A History of the Parcel: Day 3

Posted on November 27, 2013 by admin

It’s time to take a look at the 1970’s in our latest instalment of the history of the parcel. Whilst many more countries began to issue their fist ever set of stamps, there were some major changes in postal structure for many countries across the globe throughout this decade, including the USA and Canada.

Between 1971 and 1979, many countries issued their first stamps including Benin, Angola, Bangladesh, Belize, Tuvalu and the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati in 1979 and consequently issued new stamps.

The United States passed the Postal Reorganisation Act in the 1970’s, subsequently privatising the postal service.Seven years later, the USA made express mail permanent, after they had trialed the new form of mail since 1970. In 1978, the USA started to copyright postage stamps and other philatelic items.

In 1971, the privatised United States Postal Service began operating courtesy of the Postal Reorganisation Act. In the same year, Canada introduced six-character post codes for the first time. Three years later, the US stopped using the highway post offices. Railroad post offices also came to an end in 1977.

If you need to send a parcel internationally to countries such as the United States or Canada, RAND Logistics can provide you with the international parcels service that you require.

A History of the Parcel: Day 2

Posted on November 26, 2013 by admin

Our history week continues today with specific focus on the 1960’s. We take a look at some of the groundbreaking events that occurred during this particular decade and highlight the significant changes that came in to effect worldwide.

1961 saw Cameroon issue it’s first stamps as an independent country, whilst the UK trust territory of Cameroon had issued its own stamps just a year before. Many other countries including Bhutan, Burundi, Kenya, Abu Dhabi, Ajman and the Independent Republic of Malta all had stamps introduced for the first time in the 60’s.

1963 welcomed the introduction of the ZIP code in the US, something that became essential for mail delivery and you will certainly need a ZIP code if you wish to send a parcel to the United States in the modern era as well.

In 1966, the United States decided to put an end to its postal saving system. Two years later they also introduced priority mail, which was a form of mail that became an integral part of the United States first class mail service.

If you need to send a parcel internationally, you should consider the excellent services that RAND Logistics can offer. Be sure to check back in the mean time for tomorrow’s instalment regarding the history of the parcel.

A History of the Parcel: Day 1

Posted on November 25, 2013 by admin

This week we will be taking a look at how parcel post has developed over the years, with analysis on specific historical changes that have caused the postal service to go from strength to strength. Last month was the 132nd anniversary of the first ever international parcel service and a lot has changed since those days. So whilst you prepare to send your parcel internationally with RAND, we focus on the earliest years of the postal service and how parcel distribution has changed since then.

Thanks to the considerable growth of annual parcel traffic in Britain in the late 19^th century, the development of the famous Mount Pleasant Sorting Office gathered serious momentum. At the turn of the century, around 70,000 parcels were being sorted each day and this increased dramatically over the Christmas period. Before long, the Mail Rail service had been built to further increase the distribution of parcels across the country.

Other famous forms of parcel distribution were introduced before any particular service had come into existence, one of which is Balloon Mail, a temporary form of mail that was used during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 to get mail out of Paris during the Siege of Paris. Stephen Smith, a secretary of the Indian Airmail Society, utilised rocket mail up to the mid-20^th century.

Clearly the forms of transporting mail have changed drastically over the years, which is why RAND Logistics provide the international postal services that they do. If you need to send a parcel internationally, make the most of RAND’s excellent services today.

Spooky Places in the Philippines

Posted on November 22, 2013 by admin

You may be relieved to hear that we’ve reached the end of our blood-curdling week of spooky places around the world, and today we’re finishing off with a quick look at the Philippines. We like to give our posts an international flavour, so why not give your own post the international treatment and send your next international parcel with RAND for the best rates?

It may be the stuff of nightmares for some, but if you like your cities spooky, Baguio City is said to be haunted throughout. Cemeteries, hotels, the military academy and many other places throughout the city are said to be haunted, primarily by those who died as a result of the 1990 earthquake which brought many buildings to the ground, crushing those inside to death.

If you’ve always wanted to dance with the dead, it might be worth heading to Quezon City to the site of the old Ozone Disco which caught on fire in 1996. Nobody was able to get out, and the people inside unfortunately burnt to death. People living in the surrounding houses have alleged that they have heard faint disco music when none has been playing or come across dancing ghosts in the area.

Spooky Places in Portugal

Posted on November 21, 2013 by admin

Portugal isn’t a country that most of us would link with creepy characters and spine-chilling stories, but it has its own fair share of haunted places. If you have friends and family living in Portugal, it might be a good idea to send them a package filled with survival gear to fight off all the ghosts and ghouls lurking in the shadows…

Firstly, a bit of a royal haunting. The Beau-Séjour Palace, whose gardens are open to the public, is supposedly haunted by the Baron of Glória who was around in the 1800s. It has been said that the sound of bells ringing can sometimes be heard by visitors to the site, while employees based in the palace have experienced windows opening and being slammed shut and objects moving around and vanishing.

The next time you go to Portugal, be sure not to stay in room 108 of the Bela Vista Hotel in Portimao. The previous owner was said to have died in this room, and her ghost is thought to be the cause of the unexplained banging and wailing heard by guests in neighbouring rooms at night, suggesting her spirit may live on in her beloved hotel.

