Customs gives good

Wide is my native land,.
Many of her forests, fields and rivers.
I have no other country I know.
Where a person breathes so freely.

April Fools' Day passed safely, but it happened to me yesterday, a story in which I felt a fool not worse than the first of April. And it was so.

Gathered to exchange ideas and to buy a reader Kindle 3 Wi-Fi. ... I went on Amazon, ordered the book and periodically checked as sending rides through the villages and villages. A day or two after the order randomly stumbled upon the information, they say, courier services in Belarus are not working with mail similar manner. Fees paid for the mailings, starting from 120 €, and for express delivery services - from 10 €. The fee is 30% of the cost of goods. It was the first bells:-).
Wished many years of UPS, which operates Amazon, and thought: ... Then the story takes on shades of quests from Benoit Sokal.

Receiving a parcel.
In the mailbox found a notice of a telegram. Went to the office, presented a new paper, which reported HC. Comrade. on the flow of goods to the warehouse of temporary storage ... from the capital). I can imagine the joy with which the people read the message from the regional centers, they, too, must go to the city. An interesting detail in the paper listed phone carrier, ie UPS. I called, enjoyed a fax trills and once many years wished UPS. Google prompted another phone number. The girl persuaded to go on Saturday so as not to jostle with by legal entities.

Early in the morning went on a trip to the National Airport. As usual, there are no signs there, janitors suggested that the PPC is one mile on the left of the main entrance. In the PPC was released showing a passport missing. The good-natured guard asked to turn out his pockets and remove metal objects before pass through the frame. Passed through the frame and went to the building of a soft yellow hue.

Shown, where the office UPS: according to the laws of the genre door is closed (there was nothing anyone did not want to ). It took 5-10 minutes and at 23 was invited to study, there was given a sticker to send scanned. With this ... Before entering he saw examples of declarations and filling. Around the pens were not available, but I was ready for this:-) The inspector cast a quick glance sheet and told to make an inventory of parcels of stock, because there is no accompanying papers. I come back in 23 office, prescribed a new badge. With him heading to the warehouse where your getting packed at the mercy of Kindle. Next to the table helpfully put a knife for opening. Opened the package, aunt convinced that e-book before her, and received the extract.
I give a pass to pass, again to knock customs. The inspector carefully read the paper, took a heavy calculator and plunged into the calculations. Carefully checking the results, fill the extract:.

Customs duty - $ 37.
The fee for customs clearance - $ 7.

I asked casually why the tax-free amount for such a small courier services. Responsible, they say, this is not a post office, and the cargo. ...

by. Urban Combing (Ultrastar175g).

Pay slips must be at the airport. A car drove up to the main entrance, is not surprised at the lack of signage. I asked the workers showed the direction of search. A security guard at the airport, even Escalators turned to me, that handy to the second floor up:-).

Paid receipts, came back to the checkpoint, passed through the border and returned to the gallant customs. Told to wait in the corridor. Twenty minutes later the door opened and dropped my last name. Put three signatures, got a few new papers. You can go to the store!.

For old times' sake I go to her friend in the 23 study for a new pass. Warn that it's time to pay the bills, that is deposited on the stock, too, is paid. Fortunately, the money taken on the spot, but not at the airport (-3.5 $ for 2 days of storage). All packed and delighted a massive door open warehouse. Fill the last paper and get a box with the device overseas. On the way back to the car seeding. sisters earrings. guards of the passes. Filled with impressions go home.

Total:. Kindle ( $ 139) Ships UPS ( $ 21 ) 37 $ 7 $ 10 $ 3.5 $ ( gasoline ) = $ 217.5 and 3.5 hours to travel.
Conclusion:. The cargo is really valuable.

The story or the second pancake.

June 3, 2011.

Fortunately, this time the custom was not involved in the development of events. But first things first.
A friend burned buy the same toy and asked to order a Kindle. Mindful of the bitter experience of interaction with UPS, identified two alternatives: either to buy on ebay, or take direct Amazon'e and with the help of special services from the state to send to her in Minsk. He chose the second option because it wanted to check the ...

By that time, Amazon. released. new modification of the device. Neutral Kindle 3 Wi-Fi, but with advertising in the screensaver and a small strip in the list of books. But the price fell from $ 139 to $ 114. Offer valid only in the U.S., so sending deceptive maneuver pays off. Plus, unlike the International version, the box will get the power adapter, even though the U.S.. Familiar agreed to the advertising Kindle and I began to build the scheme:-).

The first thing I had to get a physical address in the states. Here again there was the problem of choosing. Either use the services of a popular service delivery shipito, or try the Russian version, called shopfans. As a result, the balance is tipped toward shopfans - send a package is cheaper ($ 5 instead of $ 8 ). No sooner said than done. Registered, got a virtual address in Pennsylvania. A small note: the site of the project have a unique. To understand the ins and outs, it is worth several times to re-read the FAQ. With rhyme or failed to understand.

A very simple algorithm. Ordered Kindle with free shipping, a few days after the administration received the email, they say, your package received and stored in a warehouse. Vector of the parcel is sent to your current address. After some time, received notice of the required payment. The amount entered service service ( $ 5), insurance in case the package does not come within 3- months ( $ 3 per insured amount of $ 100 ) price for Express delivery via USPS ( around $ 40). paid PayPal'om.

The American mail box assigned a tracking number with which you can follow the journey of the device. Ten days later the book came to the capital. And with. second. attempts the courier handed the precious cargo. No trips to the airport and rastamozhek, door to door, so to speak.
In my opinion, the experiment failed, the second pancake without the lumps. Total expenditure amounted to $ 160.