Ahhhh Frustrated.....!
My two frustrations about living in NZ, well actually there are three but you may have to email me privately to hear about the third one......
Frustration No 1:
Muesli
For a nation of sport and health loving freaks they cannot produce a decent muesli. I have scoured the shelves of the supermarkets and health food shops and just can't locate a decent one. I like my muesli sugar free, not toasted and packed full of seeds, nuts and fruit. In the UK I was completely responsible for keeping Dorset cereals in profit so I'm very frustrated by the sugar packed, toasted, dusty, yogurt coated fruit rubbish attempts at muesli. Once we are properly settled I will have to go all "Tom & Barbara" and make my own.
Frustration No 2:
Shoes
Well childrens shoes to be precise. In London I also kept my local shoe shops (Jimmy's Shoes on the Essex Road and One Small Step for Mankind on Cross Street) busy with mine and Jessica's desire for new shoes. Luckily her feet are quite small and don't grow that quickly so she tends to stay in a shoe for sometime. So far we have had to buy her two pairs of shoes in NZ and all the childrens shoe shops we have been to have been hopeless. They don't measure your kids feet unless you ask and even if they measure the foot they don't do a width measurement. Poor Jess has small and wide feet. When I ask which is the best brand for a wide fitting the assistants don't have a clue and just sugest we try on a few styles and hope for the best.
This frustration moved to adult shoes this week when we went tramping boot shopping with Grant. One shop out of six measured his feet and not one of the assistants knew much about the various fittings. Interestingly the only guy to measure his feet had had his training in sports shoe shops in Leeds.
So the old business brain is working overtime and I'm thinking hard about some childrens shoe franchises ideas to bring over from the UK and Europe. You never know I may kit out Kiwi kids in Clark's. Startright and Vincent footwear.
Watch this space.......
Go on ask me about my third frustration......you know you want to.
Frustration No 1:
Muesli
For a nation of sport and health loving freaks they cannot produce a decent muesli. I have scoured the shelves of the supermarkets and health food shops and just can't locate a decent one. I like my muesli sugar free, not toasted and packed full of seeds, nuts and fruit. In the UK I was completely responsible for keeping Dorset cereals in profit so I'm very frustrated by the sugar packed, toasted, dusty, yogurt coated fruit rubbish attempts at muesli. Once we are properly settled I will have to go all "Tom & Barbara" and make my own.
Frustration No 2:
Shoes
Well childrens shoes to be precise. In London I also kept my local shoe shops (Jimmy's Shoes on the Essex Road and One Small Step for Mankind on Cross Street) busy with mine and Jessica's desire for new shoes. Luckily her feet are quite small and don't grow that quickly so she tends to stay in a shoe for sometime. So far we have had to buy her two pairs of shoes in NZ and all the childrens shoe shops we have been to have been hopeless. They don't measure your kids feet unless you ask and even if they measure the foot they don't do a width measurement. Poor Jess has small and wide feet. When I ask which is the best brand for a wide fitting the assistants don't have a clue and just sugest we try on a few styles and hope for the best.
This frustration moved to adult shoes this week when we went tramping boot shopping with Grant. One shop out of six measured his feet and not one of the assistants knew much about the various fittings. Interestingly the only guy to measure his feet had had his training in sports shoe shops in Leeds.
So the old business brain is working overtime and I'm thinking hard about some childrens shoe franchises ideas to bring over from the UK and Europe. You never know I may kit out Kiwi kids in Clark's. Startright and Vincent footwear.
Watch this space.......
Go on ask me about my third frustration......you know you want to.
Hi Ursula
ReplyDeleteI work for Dorset Cereals in the international department - in other words sending our muesli worldwide!
Try contacting our importer there in NZ, they might be able to help you out or send you some...
Viva Corporate Gifts
35 Albert Street, Cambridge, New Zealand
Phone: +64-3-684-6888
Fax: +64-3-684-6882
Sorry I can't help with the shoes aswell!!
Ali