A new supermarket opened in Victoria today. May not sound like a big deal, but here it warranted more than half of last night's newscast, with shots of shelves full of items people here usually travel to Singapore of Dubai to purchase ... really exotic and rare stuff like Hershey's Chocolate Syrup and Old El Paso salsa were two of the items I spotted during a quick pan. Rumor has it that fresh vegetables were going to be brought out for display this morning!

No matter how badly I may be craving new flavors and a real shopping experience, I'm staying well away. Why? Because of the frenzy.

We've had actual fistfights over newly imported goods here before. I recall one that got very ugly when a small supply of electric fans ran out before everyone who'd queued for hours had a chance to buy theirs. Everyone knew that this new supermarket would make that melee look like a picture of reasonable calm.

Mark just phoned from town to tell me the line for admittance goes on for more than a mile and that police are stationed everywhere ... ostensibly to keep the peace, but possibly with a shopping list tucked into a pocket.

The manager of the market was on TV last night begging people to restrain themselves from the hoarding instinct everyone in Seychelles develops eventually and assuring that stocks will be replenished.

We've heard that before, and been dangerously disappointed.

Twice since we've adopted our kids the supply of baby formula has dried up, both times when the kids were pretty much completely dependent upon it. I was in complete panic, although had hoarded enough to last a couple of weeks. Since we never know how long a dearth of any given item is going to last, people start thinking very creatively when shelves are empty.

Since there was no way I was going to be able to produce any milk from my body for my kids, and since the market for wet nurses is beyond my connections ... if it exists at all ... I immediately got on the phone and started asking who, if anyone, I knew would be traveling soon and could buy me baby formula when they did. When that didn't provide any good news, I wrote to friends in Europe and America requesting tins of formula to be posted to me as soon as possible (It can take a month to get a parcel from the US, and that's airmail), to cover the eventuality that could see the baby formula drought going on for a very long time.

I now have a cupboard full of formula. Good things the kids are old enough now to eat regular food.

Hm. Wonder if they're ready for salsa?