It's so exciting to receive a postcard. The internet and social media have essentially replaced the postcard, yet you can find them whenever you travel.
A few years ago, after my grandmother's passing, I inherited her post card collection. My grandmother was a navy brat. Born in the Roaring 20's in Hawaii, her father was already a decorated naval officer.
The postcard collection is stunning, funny, romantic and just an amazing story of
nearly 100 years of correspondence in this tiny form. My grandmother not only saved her own postcards sent to her from all corners of the world, also she retained her mother and father's collections as well.
I learned so many things about my grandmother, and great grandparents from a few lines posted for a 1 cent stamp. Her romances were particularly fun to read corresponding during WWII with many a beau from abroad.
There are birthday postcards, holiday postcards, no longer politically correct postcards. There are entire conversations held back and forth over months filling in the little bits of space around the edges.
Postcards were provided by the Navy for sailors featuring their ships, my grandfather was stationed during the building of the Panama Canal, so many interesting historical tidbits in this collection of mailable tourist photos.
As I perused these, it dawned on me that these can also be part of my Travel Story. On trips through Europe, Caribbean, Hawaii and other US Ports I started a tradition of sending about half a dozen from each place I've experienced.
I committed on most journeys to ALWAYS send my postcards and found it was a great way to get to know a town or port. There's adventure in finding postage, post offices and mailboxes. I once "mailed" postcards from Amsterdam in someone's personal mailbox. It looked like a mailbox!! When I realized, I went back and put a note through the slot apologizing and asking them to forward them on.
I've walked through the less touristy parts of town in this quest and discovered marvelous shops and restaurants. The recepients of my postcards typically keep them in collages or on magnets on the refridgerator, I truly believe everyone loves a post card.
Try committing to postcards on your next Travel Story!
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