Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
Dec 15th 2005, 2:06 pm
#31
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
irwell wrote:
> On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 09:19:07 -0800, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> There seems to be a difference if you send by Air Letter
> rather than Air Parcels. The parcel mode requires you fill out
> a comprehensive customs declaration form, the Air letter
> mode just requires a small Green Customs form that sticks
> on the letter. The air letter limit is 4lbs (64 ozs), which is quite
> a lot. The rates range from $7.55 for 1 oz up to $23 for 4lbs.
> This for US to France.
Unfortunately, it was closer to ten pounds! (Salted nuts
and assorted snacks of that sort are HEAVY.) You may be
sure that, if she spends next Christmas abroad, she'll have
to forgo the edible "goodies" from home - I suspect she'd
rather have had that postage money to spend!
> You can get the full information at http://usps.gov
> just scroll to Country Conditions for Mailing, then
> the country of choice.
> On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 09:19:07 -0800, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> There seems to be a difference if you send by Air Letter
> rather than Air Parcels. The parcel mode requires you fill out
> a comprehensive customs declaration form, the Air letter
> mode just requires a small Green Customs form that sticks
> on the letter. The air letter limit is 4lbs (64 ozs), which is quite
> a lot. The rates range from $7.55 for 1 oz up to $23 for 4lbs.
> This for US to France.
Unfortunately, it was closer to ten pounds! (Salted nuts
and assorted snacks of that sort are HEAVY.) You may be
sure that, if she spends next Christmas abroad, she'll have
to forgo the edible "goodies" from home - I suspect she'd
rather have had that postage money to spend!
> You can get the full information at http://usps.gov
> just scroll to Country Conditions for Mailing, then
> the country of choice.
Dec 15th 2005, 7:10 pm
#32
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Can anyone tell me how long an airmail parcel from Los Angeles, California
> should take to arrive in Dortmund, Germany? My only experience with
> inter-continental parcels have been CD's I bought form France and the UK.
> Those have always arrived much sooner than I expected them. I sent my
> niece's parcel out last Monday (at horrendous cost for airmail), figuring
> it would only take a week to reach her. However, she has not yet received
> it. Should I be worried? (The package was clearly marked as containing
> only commercially packaged "snack" foods, and identified as a gift - both
> on the box itself, and on the customs declaration.)
Many foodstuffs are prohibited imports, so it is almost certain that the
package will have to be opened at customs and inspected. That adds time,
particularly near Christmas.
Colin Bignell
news:[email protected]...
> Can anyone tell me how long an airmail parcel from Los Angeles, California
> should take to arrive in Dortmund, Germany? My only experience with
> inter-continental parcels have been CD's I bought form France and the UK.
> Those have always arrived much sooner than I expected them. I sent my
> niece's parcel out last Monday (at horrendous cost for airmail), figuring
> it would only take a week to reach her. However, she has not yet received
> it. Should I be worried? (The package was clearly marked as containing
> only commercially packaged "snack" foods, and identified as a gift - both
> on the box itself, and on the customs declaration.)
Many foodstuffs are prohibited imports, so it is almost certain that the
package will have to be opened at customs and inspected. That adds time,
particularly near Christmas.
Colin Bignell
Dec 15th 2005, 8:00 pm
#33
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 11:39:29 +0000 (UTC), Martin Bienwald
<[email protected]> wrote:
>B Vaughan:
>> The gift doesn't mean anything for customs in Europe.
>It does mean something: gifts are free of taxes and duties up to a value of
>EUR 45, while the limit for commercial goods is EUR 22.
That's interesting; I had to pay about 20 euros of Vat and processing
for a 16 euro gift my daughter shipped me last year.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup
<[email protected]> wrote:
>B Vaughan:
>> The gift doesn't mean anything for customs in Europe.
>It does mean something: gifts are free of taxes and duties up to a value of
>EUR 45, while the limit for commercial goods is EUR 22.
That's interesting; I had to pay about 20 euros of Vat and processing
for a 16 euro gift my daughter shipped me last year.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup
Dec 16th 2005, 12:41 am
#34
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote:
> Gregory Morrow wrote:
> > Gregory Morrow amends:
> >
> >
> >>AFAIK (and for your future reference) surface parcels sent by USPS to
> >>some places in Europe will be sent by airmail on a "space available"
> >>basis. There is no way to know this or to request this, but apparently
> >>it happens rather often...
