.
My in-laws are forever asking for us to even go back for a holiday and I won't even do that. I don't feel I can take my daughters back there for even a short time.

Alfanatic

9,339 posts

218 months

Monday 26th March 2012
quotequote all
JimBaboon said:
Anyone else considering the move back?
Not yet. We've had a few holidays there but there are still too many new stories every time I talk to anyone who has been there recently for me to consider it a secure environment to raise my daughter in compared to Nanny State Britain. Plus I'm not yet convinced that the country is safe from the classic African dictatorship future.

But I do miss it. It's a beautiful country, with wonderful people having to live with a dark past.