In the Netherlands we were so used to it. Need something quickly? Bol.com. Need a Christmas present? Just google it and you could order it online. Buy books? Amazon.nl. And everything is always at home within 1-4 days. Now that we live on an island, things are slightly different, but as we found out: certainly not impossible. You can read how we do everything in this blog.

No addresses

In the beginning, when we just moved here and wanted to order things for the first time, we immediately ran into a problem: we have no addresses here. The mail is not (with exception) thrown through your mailbox and packages are not delivered to your door by DHL.

We received a tip from Renate (Art and Walk) that it was best to enter your telephone number as a 'street name'. This way your number is certainly on the package and most couriers will call if the package is with them.

Then I come straight to an important point: make sure you have a GREEK telephone number. They do not call foreign numbers. Because it is useful for various things anyway, we now have a Greek number. And the address actually looks like this with us when we order something:

Afiartis XXXXXXXXXX ( = our phone number)

85700 Karpathos

Greece

If you are obliged to fill in a separate house number, we simply fill in a '1'.

Pick up your package

Deliveries take a bit longer, because although a package is still reasonably fast in Greece if it comes from another European country, it also has to go by boat to Karpathos.

If your package has been delivered to one of the local couriers, you will usually receive a phone call. Sometimes I have to say that we are a bit impatient and already know where it is and then we drive past haha.

Ah nice, not all people who call from the courier services speak good English, so we often always check which company they belong to. Although I must say that sometimes we already know where it is due to the telephone number or depending on the package.

Our packages are usually at the following locations on Karpathos:

• Asc
• Speedex
• Elta courier
• Γεωργουσάκης Μεταφορική (search this on Google haha)

Vincent ordered weights for exercise a while back. After a few days we received a call that they no longer had a number of drives in stock. They had sent the rest and the amount we got back (40 euros) they had put in the box!

Where can you order?

We actually have a few regular companies that we order from on a regular basis and there are many more companies that simply ship to islands online. Often it is indicated if it is not possible, but so far we have not had any problems.

Amazon

Greece itself does not have Amazon, but via Amazon.de (the German Amazon) you can generally have everything delivered to Greece. The shipping costs are not too bad and depend on the weight or the type of product. When a product cannot go to Greece, this is indicated.

Skroutz

If you want to have anything from Greece locally, you can look at the website Skroutz. This is a Greek website that offers all products and compares in terms of price. Think of a kind of Kieskeurig like we have in the Netherlands. Here we have bought our dining table and chairs for our house.

Coffee Home

Coffee Home is a brand that you can buy in various European countries. They have beautiful (and expensive haha) furniture. We have our living room chairs, lamps and rug from here. Extra nice of this company is that large items are really delivered to your home. When it is on the island you will be called to ask where and when they can bring it. Very nice!

Ikea

Ikea is of course everywhere and so also in Greece. You can also have this delivered to your home, but since that costs extra and we can often drive back and forth with the car ourselves, we pick this up ourselves. Those who order from Ikea must be here locally to pick it up. You will be called when it is ready.

Clothing at Asos & Na-kd

In the Netherlands I often ordered clothes online at Asos or Na-kd. Until the beginning of this year, I took piles of clothes with me every time after a visit to the Netherlands. But I have found out that Asos and Na-kd just deliver here and also ship for free (from a certain amount, but that was already the case in the Netherlands). The delivery takes a little longer, but that's okay. Returns were free in the Netherlands, but now only cost something like 5 euros. Fortunately, I have my good size every time so far, but if I have to return it once, that is not a big deal.

Dutch products

Sometimes it is just nice to eat peppernuts, Christmas wreaths or Unox smoked sausages, even if you no longer live in the Netherlands. And some products they just don't have here and we are so used to it from the Netherlands. That is why we occasionally order a package via the Dutch Expat Shop. Delicious Affligem beer, peanut butter & sauce. Oh and now it's December again powdered sugar and oliebollen mix!

If you are moving

For those who are moving and want to have their household effects transported from the Netherlands to Greece, please contact Speedy Con Salis. We have already used their service several times and it was always very nice. These items are also delivered entirely at home by a local company eventually.