Our cardinal rule is never ship anything...box it up and take it with you on the plane. If you have to pay overweight, so be it...but don't ship. Based on that, we spent hours concocting boxes using pieces of cardboard, duct tape (a must for us when traveling - we've even used duct tape - or "electrical tape" - to hold husband's hiking boots together when part of a sole separated from the top of one boot), and bubble wrap. The Chief's chair was the biggest and bulkiest and be very glad you weren't there to hear all the profanities ex-Marine was spouting...

At the time we visited, you checked your bags at Accra during the day and then returned in the evening for your flight. Of course, what did the Custom's Inspector want to open? The Chief's chair!! ex-Marine begged, pleaded, groveled and almost cried. The Inspector took pity on us, told the baggage handler to put it through and then immediately said..."do you have a Christmas present for me?" (African for...give me money) We played extremely stupid, wished him a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and left the airport as quickly as possible.