Maldives

Indian Ocean-Maldives-Male

Just back from my trip now , so can update . Starting off in the Maldives. Stayed on South Ari Atoll, but also spend a full day in Male the small capital which looks like Manhattan from the sky.

This is the Post office at the airport . It is open 24 hours !! I think this is the first Post office I have seen that. However when I arrived it was closed for one hour. So I guess the staff have to eat .. lol..  There are presentation folders with stamps on one side which includes some sets.  Other then that, on sale via a book is individual stamps and miniature sheets.  You wont find sets. Also no order. The staff do not know issue dates. But otherwise an attractive office with a good selection of postcards for sale 

Very friendly Post staff 

The Main Post office in Male itself . Despite notices no real Philatelic section . Post office is a little chaotic . I did not buy any stamps there.  

The Presidents house in Male 

Near the Fish market in Male 

The get to the islands many inc myself take the Float plane. 

In the background the island of Male from the plane. The main airport is on its own island .

At the resort . Great food and very relaxing . 

Lagoon area outside bedroom 

Snorkelling   on the reef. 

Australia - Adelaide to Alice Sprigs

Australia 1992. From Adelaide to Alice Sprigs  on the Ghan. A great trip. Now it goes as far as Darwin. Great memories 

Algeria 2007

I have been looking for these photos for a while. Glad I found them. Algeria a country I visited in 2007. I had dreamed for so long to to go here. I was here on a cruise with a 3 day stay. One of the highlights was without doubt the Post office in Algiers. I have to say along with the Office in Ho Chi Minh City, it has to be one of the best Post Offices in the World. I had special security there as it was not on the tour. I of course insisted in visiting . I met the Post master who studied in Ireland . So a small world !   Algeria has so much to show. Will go back again some day. 

Post Office in Algiers

Post Office 

Post Office

Counting Countries - Podcast

http://globalgaz.com/david-langan-176-countries-counting/

Hi all, I have been very busy especially at work as my busy time of the year. However , plenty of travel ahead this year.  I have just finished a podcast on my travels and above is the link. You can also get this in the ITunes store.  Search for Counting Countries and then you see this podcast . Enjoy 

Namiba- Photos

It is only now that I am putting up some of my photos from Namibia. Work got in the way !! What a wonderful country. I cant praise Namibia enough. So much to see as you drive , changing scenery , colours and just an amazing landscape. Very friendly . 

The Philatelic shop in Windhoek across the road from the GPO 

GPO Windhoek. 

Desert Photos , amazing .

Wildlife, from Lions, to Zebras 

Eating out , on a safari . 

Zebra Crossing 

Post office -Etosha National Park. Special Postmark here. 

The Gardens of Hampton Court Palace.

Europe-United Kingdom-London  This is my second card from my visit to Hampton Court Palace in November. The day I was here , it rained all day, so I did not get to see this beautiful garden in all its glory. 

I have only noticed now that in fact there is a date on this stamp. Below the face of the postmark- 14 Nov 16. Postmarks in general in the UK are rarely clear or in many cases no postmark at all. So that is why I sent this for special postmarking at the Post office . 

London - Hampton Court Palace

Europe-United Kingdom-London  Hampton Palace was the main summer residence of the King of England , Henry the Eight. I had visited many years ago as a child and wanted to go back and visit. It was certainly well worth the visit. Here is a overview of Hampton Court Palace. 

I posted this card in my usual Post office stop , near trafalgar square. On this occasion I asked for a handstamp and this is the postmark I received. I am not keen on this as there is no date and the card arrived in a plastic see through envelope. 

2017 Plan for 2017

Hi All.

I get so people wondering where I am going in 2017. So here are my plans.

MARCH-APRIL 2017

Maldives

Sri Lanka

Lakshadweep Islands

India

Kashmir


JULY-AUGUST 2017

Mongolia

Kyrgyzstan

Tajikistan

Qatar

Northern Iraq- Kurdistan

Iran

Jeju

Japan-Sapporo

Spratly Islands


November 2017

Niger

Burkina Faso

Mali

Africa-Namibia-Ehosha  For many years I have wanted to visit Etosha . So at long last  I made it. It sure lived up to my expectations. Lots of animals from Lions to Giraffe's . I will publish some of those photos shortly. 

There was a small post office in Ehosha . So delighted to find this and a special postmark as well. They had some extra stamps as well for sale. So well done to the Post Office in Namibia .