Not allowed!

I’ve never experienced a move with such strict regulations before now. No animal products and no dirt, no exception. Pretty much anything that has ever come in contact with the outside world must be scrubbed clean obliterating any suggestion that the item has left the safety of the inside world.

What happens if an item arrives in less than spotless condition? Cleaning–expensive cleaning that we will be billed for. So in come the bicycles, scooters, camp furniture and bike rack. Out comes the vacuum, from its closet hiding space, for a thorough wash. Shoes, boots and shoe storage cabinet all in line for a bubble bath. Feather quill pens, pine cone Christmas ornaments, and seashells – all trash. I’ve promised the kids to photograph anything they have collected and would like to remember.

Any item made of wicker, rattan, rustic wood or straw must also be decontaminated by Australian customs inspectors, invoiced at a high price. So please accept my free baskets which I really didn’t know just how many we had until now. Take my rattan shelving unit that I honestly don’t need enough to justify paying for the expensive fumigation. Take it all and let us purge once again because less is so much more. Thank you, conservative Australia.