If you think Royal Mail are bad try the Dutch postal service..seems it can take anything from a few days to 6-8 weeks for parcels to arrive...I'm thinking of not posting there it's so bad. I currently have a sumpguard out there somewhere that has disappeared up the wrong canal..
Note that 'Parcel 48' doesn't include weekends...though you still pay the full amount if you use the service on a Friday ...Ian