> >
> >
> >
> > At OFF - PEAK times might I add, this would not ordinarily happen
> > during the December rush...
> That's why I spent all that money for airmail postage!
I've had surface parcels that I sent to the UK (Birmingham area) arrive
there in ten days...this was in the summer.
Next year try sending your parcel by surface mail, send by early November
for holiday delivery...
Years ago (late 80's -early 90's) I sent holiday parcels to friends in East
Germany and Russia, if posted by the second week of November they always
got there by Christmas...at that time IIRC most Moscow - bound parcels were
shipped via Odessa/Ukraine and thence up to Moscow. Lots of opportunities
for things to go missing or so I thought but everything arrived unscathed...
--
Best
Greg
> Gregory Morrow wrote:
> > Gregory Morrow amends:
> >
> >
> >>AFAIK (and for your future reference) surface parcels sent by USPS to
> >>some places in Europe will be sent by airmail on a "space available"
> >>basis. There is no way to know this or to request this, but apparently
> >>it happens rather often...
> >
> >
> >
> > At OFF - PEAK times might I add, this would not ordinarily happen
> > during the December rush...
> That's why I spent all that money for airmail postage!
I've had surface parcels that I sent to the UK (Birmingham area) arrive
there in ten days...this was in the summer.
Next year try sending your parcel by surface mail, send by early November
for holiday delivery...
Years ago (late 80's -early 90's) I sent holiday parcels to friends in East
Germany and Russia, if posted by the second week of November they always
got there by Christmas...at that time IIRC most Moscow - bound parcels were
shipped via Odessa/Ukraine and thence up to Moscow. Lots of opportunities
for things to go missing or so I thought but everything arrived unscathed...
--
Best
Greg
Dec 16th 2005, 3:01 am
#35
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
Martin Bienwald wrote:
> With parcels, the real shock usually comes when you realize that taxes
> and duties apply not only on the value of the items packed but also on
> the cost of postage ... ;-)
Wow that IS a shock! Is this true only in Germany or also
elsewhere...???
I'd think that sort of thing would contravene Universal Postal Union
(or whatever the organisation is called) rules/conventions...
--
Best
Greg
> With parcels, the real shock usually comes when you realize that taxes
> and duties apply not only on the value of the items packed but also on
> the cost of postage ... ;-)
Wow that IS a shock! Is this true only in Germany or also
elsewhere...???
I'd think that sort of thing would contravene Universal Postal Union
(or whatever the organisation is called) rules/conventions...
--
Best
Greg
Dec 16th 2005, 3:01 am
#36
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:41:36 GMT, "Gregory Morrow"
<gregorymorrowEMERGENCYCANCELLATIONARCHIMEDES@eart hlink.net> wrote:
>Next year try sending your parcel by surface mail, send by early November
>for holiday delivery...
>Years ago (late 80's -early 90's) I sent holiday parcels to friends in East
>Germany and Russia, if posted by the second week of November they always
>got there by Christmas...at that time IIRC most Moscow - bound parcels were
>shipped via Odessa/Ukraine and thence up to Moscow. Lots of opportunities
>for things to go missing or so I thought but everything arrived unscathed...
Surface mail from the US to Europe is highly variable. When I came to
Italy, I mailed twelve boxes on the same day from NJ. A few arrived in
a month, some arrived within two months, and some took over three
months. I've had the same experience mailing boxes surface mail to
other European countries. They leave the US on a "space available"
basis.
Most European countries no longer have surface mail, but when they
did, I had the same experience in the other direction.
The packages also take a terrible beating, so have to be wrapped very
carefully, with all the little interior spaces filled in, and all the
edges of the box taped for reinforcement. I also put the contents
inside a heavy duty garbage bag before putting it in the box, so that
if the box rips, there's another layer holding the stuff together.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup
<gregorymorrowEMERGENCYCANCELLATIONARCHIMEDES@eart hlink.net> wrote:
>Next year try sending your parcel by surface mail, send by early November
>for holiday delivery...
