Hard to find and live without ....

Out here we can find a LOT of what we love from home...

However, there are certain things, that I would use all the time that I can't find.

And just to find the ones that are here is an all day event to go shopping for them.  

Most Saturdays are spent gathering tastes of home.

Remember, whatever we get we have to carry and trolley home, which isn't much, but still weighs so much, and is so much more expensive...

That and the fridge is tiny, and the kitchen storage area is even smaller, but I do my best to stock up.  

I know, I know...  I live in ASIA...  What do I expect - A Target?

Well, yes, a Target would be nice thank you!

In fact, a Target that will deliver would make me really HAPPY!!

We are lucky that Hong Kong is very international, so we do have a good flow of international items that make their appearance, and we have had fun trying lots of new things...

Still though, let us take a moment to grieve the availability of our 'comfort foods'...

Here is the current list of withdrawal items..

You never know when these items may appear for a week or two, so we are always watching.

Butterscotch pudding (or other flavors) WITH SUGAR (instant or cook)

They seem to stock the sugar free instant, 

and then they permanent marker over the sugar free words...  

Marshmallow anything (although around Halloween some appears)

Graham Crackers 

Plain Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars (Although, they always have cookies and cream?!)

---Seeing the impossibility for SMORE'S?!  We love Smores!  What do you have against Smore's Hong Kong???--- 

Funfetti cake mix (kids are sad)

Frosting 

Life Cereal (with Cinnamon forget it)

Sandwich Crackers (AKA Ritz) with peanut butter (out here they have lemon, yuck)

Decent Mexican Food items, or consistently available (we had a period of about 4-5 weeks where refried beans and tortillas were impossible to locate.  The kids were about to head back to CA!)

Decent Trash Bags (We keep buying the Costco ones when we can from the little store downtown.  That is sad I know, but I hate it when my bags tear if you breath on them)

Cottage cheese

Cool Whip

My girls (especially Kay) love to make things from fabric.  Finding fleece is hard, and requires tromping around street markets for hours in the heat trying to find some....   Last time it started to monsoon while we were out.  The weather in HK is crazy.

Mashed Potatoes....   

Heath Bars

Reeses PB cups (you can find them if you look HARD)

Nut cracker that won't brake after one use

Cilantro (just forget finding it fresh!)

Food when you eat out that doesn't have MSG

Ibuprofen (you can get it at pharmacy, behind the counter for about 2-3bucks US each)

Bird Cages that are bigger than a micro-spec

Even Sour Cream!  

Ranch 

Cinnamon Apple Sauce

Please, let us just not talk about the Ice Cream selection...

or DOUGHNUTS!!!  

Sourdough Bread

Whole-grain Hearty Bread

Good Bagels

Women's shoes larger than size 7 or 8 (I wear 9, they always look shocked.)

Btw, a Size Medium in the US is like about a size XL here. Yah, that's fun.

Stick Deodorant (Roll-on is all the rage here)

Crest Toothpaste, that is NOT Green Tea flavor

Decent Hair products (ok, curly hair products)

Not a product, well kind of, but we miss out on a LOT of movies from the states.  We do get a lot of the really big name ones, and have an awesome international selection, but sometimes there is a movie you would love to see...

Ok, Ok.  You get the idea.  I just needed to vent for a minute.  

I am sure there are many more things I can talk about, but for now I just wanted to share in the Hong Kong experience.

Until next time on, "This is your American Life in Hong Kong"...  Duh duh duh!