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Post by MAW on Oct 13, 2013 6:52:42 GMT
Initially posted by my wife under another discussion group but more on-topic here.
Thanks for your input, Marcel
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o! My husband, myself and our 4 month old daughter will be arriving in November. We have read through most of the postings about Abqaiq as that is where we will be living. I have a few questions:
(1) Our daughter is currently on both formula and breast milk. We want to know what kind of formula is offered there nearby or on the compound. We were not sure if we should try to special order what we currently use or what is possible.
(2) Is there an organized group of mothers in Abqaiq which I could join? It would be great - if not I will organize when I get there.
(3) is it possible to order from Amazon and have things delivered? When I read the posts about Abqaiq it sounds as if hardly anything is there. I do assume you can order from Amazon or Ikea if you dont have a car the first days to have things delivered to your house.
Thanks so much for your answers and look forward to meeting you all!
Lindsey
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Post by UmmRiyam on Oct 17, 2013 8:32:40 GMT
You can find a wide variety of baby formula at the pharmacies and larger grocery stores. I am not sure what is in the ABQ commissary because I am in UDH, but you should be able to request that they stock the formula you prefer. I haven't seen organic formula here. If you're using a major brand, such as similac or enfamil or Wyeth S26 or Nestle, then you won't have any problems finding formula. I would suggest that you bring at least a month supply of the formula your daughter is used to so you have it available while you are trying to find a good formula that she likes.
I personally have used Milupa Aptamil, Similac, and Enfamil here in Saudi Arabia. I tried Nestle Nan once, and it was very stinky, and my daughter wouldn't drink it.
Regarding shipping through Amazon, not all of the retailers will ship to Saudi, but some will. There is no Amazon Saudi Arabia site, and I don't think there's anything like it here. You should be able to find what you need in the first few days or weeks at the commissary or by taking a bus to a larger store/mall or taking a taxi. Shipping from US to Saudi Arabia takes a minimum of 1 week unless you pay extra for expedited shipping.
IKEA will deliver any furniture you buy to your home. I think they have a fee depending on how much you spend...I'm not sure because we haven't used their delivery service. Other furniture stores also offer delivery...some charge, and some do not...I know Pottery Barn offers free delivery on orders over 3500 riyals to anywhere in Saudi Arabia.
If you buy lots of smaller items, you should be able to take them on the bus with you, but then not sure how you will go from the bus stop to your house...I guess order a taxi? or have a friend pick you up.
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Post by Hadia on Oct 17, 2013 10:27:05 GMT
I order through Amazon frequently, and always have the items ship to our Aramex address in the States, and from there it is flown to KSA, sorted through various ground stops and customs checks, and delivered to my door in the camp by the Aramex driver. There are some companies that won't deliver to a shop and ship address, such as Apple or Target, but if it's coming from Amazon itself, we've never once had a problem. It's especially helpful when we get the free shipping to our Aramex US address, so we only pay for shipping abroad.
IKEA offers delivery and assembly services. It is highly affordable and worth the slight fee. You buy your items through the cash register, and then make arrangements through the delivery contractor, TNT, right next to the customer service desk. We've experienced delivery times of near immediate to two weeks plus, depending on time of year. The assembly guys are quick and adept at putting together the IKEA furniture, since they do it all day and are familiar with the various furniture pieces.
LuLu's hypermarket in Al Khobar has a full aisle filled with baby items. I call it the "wall of baby formula." If there's one thing the Saudis don't cut corners on, it's care and comfort of babies. I'm sure you will find something that works for you. And now, with LuLu's soon to be handling all Saudi Aramco commissaries, if you find an item at the big store that you like, you can request that it be ordered in to your local commissary if it's not regularly stocked.
Welcome to Saudi Aramco. It's an idyllic lifestyle for stay-at-home moms and children of all ages, particularly little ones and elementary age.
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Post by MAW on Oct 17, 2013 18:30:43 GMT
Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer our questions. We will make good use of the information. Any thoughts on te question regarding the organized group of mothers? Do thedwomen with young children get together?