>Years ago (late 80's -early 90's) I sent holiday parcels to friends in East
>Germany and Russia, if posted by the second week of November they always
>got there by Christmas...at that time IIRC most Moscow - bound parcels were
>shipped via Odessa/Ukraine and thence up to Moscow. Lots of opportunities
>for things to go missing or so I thought but everything arrived unscathed...
Surface mail from the US to Europe is highly variable. When I came to
Italy, I mailed twelve boxes on the same day from NJ. A few arrived in
a month, some arrived within two months, and some took over three
months. I've had the same experience mailing boxes surface mail to
other European countries. They leave the US on a "space available"
basis.
Most European countries no longer have surface mail, but when they
did, I had the same experience in the other direction.
The packages also take a terrible beating, so have to be wrapped very
carefully, with all the little interior spaces filled in, and all the
edges of the box taped for reinforcement. I also put the contents
inside a heavy duty garbage bag before putting it in the box, so that
if the box rips, there's another layer holding the stuff together.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup
Dec 16th 2005, 3:13 am
#37
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
B Vaughan wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:41:36 GMT, "Gregory Morrow"
> <gregorymorrowEMERGENCYCANCELLATIONARCHIMEDES@eart hlink.net> wrote:
> >
> >Next year try sending your parcel by surface mail, send by early November
> >for holiday delivery...
> >
> >Years ago (late 80's -early 90's) I sent holiday parcels to friends in East
> >Germany and Russia, if posted by the second week of November they always
> >got there by Christmas...at that time IIRC most Moscow - bound parcels were
> >shipped via Odessa/Ukraine and thence up to Moscow. Lots of opportunities
> >for things to go missing or so I thought but everything arrived unscathed...
> Surface mail from the US to Europe is highly variable. When I came to
> Italy, I mailed twelve boxes on the same day from NJ. A few arrived in
> a month, some arrived within two months, and some took over three
> months. I've had the same experience mailing boxes surface mail to
> other European countries. They leave the US on a "space available"
> basis.
I wonder what percentage of surface mails travels by ship and what
percentage might end up eventually going by air?
The movement of international mail is a pretty fascinating subject, as
are the various international postal agreements regarding accounting
and reimbursement matters, etc...
> Most European countries no longer have surface mail, but when they
> did, I had the same experience in the other direction.
> The packages also take a terrible beating, so have to be wrapped very
> carefully, with all the little interior spaces filled in, and all the
> edges of the box taped for reinforcement. I also put the contents
> inside a heavy duty garbage bag before putting it in the box, so that
> if the box rips, there's another layer holding the stuff together.
My mom was a postmaster so I learned from an early age how to properly
wrap parcels...sometimes at the post office the clerks will say, "Hey,
you *really* know how to wrap packages properly..." :-)
When I first visited Germany I wanted to mail some stuff (paper
ephemera) back to the States, I wrapped the parcel as I would at home.
I was a bit dismayed to learn that in Germany you take the parcel to
the post office *unwrapped* so the contents can be vetted, etc. and
only then can the parcel be wrapped/prepared for shipping :-|
--
Best
Greg
> On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:41:36 GMT, "Gregory Morrow"
> <gregorymorrowEMERGENCYCANCELLATIONARCHIMEDES@eart hlink.net> wrote:
> >
> >Next year try sending your parcel by surface mail, send by early November
> >for holiday delivery...
> >
> >Years ago (late 80's -early 90's) I sent holiday parcels to friends in East
> >Germany and Russia, if posted by the second week of November they always
> >got there by Christmas...at that time IIRC most Moscow - bound parcels were
> >shipped via Odessa/Ukraine and thence up to Moscow. Lots of opportunities
> >for things to go missing or so I thought but everything arrived unscathed...
> Surface mail from the US to Europe is highly variable. When I came to
> Italy, I mailed twelve boxes on the same day from NJ. A few arrived in
> a month, some arrived within two months, and some took over three
> months. I've had the same experience mailing boxes surface mail to
> other European countries. They leave the US on a "space available"
> basis.
I wonder what percentage of surface mails travels by ship and what
percentage might end up eventually going by air?
The movement of international mail is a pretty fascinating subject, as
are the various international postal agreements regarding accounting
and reimbursement matters, etc...
