| Read Megan's travelogue from the beginning... |
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico - Servicio Postal Mexicano |
|||
|
Monday, October 31, 2005 It's the simple things that are the most work. All we wanted to do was mail a package home. Some books, because the book exchanges have been crummy and we don't want to trade our good books from home for tattered bodice-rippers. A Patagonia camisole because the armholes are ridiculously small. A CD of El Chapo that we had already put into our i-pods. A backup CD of Michael's photos. You know, travel detritus. The post office is very near the hotel we've been staying at. We strolled over there with our plastic bag of things. After ascertaining that they do not venden cajas, we went across the street to the papeleria to buy a box. But they didn't venden cajas either. Nor did the next place. The third place gave us an old envelope box gratis. That was nice. We packed our stuff lovingly into the box. The post office does not supply or sell tape either. So we went back to the papeleria and bought a huge roll of tape (seriously, what are we supposed to do with this giant roll of tape?) for $10 pesos, which is cheap enough. We taped up our box. I mean, we taped up our box. And labeled it. We then went to the counter where the woman said something we didn't understand. "No intiendo," I said. "¿No intiendes?" she asked. And then she laughed and started cutting open our box. Ok, fine. The contents have to be inspected. She gave us the ok, gave our box back in complete disarray and then told us we needed to wrap our box in yellow paper. Something about "for the stamps." Then Michael and I had a fight, so we decided to get some lunch and calm down. Lunch was good, (Sandy's buffet again) except: Don't bring me something without asking if I want it unless it is free, esta bien? After lunch we went back to the papeleria and bought some paper from the same kid who, three hours ago had not sold us a box, and two hours ago had sold us tape. Not wanting to make the same mistake twice, we stood in line with our box and our paper. The post office lady did not understand why we were in line with our box unwrapped and shooed us away to wrap it. Then we traded $260 pesos for several sheets of $6.50 peso stamps and four $1 peso stamps. The lady helpfully told us to put the stamps all around the sides of the box and on the back. Ok, these are the complaints that will get one told to "stay home if you want everything to be like it is at home." But no, because a) I really don't care. I'm on vacation and b) come on... would it really be such a bad thing to give out stamps in larger denominations than $6.50? So we stuck all those stamps on, took some comemorative photos and then let our little package go. We got a receipt for it which surprised me because we sent it the cheap way (first class was over $50 USD). It was all very arduous, but next time we'll know what we're doing... and now we have lots of tape. (Some other post office tips learned the hard way: In the US, do not seal your box with electrical tape. In India, you must have your package sewn up in white cloth by the package-wallah, or a tailor.) We bought a night bus ticket to Mexico City. We don't want to get there in the middle of the night, so we chose a bus that leaves Guadalajara at 11:00 pm. We spent what was left of the day chilling around the city. When we went back to the hotel to pick up our mochilas (and I oh-so-gracefully told the desk clerk in Spanish that "us backpacks there" and pointed) we met a couple of guys who were riding motorcycles around Mexico. Well, we met the young guy. The older one was very aloof. Anyway, our guy told us that his parents believe he is doing the trip by bus. They know exactly where he is, since he keeps in regular touch with them, but they have no idea about the motorcycle. Don't worry, we're really on the bus.    23 comments so far | Post a comment
Thursday, November 3, 2005 | Ana R. Torres said...Oh man ... talking about patience! Man, I would have ringed those people. Anyway, I guess us gringos are spoiled ... ha ha ha Hope everything is well and I love reading your posts! Keep on truckin' Give my love to Michael. Smooches, Ana Thursday, November 3, 2005 | Mike said... When in Rome do as the Romans do....or fight, have lunch and everything is really fine........think what the Mexicans have for stories after your interactions with them.....cuidado! Thursday, November 3, 2005 | Megan Lyles said... Ana! Smooches to you too! It all worked out, I guess. Simons, let us know if you get the package... Sunday, December 25, 2005 | Megan Lyles said... Update: All three packages we sent from Mexico have arrived in North Carolina safe and sound! Thursday, October 5, 2006 | cosmas ugadi said... hello, postal mexicano servicio. mrs elena send me a packages on 4th of august, and i have not received it yet, here is the address NAME: COSMAS UGADI ADDRESS:35 LAWANI STREET,OFF NEW LAGOS RD, NEW BENIN CITY:BENIN CITY STATE:EDO STATE ZIPCODE:23452 VOUNTRY:NIGERIA WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE PACKAGES/. CAN YOU PLEASE TRACK THE ITEM TO KOEW WHAT IS GOING ON.. HERE IS THE TRACKING NUMBER 03348. PLEASE GET BACKT TO WITH ME WITH A VITAL DETAILS THANK YOU. Tuesday, December 19, 2006 | Edward Estrada said... Hola que tal. tengo una duda. El dia 6 de