Preparing for May Day

Remember, the 5th of May is this year’s May Day bank holiday. On this day many shops will be closed as well as most banks and postal offices, so if you are planning to send any gifts or items abroad to a friend, relative or if you work from home and send merchandise out, it is best to send it ahead of time so that your recipient receives it in good time! Make sure to choose RAND logistics for any parcels internationally, as we provide first class service for any parcel or package; locally or internationally.

 

Although many people see May Day as simply another bank holiday which adds an extra day to the weekend, May Day is actually a significant day across many cultures and traditions, and many different countries celebrate May Day in their own individual way. In Britain May Day normally involves Morris dancing and the crowning of a May Queen, whereas in rural regions of Germany on the eve preceding May Day, villagers and townsfolk normally build bonfires and wrap the new maypole.

In Bulgaria, May Day is believed to be the day when snakes and lizards leave their burrows to terrorise the people, so they light fires and jump over them, making loud noises to scare the snakes. In some parts of the USA, May baskets are made which are small baskets filled with flowers or treats and left on someone’s doorstep.

 

Shipping Restrictions – Greece

Whether you are a small time shop seller or you are a growing business with regular exports into Greece and other countries, or if you just want to send a personal package to a friend or relative living abroad, it is important to take note of those countries shipping restrictions and prohibitions. Although in most cases the item you want to ship should have no problem passing customs, it is good to check just to avoid complications upon sending.

In Greece for example, all animal products and furs are prohibited and forbidden for import into Greece. In to this, any gifts of cash or cash equivalents, including gold, silver, precious stones and jewellery, and non-commercial wireless phones are also prohibited, so take care if you are planning on sending a gift or present for a friend’s birthday.

RAND Logistics are a first class courier service with years of experience providing excellent postal services to customers across the world. If you are thinking of sending a parcel abroad to Greece, why not check with RAND Logistics to see our fantastic postage rates?

Shipping Restrictions – Singapore

Singapore is a country of many cultures, and with a rich history and traditions, it can be quite spell bounding to visit or even live in Singapore for a while. Should you choose to send a parcel to a friend or relative living abroad in Singapore, make sure to choose RAND Logistics, as we have the very best service for international and worldwide parcel delivery at the most competitive rates. However it is also recommended that you take a look at the list of restricted and prohibited items when sending a parcel to Singapore.

In particular, if you were thinking of sending a baked gift to a friend or relative in Singapore, it is essential to check Singapore’s restricted items for import, as several types of food including fish, processed egg, and all perishable foods are prohibited for import. It may be better to send a present, but take care as furs, jewellery, precious metals and stones and antiques are also prohibited.

Visual Media that is banned in Singapore by the MDA, including reproduction video tapes, compact discs and DVDS of copyright publications are prohibited for import into Singapore. Chewing gum is even prohibited, so call RAND today or check online for a full list of prohibited and restricted items when sending a parcel to Singapore.

50 Days To The World Cup: Join The Build Up With RAND!

We’re approaching 50 days until the World Cup begins in Brazil this year, so we thought it might be a good idea to have a look at some of the pros and cons of each country participating in the historic football event. Many of the countries taking part are also part of our international parcel delivery service here at RAND, so if you’re interested in sending parcels abroad, make sure you choose RAND in the future!

Argentina are lucky enough to have one of the greatest footballers in history in their ranks; Lionel Messi. Having said that, the playmaker has rarely shone on the international stage and many have questioned whether or not he can step up to his usual expected performances this time around.

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Pros

They have the devotion to succeed in South America and to win it in Brazil would be something all the players and fans would cherish. Along with Lionel Messi, Argentina have some of the greatest forwards in the game to choose form, including Lavezzi, Aguero and Higuain.

Cons

Whilst they have an incredibly strong forward line, they are seriously lacking in defence. Ezequiel Garay and Martin Demichelis offer the experience but their quality is nothing compared to some of the other faces you’ll see at this year’s tournament.

We provide an unrivalled parcel delivery service to Argentina here at RAND, so get your affordable quote and start sending gifts to friends and family abroad with ease. It’s that simple!

Celebrating Easter in Italy

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

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!

Shipping Restrictions in Austria

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.

Possible Gifts For Mothers Day This Coming Sunday

Mothers Day is fast approaching, so this is the perfect opportunity for you to give something back to one of the most important people in anyone’s life. You may even need to ship a parcel abroad for Mothers Day if your mum isn’t in the country, and you can do this using the services we have to offer here at RAND.  For now though, here are some great gift ideas that are sure to please her on the big day.

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If your mum enjoys a tasty alcoholic beverage, she’d really appreciate an exotic bottle of sparkling wine. In addition, sweet treats such as chocolates might also work well if you’re going down this route. Try to get something out of the ordinary and possibly a little more expensive as well rather than something she’d usually expect.

Flowers are the perfect symbol of love, friendship and appreciation. A colourful bouquet can really lighten up anyone’s mood but on Mother’s Day it is a traditional gift to say thank you for everything they do for us.

If you think a gift might be a better option, why not consider something she has previously asked for her birthday? Small gifts aren’t as spectacular as some of the other things mentioned above, though they could act as a sign of the strong bond that you share with your mum.

Contact RAND today to discover more about sending gifts locally and abroad, whilst you can also get an instant quotation.

Postage of the Future: Day 5

On our last day of focusing on the future of postage, we concentrate on how social media has changed the face of the delivery industry and whether or not it could have a telling effect in the years to come. The vast majority of delivery services have managed to achieve excellent results through their online campaigns with social media playing a stand-out role.

Client interaction is something that many delivery services look to build on, whether its regularly updating a Facebook page with new international parcel delivery opportunities or making the most of twitter to provide more clients with a information about their delivery, similarly to that of our Help & FAQ’s page here at RAND.

What’s more, clients can use social media to leave feedback regarding the services they have received. This gives delivery companies the chance to expand by promoting the feedback that they receive.

So how could the delivery industry continue to expand with social media onboard? For starters, social media is the first point of contact for most people nowadays so the option of enhanced tracking and communication is all the more probable in the future.

Delivery companies can also maintain a competitive service by staying in touch with social media and clients will be able to offer their own opinions on how they feel delivery services should operate. In the meantime, you can get a great quote from us here at RAND today should you intend to ship a parcel abroad in the near future.

Postage of the Future: Day 4

Yesterday we touched on how tracking parcels could really boost the efficiency of international parcel delivery. Whilst there are plenty of tracking systems available online today, many of us would love to be able to know exactly where our parcels are and exactly how long they might take to arrive, especially if it’s a delivery of particular significance or a heavy parcel.

Thankfully, it seems that the introduction of smartphones, tablets and other kinds of handheld technology might completely change the way in which consumers deal with postal services.

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We mentioned the idea of using e-mail as means of getting in touch with addressees in yesterdays blog post. Rather than restricting tracking services to email, we could even see an application of some sort that lets delivery companies provide information to customers directly to their handheld devices.

There are also many useful applications already available on the app store that could benefit delivery companies and their drivers including ZipCodes, Postal Code and UK Postcode, all of which provide in depth information regarding locations and so on.

There has been a real explosion of tracking applications available on both Apple and Android’s app store recently. As long as delivery services continue to explore the possibilities of parcel tracking, customers could gain all sorts of useful benefits from the service in the future.

With regards to future technologies, work is currently going into tracking systems that could potentially tell us exactly where our parcels are in the world using state-of-the-art GPS trackers.