> Most European countries no longer have surface mail, but when they
> did, I had the same experience in the other direction.
> The packages also take a terrible beating, so have to be wrapped very
> carefully, with all the little interior spaces filled in, and all the
> edges of the box taped for reinforcement. I also put the contents
> inside a heavy duty garbage bag before putting it in the box, so that
> if the box rips, there's another layer holding the stuff together.
My mom was a postmaster so I learned from an early age how to properly
wrap parcels...sometimes at the post office the clerks will say, "Hey,
you *really* know how to wrap packages properly..." :-)
When I first visited Germany I wanted to mail some stuff (paper
ephemera) back to the States, I wrapped the parcel as I would at home.
I was a bit dismayed to learn that in Germany you take the parcel to
the post office *unwrapped* so the contents can be vetted, etc. and
only then can the parcel be wrapped/prepared for shipping :-|
--
Best
Greg
Dec 16th 2005, 3:16 am
#38
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
B Vaughan <[email protected]> wrote:
> Surface mail from the US to Europe is highly variable. When I came to
> Italy, I mailed twelve boxes on the same day from NJ. A few arrived in
> a month, some arrived within two months, and some took over three
> months. I've had the same experience mailing boxes surface mail to
> other European countries. They leave the US on a "space available"
> basis.
Same thing happened to me this fall. After mailing one package air mail and
spending abou t 30 Euro, I decided it made sense to mail back just books (I
was studying in Germany for two months) since they have a favorable rate to the
U.S. I mailed three packages at the midpoint of Oktober. One was received
within 2 weeks (the non-books), and one inlate NOvember (6 weeks) and one just
this week (2 months).
Julie
> Most European countries no longer have surface mail, but when they
> did, I had the same experience in the other direction.
> The packages also take a terrible beating, so have to be wrapped very
> carefully, with all the little interior spaces filled in, and all the
> edges of the box taped for reinforcement.
Mine certainly did. Since they were books it was a tad less critical, however,
the boxes arrived quite battered, and I was glad for the bubble wrap and tape
reinforcement.
Julie
I also put the contents
> inside a heavy duty garbage bag before putting it in the box, so that
> if the box rips, there's another layer holding the stuff together.
> --
> Barbara Vaughan
> My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
> I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup
--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm
> Surface mail from the US to Europe is highly variable. When I came to
> Italy, I mailed twelve boxes on the same day from NJ. A few arrived in
> a month, some arrived within two months, and some took over three
> months. I've had the same experience mailing boxes surface mail to
> other European countries. They leave the US on a "space available"
> basis.
Same thing happened to me this fall. After mailing one package air mail and
spending abou t 30 Euro, I decided it made sense to mail back just books (I
was studying in Germany for two months) since they have a favorable rate to the
U.S. I mailed three packages at the midpoint of Oktober. One was received
within 2 weeks (the non-books), and one inlate NOvember (6 weeks) and one just
this week (2 months).
Julie
> Most European countries no longer have surface mail, but when they
> did, I had the same experience in the other direction.
> The packages also take a terrible beating, so have to be wrapped very
> carefully, with all the little interior spaces filled in, and all the
> edges of the box taped for reinforcement.
Mine certainly did. Since they were books it was a tad less critical, however,
the boxes arrived quite battered, and I was glad for the bubble wrap and tape
reinforcement.
Julie
I also put the contents
> inside a heavy duty garbage bag before putting it in the box, so that
> if the box rips, there's another layer holding the stuff together.
> --
> Barbara Vaughan
> My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
> I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup
--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm
Dec 16th 2005, 3:17 am
#39
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
Gregory Morrow <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:41:36 GMT, "Gregory Morrow"
>> <gregorymorrowEMERGENCYCANCELLATIONARCHIMEDES@eart hlink.net> wrote:
>> >
>> >Next year try sending your parcel by surface mail, send by early November
>> >for holiday delivery...
>> >
>> >Years ago (late 80's -early 90's) I sent holiday parcels to friends in East
>> >Germany and Russia, if posted by the second week of November they always
>> >got there by Christmas...at that time IIRC most Moscow - bound parcels were
>> >shipped via Odessa/Ukraine and thence up to Moscow. Lots of opportunities
>> >for things to go missing or so I thought but everything arrived unscathed...
