12-05-2005
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#1 (permalink) |
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Licence to kill
 Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Shifting Sands
Posts: 5,644
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Mexican Mail advice compared to Monty Python
Amazing as it sounds I've had the 4th person from the UK today doubt and question my very specific advice to not use the normal post under any circumstances when sending stuff to Mexico. Use FedEx. Despite my continous reminders, twice this year people have sent things by air mail and it took weeks to get here.
It's like that scene in Monty Python's Holy Grail where he tells the guards to guard the prince... FATHER Make sure the Prince doesn't leave this room until I come and get him. FIRST GUARD Not ... to leave the room ... even if you come and get him. FATHER No. Until I come and get him. SECOND GUARD Hic. FIRST GUARD Until you come and get him, we're not to enter the room. FATHER No ... You stay in the room and make sure he doesn't leave. FIRST GUARD ... and you'll come and get him. SECOND GUARD Hic. FATHER That's Right. FIRST GUARD We don't need to do anything, apart from just stop him entering the room. FATHER Leaving the room. FIRST GUARD Leaving the room ... yes. FATHER Got it? SECOND GUARD Hic. FATHER makes to leave. FIRST GUARD Er ... if ... we ... er ... FATHER Yes? FIRST GUARD If we ... er ... (trying to remember what he was going to say) FATHER Look, it's simple. Just stay here and make sure he doesn't leave the room. SECOND GUARD Hic. FATHER Right? FIRST GUARD Oh, I remember ... can he ... er ... can he leave the room with us? FATHER (carefully) No .... keep him in here ... and make sure he doesn't ... FIRST GUARD Oh, yes! we'll keep him in here, obviously. But if he had to leave and we were with him. FATHER No ... just keep him in here. FIRST GUARD Until you, or anyone else ... FATHER No, not anyone else - just me. FIRST GUARD Just you ... SECOND GUARD Hic. FIRST GUARD Get back. FATHER Right. FIRST GUARD Okay. Fine. We'll remain here until you get back. FATHER And make sure he doesn't leave. FIRST GUARD What? FATHER Make sure he doesn't leave. FIRST GUARD The Prince ... ? FATHER Yes ... make sure ... FIRST GUARD Oh yes, of course! I thought you meant him! (he points to the other GUARD and laughs to himself) You know it seemed a bit daft me havin' to guard him when he's a guard ... FATHER Is that clear? SECOND GUARD Hic. FIRST GUARD Oh, yes. That's quite clear. No problems. FATHER pulls open the door and makes to leave the room. The GUARDS follow. FATHER (to the GUARDS) Where are you going? FIRST GUARD We're coming with you. FATHER No, I want you to stay here and make sure he doesn't leave the room until I get back. FIRST GUARD Oh, I see, Right. |
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12-05-2005
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#2 (permalink) | |
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aņejo
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you
Posts: 9,284
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Quote:
 Sorry, couldn't resist... |
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12-05-2005
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#4 (permalink) |
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top babe
admin Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: after 10 wonderful years in Playa, now back in Sweden
Posts: 3,716
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Yeah, the Mexican mail system is so bad it's almost non-existent. I've had many things disappear, and the things that do arrive often sit at the post office here in Playa for a couple of months before they get delivered. And the whole street address thing too, it's like it's a total novelty. Here's an example of a very typical conversation when ordering a pizza or anything else to be delivered to your house:
ME: the address is Calle X between Avenida Y and Z, house number 8. THEM: do you have a reference for the house? ME: what do you mean reference (well, I don't have to ask that anymore, but at first...) THEM: the color of the house, a big tree in front, for example ME: Well, it has a number 8 on the door THEM: any other reference? ME: it's between house number 7 and 9 THEM: what color is the house? and so on Then the pizza guys shows up on his scooter and randomly honks his horn, like he has no idea where he's going and you have to run out to catch him. You just have to love the ideosyncracies of Mexico. You have to learn how to smile at frustration. |
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12-05-2005
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#5 (permalink) |
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reposado
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: WV
Posts: 1,002
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In all fairness, I must report that in 2002 I sent several (like 4) large boxes of paperback books to friends in PDC via the USPS slow boat and they made it to the PDC CP box in approximately 3-4 months each (not the forecasted 36 days ha-ha) ... I had sent postcards from PDC which took as long to get to USA so I was sure the books would either never make it or it would take at least 6 months ... even more important the book boxes were not tampered with and no customs fee of any kind was charged since they were indeed a gift ... I send indivdual books to Europe via slow boat and they can take 60 days (more or less) to reach the address ... I believe the burros in the Mexican postal system have good days and bad ones like everyone else
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12-05-2005
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#6 (permalink) |
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Critter Magnet
 Join Date: May 2003
Location: Q Roo
Posts: 16,081
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I have a friend who didn't believe me about the mail, so, just to test it - and to spite me - he folded up a piece of paper in a legal envelope and addressed the thing to me with "CHECK ENCLOSED!" written in English on the front. The irony of it is that it got here in one week, unopened, perfectly intact! Of course there was no check inside, but there never was.
