Frustrated by attempts to shop on line. Any ideas.

Hi Zeph, it's not so much the postal area as the whole country. Although part of Europe we don't seem to be recognised as such by companies that deliver. I believe that Greek customs are cracking down to make us shop internally but prices are so ludicrously high here. Things like medicines and vitamins cost about 4 to 6 time more than in the UK. I've never tried ordering online from the states as presume the postage will be a lot higher than it would from the UK.

So ship it to the rabbit and have rabbit ship to you I order off of Amazon all the time but, since I live in the states any time I make a purchase over $25 I get free shipping. You could move to the states and then get your quilt but would not have health insurance so if you have any illnesses you would need your quilt when you're living on the streets

That is a good idea as Amazon do ship within the UK free over £25 but it is such an imposition to ask friends in the UK to post things on, even though I pay for the postage. It means they have to go to the postoffice to do it. It's definitely not worth doing where free postage in the UK is not involved as double postage ends up being paid, so a book on Amazon 2nd hand at less than £1 ends up costing about £9 by the time it arrives. I daren't ask my mother anymore as she makes it into the biggest chore in the world and might catch germs in the post office.

I wonder what shipping could be, we Americans are not afraid of the post office. And, actually our postal system is nice, you know we use names, street addresses, city, state and a zip code not just your name and country

so that postcard i sent to you addressed so:


the duck
that dreadful country across the puddle


never arrived?

Nope. But, did you see the story about thea's crazy mail system?

Ship it to Mexico, the way they smuggle stuff from here, it's got to be a snap to ship it to Greece! I could probably find some one to throw it in their load and if you receive it for them, they'd pay you some big bucks! T---

thea...the answer is a "rabbit pelt" quilt! A nice blue one!

I think if you follow T's advice you'll be arrested by customs

So everyone else has a real address then? Mine does require a bit more than just my name and country though Zeph, there is the village name and name of the nearest town as well.

LOL thea so it was a little bit of an exaggeration but it just seems so archaic to those of us that have to put much more information

Greece archaic, the very idea. If we had addresses the postman would be required to do house calls.

Well yes, but, there was a complete lack of a better word. My post man comes every day except holidays and Sundays and he even brings treats for the dogs. We like our post here

And we like our postman. He will screech to a halt on the roads if I'm driving the other way to hand it over and he did come into the cafenion one day to tell me I had a parcel at the postoffice even though the postoffice was closed for the day, but unlocked it to give it to me. Very obliging chappy.

Chappy=person?

Chap - chappy, bloke, guy, man, yes I suppose the male of the species can be considered people. Only joking as TD is up above you somewhere and referred to us women as a gaggle of old hens the other day.

TD we are not old hens! And by the way I know a lot of men that complain a lot more than any woman I know.

thea is bloke someone that is not the brightest bulb in box?

Oh no, it's a sort of term for a manish man, a man that would hang out with the blokes, so older than the boys.
Someone who isn't a full shilling would be a moron.

LOL Oh good, we call them the same thing, sometimes much worse.

Hi Alice, when I wasn't as penniless I used to get books from Amazon no problem, then I discovered Amazon 2nd hand books which was perfect for me as some of the things books were out of print except there. But they wouldn't deliver to Greece which meant paying postage to having stuff delivered to a friend then extra postage to have it delivered here.
Anyway last night as I say they were prepared to deliver 3 items but the 3 they discriminated against was the quilt, a book and a medical product, the latter I understand as the Greek customs have clamped down at this end on that. The other point is I pay with stirling not with the euro. I previously attempted to have an anti mosquito product delivered by Amazon and that was another thing they refused to send. Even with postal costs it was way cheaper than here, it drives me mad.

What a right rigmarole that is! Don't you have second hand book shops in your village?

No. In town there are Greek book shops and the prices of childrens books are a total monstrosity so my son rarely gets Greek books unless its from school, though Lidl did once have a few good ones such as Don Quixote and a few others translated into Greek which I snapped up at a good price. Books are expensive to have sent out and most companies won't deliver,so although there are the best bargain childrens books ever on 'thebookpeople' site I can't get hold of them.

As for myself I am reduced to whatever people leave at the book swap, which tends to be whatever is on offer in the UK at the start of the tourist season, and often not much to my taste. There was a whole summer of nothing but chick lit whilst my own taste tends to be rather broader than that. I miss the availablitiy of good books with a passion, especially knowing that somewhere out there is the latest Douglas Kennedy.

Well I hope you get something sorted so that you can have all the books your heart desires

If that happened Alice my books would get wet and mouldy as we'd be living with the electricity turned off. As you well must know there are times when what we want for ourselves have to be done without whilst other priorities are met, and new books were the first thing to go in my case. But we did indulge in some marzipan covered chocolate yesterday.

I'm not too keen on marzipan but I'd have chocolate over mouldy books any day!

Hi cloudwatcher, you are quite right, I'm not up for moving.

It would be much easier if people just flat out refused to deliver here but when the policies vary so much it is maddening. There is no law against quilts being delivered to Greece but some refuse whilst others make a nonsense of it with their postage costs. I refuse to spend another winter freezing in 6 layers under a Greek quilt though.

I did think of you out in the Maldives with the postal costs mr Lollipop. If I'd grown up here I probably wouldn't think anything of not being able to buy things that I was previously used to. I expect that is one place you are not in desperate need of a nice cosy quilt though.

Who said anything about a quilt. ..Please don't confuse me..I hardly understand deep English... ...respond again plainly..

