Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Although we live in Alsancak I rarely use the Post Office, much preferring the Karaoglanoglu P.O, where the people are quick, smart and appear to be on the ball. Nothing send abroad from there has ever gone astray. However, on three occasions during 2013 I've found myself close to Alsancak PO where the people appear to be slow, a bit dopey and certainly not on the ball. On these 3 occasions the mail has never been received in the UK. This might just be coincidence of course, but has anyone else been concerned about the service in Alsancak?

Like you, I also go to Karaoglanoglu for the same reasons you have mentioned. Another problem is with delivery of letters received at Alsancak - I used to go in to collect them, but was told that they would be delivered! I thought this was amazing progress, but when eventually received they had been sitting in Alsancak P.O. often for several weeks, and this, after I've been in and enquired, only to be told there is nothing.

I went last week to see if we had any post as we were told by friends in the UK to expect some.

Went yesterday. The young guy looked in his sack by his bike which was ready for delivery, as our house was on his route. Nothing there, so he went inside and checked another pile?

I was not sure why there was another pile, as he was just about to go out and deliver to our area?

Anyway, he found our package.

On the back, it was stamped 22/11/2013 by Alsancak post office. Two weeks ago.

I went back in and said, I came last week, (after 22nd) and the older guy, after having a look, said, nothing for you.

Now it is here, but not for delivery, even though your delivery for today is our area!

Usual apologies.

I will take a local to ask why if it was stamped 22nd, why you didn't see it when I came in after 22nd?

Next question, why has it not been delivered even though you have had it for two weeks?

Next question, why was it not in the bag for delivery today, when you were delivering to our area?

Next question.............what's the point, I can shrug my shoulders like the rest of them!

I take in all that you have said, but I still can't understand what happens to mail that is taken into Alsancak for onward delivery to UK. Would they have the gall to not bother taking it to Girne do you think? The people working in there do appear to be dumb enough not to want to bother. I went into Karaoglanoglu this morning and all I can say is, that PO is light years ahead of the service handed out in Alsancak.

Our man in Esentepe is top drawer. Cannot the service in Alsancack be reported to the Head honcho in Girne with examples of their slack service - it would help if 'big-wig' locals also complained?

Alsancak postal service is a nightmare. I always use Karaglanoglu PO. As prevously stated, a much better service and post really does arrive in the UK, a shame they can't deliver to my address here in Alsancak. I only have to walk into the Alsancak PO and the man behind the counter says there is no post for me, without asking my name or address. Boy, would i love to just get in there and sort through that ever growing pile of letters, how do the locals manage? Use Karaoglanoglu to post letters or parcels and just sit and wait for post to arrive from Alsancak.

Witchy

If a letter was sent to Cyprus Today they would probably take it up with main post office, just a shame have to go to these lengths.

Just as an experiment really I posted a package to the UK from Esentepe post office. Thought it an odd set up and had my doubts as to whether it would actually go anywhere.
Yesterday my daughter in Aberdeen Scotland received her package it took 12 days to reach her.
I was both surprised & delighted.
Apologies to Mr Esentepe Postmaster for doubting your efficiency.

Bonnie, we use Esentepe. My wife was awaiting a parcel, the Postmaster said he would 'phone when it arrived - surprise, he called as promised. Probably the one and only time in TRNC a civil servant followed up on a subject during our 5+ years here. Further, he promised to save a PO Box for us and did so. Top man and very pleasant too!!

I went to Alsancak post office this morning to post some Christmas cards.
Saw a fairly clueless girl, who told me they had NO STAMPS!!! and I should go to Lapta PO.

Perhaps I've missed something but I would have thought being in possession of postage stamps was a fairly basic requirement of a post office.

I've been here ten years and still things like this surprise me.
It's only a matter ofweeks since I read that Alsancak PO was now offering many new facilities. Maybe I should have asked for some paint or a loaf of bread. What a shower.

Trooper, I thought it was just me. One of the 3 times that I've used Alsancak, I got more or less the same reply re stamps, but in my case it was "the man who has the key to the stamp drawer has gone out". Fortunately there was a TC businessman in the PO at the same time and he said he had a few stamps in his wallet and that I could have a couple. He wouldn't let me pay him and he apologised for the PO. Can't see that happening in the UK can you?

Once bitten, twice shy!!!

I posted a letter by registered mail to Turkey once, well you can imagine it took the girl all her time to work out what to do. Anyway the letter never arrived so I went to follow it up and I got the Cyprus shrug and told that it was not her problem and that I had to chase it up in Turkey but could not give me any info of who to contact - extremely useful.

The little post office in Karaoglanoglu is the best, the chap is extremely helpful.