I really like shopping. It's not some much the buying but the looking that counts. The thing about the looking is also about having choices ... the 'to and fro', the thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction of discovery and the glee of the bargain found. All these and the exercise involved put it in the best of sports to be considered for Olympic competition.
My favourite arena for competition now is Lulu. That wonderful Indian owned hypermarket that is expanding into the outlying towns of Oman.
When I lived in London, Waitrose and Sainsbury's were up there but Lulu has defined for me the world of choice.
Leaving Australia I wondered how I would cope without Coles or Woolworths, my favourite delicatessen, the bakery, fresh fruit and veg from the green grocer, the list went on. Would I be able to get my favourite things to cook with?
Then I discovered Lulu. My first look was like a training run. I didn't come home with everything on my list. I felt a bit deflated. It was a huge arena to enter - aisles of goods, produce, homewares, but where were the things I needed?
Lulu is an adventure, a wonderland of delight with hidden secrets there for exploring. Every expedition now brings home another find, a treasure that makes the gold medals of success worth while. Once I had decoded the aisle system, sorted the layout, and the best path through - it is like a cross country race, to fit everything in by the time you get to the checkout.
Not only are there Middle Eastern favourites, there is an ethnic aisle that has goods from Australia, the US, UK and other european countries. A nifty section on Japanese household gidgy gadgy thingy's for hooks and holders. Amazing meats, cheeses, juices and sweets. This weeks find was Maldon Salt - it had probably been there all along but who knows the joy in finding it was immense! I can even score some Ben and Jerry's icecream for a treat. The prices are fantastic and a pleasure to see at the checkout and if you want to feed a hundred the huge bulk bags of staples are amazing to see stacked up and cruising out the door in shopping trolleys.
My favourite arena for competition now is Lulu. That wonderful Indian owned hypermarket that is expanding into the outlying towns of Oman.
When I lived in London, Waitrose and Sainsbury's were up there but Lulu has defined for me the world of choice.
Leaving Australia I wondered how I would cope without Coles or Woolworths, my favourite delicatessen, the bakery, fresh fruit and veg from the green grocer, the list went on. Would I be able to get my favourite things to cook with?
Then I discovered Lulu. My first look was like a training run. I didn't come home with everything on my list. I felt a bit deflated. It was a huge arena to enter - aisles of goods, produce, homewares, but where were the things I needed?
Lulu is an adventure, a wonderland of delight with hidden secrets there for exploring. Every expedition now brings home another find, a treasure that makes the gold medals of success worth while. Once I had decoded the aisle system, sorted the layout, and the best path through - it is like a cross country race, to fit everything in by the time you get to the checkout.
Not only are there Middle Eastern favourites, there is an ethnic aisle that has goods from Australia, the US, UK and other european countries. A nifty section on Japanese household gidgy gadgy thingy's for hooks and holders. Amazing meats, cheeses, juices and sweets. This weeks find was Maldon Salt - it had probably been there all along but who knows the joy in finding it was immense! I can even score some Ben and Jerry's icecream for a treat. The prices are fantastic and a pleasure to see at the checkout and if you want to feed a hundred the huge bulk bags of staples are amazing to see stacked up and cruising out the door in shopping trolleys.
I also love going to the souq. The traditional market is a world away from Lulu but also an adventure. It's great to explore and go back to. A place to meet the people and practice my rudimentary arabic. I love getting help from the store owners about pronunciation and it makes me feel as if this wonderful country is becoming more and more my home.
No comments:
Post a Comment