Colombo - Post Report Question and Answers
What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
There wasn't much we couldn't find (thanks in part to a well-stocked commissary) but I would include plenty of cleaning supplies. - Jul 2025
Ship anything you can't do without. Don't assume that it will be available at post. - Mar 2021
Sausage, cheese, olives, wine, pre-made tortillas for quesadillas, some household products, specialty beauty products, and sunscreen. You can get wine here (locally and at the commissary), but there isn't a lot of variety. Beauty products for fairer skin and lighter hair. Sunscreen is available here locally and at commissary, but the spray-on kind is hard to find. - Sep 2020
There's not much I can't find a replacement for or live without. I am glad I shipped sensitive-skin laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent. - Apr 2020
I didn't ship enough shampoo, conditioner or peanut butter. Sri Lankan's hair is different, they use heavy conditioners and for my oily hair, I haven't found a local shampoo that I like. Also, tampons are nonexistent in this country. So if you are a woman and those are important, bring or ship them. - Sep 2017
Happy we had consumables, as I think we saved a lot on cleaning supplies. We go through a lot of peanut butter and pancake syrup; like most places in the world, you can usually find what you need or adapt! - Mar 2017
Stain remover, paper towel/toilet paper, bug repellent, and sun screen. - Sep 2013
Electrical items (for reliability and value), household cleaning goods. - Sep 2012
Baking supplies, toilet paper, cleaning products, cheese if I could figure out how to ship it. - Dec 2011
Washing powder, good quality sun screen, mosquito repellent with DEET and shoes for the whole family. - Feb 2010
Take your golf clubs. - Sep 2008
