Costco....

This is one of the things I miss when I am in the UAE. I mean, where else can you go and buy a 5 gallon bucket of mayonnaise?

Not that I would ever NEED that much mayonnaise, but it's comforting to know that if I wanted it...I could buy it. Besides, if you go into Costco hungry, you can wander around and eat all the free samples, so by the time you leave, you don't have to worry about what's for dinner.

In the UAE we have Carrefour, it's a French chain of grocery stores. As you might imagine, their bakery and cheese section is to die for, but the rest of the food...well they're French brands, what can I say?

We also have Spinney's and Abela's, these are British. I don't know, but if I am going to put catsup (or ketchup) on something, I want it to be Heinz, not some kind I've never heard of.

Then there's that silly "British English." My friend asked me to "Get a trolley." Now to me, a trolley is that thing that looks like an electric train and it's on the front of the Rice-A-Roni box. (not seen in UAE markets) As I stood there looking stupid, she said, "The thing to put the groceries in." Oh yes.

And what about trousers vs pants; hoover vs vacuum; bathroom vs loo and lounge vs living room? I must say I am doing well with this, only to come back to LA and have to switch again.

Back to the simple things, a single person like me can buy toilet paper (or loo rolls) at Costo in the 40 roll package and have a supply for a whole year. I miss that....