A Postcrossing Adventure: Weeks 9 & 10

I am back! I can't believe it has been a fortnight already since my last post. We were without internet at home for around ten days, and I was quite surprised by how reliant I have become on the World Wide Web when I just didn't have it.

 

Having said that, though, we are now back online, and a whole lot faster than before. Our previous internet connection was so slow it made blogging quite a challenge. Now that we have catapulted ourselves into 2014 with 2014 internet speeds, the blog posts should be a little more forthcoming.

 

But right now, I need to show you my Postcrossing outgoing and incoming for the past two weeks...

 

 

 

Week 9

 

// outgoing:

 

 

Finally, the postcards I sent in December have arrived at their destinations and been registered by their recipients, which means I have a bit more flexibility in the number of cards I could send out this week. So as to not overdo it, I limited myself to two cards, and sent a postcard that I picked up on our recent trip to Sydney to China (AU-330087), and some adorable Australorp chickens (I really want some as pets) I have sent to Belarus (AU-330088).

 

 

// incoming:

 

Postcards finally started coming in again by the end of week 9. I received four cards: 2 funky ad cards from Singapore (SG-126947 and SG-126951 - from the same person, no less!), a card featuring art by Paul Gauguin from Germany (DE-2777596), and a temple from Taiwan (TW-1123767).

 

 

 

Week 10

 

// outgoing:

 

This week my recipients asked for tourist cards and cards that are meaningful, so I sent some golden reflections over Balcanoona Creek here in the Flinders Ranges to Germany (AU-331757), whilst the legendary Mr Eddie "Koiki" Mabo has been sent to Russia (AU-331758).

 

 

 

// incoming:

 

I was absolutely floored when EIGHT cards arrived over the course of this week, and from a fantastic selection of countries to boot.

 

From Thailand I received the Penguin Classic A History of the Countryside (TH-156017), and a temple in Sukhothai (TH-156015); a colourful landscape (JP-484855), and an illustration (JP-484863) arrived from Japan; an interesting abstract card came from South Korea (KR-85776); a lovely handmade card was sent to me from Germany (DE-2777079); a totally non-scary anime demon girl was sent to me from the Netherlands (NL-2266664); and a stunning landscape card arrived from China (CN-1171321).

 

This week my favourite message came from Alina in Germany, who wrote:

"I'm 19 years old and I live near Germany's oldest town Trier. Trier has many World Heritage Sites! I'm a student at a highschool for design and media engineering. In my free-time I enjoy reading, baking and creating Mail Art. Like you, I'm a vegetarian. I've lived on that diet for about 14 years because I love and respect animals. Since November I've been living a vegan diet. It works very well for me and I'll continue doing it. I've read your blog with great joy. I loved everything about it! My cat Eddie lived with my family for almost 10 years. 4 days ago he died due to cancer. It broke my heart and I miss him so much already. I hope he's fine wherever he might be now."

 

[Here's to Eddie and all those wonderful animals that come into our lives and complete them!]

 

 

 

Postcrossing postcards sent to date: 23

All time: 83

 

 

Postcrossing postcards received to date: 25

All time: 87

A tin shed for a Post Office :: Appila 5480

 

 

How many people can say they have a tin shed for a post office?

 

Very few, I suspect.

 

The town in which I live has a glorious old post office building. Made of stone and with a large polished wood counter, it is at least 100 years old. We have a Postmaster, retail and banking services, and home mail delivery at least three days a week! But with a population of around 1200 people, we are also one of the larger towns in the region.

 

There are many, much smaller towns dotted all about the place. Some are so small they don't even have a local supermarket, nor a police station, and definitely not a hospital. But there are two things we all share in common: The local pub and the post office.

 

The tiny town of Appila is made up of a scattering of houses (less than double digits), the pub and the Post Office, and is surrounded by farming land. The town itself dates back to the 1870s and was originally called Yarrowie, before the name was changed to Appila in the 1940s.

 

It is one of my favourite towns to travel through. Blink and you might miss it entirely. Every time we pass through, I ask to stop by the local post office, just for a look, a giggle, and a marvel. 

 

It is the least grand post office I have ever seen. But, as it so happens, it is also my favourite. Set next to the old Yarrowie Hotel, which towers over it almost protectively, the Appila post office is nothing more than a little tin shed that is completely open to the elements.

 

What I like most about the Appila Post Office is that post is all it is used for. No giftware, no bill pay or passport services, no retail. It's sole purpose is for the receipt and delivery of mail.

 

As Australia Post continues to reduce the number of small retail postal services across the country in favour of larger, city-bound mega-stores, it makes me wonder how much longer a post office like those found in Appila, which offers no retail benefit at all, will survive.

 

For me, the Appila Post Office is a reminder that for some people out there, it is the mail that matters. Nothing more.

 

Although, I do wonder where it is they get their postage stamps?