Moving to southern Africa with 2DCs... what do I need to stockpile?

[toomuchteaching]

DH has been offered a job in Swaziland starting in January for 3 years. DD is 2 in January and DC2 is due in December (I know I know!) So I'm wondering what do I need to get or stock up on? I'm don't particularly mean food (although there may be a few jars of Nutella in our shipment and I've heard stock cubes are hard to get hold of, so do tell me what else) more things that necessary for life/childhood. I'm thinking books, shoes, children's toothpaste etc.

DH says I'm being silly and that we'll be able to get what we need there or in RSA, that shoes are available everywhere. But whilst I'm not expecting DD's life to be the same as here, that's part of the reason for the move, I don't want her to miss out because of my poor planning/naivety. So what should I be getting? TIA.

[RillaBlythe]

Awesome! We went to Swaziland to visit friends when DD was about 14m, had a lovely time. Am trying to cast my mind back - obviously we took all shoes needed with us... Mbabane isn't big but there is a good sized supermarket where you can get most stuff. Fruit & veg markets on the streets. Books will not be cheap nor will there be much variety, I would definitely stock up on those, as even in Jo'burg it will be limited.

Would you consider cloth nappies? Pampers/Huggies are really expensive & I found the supermarket own brand to be not much cop.

Sorry I can't be more use really. We are thinking about a move to rural RSA, & I have been wondering recently about the availability & expensive-ness of things like scooters, bikes, outside toys (because the weather will be good enough to be outside!).

[RillaBlythe]

Would you be in Mbabane?

[toomuchteaching]

Just on the edge of Mbabane yes.

Definitely thinking cloth nappies for DC2 (got that minefield to sort out) but not sure what to do about DD. I'm debating packing a few boxes of nappies and potty training asap!

Scooters/bikes/toys all exactly the kind of thing I'm wondering about. DH is absolutely insistent that we don't need to ship anything. I need to convince him he's wrong and that in the long run we will save money by sorting things out from the UK.

[RillaBlythe]

Get birth to potty nappies for DC2 & use them on DD1, speed up potty training. I moved DD1 onto cloth nappies at 2 & started training at the same time (because we were going travelling & I wanted her out of nappies).

Do you have a shipping allowance & a container to fill?

Looking here, a wooden balance bike is roughly £140 www.buycycle.co.za/buycycles/kiddies-bikes/early-rider/early-rider-lite-1-4-years-earrly-rider.html

[toomuchteaching]

We haven't fully sorted shipping allowance yet so I don't know how much will be realistic... I definitely can't fit a scooter in my luggage!

Birth to potty it is then.

[LulaPalooza]

The cost of things in SA is hugely variable. I was really shocked by the price of consumer goods, particularly English books, electronics and children's shoes. Kids bikes and toys are also comparatively expensive, although it depends a lot on the exchange rate which fluctuates a lot for the ZAR.

We buy DSS shoes over here and take them with us when we go to SA. Clothes are relatively inexpensive at shops like Woolworths (which is much more like our M&S).

I really want to go to Swaziland next time we're there. What a fantastic opportunity for you and your family, toomuch. Enjoy!

[Lardbean]

My DSis lives in RSA in the sticks and her dc have books,bikes, scooters etc. What you need to spend extra on luxuries you will be saving on everthing else. I lived in rural Southern Africa as a child and never felt I missed out on anything, far from it. I'm actually sat here feeling really jealous of you and your family!

[Salbertina]

No need to buy Nutella or marmite etc as can buy in sA. Do buy clothes esp shoes, books , toys ESP Lego, DVDs

[Salbertina]

Oh and yes bikes etc v expensive sk import if u can

[Alligatorpie]

I am in Egypt, so it is very different, but I get very frustrated shopping here. Dd1's scooter broke in a week, the shoes are cheap and fall apart ( I tend to buy them at expensive imported shops now, which has it's own set of frustrations - I spent £22 on a pair of shoes on sale at Mothercare here and found them in the UK reg price £10) and English books are really expensive.

I bring - books, scooter, shoes, clothes, toys and swim nappies, ( we swim a lot in this heat)

I also bring birthday cards. Dd goes to a lot of parties and they are hard to find. I get them at a cheapie place that has them 10 for a quid.

