Shipping costs from/to Bogota

I started to ask this before, but pulled it off the board. I was surprised and shocked to find that it seems to cost ~$45 to get anything to Bogota halfway reliably (yeah, I know, this was dealt with in a thread started by DCNUPE/Eddie in July of '99). Obviously if someone know a less expensive way to accomplish shipping to Colombia, I'm interested. But my currently my main question is, if a Bogataña sent something to me in the US, does she pay as much to get something up here as I will to get something down there?

[Bill123]

First of all, I hope you are talking about using Fed Ex, because most any other method would not be safe.

As far as your cost question goes, for REGULAR mail, to send a letter costs twice as much to send from Bogota than to send from the states.

The very best way to get your package down here is to send it with one of us if at all possible. Then we call the recipient and tell them to come and get it. <<just make sure you{re not sending drugs! You can do the same thing going the other way, but one may be a little more carefull about accepting a package from here to take to the US.

[Jim]

Fred,

I wanted to send my novia (in Cali) my debit card as that was the only reliable way for her to get a little cash from me from time to time.

The USPO had a $46 method and the $25 method. The $25 method expresses it to Bogato and hands it to the Colombian mail service. The chance of it being delivered without it being opened are not good so there is no cheap method.

Reliable, when it comes to postage, means untouched by Colombian hands until it reaches its destination. The $46 USPO method delivers it to an international delivery service in Colombia.

Peace,

Jim

[Chao]

You might also want to try Avianca Express. The website address is:
http://www.aviancaexpress.com/

I sent a package to Cartagena three weeks ago. My friend received the notice to pick it up two days ago. It cost me $15 to send some pictures to her.

chao

[HonkyTonk]

To get very good safety mailing anything to Colombia will cost you unless you send it down with someone. That usually isn't possible. FedEX was highly recommended by a lawyer in Bogota for legal documents. If I remember it was $25. UPS is excellent if you are willing to pay out the ying yang. Guaranteed delivery in 3 or so days to her doorstep. It worked and according to UPS here, it is untouched by average Colombian hands, but stays in UPS's hands. At least that's what they told me. I've not used the normal postal service but that is the riskiest. If memory serves well one Christmas package a friend sent to Bogota took about 3 months. Not typical but not unusual either. Packages can rot in Colombia if not sent thru more secure channels.

FF: Was that you who posted about DHL or something like it a couple weeks ago? I can't find the post but recently received something that came that way. Untouched and delivered in 4 days. I tried to decypher shipping costs and got $32 or so and it was up to a 1/2 pound I think. Not bad at all!!

Like all things in life...quality is never cheap. Cheaper, secure ways (Avianca/personal delivery) are too inconvenient from where I am.

Thanks all. HonkyTonk, you say:
>Cheaper, secure ways (Avianca/ personal delivery) are too
>inconvenient from where I am.
I think that sums it up for Fresno, as well. FAT is an internationl airport in name only--those beagles have enough trouble with sniffing out contraband fruit on incoming domestic flights. The last time I checked, I have to get a package in someone's hands at LAX to get it on Avianca Express. That's 4 to 5 hours away from me, depending on traffic at that end. Yes, I was the one who posted about DHL. I'd rather pay $30 than $40, but for me it's not a big deal. My impression is that, for anyone I've dealt with in Colombia, either $30 or $40 would be a big deal, and that fact that it was spent sending up momentos/recuerdos of little intrinsic value should perhaps clue me in on the difference between my mindset and theirs. Todavía no soy detallista. But perhaps that's another thing I'd better learn, along with Spanish, merengue and salsa, if I'm going to continue down this route.

"Todavía no soy detallista. But perhaps that's another thing I'd better learn...."

Right! Very important!

Jeff

PS - For those Gringos whose Spanish isn't as advanced as FF, "detallista" is an important word (and CONCEPT) in Latin America. It roughly translates as "thoughtful" in English.

[Bill123]

Yes, a detallista is someone who is always showing they care, like with little gifts, etc.

Also, <i'm not sure it is smart to give your girlfriend a debit card. Must too risky. Instead, just give her a plain old ATM card, with no charging privileges. And then keep only a small amount in the bank..best to set up a whole new bank account for it.

[Jim]

About ten months ago when I began to e-mail my novia, I sent her my photo by snail mail. She told me I was detallisto. I agree it is a hugely important concept.

Another conotation of it is meticulous or detail oriented (detalle = detail). Anyone who brushes her teeth eight times a day or has a weekly manicure and pedicure is detallista.

By the way, now that she knows me, I don't hear the word detallisto and my name in the same sentence.

My novia's suitcase was ransacked while in the custody of Avianca so I wouldn't send anything with them.

Peace,

Jim

[Jim]

Bill123,

You're right that giving a Colombian a debit card might lead to problems. She has had it since january and used it only when I told her I could.

Gonzalo Zuniga suggested that idea and it works if you can trust this person totally. There is virtually no other way to get money to Colombia. Wiring money can take three weeks (I understand this is to prevent laundering drug money).

Peace,

Jim