Saturday, April 04, 2009

I Think I'm Turning Japanese...

This week I went to the post office in Defence, Lahore to mail a box of books back to the US. I insisted on the 'sab se saste' (cheapest) rate, and the postman told me that he could give me a cheap rate but he had no idea when the package would arrive. I told him I had more time than money, so then I started a one hour process to get my package sewn up in little white bag, bound with melted wax and labeled. When I went to label the package, the packagewala asked me, "Where it going? Japan?"

I was a bit confused as to why my package would go to Japan. Do I look Japanese? Anyway, I told him it was going to the US and explained that I was a teacher here in Pakistan. Then I had to jaunt off to find a photocopier that was open in the morning (it was already 11:30am) to get a copy of my passport. Just in case I send a bomb in the box, they'll know who did it. Photocopiers were all closed so I went all the way home, scanned a copy, printed it and went all the way back to the post office. It cost me 2835 rupees ($35) to send a 12.8 kg box. Not too bad. Let's hope it makes it.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

expected date of delivery: Friday May 15, 2009

Smorg said...

$35 for a package from Pakistan to the USA sounds pretty good! :o)

I nearly cried when I had to ship my brother's guitar parts to him in Thailand last month (he ordered them via ebay and the vendors wouldn't ship oversea, so he had them dump the parts on me to collect and forward it to him. It cost $112 to mail the 25 lbs package. Arrrgghhhh!).

That was weird how the clerk asked if you were shipping it to Japan, though. Maybe he should watch Japanese films more and get a better idea what Japaneses look like, ay? ;o)

Cheerio,
Smorg :o)

Anonymous said...

Hi,
Being a lahori your blog is a really good help knowing about LAHORE more. Thanks

Anonymous said...

Hi,
Being a lahori your blog is a really good help knowing about LAHORE more. Thanks

Heather said...

Glad you're all enjoying the blog. Please do leave first name so that if you comment often I can recognize you!

Smorg, $112, oh I feel your pain. I had a terrible experience shipping all my shopping back from Thailand. Reminds me I need to write an article about that on AC to prevent other travelers from going through the same experience!

Heather said...

Oh and if these packages arrive in May that would be earlier than I'm expecting!