Author: isaac

A Very Japanese Christmas Delivery

Postcard

I’ve just received a stunning batch of 10 postcards from my penpal in Japan, arriving just in time for the Christmas break. From the upcoming 2025 World Expo to vintage railway history, this collection is a vivid window into Japanese heritage and modern celebrations.

Here is a look at each of these special arrivals:

The 2026 Year of the Horse

Technically for the upcoming New Year, this card features a charming “Miharu-goma” (a traditional wooden toy horse) from Fukushima. It’s a classic Nengajo (New Year’s card) style, wishing for a year of health and happiness.

Winter Greetings: Snowy Village

A cozy, illustrative card showing a snow-covered street with a lit-up Christmas tree in the window. The stamp and “Fukuoka Central” postmark feature a beautiful reindeer design, perfectly capturing the winter spirit.

Mt. Fuji & Expo 2025

This card is a real standout, featuring a shimmering, textured Mt. Fuji and cherry blossoms. It celebrates the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, featuring the quirky red-and-blue mascot, Myaku-Myaku, on both the stamp and the special commemorative postmark.

Winter Greetings: Colourful Pines

Another lovely seasonal card with a softer, pastel aesthetic. It depicts a snowy forest with vibrant, decorated trees. The postmark from Fukuoka Central matches the winter theme with a stylized tree design.

Sunflowers in Summer

A bright contrast to the winter cards! This vibrant field of sunflowers feels like a warm hug. Interestingly, the postmark features a cute pair of foxes, part of the “My Travel Stamp” series.

Hakodate Night View

A breathtaking night shot of Hakodate, Hokkaido—famous for having one of the most beautiful “million-dollar views” in the world. The postmark features a fluffy Shima Enaga (Long-tailed Tit), a bird iconic to the Hokkaido region.

Imperial Visit to the USA, 1975

A piece of history! This commemorative card marks the 1975 visit of Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun to the United States. It features the Japanese flag draped with flowering dogwood, a symbol of friendship between the two nations.

The End of Railway Mail Service

This card is a treat for history buffs, commemorating the end of Japan’s railway post office service in 1987. It shows the “Meiji Era” mail carriages and the hardworking staff who used to sort mail while the trains were in motion.

Opening of the Joetsu Shinkansen

Celebrating the 1982 opening of the Joetsu Bullet Train line. The artwork depicts the iconic “200 Series” Shinkansen alongside Japanese Crested Ibises (Toki), which are native to the Niigata region the train serves.

International Year of Space, 1992

Rounding out the collection is this cosmic card from 1992. It features satellites and space stations, with a special “Tokyo Central” postmark commemorating Japan’s contributions to space exploration during that era.

I’m particularly drawn to the shimmery Mt. Fuji card, but that little Shima Enaga bird on the Hakodate postmark is a very close second!

Postcards from the Peak: My 5 Picks from San Marino

Postcard, Travel

There is something timeless about San Marino. Perched high atop Mount Titano and surrounded entirely by Italy, this tiny microstate feels like a living medieval fairy tale. During my recent visit, I couldn’t resist picking up a few postcards that perfectly capture the spirit of the “Serenissima Repubblica”.

Here are the five postcards I added to my collection:

1. The Guaita Tower at Golden Hour

The first card is a stunning photograph of the Prima Torre (Guaita). It’s the oldest of the three iconic towers and dates back to the 11th century. I love this shot because the warm streetlamps and the setting sun against the stone walls make the fortress look incredibly welcoming, despite its rugged cliffside perch.

2. The Statue of Liberty (Statua della Libertà)

No, not the one in New York! San Marino has its own Statue of Liberty located in the Piazza della Libertà. This white Carrara marble statue is a symbol of the country’s fierce independence and democratic roots. Seeing it against that crisp blue sky on the postcard reminds me of how clear the air feels at 700 metres above sea level.

3. Modern Art: “Prima Torre” by Sergio Ruggeri

I wanted something a bit different from a standard photo, and this illustration by Sergio Ruggeri hit the mark. It’s a minimalist, almost surrealist take on the Guaita tower. The soft, rounded shapes and the floating red-and-white ball give it a playful, modern energy that contrasts beautifully with the ancient subject matter.

4. The Historic San Marino–Rimini Railway

This card features another Ruggeri illustration, this time depicting the historic Ferrovia Elettrica. This train once connected San Marino to the Italian coastal city of Rimini before it was damaged during WWII. The artwork shows the blue-and-white carriage crossing a bright orange viaduct—a lovely piece of local nostalgia.

5. The National Flag (Libertas)

Finally, I had to get a simple, classic shot of the San Marinese flag. The white and blue horizontal bands represent peace and liberty, featuring the national coat of arms in the centre. Seeing it fluttering against the sky is a constant sight as you wander the narrow, winding streets of the capital.

A Special Souvenir

What makes these cards even more special is the official Poste San Marino cancellation mark. I managed to get one stamped on 29/11/2025 with a special “Natale delle Meraviglie” (Christmas of Wonders) design. It’s a small detail, but for a collector, it’s the perfect finishing touch.

