And Still More "Many Happy Returns of the Day"

On Tuesday, the postman tried to deliver a package, but I was out. On Wednesday, Anwar drove me down to the post office to claim my parcel. (Oddly enough, in my almost 8 months here, it was my first trip to the post office.) Lauren had sent me a birthday present! Apparently, Customs had opened my package and inspected the contents. This included opening the envelope that was inside. After inspection, the package is re-sealed with tape, wrapped with string and then wax seals are used at several places on the string. I think the wax seals are India's version of "tamper evident" packaging.
I am pretty sure that everything Lauren put in the package made it to me. But it took 24 days from posting to delivery. I'm pretty sure that 21 of those days were in India.
(On a similar note, Sarah sent Luis a package at Christmas that arrived a few days after we left -earlier than originally planned - for the US in December. When the postman was told that I would be out of town for a couple of weeks, he sent the package back to the US. I assumed that someone at the postal department was enjoying the PJ's that Sarah had sent. But, about 2 weeks ago, the package showed back up on Sarah's doorstep, almost 3 months after being sent back!!)