Postal Service Speed to the UK

[Ducks]

Couldn't decide where else to put this, so figured it was best put here. Sharing this light-hearted story as we could all use some of that these days!

Got an email at lunch from some family in the UK saying how excited they were to receive an Easter card from us in the post this morning, and how they couldn't figure out how we managed to get it there so perfectly timed considering all the restrictions going on at the moment. However, when they opened it, they disocovered a birthday card instead.

...A birthday card we posted on January 4th! 

I expect they didn't believe us when we said we sent one from here, but now they have proof! Can't imagine where it has been all this time— they didn't say anything about the envelope mentioning re-directs, but will ask properly later. We sent that long before all the Corona panic, so unless it went by way of China, there's really no reason it ought to have taken over four months to get to its destination. 

What's the longest something you've sent has taken to reach its destination?

[Emmi Smith]

As an exercise, I have sent letters or postcards from Caleta to my home address in the UK and not a single one has ever arrived. Never, ever!

[Davew]

A few years ago we were on holiday in Correlejo in November I sent a post card to my friends at work. The following May we went on holiday to Tenerife, when I returned to work my friends said "we received your postcard" which puzzled my that I hadn't sent one.  Then the penny dropped, it only took 6 months  so never lose hope.

[windermeregolfer]

Sending letters either way depends on the addressing, I think Tamara mentioned elsewhere that when giving your address here to include as the last part -

Fuerteventura - Las Palmas
SPAIN

and I would think that sending mail back to follow the following example from Royal Mail website but ad country i.e. England , Scotland and Wales then U.K.

   

[Sam]

What's the longest something you've sent has taken to reach its destination?

You have to see this thread: Post from UK ✉️ 🤣 ✉️

[Ducks]

What's the longest something you've sent has taken to reach its destination?

You have to see this thread: Post from UK ✉️ 🤣 ✉️

Oh, I knew I had seen one before! I did a search but obviously "post" gets mentioned a lot, so I wasn't sure if I had imagined there being discussion before. My apologies.

We definitely did address the letter correctly (address/postcode/UK). I wonder if they send them in batches every few months? Would explain the long delays, but not the issue of some going missing...

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Do you always take your post into a proper post office to send it? The collection boxes that you see in some shops are a different system and require different stamps. Perhaps if the items go in the wrong system they get dumped or only moved on every so often. Just a thought.

[Ducks]

Do you always take your post into a proper post office to send it? The collection boxes that you see in some shops are a different system and require different stamps. Perhaps if the items go in the wrong system they get dumped or only moved on every so often. Just a thought.

Actually, I think this might be it! I know we have posted things from the Dinos before, once at the insistence of the shop girl. This was posted in the box by the card shop beside the Post Office (as it was bought on a weekend, I think).  

Does anyone have more info on this system? I would love to find out more.

[milestone11]

Swiss Post maybe. The card shop in Corralejo uses this.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Thanks Milestone, that's the one, I couldn't recall the name.
Very important that you don't use stamps from one system and place the item in the other!