Getting Stuff Home?

[sigsputnik]

Hi everyone,

For the first time in my trips here I'm concerned I'll have far too much stuff to pack in my suitcase. Can anyone give advice on ways to get stuff home?

Sig.

[Rezz]

If you have a lazy $4K lying around, you could go the 40foot container :lol: ... but I guess you don't have THAT much stuff.

If you can box up what you've got and take precise measurements of the boxes and it comes under a 2 cubic meter area, you could do sea freight for about $1000, or less for 1 cubic meter. Depends on who you go with for sea freight. But what we really need to know is how much stuff you want to take back?

[R32Ninja]

just bite the bullet and pay for shipping via post office. If you really want to save your yen get the cheapest shipping method (via boat) it will get there in a few months however. If you think you can fit it all in luggage, you can pay an extra fee to bring extra luggage (over the weight limit) into the hold, however that's fairly expensive as well.

In summary, it will cost you some ￥

[DaiOni]

post office - do a search for 'japan post', they have an english page with all the costs and methods of shippings

[Blitz]

We had the same problem last January when Beer Baron and I walked into our hotel rooms and literally had so much gear and so many parts we could hardly move.

We had to get a cab which was packed to the roof, to the airport, and im still proud about getting my 30 kg Trial back into the overhead locker as carry on, though I really dont advise trying this - I certainly wont be doing it again

[DaiOni]

if it's just an issue of getting the gear to the airport - then send it ahead via black cat. You can get away with excess baggage most of the time (I've never been pinged for it). Probably worth the risk.

[lwells]

I certainly wont be doing it again

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

O RLY? How are you going to carry back my HKS GT-SS kit

Did you get charged extra baggage fees (IIRC, they can be very expensive)?

[Blitz]

O RLY?  How are you going to carry back my HKS GT-SS kit  

Did you get charged extra baggage fees (IIRC, they can be very expensive)?

No extra fee's if you can manage to get it onto the plane as hand luggage.

As for the GT-SS's - I dont think so Lucien

[sigsputnik]

hey guys thanks heaps for the input, really appreciate it! just called qantas to find out prices for unaccompanied luggage and they're quite hefty - Y1410 a kilo. That's not far off the over-weight charge for normal baggage.

the post office looks a little better - Y6750 for 10 kilos (sliding scale, looks like).

but you're right, now that i think of it i've never been charged over limit ever. i might risk it...

[Beer Baron]

yeah, nick and i had a nervous packing session. we went down to our hotel loby and borrowed their scales. from memory we each had between 50 and 60 kilos... hmm the limit was 20 kilos needless to say we weren't looking forward to any excess charges. like nick i certainly wont put myself through that again, particularly as we will probably buy even more stuff this time.

i'd say post whatever you can, it will save you major headache, especially if they do say 'enough is enough' and refuse you boarding without checking in some of your carry on.

[DaiOni]

as long as you're not stacked up like a packhorse - you'll do okay. And make sure your bags are under the weight limit. They care more about overweight bags than a total that is over the limit. Whether or not the plane is full is another thing - so I guess time of year becomes a factor.

http://www.post.japanpost.jp/english/fee/index.html

there are special rates for books too - but make sure you only have books/printed matter (they DO check)