Dealing With In-Laws When Flying Abroad

[Alicia karr]

Uh, what is a sound bar ?!

 

[cbonanni]

lacoqueta,

Good question. I was recently at Best Buy and saw them for the first time. Ir seems that these new flat screen TV's have small , and not such good speakers. A sound bar plugs into the flat screen TV and greatly improves the sound. A big upgrade from the stock TV , but not quite full surround sound. They are pretty neat. Although I must admit , I did not buy one......

 

[Crema Americana]

I won't bring any more stuff for family/friends unless it's small and not obtainable here. I have enough crap to carry myself... in fact I had to leave things I wanted to bring behind because they took up too much of my space - I felt like a mule. If that makes me seem selfish, I don't care. They have a lot of cara to ask for things and I now have the same cara to say no because the truth is I rarely have the extra space.

My husband was actually the worst offender and we even had a fight about it... he kept ordering stuff online (for himself, for his mother, for his brother, etc.) and before I knew it he was taking up half my suitcase. "But it's small and doesn't weigh much!" x 20 adds up. No more of that. You want stuff? You come with me next time.

 

[Joe]

Here's a photo of what I brought back last week from my solo trip to the US. It always looks like Christmas at our house after I return...

Yes, that's a soundbar, 4 pairs of shoes, Dyson vacuum, pots and pans, organic baby food, diapers, spices, clothing, sheets, pillow covers, mattress cover, Olympus camera with lenses, protein bars, kids books, and more that I'm probably leaving out... All this with no extra baggage fees. I bought a golf bag to carry the soundbar and packed it with sheets, diapers and protein bars making it completely reusable!

Where are the iPads and iPhones? What a waste!

 

[Joe]

I've had stuff sent from Amazon to hotels many times with no issue. Just address it as:

Hotel Name
ATTN: Guest Your Name, Arriving 5/20/14
Address

Works beautifully...

I've done this many times as well. Especially if you have Amazon Prime, you get the stuff really quick. Amazon just started charging sales tax in Florida

 

[Sleuth]

Where are the iPads and iPhones? What a waste!

Oops, I also had a new Samsung Galaxy S4, my iPad, iPhone, TomTom GPS, Dlink MovieNite and MacBook Pro.

I love my Scottevest!

 

[johnw100]

Wheres the soundbar? cant see it. Was thinking of one myself but they all seem to long for a large suitcase.

Here's a photo of what I brought back last week from my solo trip to the US. It always looks like Christmas at our house after I return...

Yes, that's a soundbar, 4 pairs of shoes, Dyson vacuum, pots and pans, organic baby food, diapers, spices, clothing, sheets, pillow covers, mattress cover, Olympus camera with lenses, protein bars, kids books, and more that I'm probably leaving out... All this with no extra baggage fees. I bought a golf bag to carry the soundbar and packed it with sheets, diapers and protein bars making it completely reusable!

 

[johnw100]

Good tip about Amazon sending to the hotel thanks, might give that a go. Although dont best buy do price matching with Amazon anyway? Think it says on their site that they do?

 

[Sleuth]

Wheres the soundbar? cant see it. Was thinking of one myself but they all seem to long for a large suitcase.

It's in the box at the bottom, 48" long and fit inside a golf bag. Now I have a great golf bag for sale!

 

[ARbound]

I'm conflicted, I have like 6 people at work (all the people sick of me calling Argentina a Sh1thole I might add) asking me
to get people I know coming to Arge to bring stuff for them, and they're all willing to pay on Amazon for it and have it
delivered to friends' houses and just give the friends cash for the hassle and help pay the extra bag(s) fees.

Even if stuff is busted by Aduana it's cheaper and at least it doesn't get stolen. A friend who is moving back here (another member of BAExpats who actually told me about Y'all and is deaf to all our advise but likes it here, lord knows why) doesn't have the ability to bring stuff since she's coming alone via MVD but her friend is coming in July and I'm guilty of asking her if she'll bring stuff. I need a new phone and cheap $250 laptop since I sold everything in the ARBound blow out several weeks ago. For me, I told her I'd pay the extra bag fee (with my work friends too) and have it delivered to her place, all she does is bring it sans boxes and I'd give her some ARS for the hassle for spending money. I think this is the way to do it.

Lastly, a friend is moving to the PRC for work this week and wants me to visit. He said he'd pay part of my ticket (I'd have to likely pay the equivalent of a round trip to Peru or Northern Brazil) and it routes me through North America so I was thinking of getting friends and people I know to make their DX orders delivered to his apartment in China and I'll pick it up if I go there and on the way back I can do a layover and run in to Best Buy or Walmart or The Apple Store to help cut down on the cost of going to China, which depending on my luck could end up costing $500.

Long story short, flying in to EZE with a DNI and say 4 suit cases, what would the odds of me being busted? I'd only speak English to try and have them tell me to leave the airport, but worse case scenario, what happens? 50% tax on a sleek new iPad Air for Joe or some Kale seeds, Maple Syrup (from Canada none the less) and Peanut Butter for the rest of you guys?