Diciembre hice un envio de Florida a Guadalajara por Express y al parecer no ha llegado podrian ayudarme a checar por medio de ustedes si eso es verdad? yo ya cheque en internet y ya salio de E.U. El numero de guia es EB 204750067 US GRACIAS Wednesday, January 6, 2010 | Danio said... Hola que tal. tengo una duda. El dia 6 de Diciembre hice un envio de Florida a Guadalajara por Express y al parecer no ha llegado podrian ayudarme a checar por medio de ustedes si eso es verdad download fantastic mr fox | download the messenger | download pirate radio | download the blind side | download planet 51 | download ninja assassin Tuesday, February 9, 2010 | Anino said... This is a really great essay. Thanks for sharing this. Tuesday, March 23, 2010 | custom essay writing said... This is my first time i visit here. I am web designer at web designing company & also i write essays for custom essay writing & custom essay writing uk I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. i also have a website at: english to urdu translation I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment here! keep up the good work. Many Thanks! Wednesday, March 24, 2010 | Reverse Phone Number Look Up said... hello! i really like this blog, this blog is incredible, intresting and usefull. Thanks! Yahoo Reverse Phone Lookup Verizon Reverse Number Lookup Yahoo Reverse Phone Lookup Tuesday, April 6, 2010 | Term Papers said... Nice blog as for me. I'd like to read a bit more about this topic. Thanks for posting this information. Thursday, April 8, 2010 | mac file recovery said... I like the pictures you included in this post. Very cute. Tuesday, May 11, 2010 | web hosting pakistan said... This is my first time i visit here. I provide web hosting pakistan & also i write essays for custom essay writing I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. i also have a website at: limoges boxes and i also give seo training in karachi I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment here! keep up the good work. Many Thanks! Tuesday, May 11, 2010 | printing services pakistan said... web hosting pakistan custom essay writing limoges boxes seo training in karachi seo services printing services pakistan embroidery punching custom essay writing uk apa paper writing Sunday, May 23, 2010 | 2 Day Diet said... Let me recommend medical herbs reduce weight medicine: Super Slim Pomegranate is the most popular in the world, it and Green Lean Body Capsule is the same, just the packaging of the latter is a little better. Secondly it is Lida Daidaihua, they are very famous. Weight-reducing products of China that Botanical Slimming is packed by a kind of foreign language, Pai You Guo and Fruit and Plant Weight Loss capsule can help you to discharge the fat, the result of 3X Slimming Power is very good. Instant Slim, the result of Zhen De Shou Capsule, these medicines, is very good too. P57 Hoodia was drawn with cactus, extremely popular. The packaging of Fat Loss Slimming Beauty is very good, very effective, very worthwhile too . tracy from 2 Day Diet Tuesday, May 25, 2010 | Term paper help said... your article is excellent,i really love it. hoping to read your following post Tuesday, June 1, 2010 | Average cost of insurance said... Your packaging looks good. You must've work on it excellently even though it's just an old envelope box. And the cost of a roll of tape is quite reasonable as well for only 10 pesos. Friday, June 18, 2010 | sam said... great captcha! Thursday, June 24, 2010 | Bathroom Store said... Hi And trust I am glad to visit you here, the post was really impressive and it was good being here Moreover, if you are looking to buy cheap products, you van visit our store for Brassware | Taps | Shower Heads | Kitchen Mixers | Fixed Shower Heads | Shower Arms | Body Jets | Shower Handsets | Douches | Shower Hoses | Kitchen Taps Regards, Cindy Wednesday, June 30, 2010 | custom research paper said... I genuinely liked reading through your post!. Quality material. I might advise you to come up with blogposts even more often. By doing this, having this kind of a worthy website I think you will probably rank higher in the search engines Friday, July 23, 2010 | 2 day diet japan lingzhi said... Super Slim Pomegranate Super Slim Pomegranate Pai You GuoPai You Guo Botanical Slimming Botanical Slimming Super Slim Super SlimGreen Lean BodyGreen Lean BodyLida Daidaihua Lida Daidaihua Fruit and Plant Weight Loss capsule Fruit and Plant Weight Loss capsule 3X Slimming Power 3X Slimming Power Instant SlimInstant Slim Zhen De Shou Zhen De Shou P57 Hoodia P57 Hoodia Fat Loss Slimming Beauty Fat Loss Slimming Beauty Thursday, July 29, 2010 | cebu island said... the box just look so great. I'm ready most of your pages and the only thing I can say is that "Great Job" Tuesday, August 31, 2010 | jack said... жд билеты
|  Labeling  Licking.  Sick to death of this package.
Megan Lyles is a native New Yorker who has also lived in San Francisco. Having already traveled in Eastern and Western Europe, India, Thailand, and the U.S., she is now tackling a one-year bus trip from New York City to the tip of South America with photographer Michael Simon and doing freelance work along the way. She has a degree in social work from NYU and types 85 words per minute. More about Megan. |
||
| RSS/XML | ©Copyright 2005 Megan Lyles site by Kuwayama Design |
