Tuesday, November 21, 2006

NOT ANOTHER Christmas Package Fiasco!

The Christmas Loot is on its way..

but not without a minor fiasco - like what else is new, but first,


the process







Now time for the fiasco part, in a nutshell :


Part I

*size limits for packages to Malaysia via US Postal Service: *

Parcel Post: Maximum length: 42 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 79 inches
and I KNOW this.

*Mailman measures length and girth meticulously*

Mailman : "Sorry folks, it measures 80 inches. You're 1 inch over, we can't send it."

Letti & David : *Looks of bewildered amazement*

Mailman: "If you're not satisfied, I could measure it again."

Mailman measures length and girth a second time

Mailman : "Still 80 inches. Can't send it."

Letti refrains from screaming, and looks at the mailman with chinese devil woman eyes

Mailman: "Okay, we'll ask Cheryl here to measure it and see if that's right."

Cheryl proceeds to measure the length and girth

Cheryl: "70 inches. No problem."

Mailman: "..........."

Letti : *rolls eyes inwardly*



Part II

Aforementioned mailman looks with a frown at our shipping label..

Mailman: "Oh, I see you're sending this parcel to Malaysia. It's called Malaya now."

Letti : *Jaw drops for a good 10 seconds, and recovers* "Sir, Malaya's the old name. It's been Malaysia for a long time now. " ( Malaya became Malaysia in 1963, by the way )

Mailman : "Well, it's called Malaya now. That's what the computer says. In fact, it's ALSO called Malacca."

Letti: *Jaw drops for another 10 seconds* "Sir, Malacca is a STATE in Malaysia. Like Texas is a state in the United States. I'm from there, I should know."

Mailman: "I know you're from there, but the computer says 'Malacca' is what it's called."

Letti: *dumbfounded & looks over at the guy's computer screen*

Computer Screen : Malacca ( Malaysia ), Queensland (Australia), Tasmania (Australia)

Letti: "Sir, I think what that means is, they're showing the State first, and then the country it belongs to, in the brackets."

Mailman: "......."

Letti: "Try typing in 'Johor' - it's another state in Malaysia."

Computer Screen : Johor ( Malaysia )

Mailman : "Well, whaddayaknow."

*sigh*

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awww that is just so sweet to mail your parents gifts! =)

Anyway, those people are really comical! Especially the last one. When did Malaysia become Malaya! Haha he is sure an outdated dude.

c o n s u e l a said...

wow...your postperson really needs a new prescription for his glasses, learn to use a tape measure and need a quick history lesson on Malaysia ;)

boy you sure do have more patience that I would have if I were in your shoes (hehe)

DD said...

Oh - my - gosh. What a nightmare.
Ok tell ya what. To avoid this problem in the future, get your whole family to move to Texas. LOL
I have heard of people in New Mexico having a problem with people thinking they are out of the USA. Sad isn't it?

Andrea Knapp said...

OMG THAT is funny! I have to go to the post office on Saturday to mail a bunch of stuff and I KNOW there will be a line a mile long and I also kow the person behind the counter will have had a bad day and will take it out on me!

Monica said...

I mail packages ALL THE TIME and the mail people dont know squat!!! they tell me something is over the inches and I KNOW I measured it, I dont know if you have DHL by you but they seem to be cheaper then USPS and UPS you should see if they do Malaysia, Im not sure about that but they are mUCh cheaper!!

Laura.Y said...

hahaha that's so funny! goodness!

Greenapple said...

I believe I will still vote for FedEx service ... at the very least you can track your package, and you don't have to worry about running the risk of having your parcel go MIA.

Anonymous said...

Hey Letti. Sorry that it took me so long to reply to your e-mail. The comment link is just below the "listening to" line. It will either say "Bunny Love" or # "Bunnies love me." Take care and Happy Thanksgiving. ^_^

Anonymous said...

Reminds me of a package I sent to Texas from Japan during my trip a couple of weeks ago. I had a huge, heavy box full of countless books, toys etc and the guy said I needed to have the exact number and weight of each individual item in the box. "American rules changed, they're much stricter now."
So I ask what the total weight of the box is. Postman says, "No, no we need the weight of individual items."
I say, "Yes, I understand but what's the total weight?"
Mother-in-Law is there with me and chimes in (siding with the postman of course) "We need to go home and count and weigh. American rules are much stricter now."
I say,"Just tell me the total weight."
Postman sighs and finally says, "17.93 kg."
I lean over and write on the label "Books--20--15kg; Plush animals--3--2kg; Toys--5--0.93kg"
I said, "We're good to go."

Postman and mother-in-law both stare at me mouths agape as if I had just committed some act of treason.

The box arrived on Tuesday.

Anonymous said...

Malaya, eh? Hey, some old folks in my village still call the peninsular by that name... whaddyaknow indeed :)

dobbs said...

And I thought Pos Malaysia was bad *LOL* I think my previous postman was dyslexic :P
http://medicine.com.my/mydobbs/?p=299

Thao said...

OMG, are you kidding? Be thankful this yahoo doesn't deliver the mail or you may never get anything in your mailbox.

Unknown said...

Queensland is to Australia, as Malacca is to Malaysia. This mailman doesn't know Australia either, does he?

Anonymous said...

hahah omigosh... that mailman...i can imagine how u feel eh cha bor...is call malacca hahhhhaah malaya somemore....goodness !

sweetspirits said...

Oh my goodness you poor gal , tsk tsk silly mailman ..

Anonymous said...

I'm late to comment on this, but doooooooooooooooooooood!