The boxes are not only for OFW's, I sent a box in my name to family in the Philippines, it got there no problem.
Advice on the box for shipment? Does it need to be waterproofed? If so then inside aswell as out? Also, do you think it would be daft to send chocolate. My Mrs wants to but my feeling is that it would melt as it sailed through the tropics?
Yes, I regret to say that you should not send chocolate. The box will be "consolidated" with other boxes into a full container load. Temperatures inside dry containers during the passage down the Red Sea are typically above 40 deg C at all times of the year. I have had the unpleasant experience of having to look inside a reefer (refrigerated) container of Nestle chcolates in Manila - the cooling system had failed. Very nasty, but nothing like as nasty as the container of frozen prawns with no refrigeration.. The reason chocolate is so expensive in the Philippines is that it must all be shipped, unloaded, warehoused, regrouped and sent to shops under refrigeration at each step of the way. This adds hugely to the cost.
Okay. I pressed the thanks button on your earlier post but it hasn't registered, for some reason. Perhaps there is a delay.
This is what we plan to send. Its described as jumbo sized. 30"x22"x20" I reckon my wife would fit in it easily.
Food for the journey, eh! Seriously, I would advise against sending chocolate: companies such as Cadbury have different formulations for its products destined for hot climates to those for temperate climates. The only people who will treat that BB box with any respect at all will be you and your wife. Once handed-over to LBC - or any other BB shipper - it will be thrown, dropped, kicked, punched and squeezed to fit in the container several times during its shipment. So make sure you pack breakables in the very centre of the box, preferably wrapped in several layers of the 1"-sized bubble wrap and surrounded by soft items. You will need to completely encase that box in at least one, preferably two, layers of brown parcel tape and for a box of that size, you'll probably need 5 or 6 large rolls of the 3M parcel tape sold by WH Smith (the size used in tape dispensers). You then print the addresses' name, address and cellphone number(s) directly onto the parcel tape using a permanent marker on each surface. The box may not be perfectly shaped when it arrives but it should at least be intact.
I see. We were considering getting some industrial duty clear plastic roll and wrapping it as if the box was a parcel, so that the box was waterproofed but the original box was clearly visible underneath. Then sealing along the "joins" with parcel tape. Not sure where we would get such transparent wrap from, maybe B and Q. Anyhow, yes plastic tape seems a way to go.
It left today. We covered it in clear tape and it seems others have done them same of those boxes that were collected today as I had a squint in the back of the van. The driver estimated 6 weeks from now, till delivery in Cavite.
We used to buy the tine of Roses and Quality Street tins you see in the supermarkets at Xmas and send them over. The trouble is it was usually that long between getting them, sending the box and it arriving most of the chocs had gone off. Saying that we have sent tins of chocs out before and they've in ok condition.
No. We sent our first box recently and are awaiting its arrival at its destination. We deliberately avoided sending items of that kind of value.....
Speaking of sending shoes, my friends used to send bunch of left shoes on the first batch box, then bunch of right shoes on the next batch box! To ensure they don't disappear! :cheer:
anyone else used other balikbayan box companies, aside lbc??? my box was suppose to be pick up last 3weeks ago then was scheduled and rescheduled again today but hasn't been pick up nor call from their driver. called them many times and they have said that they will prioritized it coz it's the third time has been scheduled... so, now i don't think it will be pick up tonight as it's been late already and got no calls... used the, before and this is the first time i had aproblem with them... my concern now is my box won't get to Phils. before xmas, hay naku!
I had a similar problem with Lilley's. They failed to turn up on two occasions and, on the third occasion, they arrived around midnight to collect the box. I will continue to use them though. BTW - since when was Sudbury in Norfolk? It is in Suffolk - close to the Essex border, though Facebook do wrongly list it as being in Norfolk. I am sure Methersgate will have spotted that one too.
The company I use state that the value of the contents in their 'medium' box should not exceed £200. I suspect this is the limit of their insurance, rather than a limit imposed by the PH government. Insurance does not cover all eventualities - if the ship sinks you are probably not covered. Check with the company you use. If I have sent re-saleable items (such as a Nexus tablet) when the value of the other contents was close to the limit, I have simply not declared such items, for fear they would got stolen.
