Friday's trip to work was interrupted by a diversion; a deviation which took us into a building I have never visited before. To begin with I was concerned that it might be a V-E-T; it had that sort of waiting room feel about it. However there were no other cats, no dogs or budgerigars, and no smell of antiseptic.
We waited.
I prodded F a couple of times to see if she had fallen asleep. She had bagged the only chair in the waiting room.
Eventually something made a bing noise and we moved up to a sales-person place and I could suddenly see an opening into a back part of the building .....hmmmm interesting. F tugged on my seatbelt. Apparently this was not the moment.
F pulled a brown paper encased parcel out of Donkey's tummy and handed it over only for the person to hand it back along with a pamphlet about something and we left.
At work the parcel got a few things stuck to it and this morning we made another visit to the waiting place,
.... and waited....
...while the woman behind the counter pondered,
...and made phone calls,
...and scanned things,
...and eventually exchanged the parcel for a piece of paper which F folded and gave to me to protect, and we left again.
Apparently I have had the much sought after experience of queuing in a Post Office. I almost prefer two-year old cat-torturers.
F explained this is a new 'stream-lined' service that requires you to go online and do all your customs declarations and printing of labels so that when you go to post the parcel it only takes fifteen to twenty minutes.
How long did it used to take to post a parcel?
Hari Om
ReplyDelete...about the same? Don't know when last I sent a parcel overseas. Could've been long back when I was in OZ. I do recall a lot of form filling and questioning and it would have been at least 15 minutes. Interestingly, a flyer came through the door on Friday about Royal Mail offering a parcel pick-up service (like a courier) so you don't have to go queue up. Good for them getting that out before everyone starts yelling 'Christmas!'
Anyway, Tigger, glad you found stuff to appreciate about this visit - if for nothing other than to put the island adventure into persepective! Hugs and whiskeries, YAM-aunty xxx
It is always an adventure, posting a parcel and wondering whether it will ever arrive at its destination!
ReplyDeletemy most favorite "line" was I think i might prefer a 2 year old cat-torturer, still laughing at that one. I must say you look quite adorable waiting in your donkey.. I have only received from across the pond, back when hubby ordered airplane parts from China. Never sent anything
ReplyDeleteAnything to make life easier I guess but I often wonder why we need some much paperwork to do that.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I do not miss about Greece is Greek time!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes those in power are always mucking about with things in the pursuit of
Making them better, but end up making it even harder
It’s it’s not broken don’t fix it comes to mind
A few weeks ago my reading list wouldn’t load
ReplyDeleteIt was a real pain the the behind
They must be mucking about with things again
Give it a few days and see if it fixes itself
Last time I sent a parcel to America it only took a matter of minutes to fill in the declaration form and pay for the box to be sent. Not even any waiting to buy a stamp - I must have got lucky and chosen the right postal centre!
ReplyDeleteReply still not working so here they are en masse:
ReplyDeleteMargaret is right - if the system works as it should (for those who have computers and can do the customs declaration and printing at home) it should indeed be a matter of minutes. I don't think ELTA is set up to actually cope with the digital age...
and Angela - of course it has to be on Greek time, on any other someone might be out of work.
JayCee - nailed it - we still have no idea whether last one sent arrived in Canada.. or is still languishing in a sorting office somewhere.
YAM-aunty - now that sounds like a service.
Sandra - aeroplane parts????