International Nesties
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Perth, Australia
My friend is leaving on Wednesday to move to Australia. 
She is moving to Perth (Do we have any IN's there?). I told her that I would ask you guys the name of a supermarket that might be online so that she can get an idea of food stuff there. I also told her to stock up on some of her UK favourites to take with (they have extra space as its a company relocation) for when she gets homesick and to help her 4 year old adjust to living there, so we wanted to look at the food there.
Is there anything I should tell her to definitetly bring with her? I have been told that the chocolate is very 'waxy' there? Is this true?
Re: Perth, Australia
I lived in the Perth area for 4 months in 2009. The big grocery stores are Coles, Woolworths and IGA's. When I left in November 2009, there were stories all over the news that food prices in WA were 40% higher than any other industrialized nation.
The trading hours will be probably be different than what she's used to. They have late night trading on Thursdays, but stores close around 6 every night. Grocery stores are only open until 1 PM on Saturday and Coles and Woolworths are/or were closed on Sundays. IGAs are open until 7 PM 7 days a week. ETA: If she is in a "tourist zone" the trading hours will be different and much more consumer friendly.
The water in Perth is, sadly, just awful. My whites had to be soaked or boiled to keep them white (and that was using a nappy whitener product). The hot water smells and water just over all is $$$ to use. I was told by two different doctors to not drink the water if it wasn't boiled or filtered. My H, who was raised there, noticed a lot of his stomach issues were resolved when he left Perth and come back whenever he returns.
Do you know which suburb she will be in? The culture changes dramatically the further you are away from the water.
I'm southeast of Melbourne, but Coles & Woolworths are apparently the largest supermarket chains nationwide. From what I can tell, they carry slightly different brands and have slightly different target segments of the market. I find my Coles has a better vegetarian selection, but I like Woolies' produce better.
As for what to bring, I came from the US, so I am not sure what UK favorites may be. I would suggest she bring any OTC medications she normally uses, of only for ingredient comparisons. I have had many discussions with pharmacists and my mother to find equivalents. That has really been my biggest issue.
Again, I am from the US, so I grew up on Hershey's chocolate, so I am not sure what you mean by waxy chocolate. I really have found either Cadbury or store brand chocolate, and I am not fond of Cadbury Dairy Milk (I know! I hang my head in IN shame). It's sickly sweet to me. I do not mind the Old Gold Dark chocolate though.
Coles carries the entire range of Quorn products available in Australia: mince, pieces, strips, sausages, dippers, cheese & spinach schnitzels, southern-style burgers (like chicken patties), cottage pie, lasagne, pasties, and sausage rolls. It's all frozen, in the freezer section. www.quorn.com.au has more information. Based on the websites, it appears to much less selection than she is used to in the UK.
I do know that Coles puts the range on sale every other month or so, and we stock up then.
There are other brands of vegetarian products in stores both frozen and refrigerated -- DH likes the Sanatarium line. I also find that the selection is different in different areas. The Coles in a more upscale Melbourne suburb has quinoa and polenta, while the one in my coastal town does not. When she moves there, she may want to check out different stores to see what different things they carry.
I can answer the quesiton on the chocolate. It's composition is different to European chocolate as it requires the ability to melt less quickly since Australia is generally a hotter place. As a result, the chocolate leaves a waxy residue in the mouth. I grew up on it and didn't notice until I lived in the UK.
Coles and Woolworths (referred to as Woolies) are the major supermarket chains. They may also get Franklins or Aldi which are cheaper usually but I'm not certain whether they have stores in WA.