Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island is a very beautiful island. The Norfolk Pines are everywhere. 

Above is the settlement in Kingston. However the administration and centre is now in Burnt Pine. 

Norfolk Post office in Burnt Pine. The big news is that Norfolk Island is to loose its status as a self dependent territory of Australia from July 1. Many people on the island are not happy. What that means from a Stamp point of view is that Norfolk Post office will no longer exist. Australia Post will take over and a new Post office . Australia stamps will only be valid from July 1. It is expected that Australia post will issue Norfolk stamps from time to time like Cocos and Christmaas Island. No issues are planned as yet. There is only a registered service for mail using a Australia Post envelope with a AU code. 

The Post office counter has a selection of stamps . The philatelic bureau is upstairs and I was able to pay a visit. However the ladies up there are camera shy. They do not know what will happen . However I did happen to meet the new people from Australia post setting up the new office on the plane , so got on the info . Norfolk have some beautiful stamps. Loads of tourists here and plenty of postcards. 

Many people not happy losing their parliament . 

Tuvalu

We'll Funafuti , Tuvalu has always been close to my heart. It was the first island Country I wanted to visit when I began my travels back in 1980. So here I am back for the third time. It was great and as friendly as every . Tuvalu is considered by the UN to be the least visited Country in the world. 

The Post Office and the philatelic bureau are now in the same building. This was the original Bureau. 

The friendly staff of Tuvalu Post limited. They are in there new uniforms. Some staff are assigned to bureau work . 

The Counter has many stamps going back years. Now days the stamps are sent to Tuvalu from their agents in New York free of charge ,so no cost to Tuvalu. What stamps they sell from Tuvalu is pure profit. However, if they wish to have a"local " issue they have to fund the stamps . Since they cannot afford that there is very little local content in the stamps of Tuvalu. The post office mostly sells the corals definitive issue to regular post clients. There is a newer Fish definitive set, but it is now only sold as a set. However, I was able to use this set on the many covers and postcards I sent back. 

Tuvalu has just received new postmarks. These are just about to be sent to the outer islands of Tuvalu. 

Kiribati

Curving its way around the equator the Republic of Kiribati ( pronounced Kiribas) has changed a lot since my last visit in 2002. More shops and new roads. A good feel place and one of the most friendly bunch of islanders around . 

The outside of the Post office has seen better days. But it was busy inside and very helpful. Plenty of stamps available to choose from . Here with the staff of the main post office in Bairiki . Postcards where available from the Philatelic bureau which was next door. 

Nauru

The people of Nauru a tiny potato shaped island was once one of the worlds richest . At least that was the case when I visited last in 1980. Now in 2016 , the phospate has nearly run out and it is a very poor reflection of its old claim to fame. 

Nauru post office looks like it was falling apart. The last stamp issue they have was released in 2009 and they have no new issues here since then. The post office sells Definitives unless you ask for special stamps and then they produce a full selection in another folder . It is just 70c to mail a postcard. They have stopped the registered service over a year ago according to June who was in charge on the first day when I got the low down on Nauru Post. Here I am with the lady who normally deals with EMS Mail  but June was out sick on the second day of my visit. Very helpful . They are waiting on a new postmark and some airmail stickers. I would say some paint as well ! 

Brisbane - Australia

Arriving in Brisbane on the first stage of this Pacific trip. Enjoyed this city , full of life. 

This is the GPO in Brisbane. A full selection of stamps available at the post office. However not allowed to take photos inside . 

A for Angola 2010 and Travel update

Hi All, sorry I have not been updating here so much. Busy with work . Next month have a big travel trip lined up. I am excited about that as the Pacific in 1980 were I started my travels. Starting in Brisbane. That is a good connection for the flight to Nauru. Visited there in 1980 when it was quite a rich Country then. So interesting to see how much it has changed. Then on to Tarawa , capital of Kiribati . My third visit here. Quite a bit island so have rented a car to get around this time. Then on to Fiji again so I can stay over night and catch the only fight one can get to Tuvalu -Funafuti from Suva. This country was my main reason for visiting the Pacific in 1980 , as I collected the stamps from here and had read a lot of history on Gilbert and Ellice Islands the previous names of Kiribati and Tuvalu. Again my third time to Tuvalu . After here will be visiting two new " Countries " for me. Norfolk Island and Niue. So looking forward to that.
The most difficult part of this trip to plan was to the Cook Islands and especially Penryhn. As all you stamp collectors know Penryhn has its own stamps. Difficult to get here  , in the Northern Cook Islands . Its a long story planning to get here and a lot of time and expense but it is now all go. I will fill in more when I am there, but very excited to get to Penryhn. Keeping a eye on this blog from April 16,  you will be updated with photos of Post Office and remote Pacific Islands.

In 2010 , I visited Angola and Cabinda . It was considered a very difficult visa to obtain but I was lucky and got one with little difficulty . I had a good friend working there for BP . A very expensive visit to visit Luanda .  A mix of Colonial and new side by side . Still chaotic in many ways. Here are some photos from that trip.

The first photo is of the waterfront in Luanda. The second and third photo in the only Portuguese  Colonial buildings down town. The final photo is as usual outside a Post office. I think it is the one in Cabinda . The main Post office in Luanda was getting rebuilt at the time and the Post office was very small when I was there , as it was temporary 

A is for Armenia 2007

Visited Armenia in 2007 . Started in Yerevan . The first photo is in the main square. A lovely city and really enjoyed it. A great city to walk around. But I mostly now remember the churches that I visited throughout the country. Some of them were World Heritage sites and really a gem. I posted many postcards back from different parts of Armenia. But my postcard from Yerevan never made it home. Happy memories of a great country .