>> Surface mail from the US to Europe is highly variable. When I came to
>> Italy, I mailed twelve boxes on the same day from NJ. A few arrived in
>> a month, some arrived within two months, and some took over three
>> months. I've had the same experience mailing boxes surface mail to
>> other European countries. They leave the US on a "space available"
>> basis.
> I wonder what percentage of surface mails travels by ship and what
> percentage might end up eventually going by air?
> The movement of international mail is a pretty fascinating subject, as
> are the various international postal agreements regarding accounting
> and reimbursement matters, etc...
>> Most European countries no longer have surface mail, but when they
>> did, I had the same experience in the other direction.
>> The packages also take a terrible beating, so have to be wrapped very
>> carefully, with all the little interior spaces filled in, and all the
>> edges of the box taped for reinforcement. I also put the contents
>> inside a heavy duty garbage bag before putting it in the box, so that
>> if the box rips, there's another layer holding the stuff together.
> My mom was a postmaster so I learned from an early age how to properly
> wrap parcels...sometimes at the post office the clerks will say, "Hey,
> you *really* know how to wrap packages properly..." :-)
> When I first visited Germany I wanted to mail some stuff (paper
> ephemera) back to the States, I wrapped the parcel as I would at home.
> I was a bit dismayed to learn that in Germany you take the parcel to
> the post office *unwrapped* so the contents can be vetted, etc. and
> only then can the parcel be wrapped/prepared for shipping :-|
This was not my experience this Fall. I wrapped parcels for mailing to the
U.S.
Julie
--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm
>> On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:41:36 GMT, "Gregory Morrow"
>> <gregorymorrowEMERGENCYCANCELLATIONARCHIMEDES@eart hlink.net> wrote:
>> >
>> >Next year try sending your parcel by surface mail, send by early November
>> >for holiday delivery...
>> >
>> >Years ago (late 80's -early 90's) I sent holiday parcels to friends in East
>> >Germany and Russia, if posted by the second week of November they always
>> >got there by Christmas...at that time IIRC most Moscow - bound parcels were
>> >shipped via Odessa/Ukraine and thence up to Moscow. Lots of opportunities
>> >for things to go missing or so I thought but everything arrived unscathed...
>> Surface mail from the US to Europe is highly variable. When I came to
>> Italy, I mailed twelve boxes on the same day from NJ. A few arrived in
>> a month, some arrived within two months, and some took over three
>> months. I've had the same experience mailing boxes surface mail to
>> other European countries. They leave the US on a "space available"
>> basis.
> I wonder what percentage of surface mails travels by ship and what
> percentage might end up eventually going by air?
> The movement of international mail is a pretty fascinating subject, as
> are the various international postal agreements regarding accounting
> and reimbursement matters, etc...
>> Most European countries no longer have surface mail, but when they
>> did, I had the same experience in the other direction.
>> The packages also take a terrible beating, so have to be wrapped very
>> carefully, with all the little interior spaces filled in, and all the
>> edges of the box taped for reinforcement. I also put the contents
>> inside a heavy duty garbage bag before putting it in the box, so that
>> if the box rips, there's another layer holding the stuff together.
> My mom was a postmaster so I learned from an early age how to properly
> wrap parcels...sometimes at the post office the clerks will say, "Hey,
> you *really* know how to wrap packages properly..." :-)
> When I first visited Germany I wanted to mail some stuff (paper
> ephemera) back to the States, I wrapped the parcel as I would at home.
> I was a bit dismayed to learn that in Germany you take the parcel to
> the post office *unwrapped* so the contents can be vetted, etc. and
> only then can the parcel be wrapped/prepared for shipping :-|
This was not my experience this Fall. I wrapped parcels for mailing to the
U.S.
Julie
--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm
Dec 16th 2005, 3:37 am
#40
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
"Gregory Morrow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] oups.com...
> Martin Bienwald wrote:
>> With parcels, the real shock usually comes when you realize that taxes
>> and duties apply not only on the value of the items packed but also on
>> the cost of postage ... ;-)
> Wow that IS a shock! Is this true only in Germany or also
> elsewhere...???
It is certainly true in the UK. VAT is chargeable on the total cost,
including the cost of postage.
