Bamako - Post Report Question and Answers
What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
More laundry detergent and dish soap. More wine. More comfort (read: familiar, junk) foods. - Apr 2017
Any liquid items you may want (teriyaki sauce, dishwashing soap, etc). You can ship most items via DPO but any liquids have to be under 16 oz. You can buy soda at the markets and cleaning liquids but they'll be expensive. - Aug 2014
We actually overshipped. Our house is small and we didn't have enough space for everything. I didn't ship any cleaning products, but I would if I could again, along with hair products. I was glad I shipped wine and liquor, and that I stocked up on plates/dishes/etc. for entertaining. I wouldn't ship as much medication. The regional med office is here and you can get everything you need over the counter from them. I'm glad I shipped batteries, a treadmill, a computer, a full kitchen, lots of towels, bunk beds and shelving for the kids room, a wet/dry vac. Everything else I could order through DPO. - Jul 2011
Sunscreen, mosquito repellent, clothes and shoes, toys, books, and board games. - Jul 2011
More tupperware, American wine, and liquor (available in Bamako, but very expensive). - Oct 2010
windshield wipers for cars, more alchohol, a treadmill, some exercise equipment - May 2010
Exercise equipment, laundry detergent (SUPER expensive), brown sugar (commissary runs out), snacks for kids' lunches, cereal, other stuff that you can't live without because you can't get it here. - Sep 2009
Tissue paper, deodorant, cereal, pampers and/or baby food, washing powder(yes!), soap, toothpaste, hair products, and other HB items. - Apr 2009
A bread maker (I ordered mine online after I arrived).Ice cream maker. Put your tupperware food storage containers in your UAB, you'll need them. SHIP CONSUMABLES. I cannot say this enough. - Feb 2009
We used our consumables. We shipped liquor and good beer (liquor is available in Mali, but pricey). We shipped pet food, cat litter, some soup, chips, refried beans, and salsa. - Feb 2009
Mexican food ingredients, canned chicken (believe it or not, the chicken here is tough and scrawny), any type of liquids that you can't get through the pouch. Otherwise, you can get what you need through netgrocer, if you can't find it locally. - Jan 2009
