From the Desk of Dr Toni Lodge #015

Hello! I’m home!!!

You may have noticed that Ryan and I were both away on a little getaway - not that it should have affected your podcast-listening-habits!

However it has raised a simple holiday question.

NORMAL OR NAH: SHOPPING AT THE DUTY FREE STORE

Some context. If you’re not familiar with what duty free is (is duty free a thing in every country?) - if you buy something "duty free," it means you're not paying taxes on it in the country where you purchased the item.

So because there are HECTIC taxes on things like alcohol and tobacco in Australia, it’s always far cheaper to purchase on your way in and avoid the tax hike. Now please forgive me if I’ve explained that wrong? But I’m certain that’s how it works. Lol.

Anyway - as Taubs and I were on our way to see our BFFs for 5 days without having seen them for a year and a half, we were going to party like it was 1999. So of course, we grabbed some nice Gin on the way through the airport. A lovely bottle of Hendricks and also some cologne that Jag asked for. Again - cheaper! I also spoiled myself with a bottle of perfume that I talked about on the podcast MONTHS AGOOOO that I got heaps of messages about from people telling me it’s the most perfect perfume ever and I should definitely buy it. (For those playing at home it’s called Bloom by Gucci)

As I’m walking through the Melbourne international airport with my bright red shopping bag that said DUTY FREE I felt a bit embarrassed. I realized everyone else who was sporting the same shopping bag looked a little bogan. A little eager. A bit lame.

I’m seeing blokes who are carrying their maximum of three bottles of spirits which are all Jack Daniels or Bundy Rum. I’m seeing women walking around with their 3 years of Red Door by Elizabeth Arden. Kids with massive Toblerones and teenagers trying on smart glasses and begging for Airpods despite there being no real discount.

So I stuffed my red bag into my backpack and pretended to be cooler than everyone else with their red bag on display - with the secret shame of SAVINGS in my backpack.

So again I ask:

NORMAL OR NAH: SHOPPING AT THE DUTY FREE STORE?

Love ya!

Toni xxx