Which one is your favourite? The classic photography or the stylised illustrations? Let me know in the comments!

My postcrossing profile change

Postcard

Receiving a warning from the Postcrossing team is an email no one wants to find in their inbox. It was a complete gut punch. My profile, which I believed was a fun summary of my years in the community, had been flagged for not following the guidelines. The email felt accusatory, and my first instinct was to defend myself. I was faced with a choice: argue with the team or fix the problem. I chose the latter.

My Old Profile: A Detailed Wishlist with a Warning

My original profile was built on a simple idea: helping other Postcrossers. After years of sending and receiving cards, I knew that having a wishlist could make it easier for someone to choose a postcard they knew I would love. My profile included a detailed list of my favourite themes, but with a clear disclaimer that it was only a wishlist. Unfortunately, the Postcrossing team saw it differently. They felt my profile, despite the disclaimer, was too prescriptive and could put pressure on senders to find a very specific card. Their warning was clear: the profile needed to be less demanding.

Another issue was a message I had included for scammers. I had written a stern warning to those who use cheap, mass-produced internet cards to fulfill their postcard obligation to receive genuine, unique postcards from other members. While I believed I was helping to protect the community, the team flagged this message as confrontational and against the spirit of Postcrossing.

The New Profile: From “Wishlist” to “Ideas”

Instead of arguing, I reread the Postcrossing guidelines and decided to fully embrace the community’s core principle: any postcard is a good postcard.

I rewrote my profile to remove any sense of a wishlist. I took out specific examples, certain emojis, and reframed my interests in a much more open way. I also removed the warning to scammers. I also made the disclaimer about my interests much more obvious, so no one can miss it.

To ensure my new profile followed the guidelines, I even used an AI to review my new profile against the official Postcrossing guidance. The feedback confirmed that my new profile was fully compliant.

This is still an ongoing matter. The email from the Postcrossing team mentioned they would review my profile again to ensure it remains compliant. I am hopeful this will be the end of the matter and a good example of how sometimes, the best way to move forward is not to argue your point but to simply make a change.

Noway Royal, Taihang Mountains and Central African

Postcard

This week’s postcards highlight include a maximum card (exhibition card) from Norway, a few Taihang Mountaints maximum cards and one dinosaur fossile card from Central Africa.

Norway Post has regular exhibition cards published each year. I received this one from a postcrossing user. It was published 20 years ago with the Royal Family there. The exhibition location was in Riccione, Italy.

The Taihang Mountains are a Chinese mountain range in Shanxi, Henan and Hebei provinces. I have never been there before. This set of maximum cards was sent by a friend in China.

The last one is a very rare one from Central Africa. The theme is a dinosaur fossil from Nanyang, and it was sent by a friend from China. The postmark was Post Central Africa in Nanyang, China. Presumably, it was in a stamp show in Nanyang. Post Central Africa went there and produced the maximum card.

Ear injury

Sentiment

The assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Pennsylvania recalls Mike Tyson’s bite on Evander Holyfield. I was once a big fan of him.

Ears are fragile organs. I personally had a few ear injuries mainly from swimming. Now I have ear drops every time I finish swimming so I won’t have another infection.

We should protect and look after our ears.

Jettzy’s unfair fee on cancellation flight ticket

Law

In September of last year, I booked a flight to Egypt for Easter through Jettzy, an unknown agent. The flights were on Qantas and Jordanian Airlines. However, two months later, in November, Jordanian cancelled my flight from Bangkok to Amman, forcing me to cancel my booking altogether. When I sent the request, Jettzy insisted on charging me a service charge of $80 and a credit card fee. I find it ridiculous that I am being charged for a service that was not delivered.

In the first response to my query, the service representative sent me a message in Chinese that was completely irrelevant to my concerns. When I sent my queries again, I received a reply from the same person in broken English, stating that it was company policy to charge me the fee. I escalated the issue to their manager, but they just repeated the company policy again. Frustrated with the lack of assistance, I decided to take legal action. This initiated a long battle between myself and the unknown agent.

I chose NCAT to file a consumer dispute because of their quick and satisfactory service in my previous experience.

When I was gathering the necessary documents for my NCAT application, I came across more informnation about this agent Jettzy. This agent was based in New Zealand and did not have a presence in Australia. Upon further investigation, I discovered that the business was founded by foreign investors and relied on unprofessional staff who did not speak English well. To my surprise, the person who responded to my NCAT application did not have a good understanding of Australian legislation.

During the first hearing, Jettzy was absent as they claimed they did not receive the correspondence from NCAT. Later, they confirmed that they had indeed received the letter and would participate in the second hearing. The second hearing was conducted via a conference call last month and the outcome was satisfactory. The order mandated Jettzy to refund me the service charge as well as the credit card fee.

