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Africa-Namibia-Damaraland This is Twyfelfontein Namibia's first World Heritage Site. Rock paintings. The carvings are very clear as you can see on the left hand side. A good walk up down and around rocks but worth it. |
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| It now like me, but I cant recall where I posted this card. After here made my way by car to Ethosha . So somewhere in between. |
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Africa-Namibia-Swakopmund This town in on the coast . We had a long drive via the Skeleton coast . This town is well developed and is very popular with Namibians as a sea side resort. Being here I felt I was in Europe and felt very German in parts. As you can see in the postcard some of buildings are from the time when Germany was in charge here in the early 1900s. |
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| Excellent Post office here . Busy and well maintained . Namibia is one of those so few African success stories. The people do care in the Post office and all works well . |
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Africa-Namibia-Sossusvelei An amazing area to visit. I have been to a number of sand dunes over the world, the ones in France and Mauritania come to mind, but these in Namibia are tops. A world Heritage site as well. I did not manage to walk or even try to walk up the top of one. The main one is called "Big Daddy" . The colours and the textures are simply out of this world. I can see why the film companies use this area for Sci fi movies. |
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| A nice set of stamps from the Namibia Post office. I mailed this card from Swakopmund , as I had not go the time at that area to mail from the Post office. |
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Africa-Namibia-Windhoek I have to say what a wonderful country Namibia is. My last country on this Southern African trip. I have a number of postcards and photos to put up over the next while so you will see more . Here you will see the famous Church in the centre of the traffic island. I have been inside but it is the outside which is more impressive. Sort of a Hansel and Gretel type of building. Also on the top middle the new museum dealing with the struggle for Independence. Namibia has a special place in my heart. It is number 300 on my list of visited Countries and Territories according to TCC ( Travellers Century Club) . There is a total of 325 on this list so just 25 to go.. This my last new country of this year , but next year if all goes well I hope to visit 10 new Countries/Territories. Those who keep a eye on were I have been are likely to figure out what places I had yet to visit. |
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| Namibia has the best Philatelic service according to what I have seen on this trip. All the main Post offices show information on new stamps . They also sell them in sets . In Windhoek the Philatelic office was across the road from the GPO next to other shops. The lady there was most helpful and keen to show me what stamps they had. She is working there for over 10 years !! . So was able to pick up new issues. |
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Africa-South Africa-Cape Town I have to say this is one of my favourite cities in the world. This is a view from just outside where I stay. Lovely to walk here. It has been 11 years since I have been back. Loved my time here and very good value if you are coming from outside South Africa. |
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| I went to the main GPO in Cape Town down in the city. It is a large Post office surrounded by shops . There is no Philatelic counter . They did not have a full selection of stamps. I was told to go down to the Post office at the Waterfront, as they get more tourists there and will have a better selection. This is a small post office on the first floor . Again no philatelic counter and no stamps in sets. But they did show me stamps in the stock book and they had some new issues. |
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Africa-South Africa-Paarl This area is known as the Cape winelands. Less then one hours drive outside the city of Cape Town. This card is from babylonstoren where my friends and I had lunch. |
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| I posted all my South African cards in Cape Town. All have laser printed postmarks. At least they have a competition to design a stamp. |
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Africa-South Africa-Clarens This small town in in the Free State . Driving on the way from Lesotho to Bloemfontein to catch a flight to Cape Town. The town itself is very nice with a old world feel to it. |
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| On the day I was in Clarens I had no South African stamps . So this card had to wait until Cape Town to get mailed. The stamps are part of a large set in relation to a World Geographical conference being held in South Africa. |
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| Another view of the beach in Cape Town |
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| Paarl Winelands. |
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| The African Penguins near Simons Town , outside Cape Town |
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| With friends having dinner in Cape Town. The bottle of wine I am holding is a Bottle of "Penny Black" . |
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Africa-Lesotho-Maseru This area is very typical of the wonderful scenery in Lesotho. Had a long drive from Swaziland about 7 hours but was worth it with the wonderful scenery. A very beautiful country and I felt I was back in Africa again in the true sense of the word. Photographs do not do this country justice. |
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| I purchased these stamps at the GPO in Maseru. I did go to the philatelic section up stairs but the stamps were all older issues and I always prefer to use stamps that have just been issued. Unfortunately Lesotho had no new issues available for the last 3 years. |
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Africa-Lesotho-Maseru This is the Famous Basotho hat shop. It is really the main or only shop in the city selling souvenirs. Lots of choice inside including plenty of postcards. This is in Maseru. |
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| As you can see here. The same stamps again which is rare for me to use. But no choice or selection at the GPO in Maseru. At least a good cancellation . |
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| Inside the GPO in Maseru. |
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| Post office boxes outside GPO |
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| Entrance to GPO Maseru |
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| The Basotho shop where one can buy souvenirs. |
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| Horse riding in Lesotho. Have not done this in ages. Really enjoyed it. |
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| Some of the friendly people I met in Lesotho. |
Africa-Swaziland-Ezulwini Swaziland was the first stop on my recent trip to Southern Africa. Here you can see a typical view of the countryside . |
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| I posted this card in Ezulwini . The main tourist area in Swaziland. My first stop was to call into Mbabane , the capital city. It was cold and raining that day and the city itself is pretty uninspiring . I called to the Philatelic shop which is on the main street. It just has a glass door with a sign. The last stamps they had was 2010 , but was expecting stamps from another office. The philatelic office itself needed a good sort out and the the only staff member I talked to was not in the least helpful in trying to show me stamps. So I left. I then visited the Main Post office around the corner. At this stage I had no postcards and the post office only had a small selection of stamps so I did not post at the main GPO. |
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| The Post office at Ezulwini |
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| The Post clerk at the Post office. A very nice lady who was helpful in showing me what stamps was available. |
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| A view while having lunch |
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| Local Dancing and a Witch Doctor |
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Pacific Ocean-Cook Islands-Manihiki This Postcard has taken some time to come. Posted on 18 May arrived 7 October. Well at least it arrived. Nanihiki was one of the Northern Cook Islands I visited on the Pacific trip in May. This island is famous for it's pearls. Had a great time here relaxing and swimming in the nice warm water. You can see more of this on my blog if you look at the Cook Islands. |
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| At the time I visited the Post office there was not Post cancellation . The Post Office official told me she would send the card to Raratonga. Looking closely at the Postmark it is stamped Rarotonga. Still it was posted in Manihiki and they send out very little mail. The stamps were in fact purchased in the Post office there. Tourism 2014. |
