Tea from china - how long?

I don't think you get from China to Missouri by surface. Maybe by tunnel? Toci

Boat.

Yes, the prospect of 20-30 days is scary, however it is generally more like 7-12 days on average. Go with the cheapest (airmail) option as there is little difference in speed and if it gets stopped for inspection it will be delayed no matter the cost or speed quoted.

I order numerous things (tea and otherwise) and for the most part it is pretty non-eventful.

- Dominic

I'm in California and get a great deal of Chinese tea shipped from Yunnan and Guangzhou. Generally, depending on the method and the vendor, it takes two to three weeks, although Teaspring seems to arrive quickly. Most of the shipments are SAL. Jing's and Teaspring are registered which seems to hurry things along. Yunnan Sourcing and Dragon Tea House and several other eBay vendors average 21 days to the west coast. I am curious what vendor you are inquiring of since I've never seen airmail to be the cheapest method. Shen

It was Jing's tea shop. It was something like about $7 airmail to NY, $12 or $14 surface.

i think around 2-3 weeks :)

That is curious. It is another week to the midwest. They stll must be using Pony Express for the US part of the trip. I think east coast deliveries are still trans continental not trans atlantic.

Jim

PS Taiwan and HK are much faster even by Post.

Shen wrote:

Space Cowboy snipped-for-privacy@ix.netcom.com> wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@19g2000hsx.googlegroups.com:

....

"Curiouser and curiouser", because Kunming, Yunnan -> NYC was formerly was

21 to 36 days -- but now (the last two months or so) it's running around 14-21 days.

Formosa and HK have remained faster than this former speed.

Ozzy

What?! No "slow boat from China" remarks?

Last fall I kept going into Seven Cups here in Tucson to check on the new teas. The shipment was tied up for inspection in Los Angeles for many weeks. Their teas literally came on a slow boat from China.

Alan

Yep. That's what I alluded to in my reply... if your package is a "lucky" one be prepared for more like 20-30 days. It has no relation to what shipment method you pay for either which is why I go for the basic, cheapest rate unless I truly need it faster. Also when I mention days I'm talking about business days so 7-10 days is like a week and a half to two weeks in reality.

I've never found a rhyme or reason to any of my shipments that get stopped. Sometimes it is a $4 LED flashlight, or a $20,000 router/ switch, or $50 of tea. I have the best luck when the shipper sends things labeled as "gift."

- Dominic

I've had several (well, four) packages from China torn apart and re- wrapped with bright yellow tape and a lovely note from DHS. They also seem intrigued by my small packages of malas from Dharmasala and silver beads from Bali. Slow day for inspectors, I presume. But, I do get shipments to Berkeley and you know how dangerous we are/ were ! Shen

Shen wrote in news:1191914563.732358.260390 @k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com: ...

When I started buying from YunnanSourcing, after a certain number of packages from the mainland there came one which had, in English, something rather like "Inspect -- All Clear" or words to that effect. No note and no colored tape, and just that once.

But then, I have no connections with Berkeley, that radiclib revolutionary hotbed. ;-))

Ozzy