Lindsay,
I'm very sorry I thought that I had answered your questions. And the portion about the VAT was not intended as a joke. I can only reply to you about what my past experiences have been. We are constantly looking into other options for international shipping to both lessen the cost to the customer but to also increase the reliability of delivery. One option you might consider would be to get an account through DHL or another international shipper and have us ship via that account.
Regards,
Todd