Postcards of Africa, Islands and Exotic Locales: 2018

DJIBOUTI

This card shows Boukouale' Falls and was the first I ever received from Djibouti. The stamp shows train service, as rail is critical to transport and trade with its neighbors, esp. Ethiopia.

Diego Garcia / Br. Indian Ocean Territory

Wow, this card is a first for me: from the remote outpost of Diego Garcia, in the British Indian Ocean Territory. The card shows a migratory shorebird with a large range across the southern seas. The stamp shows a historical ship, the HMS Victory. Overall, a great surprise and addition!

PALAWAN (Philippines)

This awesome card shows the crystal clear waters and green, rugged landscape of Palawan, a large island in W. Philippines. The card had a great stamp as well, showing a traditional filipino instrument.

MADAGASCAR

This wonderful card captures a profile of a Baobab at sunset, and shows the stunning light and beauty of Madagascar. The card arrived with several colorful stamps showing local flora, coastal scenery and prehistoric fauna. Overall, an absolute gem in my collection!

NAMIBIA

This stunning view of giraffes against a dramatic sky at dusk comes from Etosha National Park, Namibia. At 22,000 sq. km., this is one of the largest parks in Africa, and the name is derived from the Ovambo language, meaning "Great White Place" for its seasonal pans that hold rainwater.

NEVIS

Several lovely cards came to me this month from Nevis, the twin island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean. Nevis issues its own stamps, so it is a philatelic rarity to see stamps postmarked Charlestown, Nevis in the mail, as the island's population is very small, just over 11,000 souls.

SINGAPORE

This large format card of Singapore shows the Waterfront Esplanade in full color, and comes from longtime friend JP, who franked it with a stunning 70c stamp showing a Blue-eared Kingfisher

TOKELAU Is.

This lovely card arrived from the atolls of Tokelau, a small Pacific territory of just 1,500 pop. The card shows basketry and craft weaving for tourism. The stamp is from 2012 and shows a lovely white sand beach and clear lagoon.