For us, our departure date is nearing so we will see you soon in the Kingdom!
Thanks again,
Marcel
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Post by Aramcomom on Oct 17, 2013 19:03:07 GMT
Hadia,
If you don't mind my asking, what size items do you generally order and what are the shipping costs through Aramex for such items? Is it worth it to order something small like a leapster game cartridge?
Would it be worth it for friends to share the costs of one Aramex account?
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Post by azraeil on Oct 21, 2013 9:59:13 GMT
Boderlinx which is associated with DHL will provide you a US address for FREE. Similar concept to Aramex. Be aware though that the shipping cost is based on volumetric weight and can sometime be 150% of the cost of the items you bought from Amazon. I usually buy Lego for my son and the shipping cost was exorbitant from both Aramex and DHL because of the volumetric weight. Ordered 2 Millenium Falcon legos about 10 days ago and decided to have Amazon ship it internationally to my PO Box at the Mujamma and the cost was wayyyyy cheaper (about a 100 bucks (USD) cheaper) and it arrived yesterday so not too bad.
Aramex and Borderlinx are okay for items that can only be shipped to the US but if the items can be shipped overseas (and handled by Amazon for example), I would recommend you use that instead.
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Post by Hadia on Oct 21, 2013 10:18:43 GMT
Aramcomom,
We pay, on avee, about $16 per pound no matter what's in the package. I don't know if the size of the package factors in so much, but we've found our shipments to avee more by weight. We have ordered in all types of electronic gadgets, clothing and shoes, bedding, and toys. I try to order enough of something to go us a year, such as air filters, things like that.
I'm not sure that it's advisable to share an Aramex address with someone else. Our account is in my husband's name, and they required an email PDF of his iqama before they would open the account. They take land and mobile numbers and street address, so they know whom to contact for delivery issues, including signing the driver into camp.
For the cost of the one-time enrollment fee (I think it was $40 two years ago), I personally would not see any advantage in sharing an account with another family. Also, they can store your credit card number so it's fast and easy (usually) to go online and pay the delivery charges while the package is en route. I wouldn't be comfortable mixing another family's credit into into one account. Ultimately, the account is in one person's name, and it is best to always use that name on orders placed for delivery via Aramex. The deliveries, and content issues with customs, are all tied to that account holder's iqama. There is a sizable list of things you can't ship in.
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Post by Aramcomom on Oct 21, 2013 15:42:46 GMT
Azraeil - I had no idea Amazon shipped internationally. Good to know, thanks for the info! Hadia - $16/lb doesn't seem too bad. I thought it was a recurring fee to use Aramex, but regardless, I forgot how everything is tied to an iqama. Thanks for your detailed response  |
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Post by azraeil on Oct 21, 2013 18:34:12 GMT
Yes they do and their prices are not too expensive (they use iParcel or something), A Millenium Falcon lego sets cost me USD33 dollars for shipping via Amazon. It would have cost me close to USD150 (because the volumetric weight would have been close to 15 pounds) with either Aramex or Borderlinx. Shipment arrived in 8 days as compared to 5-6 days via Aramex or Borderlinx. Aramex charges a one time fee of USD45 for membership and they give you addresses in US, UK, China, Turkey and Hong Kong I think. You can go to their website ( www.shopandship.com) and they have a shipping calculator. 1st one pound cost SAR65 and the next pound cost SAR35 I think. If the item you purchased can be shipped internationally by Amazon, check their shipping charges first (the checkout won't be finalized before you know the shipping charges) before sending it to Aramex or Borderlinx, you may save a lot more money that way. |
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Post by UmmRiyam on Oct 23, 2013 6:31:16 GMT
My mom always ships miscellaneous stuff to us via USPS. It's the cheapest, but you risk no tracking. However, we've always received everything, and our most recent packages have arrived in 1 week, and it used to take up to 2 weeks. My mom sends big boxes with around 20 lbs for about $120. Usually nothing too expensive inside....books, clothes, toys, games, etc. pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm ... ice123.pdf |
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