I have posted my stuff back from all over the world but nothing beats my new york postal experience. I lugged my huge box full of winter coats and shoes up the many steps to this beautiful post office near our hotel. And then the problems began.

*queue large as there were only 4 clerks open in this huge space, one for philatelic.

*when i eventually got to the head of the queue i proceeded to a window without a bell ringing and got shouted at.

*i was shouted at by the fat controller to get back at the end of the queue but luckily the mile of people help me plead my case

*when it was eventually my turn i got the same lady who already hated me

*you can only ship by air.....not ship.....who would have thunk

*after being yelled at agin for the wrong tape, the wrong everything I explained i was an idiot from australia and could she please explain the foibles of her wonderful country

*i was told to go over to the side and put proper tape on, and fill out forms with my address as sender and receiver and return to her

*then she shut her window and i was left mid queue (now longer) and a new window

*the new window man yelled at me to go away and when i explained he arksed me what the lady looked like ....."black"i said........oooops

*he beckoned me over and I helped him by saying that i wanted to go whatever she had said

*he yelled that i was on his tirf now and he would tell me.......

*what seems hours later with the confusion about the receiver and sender resolved and the form firmly affixed over my carefully written address and not on the rest of the blank box

*o dear he said i forgot to measure the box nad then proceeded to carefully measure and tut tut and

*i just bloody made the size restriction and he just missed being murdered

*and then whe i offered to pay he said if i didn't my beautidul box would burn in the furnace of hell

*and then he wished me happy holidays