JohnT
news:[email protected] oups.com...
> Martin Bienwald wrote:
>> With parcels, the real shock usually comes when you realize that taxes
>> and duties apply not only on the value of the items packed but also on
>> the cost of postage ... ;-)
> Wow that IS a shock! Is this true only in Germany or also
> elsewhere...???
It is certainly true in the UK. VAT is chargeable on the total cost,
including the cost of postage.
JohnT
Dec 16th 2005, 4:02 am
#41
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
nightjar
> "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>Can anyone tell me how long an airmail parcel from Los Angeles, California
>>should take to arrive in Dortmund, Germany? My only experience with
>>inter-continental parcels have been CD's I bought form France and the UK.
>>Those have always arrived much sooner than I expected them. I sent my
>>niece's parcel out last Monday (at horrendous cost for airmail), figuring
>>it would only take a week to reach her. However, she has not yet received
>>it. Should I be worried? (The package was clearly marked as containing
>>only commercially packaged "snack" foods, and identified as a gift - both
>>on the box itself, and on the customs declaration.)
>
>
> Many foodstuffs are prohibited imports, so it is almost certain that the
> package will have to be opened at customs and inspected. That adds time,
> particularly near Christmas.
That was why I specified "commercially packaged" - is
anything of that nature "prohibited"? (Other than cheese or
other things requiring refrigeration, which these plainly
were not?)
> "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>Can anyone tell me how long an airmail parcel from Los Angeles, California
>>should take to arrive in Dortmund, Germany? My only experience with
>>inter-continental parcels have been CD's I bought form France and the UK.
>>Those have always arrived much sooner than I expected them. I sent my
>>niece's parcel out last Monday (at horrendous cost for airmail), figuring
>>it would only take a week to reach her. However, she has not yet received
>>it. Should I be worried? (The package was clearly marked as containing
>>only commercially packaged "snack" foods, and identified as a gift - both
>>on the box itself, and on the customs declaration.)
>
>
> Many foodstuffs are prohibited imports, so it is almost certain that the
> package will have to be opened at customs and inspected. That adds time,
> particularly near Christmas.
That was why I specified "commercially packaged" - is
anything of that nature "prohibited"? (Other than cheese or
other things requiring refrigeration, which these plainly
were not?)
Dec 16th 2005, 4:28 am
#42
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> nightjar
>> "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>>Can anyone tell me how long an airmail parcel from Los Angeles,
>>>California should take to arrive in Dortmund, Germany? My only
>>>experience with inter-continental parcels have been CD's I bought form
>>>France and the UK. Those have always arrived much sooner than I expected
>>>them. I sent my niece's parcel out last Monday (at horrendous cost for
>>>airmail), figuring it would only take a week to reach her. However, she
>>>has not yet received it. Should I be worried? (The package was clearly
>>>marked as containing only commercially packaged "snack" foods, and
>>>identified as a gift - both on the box itself, and on the customs
>>>declaration.)
>> Many foodstuffs are prohibited imports, so it is almost certain that the
>> package will have to be opened at customs and inspected. That adds time,
>> particularly near Christmas.
> That was why I specified "commercially packaged" - is anything of that
> nature "prohibited"? (Other than cheese or other things requiring
> refrigeration, which these plainly were not?)
You did everything right in despatching your package. It is very unlikely
that it will be subjected to any taxes or duties and the only problem with
it is that the mail system is very busy at this time of year because lots of
people send lots of people packages at Christmastime.
JohnT
news:[email protected]...
> nightjar
>> "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>>Can anyone tell me how long an airmail parcel from Los Angeles,
>>>California should take to arrive in Dortmund, Germany? My only
>>>experience with inter-continental parcels have been CD's I bought form
>>>France and the UK. Those have always arrived much sooner than I expected
>>>them. I sent my niece's parcel out last Monday (at horrendous cost for
>>>airmail), figuring it would only take a week to reach her. However, she
>>>has not yet received it. Should I be worried? (The package was clearly
>>>marked as containing only commercially packaged "snack" foods, and
>>>identified as a gift - both on the box itself, and on the customs
>>>declaration.)
>> Many foodstuffs are prohibited imports, so it is almost certain that the
>> package will have to be opened at customs and inspected. That adds time,
>> particularly near Christmas.
