[Elecraft]US Postal Service Express Mail to the UK - update

[Dave G4AON]

Further to my earlier posting about a package ordered for USPS Express 
Mail International (not from Elecraft), I have to report some progress:

The parcel was tracked as follows:-
Attempted Delivery Abroad, October 27, 2007, 9:25 am, GREAT BRITAIN
Out of Foreign Customs, October 26, 2007, 5:11 am, GREAT BRITAIN
Into Foreign Customs, October 23, 2007, 5:33 pm, GREAT BRITAIN
Arrived Abroad, October 23, 2007, 5:13 pm, GREAT BRITAIN
International Dispatch, October 18, 2007, 2:18 pm, O'HARE APT/CHICAGO
Processed, October 18, 2007, 11:49 am, CHICAGO, IL 60666
Processed, October 17, 2007, 6:35 pm, DETROIT, MI 48242
Electronic Shipping Info Received, October 17, 2007

Today (30th October), I received an invoice by Royal Mail for the value 
added tax (vat) and a £13.50 handling charge. The invoice was dated 26th 
October and was sent by 1st class post! Having paid by credit card via 
the web site for Parcel Force I tried to arrange delivery to my local 
post office... The web site didn't understand so I had to phone the 0870 
premium rate phone line (why do they do that), speak to a robot thing 
and arrange re-direction to my post office. That seemed to work. I could 
have driven a round trip of 70 miles to collect the parcel or taken 
tomorrow off work to be at home when someone may (or may not) have 
delivered the package.

Oddly enough, the option of having Parcel Force leave the package at my 
local post office involves 48 hour delivery and a 50 pence collection 
charge.

All in all, not an exciting experience. Hope this is of use for those in 
the UK buying Elecraft kits and planning to take delivery by USPS 
Express Mail International.

73 Dave, G4AON
K1 delivered in 4 days back in 2002
K2 delivered in a week back in 2001
K3 delivered in weeks... Sometime this year I hope!