Well here I am, only a couple of days left before I jet off to China and finally things are starting to take shape. Not only have I got a rucksack full of stuff on the floor in my bedroom, I have also filled up a massive cardboard crate with stuff that I will be wanting during my year in China.

Many people have asked me why I need to take so much stuff with me for the year abroad. The answer is… I don’t! And neither do I plan to. The reason I am shipping stuff out for September is that for the first couple of months when I am in China, I am travelling light with a backpack and so don’t need half of the clothes, books and kit that I will nonetheless want later.

As I have mentioned in an earlier post, I am doing my shipping via the company Seven Seas Worldwide. They are an international shipping, storage and removal specialist. The procedure so far has been incredibly simple. Here is where I am up to:

1. Ring up the company and arrange for them to deliver some flatpacked cardboard crates to your address (you have to pay a refundable deposit).
2. Fill up as many crates as you need and seal them up using the parcel tape provided.
3. Fill in all the relevant forms (box inventory lists, customs forms, contract) that have been sent to you along with the boxes. Seal the forms and a copy of your passport in the provided envelope and tape this onto the side of box number 1.
4. Write your destination address on the side of the boxes in the space provided using the provided marker pen.
5. Ring up again, let them know how many boxes you have filled up and arrange a pickup date.

As you can see, the procedure is very simple. Tomorrow, my box will be picked up and whisked off to some port on the other side of the globe. The great thing about the service is that you can order as many boxes as you want if you are not sure how many you will need. Any boxes that are unused are collected on your pickup date and the full deposit is refunded. When the box arrives at the port in China, they will give me a ring or an email and let me know to arrange a delivery. All I have to then do is to confirm the delivery address and schedule a delivery and they will bring it right to my door.

All in all, I’ve been very impressed with the whole procedure so far. It does however remain to be seen if my box decides to turn up in China or not - only then can I issue a final verdict on the service

The box did indeed turn up in Beijing! Many fellow students also shipped luggage with Seven Seas - all with no problem whatsoever. Would recommend this company for anybody who is in the same situation.

flatpack cartons

packed and ready to seal

destination (photoshopped)

packing