Mail from the UK to USA and Canada should take, on average, 7 to 9 days, although if posted the day before a weekend public holiday, such as Easter, you can probably add another 3 to 5 days !
I agree though that the cost, UK to USA, is rather high, since Royal Mail changed their parcel rates. I'm also dubious about the weighing scales in some Post Offices - I sent a kit to Karl last week, and according to the digital scales in the PO, it weighed 536 grammes - over a pound in weight !
No way on this Earth could it have weighed that much !
And the cost of sending it was twice as much as the cost of receiving the self same box, with two of the same kit inside !!
Forgot to add - if your friend had to pay that much, then the value of the contents of the parcel, plus the shipping cost from the USA to the UK, must have been around £160 - about $226 US at today's rate.
Our splendid Customs here charge 20% Value Added Tax on the value of the contents, and on the cost of shipping !
And then Royal Mail charge a £8 'handling fee' for the pleasure of the recipient having to travel to the mail sorting office to collect the parcel !
If the Customs Declaration form on the package is marked 'Gift' however, then the value does not have to be shown, and Duty is not charged - in theory !