tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681965017862727203.post7849477457208304018..comments2023-10-12T11:53:27.816+02:00Comments on My Thoughts From The Deep End : ClicksAmerican Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02120771156192016020noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681965017862727203.post-29566031396687913092016-11-17T12:32:05.824+02:002016-11-17T12:32:05.824+02:00I enjoy your blog, and Sine's. Helpful tips o...I enjoy your blog, and Sine's. Helpful tips on places to visit and things to do. Learn more about my country and Southern Africa from foreigners than I knew before - haha!Lorendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11675900036638761988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681965017862727203.post-86965893441438159202016-11-17T09:18:26.385+02:002016-11-17T09:18:26.385+02:00Thanks Lorenda for the information. Very insightfu...Thanks Lorenda for the information. Very insightful and helps to explain what seemed strange to an outsider. Thanks for reading my blog. American Expathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02120771156192016020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681965017862727203.post-42061066491500799332016-11-17T09:01:25.157+02:002016-11-17T09:01:25.157+02:00Should read, 'certain items which before could...Should read, 'certain items which before could be taken off the shelf by the customer, are NOW behind the counter.' Excuse the typos!Lorendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11675900036638761988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681965017862727203.post-41729334265677186602016-11-17T08:56:59.207+02:002016-11-17T08:56:59.207+02:00With regard to having tp get certain medications a...With regard to having tp get certain medications at the dispensary - this is law in SA. Scheduled medication may not be taken off the shelves, and medication higher than schedule 2 need to be recorded (although some pharmacisits do not do this).<br /><br />Rather oddly, certain items which before could be taken off the shelf by the customer, is not behind the counter. Such as Safyr Bleu eye drops (not EyeGene), which, apparently, are used by drug addicts (would you believe). I assume they inject the liquid into their veins. Tablets containing codein (such as Syndol) cannot be taken off the shelf, as even these are abused by drug addicts. Certain cough mixtures are on the shelf, but many are behind the counter, for the same reason -d rug addicts abusing them. <br /><br />WA Jeffrey is right about the GrandPa headache powders. They are dangerous when abused, and do indeed lead to stomach ulcers. However, they do help for a headache, if you can tolerate the bitterness for a minute!<br /><br />I have lived in Europe, and SA (and probably the US - I'm not sure about UK and Aus) is one of the few countries where you can so easily buy strong pain killers (esp. containing codein) without a prescription. In the Netherlands you can only get mild pain killers, such as aspirin, without a prescription.Lorendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11675900036638761988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681965017862727203.post-48347159077256298902016-11-17T08:48:03.686+02:002016-11-17T08:48:03.686+02:00The Clicks cages are an oddity, but were probably ...The Clicks cages are an oddity, but were probably introduced to prevent stealing medications which are purchased from the dispensary. When Clicks started selling scheduled medicines (until a few years ago there was no pharmacy in Clicks stores) they would hand you the medication that you needed to pay for in a small brown paper bag, with the invoice attached to take to the till point. There must have been quite a few incidences of people not paying for their medication, hence the introduction of the cages. It has nothing to do with the medication itself, as when you buy medicines on your medical aid and their is no additional cost to you, it is not placed in a cage. <br /><br />Old-fashioned, dated, packaging is quite commmon in SA (and probably all of Africa) for CERTAIN items. Many (traditional) Black Africans are often very suspicious of new packaging, and will often stop purchasing an item if the packaging is in any way changed. This was very evident a few decades ago when one of the most popular brands of tea in SA (with Blacks) - Joko - tried to change their packaging, and suffered the consequences. Many blacks (outside of the urban areas) are also not literate, or not very literate, or cannot read English, and identify goods by their packaging - and this is where colour is also extremely important, as well as PLAIN design. So, with items like tea, coffee, mealiemeal (a staple food in most of Africa),sugar, and certain products popular with the Black African market, you will hardly ever see that the packaging is changed, and most definitely not MODERNISED in any way. So, it makes business sense not to change it, and is also a respectful nod to their culture and needs. <br />Lorendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11675900036638761988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681965017862727203.post-11530113715936072892016-11-16T19:34:46.816+02:002016-11-16T19:34:46.816+02:00So you have never seen the cages anywhere else? I ...So you have never seen the cages anywhere else? I thought maybe they were also used in Europe? American Expathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02120771156192016020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681965017862727203.post-27294318218767398712016-11-15T08:50:01.254+02:002016-11-15T08:50:01.254+02:00I also love the guy on the picture with the long f...I also love the guy on the picture with the long finger. Straight from the 70s it seems! Which a lot of the South African stuff at Clicks seems to be dating back to. I remember being in the market for a head lice remedy (not a very fond memory at all) and the stuff the guy at Clicks recommended looked like from the postwar era. I'm sure it's been banned in the US for a long time, it seemed like it was straight-up petroleum. Smelled like it too. Although I can say that you're willing to pour anything on your kids' heads when it comes to headlice, even if it just about kills them...<br /><br />Glad you mention the cages. Too weird, right? Sinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09971554811306102478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681965017862727203.post-7216571174122843272016-11-08T09:59:01.433+02:002016-11-08T09:59:01.433+02:00Yes! We stock up on American remedies! I will try ...Yes! We stock up on American remedies! I will try to post a pic for you. Thanks for reading. American Expathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02120771156192016020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681965017862727203.post-11960956026932040662016-11-08T08:19:52.064+02:002016-11-08T08:19:52.064+02:00Be VERY careful with those headache powders. They...Be VERY careful with those headache powders. They contain ingredients that can cause stomach and intestinal bleeding. While the ingredients are the same as excedrin the dosage is higher in the powders.<br /><br />The condom selection is odd. The packaging is so tacky and the brands unfamiliar I don't know that I would trust them. Weird about the over the counter stuff. W. A. Jeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16338840796110110051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681965017862727203.post-48674820478320632202016-11-07T19:30:21.849+02:002016-11-07T19:30:21.849+02:00Very interesting and super funny! Do you stock up...Very interesting and super funny! Do you stock up on good old American remedies when you visit the US? The graphics and advertising is so outdated! The Man Juice is intriguing but could very well lead to griping babies! lolpaleoinaustintexashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02139017515195279816noreply@blogger.com