I do have a secret stash of granola bars and dd1's favorite pasta for when she is homesick / frustrated. But I don't waste too much luggage space on food.

[toomuchteaching]

Excellent... I shall show DH that I am not wrong about shoes and bikes! Thank you everyone.

[joshandjamie]

In SA you can buy really cheap little plastic ride on motorbikes that I had as a kid and I know kids still have. Books are expensive there as are nappies and formula

[ZamMummyInGabs]

Hi toomuch I've pm'ed you & posted on your other thread.
Check out game.co.za to get an idea of what you will be able to get household goods-wise, but remember the quality may well be poor. If house not furnished (this often means no cooker or white goods either) then buy it all in ikea and ship it. Kids clothes are v overpriced and generally poor quality, shoes ditto, bring with you. And books. And Lego. Tv is pretty poor & expensive. Rip off DVDs are not . The price of disposable Nappies & formula will make you wince. Cloth ones need to be robust & simple to survive the rigours of the Afri-wash. Check if there are putsi/mango flies where you're going - if so, every single thing will need ironing!!

[toomuchteaching]

That is really helpful wildcake thank you. Having conversed with the school it looks like we will be trying to do most things by excess baggage (!) and send one bit of shipping with the absolutely cannot be packed things ahead of us. It will only be for things like the cot, bike, highchair etc. The house is furnished and we will end up buying what we really need there I guess. Can anyone recommend a shipping company?

[akuabadoll]

Sorry don't know a shipping company but wanted to add a silly thing. You are totally right about shoes, it's a big bother. Crocs is the answer for me, in several sizes. They love them, can wear them for most of the year (mine even has fur lined ones for the cold ) they last for ages and you can literally see how much room there is left through the holes! Great for the outdoor life. I also second cloth nappies and early potty training. Sounds great, good luck.

[Biltongmuncher]

From sa and go home a few times a year, so....

Buy the plastic motorbikes out there, brilliant and last really well on rough terrain. The little wooden balance bikes will crumble and die in Africa...:)

Basic clothes are cheap and easy to get, they don't do winter stuff very well though. Shoes, cheap croc variants is the way to go. Lots of colours and sizes and wear with socks in winter.

Everything else you can easily get, joburg is a big well stocked city. Have fun, very jealous!

[notmydog]

Living in SA at the moment, so here is my 2 cents worth:

I have to second the plastic motorbikes. All kids have them here, and they are cheap and easy to replace - just buy them from the local supermarket.

I've got no idea about Swaziland, but I'm sure in Mbabane you would have at least a couple of big supermarkets where you would find most things like marmite and nutella.

I also second the cheapy crocs. My DD (7) lives in hers, as (school shoes aside) I have given up finding the correct fitting shoes for her very fat feet!

[toomuchteaching]

[notmydog]

toomuchteaching you buy them at Pick 'n Pay (similar to Tesco) :D
For around R40

[timetosmile]

They sell fantastic plasic ride-on scooters in Game and Pick and pay which my DCs enjoyed far more than anything from the UK. We have one which is 7 years old admittedly it is mostly duck tape now.. which all three DCs have used

Books are hugely expensive and the SA marmite didn't taste right.

Also take longlasting indestructibletoys like lego and playmobil.

Loads of stock cubes in standard supermarkets. I lived 100km South in SA..no cooking apples (wierd thing to miss!)

Take a slow cooker and/or pressure cooker as a lot of the meat needs slow cooking(!)

Please take malaria precautions as appropriate. Not to give you a 'downer' but its a serious disease.

And cars are proportionately far, far more expensive but hold their secondhand value really well.

Hope you have an amazing time. And learn as much of the language as you possibly can, even if you don't 'need' to - it will totally transform your experience if you can speak in people's mother tongue...

We used Pickfords international and have no complaints. Not the cheapest but they did the job with no fuss and seemed to know what they were about.

You'll have an amazing time. And potty trining is soo easy outdoors/on wooden floors, and where laundry dries in an hour

[KatherineKrupnik]

How's it going, OP?