How long do parcels take to get to Afghanistan?

[ameliameerkat]

Now I realise that truthfully the answer to this is probably another question along the lines of 'how long is a piece of string?', but is there a rough/ish/perhaps type figure?! My friend got posted out there a couple of weeks back (he was in the regular army for a few years, now TA) and I've just sent him his first parcel. I thought I might send him some vaguely Christmas themed stuff, but not sure whether to send it pretty soon or leave it another couple of weeks yet. He was at Camp Bastion, but is now at some forward post somewhere. Any wisdom from the wise and no doubt experienced folk on this thread? Thanks!

Unfortunately the time it takes to get there is unpredictable. The Post Office just handles them, passes them on then they are sent on planes as and when space is available. Fingers crossed your parcel gets there in time

It's currently taking about 1-2 wks to get parcels to Bastion, but I don't know how much longer it takes to get from there to a forward post. I expect as Christmas draws nearer and the volume of mail increases, it will take longer. Better send earlier than later

Very unpredictable. When DP was deployed (always at Bastion or Kandahar) it took anything from three days (well done PO and army!) to four weeks. They didn't necessarily get there in the right order either!

I suspect it will take longer to get to a forward post.

Um, send it soon but with a big 'DON'T OPEN TILL CHRISTMAS' sign?

(It definitely takes longer around Christmas as lots of charities also sends boxes out)

Definitely send Christmas stuff sooner than later. It is chaos in the Air Cargo hangar (where the post gets built onto aircraft pallets) for all of December.

To be fair to the guys there, they work round the clock to get all the Christmas post out on time.

Truth - three days?! Wow!

Good point about there being extra post at Christmas (stupid me hadn't even thought of that!). Also good idea to put a sign on it saying don't open til Christmas. I think I'll send it quite soon with a sign. Cover all bases

Thanks for your advice everyone!

If anyone is still reading, could you help me on this one? I want to send a birthday card to someone who has just gone ou to Afghanistan.

I know I can send blueys and just drop them in a letter box.

I've been looking on the BFPO site, and cards are covered but it says you have to drop them off in a PO. Now I can just about see the point of dropping off packages, but is it really necessary for a letter?

The justification seems to be that the PO might mishandle it as an unpaid item. But surely if I wrote FREEPOST HERRICK where the stamp would go, it would work?

Does anyone know?

(Yes, I'll drop it at the PO if it really is the best thing to do, but as this thread has made me think I'd better get it on the move asap and a letterbox doesn't require a special trip).

I think officially you should take it to the post office Edith, but I put a few cards in the work mail box (picked up by postman) before I knew that and they got there fine. I think if it's nothing important and you're willing to take the risk then put them in the post box, but if it's valuable (financially or sentimentally!) then take it to the PO. Someone might be along with more info though...

And yes, Amelia, three days for one (small) parcel! I was AMAZED when DP emailed to say thanks!

I've always taken them to the PO as I thought they needed to put a freepost stamp on. I know you can't put them through the self-service machine and have to go to the counter (well, this is what the lady at the desk told me).

OK, Post Office soon then, and I'll see what they do.

Thanks for your help!

Edith - do you know you can send e-blueys? I guess not quite the same as sending an actual birthday card, but you can attach images to them now.

Now I've decided to send a Christmas type parcel I don't know what to put in it!! What do you send to your folk? I don't necessarily want to send random non-consumable items as then he'll have to lug it around the place, and I presume he has limited space in his rucksack/kit bag. But then if I just send normal things - newspapers, magazines, CDs of podcasts, socks etc - then it's not very 'special'. What to do?! I don't want to wrap 'normal' stuff in Christmas paper for him get all excited and then to unwrap boring stuff! Hmmmm. I thought of Christmas socks/boxers, Christmas type podcasts (I'll need to go back to last Christmas I guess for that!).....not sure what else! If you have success stories you can tell me of what you've sent in the past then it would be gratefully received! Thanks!

I sent the card - over the counter at the PO.

I did want this to be an actual card. I've got a stack of paper blueys for letters - I rather like sitting down and writing!

I'm thinking about putting together a Chirstmas box (and get it off well before the end of this month!). I know he wants coffee, and I'll probably put in sweeties, playing cards and bridge markers. Bit stuck after that!

I work at a PO, been off on maternity leave for 1 year so things could have changed, but at our branch they put blueys straight into the first class mail sack. Which means they would get sorted exactly the same as mail from a postbox, and should get there (well, ahve the same chance of getting there as the rest of the post doesn't does)

I used to send 'posh' toiletries - clinique and the like - but have recently been told by DP that he could buy those on camp so he was never as impressed as I thought he was! Xmas pudding went down well (you're supposed to find the non-alcoholic stuff though I didn't) I also made a personalised magazine (basically a load of articles I thought he'd like cut up and put in an exercise book) which he loved, though I suspect he may have had to read it in private as it looked like a child had made it.

I just asked DP what he would have wanted sent out... his reply is unsurprising... 'porn'. He then replaced this with 'pictures of you, booze, obviously, um, er, I can't think of anything'. Blokes are rubbish huh?

I sent DH some reggae reggae sauce and was really excited about that.