Before the advent of mobile phones and e-mail sending a postcard to somebody whilst you were on holiday was a tradition that most of us participated in. We’d usually set aside half a day to buy, write and post all of our postcards to friends and family. More people go on holiday more than once a year these days. Add on shorter holidays too, e.g. mini breaks and weekends, alongside the fact that access to the internet, e-mail and live instant messaging services in virtually any location together with text and picture messaging on mobile phones, means that the technology available to us nowadays enables us to keep in touch with loved ones far more quickly and easily. Consequently, the postcard has tended to become overlooked by most of us as a way of keeping in touch.
Short and Sweet
However, some ‘traditionalists’ still prefer to send postcards. The key is always to try and send them so that they reach the recipient before you get back from holiday. This isn’t always easy to achieve as some countries’ postal services might not be quite as quick as we’d like so you can often end up having returned from holiday and telling all your family and friends what a wonderful time you’ve had and the postcard arrives a week later.
In essence, the postcard is simply an informal means of telling loved ones that you’ve arrived at your destination safely and that all is well. There isn’t usually a lot of space to write too much and we’re all familiar with the well known phrase,” Weather is great, wish you were here”, used by so many to quickly let people know that you’re OK.
The style of your writing is usually going to be very informal. Not only might you use slang terms but people often use incomplete sentences that still make sense just so they can fit more into the available space. This style has, in effect, been adapted today and used when sending text messages. Paragraphs, too, tend to be disregarded in order to conserve more space.
Here is an example of how you might write a postcard.
Its a little more informative than simply writing, “Wish you were here.”!
Hi Susan and John,
It’s fantastic here! We landed on time and the coach journey to our hotel only took 15 minutes. Weather is unbelievable. Sunny and hot. 35C every day since we arrived. You should see the hotel.
The pool is massive and there’s a great mini-pool for Alice to swim in with lots of slides for her to play on. She’s really having a ball and she’s made a couple of friends already so that’s a relief.
The only time we ever see her is when she wants a lemonade or ice cream. Food’s great, buffet style, as much as you can eat and lots of variety. Going on a catamaran trip tomorrow. Whale watching. Hope we see some huge ones. Got some great photos to show you when we get back. Well, time I hit the beach. Gotta keep the tan going, ha ha! See ya next week!
Hi. Diego.
It`s fantastic here. The food is very delicious and the people are very friendly. Everydays the people make a partys and i go with a friend that i met here. In the mornings i do excercise and i play futball
I visited a tourist place and it`s very gorgeous. When i`m gonna to the city i`m gonna tell you a lot of things that happened me!!!
See you soon my friend!
Dear Diego!!
DanielitooRC - 13 January 2012 @ 12:54 AM
Hi Francesco, im writting to you becaeuse i want you to know how fantastic is where im staying. The place is near lima at 119 km of the south panamericana, the weather is terrific it is always sunny, the sea is so calm a baby can swim there, the people who go, well tha mayority is of other country.
Mihaelo.
mihaelo - 30 September 2011 @ 11:30 PM
Hello man , I am writing this letter to talk to you about some experiencies here in mancora. There beautiful beaches and you can stay in a hotel near the beach. The food is delicious. If you come here , you are going to eat ceviche , rice with seafood , jalea , and other dishes. The girls are beautiful , they are from other country , because Mancora is overrun with tourists.
lucho - 10 September 2011 @ 4:37 AM
Hi luciana and Sara
I'm in Cusco, is a very nice and interesting city, the weather in the morning is a little sunny and in the night is very cold but now is not rain. I'm staying in my house with all my family, the last week i visited many particular places like, Sacsayaman, Pisac, Macchu Picchu, Urubamba and more places too, everything is very beutifull here, i write this postcard in San blas, see you soon.
love Neih
Neih Chu - 6 September 2011 @ 3:27 AM
Hi dear Maria, i'm in Argentina for a couple of weeks for vacations. I´m staying in a beautiful hotel near to the center of the city, so i can visit a many of famous places of here. I hope your vacations are so good too , and you having a very good time in España, see you soon take caree .
Kisses,Luvia
Mariia - 6 September 2011 @ 12:34 AM
Hi Leonard, I´m in Mexico. I arrived yesterday at 9 a.m. I´m staying in a hotel near the Reforma avenue in Mexico D.F. All the city is amazing and it has a lot of places to visit, like the cathedral of Guadalupe. The weather is hot and rainy. Tomorrow I´m going to Cancun, people say the it have the best beaches in latinoamerica. The food its unique and delicious. I would like to travel again with you. See you soon. Keep in touch Carlos
JuRa - 5 September 2011 @ 5:57 PM
Hi Kasandra!
I'm in Iquitos. I'm very well. I'm staying in a very nice hotel near the Amazonas river. The weather is hot and rainy, and that´s wanderful.
Last week I went to a very small village, here the people was very friendly with me.
Well that's all.
See you soon!
Love
Steven
Steven - 4 September 2011 @ 4:47 AM
I traveled to Cajamarca with my brother for five days in our car because he was stressed and he wanted to relax .we were in a hotel in the town, the people in Cajamarca was very friendly and interesting, the avenues are very clean and the house are beautiful, all the days were wonderful but the water in the morning it’s very cold the wasn’t hot water in the bathrooms.
In the mornings and at night the weather it’s cold but at noon it’s very hot ,The foodin huancayo is verydelicious, I like a lot the soup in the mornings , there are some people that don ‘eat breakfastbuttheyeat foodhow soup in the mornings , I like a lot the soup of huancayo .
There are a lot of shop centers in the town so we buy some things how fruits, steaks and other things.We traveled on tours to other parts from huancayo.
I would like travel again with my brother because the trip was very funny.
lucho - 3 September 2011 @ 3:08 PM
Hi Miss Gina
Gretings fron Italy!
I'm in Roma. It's beautifull. I'm staying in a Roman hotel. The weather is so hot. Yesterday I visited the Rome Coliseum. I love Italy. The food is delicious. I'm writing this postcard to invite to Italy.
See you soon.
Profesora Gina - 2 September 2011 @ 9:13 PM
i'm in cuzco , is very nice . i'm staying in an Hotel . Yesterday , i visited Machu Picchu.It's beautiful. The weather is cool.The last nigt I was to the discotec.
The people is veryfrriendly.
l., - 2 September 2011 @ 2:12 AM
I'm in New York, isvery nicecity.Im staying in aPlazaHotel near a Central Park in 5 avenue.the weather is warm and springs. YesterdayvisitedMetropilitanMuseum and Saint Patrickcathedral. Last monday visited The estutua of the freedom isn't verybig. Im writing this postcard in astarbucksinmadison street.
love.David.