A quilt is a paploma, or duvet, a warm stuffed bed covering. We only need them in winter.

lol @ 'you've convinced the world how HOT you are,now you want our quilts!'

You have a brillint point there! I too thought that in some parts of the world, and in particular there, quilts would not be required

I will return Shirley, firstly I typed you a long and chatty response, and the modem went down in a power failure for a while. I then returned and a brief power failure ocured a second time on responding. AHHHH.

Oh, oh...now I have done it...thea will beat me to death with my own chicken feathers! I am dilusional from the ravaging weather we are having here....and just cannot "wrap my head" around being cold in the land of Gods/Goddesses..I can only imagine "beach blanket bingo"....and the best quilt on the beach. Bear with, it;s just the high winds here..blowing thru my ears. Cheers!

Well I was shocked by your response Shirley and must say the only person wandering around thinking about Greek goddesses is fjaril and he says lovely things to everyone.
It is actually unbelievable how cold Greek winters can be indoors, the houses are designed for hot weather and the Greek builders have never heard of insulation. Greek quilts are a total joke being nothing more than a bit of fluff between two sheets and I usually end up with more clothes on in bed than out, a true vision of elegance.
The Greek has a wonderful imported real duvet and it made me realise that the expense on that would save on the constant refilling of the hot water bottles. However the Greek nights have struck earlier than usual already so time is of the essence so I will decline your kind offer to of looking on the mainland my dear SHirley, but if you do spot any online bargains you think are genuine do let me know. You almost put me off but I chose goose down and not polyester, the price being so cheap did make me a bit suspicious, but the brand names were good. I just need to find someone who won't charge more to deliver than the cost of the quilt without wasting so many hours looking for that elusive company.

Or change your thermostat!

Hi mys, as you know my intention is to move house, and the first priority would be one which is easier to keep warm. But as I noticed you said somewhere else the change in seasons from 4 to 2 has been a bit of a suprise, it was never usually an issue until the new year at least. I do find that the climate is more of a cold damp one rather than a fresh cold, but that is probably because of being so near to the sea.

It's raining and cold here but a 'crisp' sort of cold and indoors the central heating is fine, almost too warm by evening. I turn the radiators off in the bedroom as I'm warm enough in bed without them.

I dohope that when youmove you will find the perfect place for all seasons.

Well I have central heating but haven't got enough money to pay for the oil and no one can afford to use electric heating anymore. It was glorious sunshine yesterday and not even cold inside last night and then it just went crazy later with torrential rains again and hailstones. Last year I saw them once and it was the first time I'd ever seen them here.

Hi Irish, I do shop locally for most things but another Greek thin quilt is out of the question, there are just useless. It's just the frustration of not knowing what they are prepared to ship out here before choosing something.

Just a thought Thea. Do the same import restrictions apply to FILLINGS? Maybe you could buy a quilt filling and use it is a Greek quilt cover? Possibly the same problems - just a thought.

Hi rosepedal - I thought that ebay was all used stuff though and I don't want a used quilt. If they aren't I've a friend who has more patience with ebay than I do and has got stuff before for me from on there so worth considering if they are new.

Oh yes thea
You can select the new on the left side when you search. I have ordered several things from them all being new. I think it would be well worth your time my dear. Let me know how that works out for you.

I can't actually shop on ebay myself as I forgot my log on and had to reregister and then it said my card was already in use so I haven't been able to use it since as I only use one card. I might take a look though and then do the usual of getting my friend to get it.

That would work. I know what you are saying I had that problem once too. I had to add my bank account before I could get to order. I have now started writing down my logins so that I don't forget either. I guess we all get to the point where the mind is first thing that goes south....LOL

Hi aunty, I only shop for what I need these days too, but it is impossible to geta warm quilt here in Greece for some reason. I use online when I know things like vitamins will cost me about a sixth of the price from the uk, even with postage on top, as some of the things here are so outrageously priced. It seems that customs are stopping more and more things from coming in from outside so that the prices can be held so high here, so more taxes within the country. I think it is wrong when we are part of Europe but not in this respect.

I think it is very unfair to u that u can't get what u want w/out a hassle. I have nothing againist shopping online I just don't need to. I did use to buy antique glass if i found something pretty i liked or something i thought i could make money in the store with.

I must say I was very put out last night as there was no indication when I chose the quilt that Amazon wouldn't deliver here, but they would have delivered 3 of the smaller items, but I only chose those to go in with the same postage as the quilt. And its not against customs for them to deliver a quilt here. I don't know why it is always Greece which is singled out this way. I used to use this wonderful discount book on line place which even had free delivery, then one day it was we don't deliver there anymore. Currencies should make no difference at all and Amazon seem quite happy to deliver anywhere else in Europe.

Guess u will just have to move to Tennessee,

Not until someone is prepared to deliver the little American dictionary I tried to order last night. Absolute bargain too at less than $4.

Hi book, yes we have one Ikea in Athens but it's a 4.5 hour drive each way. i was suprised how expensive a quilt was there but then of course there would have been postage on top. I wouldn't mind though if places couldn't just put up a list of where they don't deliver to in the first place but Amazon has gone crazy now saying it can deliver 3 of 6 items but not 3 others. One of the things they wouldn't deliver was a cheap paperback American English dictionary, I mean they originated as an online bookshop but now they won't deliver books. Madness.

I would think though that Germany addresses your shopping needs much better. I'm quite happy to get local things and wear Greek clothes whereas a lot of the ex pats never shop in town at all, they go back to England for their shopping. I suppose I'll have another look later.