Monthly Archives: April 2014

Tips for Fragile Items Day 2

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Italy is well known for its beautiful glass pieces, and it can be difficult to send fragile parcels and packages abroad, however with a world class courier service and some helpful hints and tips, you can minimize the risks.

[rand] express post blogChoosing the Right Service

There are several different delivery services provided by RAND, so it may help depending on how fragile your parcel is, to spend more money on fast delivery times. You may be thinking that speedier delivery could encourage couriers to be careless and therefore the parcel may have a higher chance of breaking but this isn’t actually the case.

In fact, because of express delivery times, the time in transit is significantly reduced, so there is a lower chance of it being broken in transit. The longer the parcel sits in the warehouse or on the van, the higher the chances of something happening to it.

With first class delivery services worldwide at competitive rates, RAND Logistics can provide a variety of guaranteed door-to-door delivery options available, depending on how fragile your parcel is and how urgently your recipient needs it. Contact us today or try our quick quote form for an instant quote.

Tips for Fragile Items Day 1

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When sending fragile or breaking items abroad to a friend or relative, it can be nerve-wracking as we have all heard about the horror stories that come with sending fragile packages through the post. However there are a number of ways in which you can help minimize the chances of your fragile item breaking and combined with a trusted, first class courier service, you can see your item safely reaching its destination.

Tip 1 – Wrapping

A thoroughly wrapped package is a thoroughly protected package. You need to be aware that although courier services take the utmost care in handling fragile packages, sometimes accidents do happen, particularly when they are working to a deadline.

[rand]bubble wrap blog

It is therefore always good to give your parcel adequate padding in case something goes wrong.

Newspaper or tissue paper can be good, but the best wrapping is bubble wrap.

Ensure that it is tightly wrapped – but not too tightly so that it breaks or shatters – and seal off the edges with duct tape.

If you happen to be packing more than one item, make sure to wrap them individually. This may be more expensive but if you wrap them together they could knock against each other in transit and subsequently break.

Celebrating Easter in the UK

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On our final day of looking at how Easter is celebrated across the world, we concentrate on the traditional Easter celebrations in the UK. With a large Christian population in the UK, Easter is celebrated in various different ways. The traditional pagan aspects of Easter are also adopted by the vast majority of the population in the UK. Here are some of the things you might expect to notice throughout the upcoming Easter weekend in a typical British household.

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There is a special service carried out in by most parishes on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday to commemorate the events of Jesus’ death and resurrection. On Good Friday, Catholics do not sing hymns at mass and leave the church in silence.

Easter Sunday is a day of celebration across the country, regardless of your religious background. Most Christians will visit church in the morning to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, whilst Christians and non-Christians alike typically follow pagan traditions by organising Easter egg hunts for the children and giving out chocolate eggs to one another as gifts.

The vast majority of working organisations are closed down for a long weekend, spanning from the end of Thursday to the beginning of Tuesday. Hardly any shops are open on Easter Sunday, with limited public transport available as well. It is a quiet day that encourages families to get together and celebrate the bank holiday weekend.

For more on RAND’S unrivalled delivery service throughout the UK and abroad, get in touch today. We’d be delighted to hear from you!

Celebrating Easter in Italy

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On the penultimate day of looking at various Easter traditions across the world, we’re focusing on how the Christian festival is celebrated in Italy. If you need to send a parcel to Italy, why not make the most of our services here at RAND?

Italy has a huge catholic population with a significant portion of Italians prioritising a visit to church every Sunday. There are plenty of unique traditions held throughout the Easter week in Italy. Here’s what you might expect to see if you’re visiting the country during this time.

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For most Italians, Good Friday is a hugely symbolic day. Ceremonies are hosted in cities across the country, commemorating the death of Jesus and his road to crucifixion.  Some of these processions may include symbolic dress to represent the events of Jesus’ death, such as Roman costumes.

Good Friday is, like in many other countries, a sombre day. Churches throughout Italy won’t ring their bells from this day until Jesus’ resurrection. The Pope’s Easter message also takes place on Easter Sunday from the Vatican.

On the Saturday, Italians usually prepare for Easter Sunday by decorating the home and cooking food. Some Christians will attend church in the evening, although the day is usually seen as one of rest and reflection. Easter Sunday is a day of celebration whereby families gather and enjoy a large traditional meal. They also incorporate the inherited pagan traditions of having Easter eggs and other sweets on the Sunday.

 

 

Celebrating Easter in Bangladesh

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We’re at the halfway point of our Easter week here at RAND, and today we’re looking at how Easter is celebrated traditionally in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is home to many different religions, including Christianity, Islam and Hindu. Whilst Christians recognise Holy Week as any other Christian would, many of the other religions will also get involved with the celebrations. Here are some of the traditional Easter festivities that take place in Bangladesh.

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Easter Sunday is not yet regarded as a national holiday in Bangladesh despite opposition from Christians throughout the country. The Muslim population are believed to be against the idea of having Sunday as the national rest day, which opposes the Muslim calendar.

Despite their differences, the various religions in Bangladesh enjoy celebrating Easter alongside Christians in the country and recognise the symbolic event of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Christians will often celebrate Easter by sharing sweets, chocolate and other treats amongst the family and with other non-Christians. The church service usually takes place in the morning on Easter Sunday, with parents dressing their children in new clothes to symbolise the special occasion.

We provide a parcel delivery service to Bangladesh here at RAND, so if you want to send a gift abroad, make sure you get a quote from us today!

