Sending Xmas package to Almeria

Hi Jules

Hard to advise you on this, other than omit the perishable stuff if they're unlikely to survive 5 or 6 business days with sendmybag.  

Ordinary mail as you point out, is ridiculously expensive  - it'll also take much longer than 5 or 6 business days. Spanish post is notoriously slow.  Even someone driving from a UK address directly to Almería would need 3 or 4 days.

Last time I looked, sendmybag charged €38/£38 up to 20kg but will only accept stuff you'd be allowed take in the overhead locker on the plane. 

Perhaps a get around would be a voucher for Carrefour or Mercadona (or whatever suits best),  however I'm aware there is no substitute for home cooking.

Good luck with this. 

Hi Derrymore,

Thanks for the reply. Send my Bag won't take anything perishable even with a long life,  so even for eg tins of Quality Street or shortbread. It's for some Spanish/Lebanese friends, so am thinking more of traditional British Xmas fare/treats that they'll never have experienced, via Marks and Spencer and the supermarkets, rather than home cooking. (Heaven forfend I should inflict that on them for Xmas!!) 

I've also found with Send my Bag that they're fine for clothes, but anything more fragile/ dentable you have to pack with loads of padding. (Last lot back from Spain had end of season Chinese shop lilos lightly inflated used as bubble wrap..cheap and highly effective , I recommend it!) .

Hi Jules

Mark's and Spencer have a place in Marbella. Maybe they might be able to help you out. 

I imagine they have an online presence. 

Good luck 

Great, cheers, I'll take a look. 

J. 

try these dont know how the price compares

https://uk.interparcel.com/quote/select-service

I put a Kent postcode to Antas postcode

that was for a 5kg parcel

www.parcelhero.com very reasonable price and good service.

Really helpful, many thanks, 

Jules 

Hi Jules 

If you get strong cardboard boxes in your local supermarket, especially the ones for fruit, you can make a really good parcel.  Else if your local charity shop is open,  get an old suitcase if they have one.

Use bubblewrap, clothing or old newspapers for packing. Seal up everything with brown parcel tape, including the suitcase if you use one.

Contact your friends and see if there's anything else they want that you can send out. The weight limits are 20kg or 50kg, so you might as well use up the allowance. 

Of course, allow 5 or 6 business days for delivery (you probably know 1st and 8th December are holidays in Spain - you can assume Monday 30th November and Monday 7th December are also unofficially holidays, what the Spanish call "dias puentes" - bridge days -  to connect the weekend with the holiday). 

No matter what, make sure your package arrives at its destination before 31st December if you're sending it from the UK! Else you can be sure the customs will have a field day.

I understand I may have given you bad information about Marks and Sparks: I have been told they do not supply groceries online in Marbella.  I've never dealt with them. 

I've been in Ireland since mid October and will soon be working in Portugal till well into January, so I'm a little out of touch with things regarding lockdown etc.

Should have added, 7kg box cost £12.x