Scuppered!
Plans to ship food like Laksa paste, chicken rice base and the coffee machine have been scuppered.
It is helluva expensive to send stuff - even via ship - to USA. Eg. 10 kgs to Australia with Singpost's shipping service (goodness knows why they call it "Speedpost" considering it'll take weeks for the stuff to arrive) is $49.50... 10 kgs to the US? $115.80 And (!) because it goes by ship, it'll take anywhere from six weeks to 12 weeks to arrive. Arghk.
How to ask friends for food parcels like that? Going to die of sambal balachan deprivation.
Gene is extra grumpy that he won't get to bring his Saeco coffee machine: anyone wants to take care of that particular baby for a year?
We're having some trouble with luggage too now. Because we won't ship stuff, we're trying to stuff everything into the luggage... which is going to be problematic with a 20 kg maximum load. Have no idea how to carry the box of heat packs that Dennis bought for us from Japan. Sigh, now repacking everything again, kicking out clothes etc etc.
Why 20 Kg? We're travelling cattle class: moo. Have no money lah and something tells me we're never going to get beyond cattle class.
And of course - have also realised just how poor we are going to be. Changing money at the bank yesterday. Even with the "favourable" exchange rate right now; when you change what seems to be a loooot of Sing $, it comes up relatively puny in USD.
Triple sighs.
On a happier note, managed to meet up with Kallaboo and Mr Cheng - who's been travelling all over the world. Sorry abt the bad image quality, lighting issues + magnum Hoegaarden = bad bad photographer nat.
Karen's doing her vampire impersonation - with french fries. Mr Cheng's expression says everything. Hehe.
Tried to convince the duo to visit Rochester in the depths of Winter.
"We'll have heating! Really!"
"A queen sized bed!"
"You might meet... urh... grizzly bear.''
"We can go skiing/snowboarding!"
Answer: "Erh, yah, we'll think about it" (Nervous laughter follows)
Gene tried to sell the same argument to Ai-Lien the other day.
Her answer? Hysterical laughter.
Hummm.
It is helluva expensive to send stuff - even via ship - to USA. Eg. 10 kgs to Australia with Singpost's shipping service (goodness knows why they call it "Speedpost" considering it'll take weeks for the stuff to arrive) is $49.50... 10 kgs to the US? $115.80 And (!) because it goes by ship, it'll take anywhere from six weeks to 12 weeks to arrive. Arghk.
How to ask friends for food parcels like that? Going to die of sambal balachan deprivation.
Gene is extra grumpy that he won't get to bring his Saeco coffee machine: anyone wants to take care of that particular baby for a year?
We're having some trouble with luggage too now. Because we won't ship stuff, we're trying to stuff everything into the luggage... which is going to be problematic with a 20 kg maximum load. Have no idea how to carry the box of heat packs that Dennis bought for us from Japan. Sigh, now repacking everything again, kicking out clothes etc etc.
Why 20 Kg? We're travelling cattle class: moo. Have no money lah and something tells me we're never going to get beyond cattle class.
And of course - have also realised just how poor we are going to be. Changing money at the bank yesterday. Even with the "favourable" exchange rate right now; when you change what seems to be a loooot of Sing $, it comes up relatively puny in USD.
Triple sighs.
On a happier note, managed to meet up with Kallaboo and Mr Cheng - who's been travelling all over the world. Sorry abt the bad image quality, lighting issues + magnum Hoegaarden = bad bad photographer nat.
Karen's doing her vampire impersonation - with french fries. Mr Cheng's expression says everything. Hehe.
Tried to convince the duo to visit Rochester in the depths of Winter.
"We'll have heating! Really!"
"A queen sized bed!"
"You might meet... urh... grizzly bear.''
"We can go skiing/snowboarding!"
Answer: "Erh, yah, we'll think about it" (Nervous laughter follows)
Gene tried to sell the same argument to Ai-Lien the other day.
Her answer? Hysterical laughter.
Hummm.
might be worth a shot to call your airline, let them know you're moving, and request for excess baggage beforehand. even if they charge you extra, it would be less than if you showed up unexpectedly with 15kg over.
Posted by
ting ting |
16:53
On that note, the other thing I learned about the US is that some airlines have "2-piece" allowances. Each piece being 20kg in order to fall within union laws of what handlers can carry. One, for sure, is KLM because I put Mum on it with two pieces. Even if they don't Ting's right.. Call the airline. I remember doing the same when a mate moved to Australia.. They were quite generous.
Posted by
TeamWilliams Shoots |
18:27
hmm...i am thinking it might not have been such a good idea letting you take that shot.
have a good flight and take care. hey if the recommendations don't work out, pad yourself all over with packets of belachan and hope no dogs are on duty. that should get you through the winter...(nervous laughter)
Posted by
kallaboo |
16:36