Wife and I just realised that my dad’s birthday (92nd) is later this week, and we haven’t organised anything: no card, no present, nothing. This wouldn’t be so bad, except that he’s in Australia and we’re in the US, and at this stage even Fedexing is probably dubious in terms of getting there. So we’re probably reduced to what you can get delivered by ringing up a place in Australia. I thought of flowers – he’s not really a flowers person, but I think he’d appreciate it, since he wouldn’t get flowers very often. In any case, he’s not that easy to buy presents for: he’s really got pretty well all he wants.
So any suggestions, before I ring an Australian florist in desparation tomorrow?
Maybe you could exercise your visa card at an Australian online store. That way, it could probably be shipped overnight.
I know Angus & Robertson has online shopping (because my sister-in-law ordered books there for my son’s birthday so that she didn’t have to do international shipping). Site
There must be other companies that do this, too. Grace Brothers? David Jones? Or, if they don’t have online shopping, you could even call them, explain your circumstances, and give them your credit card information over the phone. I’ve never done that here in Australia, but I did that several times in the U.S.
Once, my husband saw something he really wanted in a store in Georgetown (Washington, D.C.). He mentioned it on the way home. When we got home, I called them, described the item (I hadn’t seen it myself, so that was a lot of fun), gave them my credit card number, and had them ship it to me so I could surprise him. I just had them put the shipping costs on the credit card. Even if a store like David Jones doesn’t do this as a regular service, they may accomodate you because of the nature of your request.
What about a gift basket Giles? There are plenty of on-line companies that would provide a gift basket with things your father might like e.g. wine, cheeses etc. That’s how I always did my parents’ birthday presents while I was living overseas.
Or just phone him on the day and have a nice long chat.