Bringing home the memories ~ #3 Dead Sea skin care

When we visit the Dead Sea, if you want your skin to feel silky smooth and soft you can do this....

Oh, the benefits of mud, mud, glorious Dead Sea mud!

Or you can buy these, and other skincare products containing Dead Sea minerals.

I know you're going to tell me they're everywhere in our shopping malls back here. But isn't it more exciting to have bought your Dead Sea skincare goodies at the source? A great Christmas gift for the friend who has everything! Soap and aftershave cream are just two of the products available.

[Can you spot a mud-slathered Di in the photo above, taken in 1995? Do you think the mud has done me any good?!?!?]

Bringing home the memories ~ #2 Hebron glass

Hebron glass is exquisite. Translucent and beautifully patterned, it is produced by a centuries-old process originating with the Phoenecians and only a few families guard the secrets to this process.

We have a set of goblets and a pair of candlesticks made from Hebron glass, and you can choose from many more decorative pieces if you want a reminder of your pilgrimage each time you give a dinner party. Most retailers can arrange for your precious purchases to be shipped home, and you need have little fear of breakages - Hebron glass is quite resilient!

Bringing home the memories ~ #1 Olive Wood

The olive tree is a common sight in Israel and, since it needs to be severely pruned to encourage it to continue to bear fruit, items made of olive wood are everywhere. Here is a simple little dove of peace brooch.

I was particularly intrigued by the Christmas tree ornaments and nativity scenes, and bought several in Bethlehem - where else? They are light-weight and make delightful one-of-a-kind gifts for family and friends back home.

It's been a few years since my trip, so I recently checked with AQIS to confirm that it's still OK for us to bring back olive wood items. Here is an excerpt from the emailed reply I received from Angela Reddy in the Timber and Timber Products Division:

"Non commercial consignments of manufactured wooden articles do not require an import permit or a quarantine entry. They must however be presented to AQIS on arrival in Australia for inspection to ensure they are free from live insects, bark or other quarantine risk material. "

So you can feel free to buy any olive wood items that take your fancy, safe in the knowledge that, as long as you present them for inspection on your arrival back here, you won't become one of the dubious 'stars' on Border Security!