After four weeks on the high seas and 14 days being inspected at customs, our shipment from the UK was delivered safely to our apartment yesterday morning. There was a little delay in delivery as the customs officials decided that they needed my old passport in my maiden name, which I had fortunately kept but was unfortunately packed in the shipment. This appeared to have been found and it is fantastic to have our furniture back again; lying full length on a sofa feels much better than sitting on one of our two plastic chairs.
The delivery and unpacking went smoothly and watching ten men carrying two sofas, a heavy table and numerous other large items up seven narrow flights of stairs was rather impressive. There were few casualties (a couple of pictures frames, couple of lampshades), no confiscations (the handbells made it through unscathed!) and no major upsets. The period in which we thought that the screws to assemble the dining table had been lost was a bit unfortunate, but they were eventually found and all was well. One thing we've learnt is that removals companies pack *everything*. I was a little surprised to find the jam jars that we'd put out for recycling in Cambridge before leaving, but they seem to have made it to Mumbai.
Here are some before, during and after pictures. We also now have wireless internet access too, thanks to a super human effort including two more technicians and a middle man, but at least it's working!
Having received all our furniture, we've been doing some cleaning to get everything looking shipshape. Our cleaning lady, Veronica, has now started too which is a big help. The task that Phil attempted himself was window cleaning, although this took a rather unfortunate turn as he managed to lock himself out on a small balcony. I received a plaintive phone call at work asking for assistance, so dispatching our driver back to the apartment with my keys to let him in. This caused a lot of amusement all round!
The delivery and unpacking went smoothly and watching ten men carrying two sofas, a heavy table and numerous other large items up seven narrow flights of stairs was rather impressive. There were few casualties (a couple of pictures frames, couple of lampshades), no confiscations (the handbells made it through unscathed!) and no major upsets. The period in which we thought that the screws to assemble the dining table had been lost was a bit unfortunate, but they were eventually found and all was well. One thing we've learnt is that removals companies pack *everything*. I was a little surprised to find the jam jars that we'd put out for recycling in Cambridge before leaving, but they seem to have made it to Mumbai.
Here are some before, during and after pictures. We also now have wireless internet access too, thanks to a super human effort including two more technicians and a middle man, but at least it's working!
Arrival!
Sofa reaching the end of its seven flight of stairs journey
Sofa through the door
In situ
Many boxes
Mattress arrival
Two men in a bed
After unpacking (admittedly would look better in daytime and without blue screen, I will get told off for poor photography)
Having received all our furniture, we've been doing some cleaning to get everything looking shipshape. Our cleaning lady, Veronica, has now started too which is a big help. The task that Phil attempted himself was window cleaning, although this took a rather unfortunate turn as he managed to lock himself out on a small balcony. I received a plaintive phone call at work asking for assistance, so dispatching our driver back to the apartment with my keys to let him in. This caused a lot of amusement all round!
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