Tailor prices, little gifts and paybacks

[Tiggy]

Hi guys,

Figured i'd do a double question thread and not clog the place up.

1. Since so many of you have been incredibly helpful in assisting my questions on this strange new adventure I thought I might try and pay it back as best I can. I will be arriving finally (visa willing), on the 4th november and if anyone needs any LIGHT items brought over send me a pm. I will probably be over my baggage allowance so I can only bring lightweight stuff that is easy to find in Darwin (casurina shops or mitchell street). My brit mates are making me bring chocolate and the thread on potato mashers got me thinking that perhaps there are some small items that would be appreciated.

2. Due to the luggage allowance, and the fact I am a massive clothes horse, I am entertaining the thought of further paring down my clothing so avoid the big excess fees. It's been a nightmare and I am already mourning the loss of all my business attire. Due to a uni course I am taking I will need some long lightweight pants, and shirts (suitable for uni in lombok) as well as some additional summer gear. I am a bigger gal so off the rack doesn't work so well normally. Do you know an approximate price for tailored stuff? I don't need any fancy designer stuff, just some shorts copied and some simple items.

I did search but there was no indication of approx price and it appears that quality is hit and miss. If the cost is to much I'll just go shopping in darwin and pay the $14/kg overcharge.

3. My indo mates are all excited I am coming soon and of course have hinted about those little trinkets/presents you bring after traveling away. I am at a loss as what is appropriate. I hate tacky souvigneer crap so I have NOOOO idea what would be appropriate and appreciated. Any ideas?


Thanks!

 

[RhysG]

Answers for question (2) my girlfriend had a good taylor but normali busy but if you pm me what you wnat i can find out how much it would all cost and his he can do it.
Answers for question (3) indo love tacky gift and alot indo love gift so what ever as long as they get something if that any help? probs not
btw i dnt want anything the more ppl i help the more gd karma i get so i never expect anything from any one.:icon_biggrin:

http://www.lokalliving.com

 

[BKT]

Sorry Tiggy for the thread jack but RhysG you need to relax with the spam, put your link in your sig and stop advertising your business every second post.

 

[gilbert de jong]

@BKT...if you would be living on less then 5jt a month with a GF, wouldn't you put in a link to promote any change of actually making some money :highly_amused:

@Tiggy..have no idea what would work out cheaper, buying clothes there and bringing them over...or buying the fabric here and have a 'tukang jahit' make it for you.
as for a gift to bring your balinese friends, for some I bring like keychains or t-shirts exactly those corny souvenirs wich I myself don't like either, but they love it.
for example, I love NY shirt or NY keychain or any other cityname ofcourse, but so you know what I mean

 

[Tiggy]

hehehe all good BKT - I did my share of 'bored at work' threadjacking today

great minds thinking alike today gilbert - I had a brainwave and figured keychains and other horrible outback aussie stuff would work. Tshirts for those I love the most haha. Roo bollocks bottle openers for those I dislike (jk)

Thanks for the thoughts on the tailor. The slip the aussie dollar has recently done has made me a bit cautious about my cash right now :icon_evil:. Might do a meet in the middle thing since doing this fitness kick has most of my clothes not fitting anyway.

 

[gilbert de jong]

hehehe...great minds sure do think alike :icon_wink:

prepare for another little slip..euro ain't doing much better at the moment
btw, another add to the tailor stuff...a tukang jahit is pretty cheap, if it's say's 'tailor' my bet is at least double/triple the price..

 

[Tiggy]

ah yes of course, knowing local names = closer to local prices. Always a fan. Will write that puppy down.

Ug euro. I was impressed that the aus/idr went as nice as it did today. If I had been smart and opened a bank account last time I sure woulda moved some over. All the forecasts are not looking nice at all and losing 10-20% on a significant currency exchange (to take advantage of those tasty interest rates over there) is somewhat depressing to my beer and diving budget.

Ok now that leads me to a new question - if I do a transfer in aus funds to an indo bank (international money trans) - they just convert those funds to idr at their (receiving bank) current rate + a fee perhaps? I discovered that the commbank aus exchange rate to rupiah is VERY VERY bad (7500ish and has been for over a year). At that rate western damn union gives a better exhcange including the fees /sigh. Then there are the forex transfers and third party ideas... but those tend to give me a bit of pause.

 

[soontobeexpat]

hehehe...great minds sure do think alike :icon_wink:

prepare for another little slip..euro ain't doing much better at the moment
btw, another add to the tailor stuff...a tukang jahit is pretty cheap, if it's say's 'tailor' my bet is at least double/triple the price..

I used one of these guys when I was there, it was 3000 - local 6000 western for pants to be adjusted/taken up.. So pretty cheap IMO?? I donno if this is.. it was my boyfriends one so I guess that added another dimension of cheapness.

He is on Sri Rama in Kuta you can access it from Nakula/Double 6 of Padam timor.. its the road on the beahc side near the river.. Everyone there actually is really cheap and the night market on Sri Rama for Mei Ayam was the 2nd best mie ayam id ever tried.. malang was #1

 

[pollyanna]

ah yes of course, knowing local names = closer to local prices. Always a fan. Will write that puppy down.

Ug euro. I was impressed that the aus/idr went as nice as it did today. If I had been smart and opened a bank account last time I sure woulda moved some over. All the forecasts are not looking nice at all and losing 10-20% on a significant currency exchange (to take advantage of those tasty interest rates over there) is somewhat depressing to my beer and diving budget.

Ok now that leads me to a new question - if I do a transfer in aus funds to an indo bank (international money trans) - they just convert those funds to idr at their (receiving bank) current rate + a fee perhaps? I discovered that the commbank aus exchange rate to rupiah is VERY VERY bad (7500ish and has been for over a year). At that rate western damn union gives a better exhcange including the fees /sigh. Then there are the forex transfers and third party ideas... but those tend to give me a bit of pause.

Tiggy, I don't know about other banks but I bank with Danamon (very happy with them). We have a us$ acct. and a Rp acct. Funds from Oz are transferred in US$ to our US$ acct. When the exchange rate is good my friendly bank officer sends me an SMS to let me know. The rate a few days ago was 9000.

 

[Tiggy]

soontobeexpat - thanks for the thoughts. That is very reasonable. Clothes and good food - sounds like a deadly combo!

Pollyanna - ya that was my plan as well to use a aud dollar account and transfer and wait for the rates to be nice. Forecasts for aus dollar sadly are not looking spectacular for the next 6+ months though. How awesome your bank sends you an sms! I'll be with commonwealth since with no kitas I can get accounts with them with my letter of reference. I'd really like to get a good chunk of money outta aus before the (possible) market screwing up interest rate cut that is predicted 5 days before I can get there haha. ah.. /sigh

Its funny - you think you have every little detail sorted out, and then new ones keep biting you on the rear.