Celebrating Easter in Portugal

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We continue our week of looking at Easter celebrations across the world with the traditional celebrations that take place in Portugal. Portugal has a large Christian population that celebrate Easter differently to the rest of the country. Here are some of the events and traditions that take place throughout the Easter week in Portugal.

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Portugal recognises Good Friday, the most important day in the Holy Week, as a national holiday. Some Christians also recommend that people fast as a symbol of Jesus’ suffering on the cross. This would involve giving up meat and replacing it with fish instead, in particular codfish.

Easter Sunday is a huge day in Portugal, with all sorts of traditions taking place. The local parish priest visits homes to wish a Happy Easter, whilst he also brings a figure of Christ with him which can be kissed by each member of the household to celebrate his resurrection.

There are plenty of pagan traditions still present in Portugal, from Easter Eggs to the Easter bunny. Like many other countries, chocolate eggs are shared out at Easter as gifts, whilst roast lamb is traditionally eaten in Portugal at lunchtime on the Sunday.

If you’re interested in sending a gift to Portugal, make sure you check our list of prohibited items to Portugal so that you know your gift will make it to the addressee without being intercepted by customs.

Celebrating Easter in Ghana

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This week we’ll be gearing up for the biggest event in the Christian calendar, the celebration of Easter. It’s a religious event that is celebrated in various different ways across the world, with some focusing on the sorrowful events of Good Friday and Jesus’ death and others concentrating on the joys of Easter Sunday and Jesus’ resurrection. Today we’ll be looking at how Christians and non-Christians in Ghana approach the week leading up to Easter and the weekend itself.

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Palm Sunday is an occasion where Jesus’ entrance to Jerusalem is welcomed and celebrated. This is the largest event before the crucifixion and the Easter weekend, so it is celebrated widely in churches throughout Ghana. Palm branches are typically waved at mass to recognise the event.

Good Friday is a sombre day in Ghana that is respected by attending church and wearing dark coloured dress. Some people in Ghana who don’t attend church regularly will almost certainly look to be there on Good Friday. On the other hand, Easter Sunday is a joyous day that signifies the resurrection of Jesus. Everyone who attends church in Ghana wears white on Easter Sunday.

If you know someone who is visiting Ghana for Easter this year or you just plan to send a parcel to Ghana, why not make the most of our unrivalled parcel delivery services here at RAND?

Shipping Restrictions in Austria

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It is important to check with the local customs officers to make sure that any parcels you intend to send to friends or relatives living in Austria meet the specific shipping restrictions, so that you don’t try to import anything illegal.

All meat and animal products, plants and parts of plants, fruit, onions and flower bulbs must be accompanied by a certificate of origin and where necessary a plant-health certificate, if the shipment weight exceeds 3 kg or 6 pounds. Austrian coins and articles made of precious metals must be in keeping with Austrian regulations and permission from the Austrian National Bank must be obtained prior to the sending of any parcels containing these items.

[rand]present blogGift shipments must be clearly marked as GESCHENKSENDUNG on the customs declaration, and are exempt from charges and fees when the value of the parcel is under €29. The gift in question cannot contain more than 40 cigarettes, 10 cigars or 50 grams of tobacco, or 50 grams of a selection of these products. Live plants and animals and human remains are strictly prohibited under the country’s mailing conditions.

For all international parcel deliveries, choose RAND Logistics. As one of the top rated worldwide delivery services, we can guarantee you the best prices for your parcels, and with free tracking options, you can see where your parcel is at each step of its journey. For a secure service at competitive rates, choose RAND Logistics.

Shipping Restrictions in Lithuania

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Make sure to take note of the country conditions for mailing a parcel to Lithuania, otherwise you may face some difficulties in getting your parcel properly imported. Check with your local customs officer for more details on shipping restrictions and prohibited items, but for now, here are a few restrictions to take note of.

Objects of cultural value, such as antiques and works of art can only be imported into Lithuania with a permit from the Ministry of Culture’s Department of the Protection of Objects of Cultural Value. Take care when sending prepared foodstuffs and raw materials of animal origin; if the industrial packaging is damaged or the use-by-date has passed then the packages will be prohibited and may be destroyed.

[rand]sugar blogSugar is permitted for import into Lithuania, but not exceeding 11 pounds or 5 kg per shipment. All articles subject to customs duty may not be sent in ordinary or registered First-Class Package International Service items, Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes, First-Class Mail International items, or Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes.

At RAND Logistics, whether you require a specific eBay courier service for sending parcels internationally, or you are simply sending a gift to a friend or relative, we can provide you with first class service at competitive rates. Plus with free tracking options available, you can track your parcel at every step of the journey.

Shipping Restrictions in Finland

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Do you have a friend or relative who has a birthday coming up, or are you doing research on sending parcels to Finland in preparation for Easter? Either way, RAND Logistics can give you invaluable advice regarding the shipping restrictions and prohibitions of when importing goods into Finland. For express parcels to anywhere in Finland from Helsinki to Tampere, and anywhere else in the world, choose RAND Logistics!

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When sending meat and meat products, prior authorization must be obtained from the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture for the recipient. Parcels can be addressed to a street address or to a post office box, but a telephone number must be provided when the parcel is addressed to a post office box.

It is prohibited to send live plants and animals to Finland as well as any form of human remains, including ashes. An invoice is required on the outside of the parcel with the PS Form 2976-E with the customs declaration for all commercial shipments, regardless of the value.

RAND Logistics offer all our customers the most competitive deals and prices on shipping across the world. Whether your parcel needs delivering as soon as possible, you have a heavy parcel, or you are just looking for a secure delivery service, RAND Logistics can help.