Spooky Places in Norway

Posted on November 20, 2013 by admin

Norway is the perfect setting for all sorts of scary stories, and it has been the setting for some of the best horror films ever created. The rugged, rocky landscape, plunging temperatures and long, dark winters make the imagination wander, so we’re kicking off Wednesday with some of the haunted locations in Norway. If you dare to send a parcel to Norway, make sure you do it with RAND!

In Drammen stands Lier Sykehus, an old mental asylum for those with severe mental illnesses who were deemed unsafe to be part of normal society. Old mental asylums are often used as the setting for many a scary film, but Lier Sykehus has long been shrouded in sightings of ghostly apparitions roaming the corridors, said to be the spirits of the dead patients.

If you have friends and family in Oslo, they will know all about Akershus Fortress. This stands in the heart of Oslo and is a popular tourist attraction, though it is said to be the most haunted place in Norway. The castle has long been used for protection against city sieges and as a prison for rebels and criminals from Norway’s long history. It has been said that lots of creepy characters and unexplained noises have been experienced in the fortress.

Spooky Places in Mexico

Posted on November 19, 2013 by admin

It’s a chilly Tuesday and we’re going to be looking at some of the scariest places in Mexico today. There are haunted places all around the world, so if you want to make sure your parcels won’t be tampered with by ghosts or anyone else, be sure to send parcels internationally with RAND for the most reliable, ghoul-proof service.

Perhaps one of the spookiest spots in Mexico is the Pilaer Hacienda in San Juan Teotihuacan. Spanish hidalgo Miguel Aritztia was thought to have fallen from a balcony on the top floor of the building and died, and the ghost of his wife, who tried to save him, has allegedly been spotted crying on the balcony. Miguel himself has apparently been seen hanging from the balcony hundreds of years after his death.

Another supposedly haunted spot in this Central American country is the Island of Dolls, situated in a swamp close to Mexico City. After a girl drowned off the island, the hermit living on it, Don Julian Santana, was pushed further into madness, and he began to fish dolls out of the river believing they were real children. These dolls are said to contain the energy of the little girl, and the ghost of Don Julian Santana himself has been spotted since his death.

Spooky Places in Germany

Posted on November 18, 2013 by admin

Now that the clocks have gone back and it’s well and truly cold and dark when we leave and arrive home from work, and with Halloween not far behind us, we’re dedicating this week to some of the spookiest locations around the world. With all these ghosts and ghouls around, you’d better prepare a ghost-hunting kit to send to Germany to keep your friends and relatives safe!

Firstly, Wolfsegg Castle in Bavaria has supposedly been haunted since the 1500s when husband and wife Ulrich von Laaber and Klara von Helfenstein, along with Ulrich’s sons, died suddenly. In more recent times, strange noises have been heard coming from a cave on the site, leading people to believe it is haunted by the ghosts of Ulrich, Klara and the sons.

In Praemonstratenser Abbey in Wurzburg, the ghost of a dead nun allegedly roams the halls while picking the petals off a bouquet of roses. The nun was beheaded after ‘bewitching’ the other nuns with herbs in their food before being burnt. The ghost of Maria Renata Von Mossau is said to wander the hallways even today, and there have been several sightings of this ghostly female figure in recent years.

If you’re sending a petrifying package to Germany, use RAND’s parcel checker for the best rates.

Famous Birthdays on 15th November

Posted on November 15, 2013 by admin

We have now reached the end of our week of famous birthdays, and today we will be looking at those big names in history who would have or will be celebrating their big days today on 15^th November.

If you’re looking for historical figures, you’ll be spoilt for choice. On 15^th November 1708, William Pitt thr Elder, the Whig British Prime Minister, was born, along with the Norwegian Prime Minister Christopher Hornsrud some years later in 1859. WWII Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was born in 1891 on the same day as W Averall Harriman, the American ambassador to the USSR.

Or, if you’re more interested in the arts, there have been some talented, creative critters celebrating their birthdays on this day over the years. Model, fashion designer and make up artist Jeffree Star will be celebrating today, along with French actresses Laura Smet, who will be turning 30, and Virginie Ledoyen, and French film director Francois Ozon.

Hopefully this week has reminded you to buy birthday presents for your friends and family overseas so that you have plenty of time to get them sent with RAND!

Famous Birthdays on 14th November

Posted on November 14, 2013 by admin

We have reached the penultimate day of our week of posts celebrating famous birthdays around the world in dedication to the thousands of birthday gifts sent internationally every day. Remember to get a quote from RAND the next time you want to send a birthday present to friends and relatives overseas for the best rates and top quality service.

If you enjoy American music, 14^th November is a bumper day for US rockers and rappers. Rapper Obie Trice and punk rockers Travis Barker (of Blink-182 fame) and Tobin Esperance (of Papa Roach) will be celebrating birthdays, though if you prefer your music from the 90s in the UK, you may be pleased to hear that Steps singer Faye Tozer is turning 38 today.

Culture vultures will appreciate sharing a birthday with French impressionist painter Claude Monet, who was born in 1840, along with the spookily similarly named Julie Manet, another French painter. Or, if you prefer your famous faces a little more politically orientated, Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State for the US, will be celebrating her 61^st birthday today.

Remember to get all of your November birthday gifts bought, wrapped and sent soon, especially if they will be travelling overseas!

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