Just when I thought this story was over, I got a nasty surprise. This was so surprising, so odd, at first I thought it was a scam. Unfortunately, it is real.

I got an email notification from FedEx, stating that I owe a $50 import duty payment on this already-delivered package.


This started out as a quest to find some shoes, in my size, for $100. Reality started to set in and I raised that budget to $150. I was even willing to go to $200. <-- That's $200 for a pair of cycling shoes!

I couldn't find any in my size except for left-over, weird looking, oddball shoes no one else would buy.

I came across these shoes after a couple days of looking. They were listed as $200. Okay, I bit the bullet.

Then the shipping charges got added, raising the price to $250.

Now, the sneaky (not-previously disclosed) duty charges have raised the total to $300.

Had I known where it would end up, I would have never started this purchase transaction. The shoes are nice but they are NOT $300 worth of nice.

As I sit here typing this, I am now, officially disgusted with this purchase. The only way it could be worse is if the shoes do not work for me. I haven't yet ridden in them (I'm still using the old ones).

Oh well, it's too late now.