I also had a "Christmas Care Package" sent to me by another friend that got here in about 3 weeks. Again, it hadn't been opened, and everything inside was intact, if melted (some people just don't get that "it's hot in December" thing). When I had Cingular after I first moved here, everything was fine at first and then they started adding random $10 charges to every 3rd phone call or so, so I went online, wasn't able to cancel my service that way (grr) so I changed my billing address to my Mexico one. Wouldn't you know the damn bill me reached me in a timely fashion? Amazingly enough, I don't have ANY stories of mail not reaching me or sending out mail that didn't get where it was supposed to go (haven't even tried), but I still would never count on the Mexican mail! |
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12-05-2005
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#7 (permalink) |
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top babe
admin Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: after 10 wonderful years in Playa, now back in Sweden
Posts: 3,716
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We also have not received a phone bill or a cable bill in months. We typically get one or two phone bills a year (they're supposed to come every month). We have received packages via Fedex and UPS that have been opened so carelessly the things inside were torn. This is why we always ask the good people of this forum to help us out muling things down from the US for us - you have no idea how appreciated it is!
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12-05-2005
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#8 (permalink) |
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Licence to kill
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Shifting Sands
Posts: 5,644
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Yep, you can risk getting cut off if you wait for the bills.
Funny how here you have to accept things are going to be late for you, but don't even dream of paying late! All my FedEx deliveries have been fine so far thankfully. |
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12-06-2005
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#9 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Westbank/PDC
Posts: 1,763
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Hi all. Well up here where everything is extremely expensive....can't afford fed ex..its $169.00. So my question is ..has anyone used air mail from Canada to Mexico? Ground mail is said to take up to 3 months but they claim that air mail should get there within 3 weeks. I am sending a christmas parcel (yes, I know I'm leaving it 'til the last possible second!! haha) and tho it would be nice to have it there for Christmas, through my own late fault, just to have it there within the next month would be nice. (Hope my choclates don't melt) haha Thanks.
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12-06-2005
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#10 (permalink) |
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top babe
admin Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: after 10 wonderful years in Playa, now back in Sweden
Posts: 3,716
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My STRONG advice is to NOT send a parcel with normal mail. Don't do it. It will either not get here at all, or get here too late and/or destroyed. It doesn't matter what the postal service in your first-world country says - it's totally irrelevant when it comes to actually getting the parcel delivered here.
Please feel free to start a new thread on this forum asking if someone can bring it down with them, so you only have to send your parcel within Canada or to the US (if that's ok price-wise). You may want to leave it un-wrapped so that the person bringing it feels ok about it. Your friend can then meet up with the mule and receive his gifts that way. That's the ONLY way I would even consider sending a parcel to Mexico, especially at Christmas time. |
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12-06-2005
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#11 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you
Posts: 9,284
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One of my friends in Playa found out his postman, Jesus, was throwing post away instead of delivering it. He wasn't the Messiah, he was a very naughty boy. He was also stealing money form envelopes and spending it in the Dead Blue Parrot.
Last edited by Daddy B; 12-06-2005 at 01:25 PM.. |
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12-06-2005
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#12 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 2,298
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I have never had any luck mailing in or out of Mexico and all I've ever mailed is postcards. I've mailed many packages, watches, Barbie and all kinds of things to Greece (which isn't known for it's efficient or honest post system) and all of them have made it. My friend Dina (who lives there) says she gets an electric bill about twice a year. My packages usually take a month to a month and half. I use the mule system and am always happy to be the mule if needed.
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