I sent a package containing somewhat valuable jewelry as a gift to my lady in Ekaterinburg on the 12th december as a Christmas present.
I registered it and it went airmail. She just received it no problems. There was no surcharge and it was not tampered with.
The shipping was USPS and not really expensive, about $25/26. After reading some of the comments in the past here about stuff getting lost/stolen I was pleasantly surprised.
I ALWAYS go with the USPS - and the reason that my packages tend to be expensive ($88 for the last one) is that I am willing to pay a little more for Global Express so that she supposedly received it in 3 to 5 working days. Now before I go on - of course that 3 to 5 working days doesn't count whatever delay the Moldovan Government puts on, or the local courier service.
Global Air Mail was also available which supposedly would have been 7 to ten working days (I think) and it would have cost me $74 for the same package.
I'm a sucker for getting it there a little quicker as she wants it.
Pf course, my page weighed 22 pounds and was filled with all sorts of things that she wanted - pajamas (for her and her mother), vitamins, toothpaste, wrinkle cream (for mommy), two small aluminum pans, a small battery operated alarm clock - and batteries - flavored American coffee (she asked for it) and tea - Americna cholcolate, novelty slippers (big rabbit slippers).
Thunder - anything I have sent her will either be consumed (like vitamins) or we can replace ot less expensively here. I admit though, that if we marry - I will have belongings of her to bring over. They have a very tiny flat - with a ridiculously large amount of storage area.
Nothing in life is cheap. And worthwhile things seem to cost the most. Then again I've been know to blow a few quid (I'm taking British as a second language :)) on things not worthwhile at all - and LIKED it.