Tag Archives: UK

Christmas Gift Ideas: Day 2

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Our next Christmas gift idea looks at teenagers and the vast amounts of gift ideas available for this age group. Teenagers are much like children in that a lot of their cherished items will be given to them at Christmas or for their birthdays. The spirit of Christmas is essential for every teenager as they grow up, so it’s important that they embrace the season and are given presents they will always remember. If you have a teenage cousin or nephew living in Australia, Poland or anywhere else in the world, here are a few great gift ideas that you can ship this Christmas using RAND Logistics.

Teenagers will have identified their preferred theme by now, be it sport, nature, arts and crafts, video games, music or technology. Many younger teenage boys will be really into their sport or their video games, making the latest video game or a new football or piece of memorabilia the ideal Christmas gift.

Teenage girls might be in to all sorts of gifts, so you can play it safe and get something inspirational such as a musical instrument or an artistic set. Both teenage boys and girls will have their preferences, so you might want to find out what it is they like. However, inspirational gifts can be really effective for teenagers to motivate them to get in touch with their passions and talents.

So, if you can’t wait to ship an acoustic guitar, a great new pair of shoes or a toy helicopter to a far-away teenage relative for Christmas this year, make the most of the services RAND Logistics have to offer and get in touch with us today for a wider description of our services.

A History of the Parcel: Day 4

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Our penultimate post surrounding the history of the parcel concentrates on significant changes that came around in the 1980’s and 90’s. Whilst these decades may seem particularly recent, there are still plenty of interesting facts to be known about how sending a parcel internationally changed in various ways. Here’s an overview of some of the major changes that happened throughout these particular decades with regards to the postal service.

The United States began using Electronic Computer Originated Mail (E-COM) in 1982. However, E-COM was only in use for a further three years after it was terminated completely by the USA in 1985. A year later, they introduced the ZIP + 4 in order to expand the coded system. In 1985, Jackie Strange became the first female deputy US Postmaster general.

In 1992, Canada became the first country to develop customisable stamps that were intended for greeting purposes. This particular form of stamp has become a phenomenon throughout major seasons such as Christmas and Easter time.

A number of countries began issuing their first ever set of stamps in the 1980’s and 1990’s, including Burkina Faso, Aruba, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

If you need to send a parcel internationally, why not make the most of the services RAND Logistics has to offer?

A History of the Parcel: Day 3

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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

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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

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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 19th 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-20th 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

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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

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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

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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.

Famous Birthdays on 15th November

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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 15th November.

If you’re looking for historical figures, you’ll be spoilt for choice. On 15th 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 13th November

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We’ve now reached the halfway point of our week of famous birthdays, and we hope that this is inspiring you to think about sending gifts to your friends and family who live overseas in the near future. We all love receiving birthday gifts, and with RAND you can expect fantastic rates on global parcel delivery and an extremely high level of service which will be much appreciated by the grateful recipient on their big day.

Firstly, Israeli rapper and producer Subliminal celebrates his 44th birthday today, and seemingly this is a very musical day for birthdays as we also send our best wishes to American jazz drummer Ari Hoenig, who hits the big 4-0 today, along with rockers Shom-Rock and T-Haxx, both of whom will be turning 41.

The acting world also sees some big names celebrating birthdays today, including Whoopi Goldberg who was born on 13th November 1955 and Indian actress Juhi Chawla. Or, if you prefer to think of yourself as sharing a birthday with a royal, King Edward III of England was born on 1312, or for an important name in Chinese history, this was also the birthday of Emperor Jiaqing.

Rememeber to use RAND’s parcel checker for the best rates for international parcel delivery!