Shipping Personal Effects -> China

[mr.stinky]

Hello everyone,

I will be moving from Thailand to China next month, arriving on a Z-visa.

I'll be coming by bicycle, so can carry only a very limited amount of stuff.

Shipping options are Thailand Post or Fedex to Kunming.

Will be sending three boxes 49x39x47, total weight about 65kg.

Contents include clothing, shoes, books, about 100 CD's (that were mailed

out of China a year ago), and a notebook computer. Total value ~US$1000.

Are there customs duties to be aware of, and if so, is there an exemption

for those arriving on a work visa?

I know that large boxes posted to Kunming are held for pickup at the main post

office. Will Fedex deliver to a residence or business, or are these subject

to hold and personal pickup as well?

[Scoobyqueen]

I cant answer your question but would love to know about the bicycle trip (length and kind of bicycle). Sounds an interesting trip.

[anonymoose]

I was thinking the same. You know the roads in south Yunnan are not very good. Apart from all the potholes, people drive like maniacs on them. And I can't imagine Laos would be much better.

[mr.stinky]

chiang mai-huay xai-boten--kunming, about 1000 km.

scheduled two weeks.

photos are from last year's move from guangxi to thailand.

taken in southern yunnan. it got a tad messy.

[anonymoose]

Wow. Well, I'm very impressed. What do you do for drinking water? Just buy it as you go along, or carry several litres at a time, or what?

[Scoobyqueen]

Looks a really unique experience. Are you using a mountain bike and what elevation do you expect to cover? (sorry I am not familiar with the terrain if this is relevant)

[mr.stinky]

laos highway 3 from huay xai to boten is nicely paved, with the exception of

some 30km of roadworks/resurfacing. the grades are not that bad, no more than

10%. some long 600m climbs. side roads can be very rough, with 18% grades.

roads in southern yunnan, especially off the main highway, have some very

long (4 hours of climbing) grades, climbing 1000-1500m. more problems with

landslides and flooding.

mountain bike with saddlebags. usually carry only two liters of water on

main roads when i know i can refill. sometimes (in a previous life) pull

a trailer with 20-25 liters, depending on distance across that stretch of

desert.