Purchasing tickets from agents is sometimes unavoidable. Although agents may have company policies allowing them to charge different fees, they must abide by Australian legislation. If you encounter any unfair charges, the best course of action is to take legal action and reclaim your money. Some businesses are attempting to scam customers out of their money. Although it may be time-consuming and exhausting, you should not give them the chance to make a dishonest profit.

One-Day Adventure in Mexico City 

Travel

I previously went to Cancún in Mexico. However, when I told other people I’ve been to Cancún, they don’t think that’s real Mexico. I have to go to the centre of Mexico.

My flight from Sydney to Dallas was delayed, so I had to stay one night in Dallas. On the second day, I finally made it to Mexico City.

My day began at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, an architectural masterpiece that left me spellbound. Its Art Nouveau and Art Deco fusion adorned the heart of city. As I stood outside, looking at its intricate façade, I couldn’t help but feel like I was part of a living canvas. The guards, oddly strict about photography, allowed only mobile phones. But honestly, the exterior stole the show.

Lunchtime called for street tacos—the soul of Mexico City. I followed my nose to a bustling corner, where a taquero skillfully assembled my al pastor taco. Each bite was a celebration of street food culture.

In the afternoon, at the Palacio Nacional, I stepped into Diego Rivera’s world. His murals depicted Mexico’s tumultuous history—the struggle, resilience, and triumphs. The vivid colors and larger-than-life scenes transported me through time. Rivera’s brushstrokes whispered secrets of revolution and identity.

I didn’t stay that long in Mexico City but my day here was full of sights, tastes and emotions. It’s a much better experience than Cancún. Now I can tell other people I’ve been to Mexico.

Northern Route

Travel

I came to Europe via Finnair this year as usual. This year’s transit was in Seoul. I worked late the night before – replying to all emails, finalising jobs as much as I could and posting my timesheet, so i slept so well in the flight to Seoul and also the first half of my flight to Helsinki. When I woke up, I was very surpruised to see this flying route

What on earth happened? The plane was heading to Alaska first, crossed the North Pole then headed down to Helsinki – this was an interesting route.

From Helsinki to Asia was once a shortcut – for some reason it’s a lot quicker than other cities, so I know some Germans even travel to Helsinki first rather than taking direct flight. Due to the war, Finnair couldn’t take the Russian route, so the travelling time was a lot longer . Last time when I travelled with Finnair early this year, it took a strange route below Ukraine, not a direct line just to avoid the war zone. But this time it took a step further to North Pole!

Many years ago, when I was travelling with Air China from Beijing to New York, it also took the North Pole route. Not for Russian reason, and I think it crossed Russia. So I guess it was not the first time I went to the North Pole.

In the end I received a certificate from Finnair showing I took the North Route – no name on it of course. It doesn’t even mention the other side of the city, so I guess it can be issued for all Helsinki to Asian flights!

Bangkok

Travel

I was on the way to Israel via Bangkok. The original idea was to stay in Bangkok for half a day and see a friend.

So I arrived on Wednesday and then saw Nick, had dinner. Then I went back to the airport. To my surprise, I couldn’t find my flight. I checked again and again, in the end I asked the airport people and realised that my flight was on the second day. So I booked a flight with a transit of 30 hours. This never happened to me. I didn’t plan to do anything and I felt I wasted a day. Also why did the airline allow me to have a stop over of 30 hours? I felt embarrased to be told my the airport staff.

Anyway, if I knew I had a day in Bangkok, I would book a tour to the floating market but I lost the opportunity on the day before, so it’s going to be on my list for the next time if I take a transit in Bangkok.

Bobbo first attempt

Sentiment

Bobbo is the Bobbin Head cycle route. Our firm organised a team for it and I signed up for the 58km ride.

I didn’t practise much for the ride. The full ride is 107k, and I was not crazy enough to do that, so my option was good.

From my place in Sydenham, I need to take the train to the start line at Karuah Park, it’s around 1-hour train ride. I got up at 4:30am, had some food and rode to Sydenham Station. On the way, I realised I didn’t bring the sunglasses, so I had to come back. When I went to the Station again, I was still on time. When I was on the train, I found something big: I forgot to bring the helmet, so I had to come back again to bring the helmet. When I was on the train again, I was 20 minutes late.

It’s probably not the best start to a ride but when started the ride, I was the last one in my group. In the beginning, the road was pretty flat, but then we turned to a mountain, it was first downhill to Bobbi Head, and then the mountain challenge started. Honestly, I didn’t find the challenge that difficult. Then it was a good ride along at some nice suburbs. The houses were so big, definitely better than my little house, and then we turned into Terrey Hills. There were some additional small hills but they are so sharp, then there was one before the second drink station, I had to dismount the bike and walk. The best moment for me was to see the 10k sign, so I could finally enjoy my ride.

My watch told me I finished this ride at 3 hours 19 minutes but I only did 56.84km, not 58km, so I might have cut some big corners.

It was a good experience. If the firm organises the same event next year, I will do that again.