Posting adventures

Last month, my minidisc player died on me.

Yes, my wonderful, beautiful silvery friend, which has been almost like an extension of my own body, just stopped working. Luckily, I had the foresight to:
a) get a three year warranty when I bought it
b) bring a CD player with me to Romania.

Unfortunately, said waranty is finished at the end of February (but never fear. If they can't repair it after 60 days, I get a free player on the 61st day. I love Future Shop!). I had one day in which to post it back home before I went to Turkey. I went to the post office with my minidisc player all neatly packed up and asked for a padded envelope.

Most of you know about my ongoing war with the Romanian postal service. Apparently, to mail packages home (and this was packaged in a 10-pack diskette box, so you can imagine how small it was) I had to go to the big central post office. I didn't have time for that, so when I returned to the office, I asked my cowkrer, Eugen, if he could do it for me.

This is the email he wrote me while I was away:

To post a minidisk from Romania to Canada isn't easy!
...Everything started when Karla asked me to post for her a minidisk, last Thursday.
I promised to do so.
She told me that Central Post provides the service.
Friday I went there.
After queuing, I was told that the office serves only internal mail and have to move at the external mail office.
After queuing in that place, I was told that the minidisk cannot be posted from there (only simply letters) and have to go at the Post Office in the main Railstation of the town.
I went to the Railstation Post and after queuing I was told that the custom officer shall check the minidisk and he works only three hours a day, from Monday to Friday, mornings only.
As it was already afternoon, I returned Monday morning.
After queuing in the Railstation Post, I was told to go at the next floor, where Customs is, deal with the officer and after to return for posting.
I went to the next floor.
After queuing to Customs, the officer simply stamped the envelope and I returned to the first floor (he told me that perhaps he knows Karla, as for him sounds popular this Canadian girl).
After queuing, I was told that the envelope isn't good, need to be a special one, with plastic protection, which I can buy from the shop opposite to the railstation (17000 Lei / the previous, paper made, costed 12000 Lei).
I went to the shop, bought the correct envelope (of course, after queuing), I went to Customs (of course, after queuing, the officer stamped this new envelope) and I happy entered to the Post Office...
After filling the expedition form, I was told about the cost: 716000 Lei.
As I not had such money in cash with me, I went home and SMS Karla if deserves to send it so expensive.
She answered YES (that was Tuesday) and I went to the Railstation Post with the money, the plastic envelope stamped by the custom officer and the minidisk inside...
It was Wednesday morning, back in the Railstation Post, finally after debating that addresses should be written on the envelope on the same side and cannot have a delivery confirmation by signature from Canada (that service not operates), I SENT IT!!!
So, my last queuing was this Wednesday morning, almost a week after last Thursday, when everything started...
I guess now that I deserve a drink from Karla (after several moves in a triangle of Central Post, Rail Post and home), queuing everywhere along few days.
Of course, plus the amount directly spent, in total 745000 Lei.