moving from japan – shipping and softbank

i’m finally, and somewhat belatedly, starting to get ready to relocate – where exactly i’m relocating to i’m not sure yet. but seeing as i definitely have to move house, preparations have begun, and what i’ve discovered is somewhat disappointing.

firstly, shipping. the cheapest option is still, of course, the post office. Japan Post has this SAL option where items are shipped via surface mail domestically but via airmail between countries. it’s faster than seamail but cheaper than airmail – 2 weeks for SAL compared to 2 months for seamail to Singapore, and only 5000yen more!

unfortunately, the post office doesnt do pick-ups from your house. which means that you either have to call a delivery service to send your items to the post office – how you’re gonna pay for the shipping in that case i’m not sure, but that’s what the post office pple suggested – or you bring them there on your own.

i’d suggest not bothering with those larger moving/shipping companies, as all who’ve responded so far have told me that the amount i want to ship is way below their minimum shipping volume. in other words, because i’m not moving my entire house per se, they’re gonna be much more expensive than the post office.

PAKMAIL is a moving company that advertises in Kansai Scene. They don’t provide boxes and are slightly more expensive than the post office, but they have pick-up service from your house for a charge. they have English services, but i’m still not sure whether i’ll choose them over the post office. we shall see about that i suppose.

now, for my softbank mobile phoneline. i’m rather annoyed by them actually, as i have to go down to a softbank shop – note that yodobashi camera and big camera aren’t allowed – personally to cancel my phoneline. the day that i go down to the shop is the day that i cancel my phoneline, because i have to return my SIM card to them.

i find that really dumb cos it’s not like they dont have the capabilities to lock my SIM card and prevent me from using the softbank service past a certain date. i mean, people cancel phonelines all the time back home, and i’ve never ever heard of them having to go down personally to a shop to cancel it, without being able to choose a date of cancellation in advance.

plus, i’m cancelling my internet before i leave, so my phone is my only means of communication with anyone once my internet is gone. yet, in this day and age where everyone in the developed world is so highly connected, softbank is forcing me to be disconnected from others by making me cancel my phoneline before i actually leave japan.

gah. i’m so not looking forward to deal with these kind of little annoying things in the last few days before i leave japan, when all i want to do is to relax and enjoy the last of my time here. especially when these things, really, shouldnt be so troublesome and such a hassle to settle. and im going to be totally uncontactable sometime in the day of the 1st of August, so if you want to say goodbye, please do so before then.

**** softbank.