price and time for mail delivery East Africa to North America?
Mar 26th, 2003, 10:50 AM
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price and time for mail delivery East Africa to North America?
We were talking with friends about our upcoming (June) trip to Kenya and Tanzania, and they said they would love to get a postcard from the trip. We then realized we know nothing about sending postcards (or mail in general) home (Canada) from Africa. <BR><BR>Have any of you sent postcards to North America from your trips? For us the best place to send postcards from is probably Arusha for - we get there about 7 days in out of the 18 day trip. Any info about how long a postcard would take, what condition it would arrive in, and how much it would cost would be useful. Also, where do you buy postcards, envelopes, stamps, and where do you mail things (post office, mailbox etc.?)<BR><BR>Another thought - from Italy a few years ago letters went quickly and postcards very slowly - it was much better to put the postcard in an envelope and mail it like a letter. Any similar tricks for Kenya or Tanzania?<BR><BR>Thanks!
Mar 26th, 2003, 11:14 AM
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You can get postcards and stamps easily from the hotel and lodge shops (or postcards at least from some street shops). The easiest way to mail them is just to put them in a box at reception or hand to an employee. They will get taken care of easily and make it to Canada in 3 to 6 weeks or so.
Mar 26th, 2003, 11:41 AM
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In June 2002 we purchased post cards from lodge gift shops and visitor centers such as entrance to Ngorongora Conservation Area. I don't recall buying stamps other than at lodges but price seemed reasonable compared to US rates. And, animals and related topics on stamps seemed rather fitting. Cards arrived 2 or 3 week later to Pa. But some have yet to come. Post cards are a nice proxy for that one or two picture that I wasn't able to take. Had we known we would drive right by the post office in Arusha on way back thru town we probably would have mailed all cards from there.<BR><BR>Dick<BR><BR>
Mar 26th, 2003, 12:47 PM
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Thanks very much to both of you for the info - it sounds like this will be a pretty simple matter but we should mail things early in our trip to get it out of the way and have a chance of them making it back before we do (now I just need to remember to take the addresses along....!) <BR><BR>Dick - my rescuer again 
! By the way, sorry to not have got back to you more quickly but the pictures that you mentioned that you had sent to my e-mail did not arrive (I was posting as Nicole before registration). If you have a chance to resend we would still love to see them.
! By the way, sorry to not have got back to you more quickly but the pictures that you mentioned that you had sent to my e-mail did not arrive (I was posting as Nicole before registration). If you have a chance to resend we would still love to see them.
Mar 26th, 2003, 04:19 PM
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nkh, <BR>Many of the postcards we sent made it back as fast as 10 days, but some never made it at all. We also sent a postcard to ourselves from each lodge, a couple were delivered by the time we got home. We also preprinted address labels to take for friends and family.
Mar 27th, 2003, 06:34 AM
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Nicole, I would be glad to try sending pics again. Sorry, but I "purged" files recently and no longer have e-mail address for you. Send me yours at [email protected] and I will try again. Heck, if I can I would send you a copy of a powerpoint presentation I worked up to give to church group (this very day) based on color prints I scanned.<BR>Dick<BR>
Mar 28th, 2003, 11:02 AM
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Hi nkh,<BR><BR>I send mail home to Canada all the time from South Africa. From here it costs about 50-65 cents Canadian depending on the exchange on that particular day. 10 days is normal but I've had things delivered in as short a time as 7 days for letters and cards and as long as 6 months later (usually parcels which get paid for as Air Mail but get sent in fact by sea sometimes.) Have fun in Kenya and Tanzania.<BR><BR>karen
Mar 30th, 2003, 07:35 PM
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Hi nkh!!!<BR><BR>We mailed postcards from each of the places we stayed on our trip in September - October 2002. Mailed from the Mara, Amboseli, the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Selous. All arrived in good condition. Some of the postcards took 2 1/2 weeks to arrive in New Hampshire (just south of the Canadian border!), others took closer to 3 1/2. You can get postage from your lodge/camp. Have a wonderful trip!!!
Mar 31st, 2003, 05:51 AM
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Thanks again all - it sounds like there will be no problem with taking lots of names to send postcards back to, since at least most of them will arrive in reasonable time.<BR><BR>Great tip about the pre-addressed labels - definitely will do that one!