> That was why I specified "commercially packaged" - is anything of that
> nature "prohibited"? (Other than cheese or other things requiring
> refrigeration, which these plainly were not?)
You did everything right in despatching your package. It is very unlikely
that it will be subjected to any taxes or duties and the only problem with
it is that the mail system is very busy at this time of year because lots of
people send lots of people packages at Christmastime.
JohnT
Dec 16th 2005, 6:42 am
#43
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
On 16 Dec 2005 08:13:46 -0800, "Gregory Morrow"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I wonder what percentage of surface mails travels by ship and what
>percentage might end up eventually going by air?
I suspect a lot of it goes by air, but given the condition of some of
my packages when they arrived, they must have gone by ship through a
typhoon.
>The movement of international mail is a pretty fascinating subject, as
>are the various international postal agreements regarding accounting
>and reimbursement matters, etc...
I wonder if John McPhee has tackled that one yet; it sounds like his
cup of tea.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I wonder what percentage of surface mails travels by ship and what
>percentage might end up eventually going by air?
I suspect a lot of it goes by air, but given the condition of some of
my packages when they arrived, they must have gone by ship through a
typhoon.
>The movement of international mail is a pretty fascinating subject, as
>are the various international postal agreements regarding accounting
>and reimbursement matters, etc...
I wonder if John McPhee has tackled that one yet; it sounds like his
cup of tea.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup
Dec 16th 2005, 8:57 am
#44
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
B Vaughan wrote:
> On 16 Dec 2005 08:13:46 -0800, "Gregory Morrow"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I wonder what percentage of surface mails travels by ship and what
>>percentage might end up eventually going by air?
>
>
> I suspect a lot of it goes by air, but given the condition of some of
> my packages when they arrived, they must have gone by ship through a
> typhoon.
No Barbara it went by air. The economy service though does not permit
time for landing. The packages are air dropped and only the deluxe
service provides for parachutes.
>
>>The movement of international mail is a pretty fascinating subject, as
>>are the various international postal agreements regarding accounting
>>and reimbursement matters, etc...
>
>
> I wonder if John McPhee has tackled that one yet; it sounds like his
> cup of tea.
>
>
> On 16 Dec 2005 08:13:46 -0800, "Gregory Morrow"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I wonder what percentage of surface mails travels by ship and what
>>percentage might end up eventually going by air?
>
>
> I suspect a lot of it goes by air, but given the condition of some of
> my packages when they arrived, they must have gone by ship through a
> typhoon.
No Barbara it went by air. The economy service though does not permit
time for landing. The packages are air dropped and only the deluxe
service provides for parachutes.
>
>>The movement of international mail is a pretty fascinating subject, as
>>are the various international postal agreements regarding accounting
>>and reimbursement matters, etc...
>
>
> I wonder if John McPhee has tackled that one yet; it sounds like his
> cup of tea.
>
>
Dec 16th 2005, 8:46 pm
#45
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Parcel post from U.S. to Germany - time?
Barbara Vaughan wrote: Surface mail from the US to Europe is highly
variable.
A few years ago I had an irritating experience when having some books
shipped to me in Saudi Arabia from the US. Because there were a fair
number of books involved, I had only the most important airmailed and
the others sent surface mail. Surprisingly, a week later I received
the surface mail shipment. I then contacted the organization from whom
I bought the books and inquired if they had got the shipments mixed up,
which they hadn't. A week later the airmail shipment arrived. I know
that I should have been happy to receive the airmail shipment on time,
and a further bonus with the extreme early arrival of the surface
shipment, but I always find illogical things like this extremely
irritating, but a fact of life
George.
variable.
A few years ago I had an irritating experience when having some books
shipped to me in Saudi Arabia from the US. Because there were a fair
number of books involved, I had only the most important airmailed and
the others sent surface mail. Surprisingly, a week later I received
the surface mail shipment. I then contacted the organization from whom
I bought the books and inquired if they had got the shipments mixed up,
which they hadn't. A week later the airmail shipment arrived. I know
that I should have been happy to receive the airmail shipment on time,
and a further bonus with the extreme early arrival of the surface
shipment, but I always find illogical things like this extremely
irritating, but a fact of life
George.
