Writing a Postcard

Author: Jeff Durham

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!

Love Jenny, Tony & Alice xx

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JOSE CARLOS 26/09/2012 at 4:25 pm

Hi my old friend, I am in piura it`s so fantastic here ....i visit turistic places, for example i went toCotacaos, i bought a lot of thing (souvenirs), also i went to Mancora.and took many photos there. i ate seco de cabrito with tamalito verde is very delicious, after that i ate an ice cream on the chalan. well a have to go, see you the nex weekend. jose carlos.

RenSex 24/09/2012 at 5:01 am

Hi Renzo, how are you, I write because. I'm travel vacation in Mancora and beaches is very nice and I'll take photos. Return next week to begin college, and we are, Greetings.

See you soon

Goodbye.

angel 23/09/2012 at 5:31 pm

Hi Carlos

is fantastic here . i am staying in hotel near the mancore the hotel ditueded in fornt of the beach . the hotel have the beautifull and comfortable rooms and the food is delicius . i am enjoyed my stay . the beach is very clean and the peope here is friendly and the girls are beautifull well hope you have a nice weekend my friend i see you the next week and i ll give some presents the mancora . goodbye !

Stefanin 23/09/2012 at 1:13 am

Hi,Stefano
I can't belive we're finally in Peru with my family and It's fantastic country.We're staying in a fantastic hotel just a five minutes walk from "Baños termales" and "Plaza de Armas".
The weather has been very wet. Today we visited the famous "Real Felipe" of Callao and tomorrow we're going to travel at Chicalyo and then visit "Tumbas Reales de Sipán" . The food is very delicous here, I ate "Ceviche and "Pachamanca" !
Give my love to ereyone

I´m Pretty 21/09/2012 at 7:03 pm

Hello friends I am writing from my room and say there will be an earthquake today but I do not think that only God knows and we just have to wait and see what happens. The day is normal as any day I hope are well, greetings Maria De Jesus Torero.

JulioT 21/09/2012 at 4:20 am

hi carlos, greetings from Norway!, i'm in Oslo.i'm staying in a Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel. The weather is cold and sunny. yesterday,i visited the bojavik street, skershus fortress, opera house oslo, and Palace of the Storting.i'm a writing this postcard in a hotel, see you soon!

pepelucho 18/09/2012 at 4:45 pm

Hi mario, I hope you are well. I'm writing to tell you that by Cajamarca. but upon arrival, I was very impressed by beautiful scenery , I invite you to come when you can, you'll like it. Mauricio

juanpa 17/09/2012 at 6:00 pm

Hi, jose. I'm in cusco in this moment. It's wonderful here! People are friendly and there are a lot of tourist places. I visited Ollantaytambo , Paucartambo , Machu Picchu , Limatambo and another places. And the food is so delicious. I have eaten different dishes like a Olluco con carne,Pepián de Cuy o Conejo,Chicharrón con mote,Timpo . You have to visit cusco next month. Well, I have to sleep, i'm very tired. See you soon. bye

Mario Q 16/09/2012 at 2:58 pm

Dear esther, greetings from Peru. It's great. I am staying in my aunt's house near the Lima university.The weather here, is very cold .Yesterday, I visited to my parents, the main square of Ventanilla and the beach Costa Azul. We went the cinema. Yesterday was a today nice.I am writing this postcard in my room with my sister. Take care, love.

Carlos 15/09/2012 at 10:28 pm

Hi Karen, Greetings from Chile. I'm in Santiago. It's great. I'm staying in a hotel neat the beach. The weather is warm and sunny. Yesterday, I visited the museum and Chile's National Stadium. I'm writing this postcard in a café by the sean. See you soon! Love. Carlos.

JC 13/09/2012 at 2:43 pm

Hi, Victor. I'm in Iquitos in this moment. It's wonderful here! People are friendly and there are a lot of tourist places. I visited Puerto de Belen, Rio Amazonas, Lago Zungarocha and another places. And the food is so delicious. I have eaten different dishes like a juane, inchicapi, tacacho and cecina. You have to visit Iquitos next month. Well, I have to sleep, i'm very tired. See you soon. Take care!

NICOL 13/09/2012 at 12:01 am

Hello, macol. I'm in Trujillo. In trujillo , the people is very loving and interesting. I viseted very places turistic for example: La libertad, Huanchaco, Ruinas de Chan Chan. the clinate is cold and cool. the food is very delicious, my food favorite is El ceviche. My family and I staying in the hotel " RAYITOS DE SOL". I'm writing this poscard in a restaurant.

LOVE, ESMERALDA

melanie 12/09/2012 at 7:27 pm

Hello, greetings from Peru. I´m in Lima, it´s wonderful here, I´m staying at a friend´s house. Everyone is really nice and welcoming. The weather is very hot right now , it is also very humid. The Food is delicious here, one of the best I have ever tried.I hope you´re enjoying your holidays. much love

joselin 12/09/2012 at 5:14 am

Hello Amy, I'm in Japan, my brither and I visiting my father .Tokio is beautiful is the best city for my because the weather is very good, yesterday i visited the houses traditional with my family.we went to the disco and danced for hours. We visited the shopping center and bought beautiful clothes are very cheap, i'm taking a lot of photos, the food is delicious but i prefer in Peru,the people are fantastic and are the diferent countries.

Sara Lissete 10/09/2012 at 4:13 am

Hi Paula. I am in Spain. It´s beautiful. I´m Stayind in a hotel La Libertad in form of the Museum Van Gogh The weather is snowy an ici, yesterday. I visited the museum and Sport Club Ajax Amsterdam tomorow. Igo to a concert of Orquesta Sinfonica Real. I´m writing this postcard in a place Muralla. Its near restaurant Bachiche.

With love

Sara Lisete

eduwr 10/09/2012 at 3:19 am

Hi brother!, I am in Japan. It's a amazing and modern city. The hotel was confortable, the people were amazing and the weather was too cold. I went to the "megacities" like Tokyo Midtown, Harumi Triton Square, Odaiba and others. The food was delicious, I love the ramen. Well brother, the next week I arrive to Peru. See you bro. Love Eduardo Wong.

Sharys 10/09/2012 at 1:58 am

Hi, Lucia. I´m in lima. My city is very amazing. In here people are very friendly well i have friends really really friendly, there are a lot of places that you can visit, for example: parque de las aguas, the center of lima,etc The food are delicious in diferents restaurants that you can see so you need to visit the city of kinds, Lima. I can see you, take care. Bye

Jacqueline 10/09/2012 at 12:16 am

Hi, greetings from Piura, miracles, I'm hosted at a hotel called the Emperor, is close to the beach of piura, this city is beautiful, I have visited museums, markets, picnic areas, and I write this postcard from the beach of piura.
I hope to see us soon, greetings. Jacqueline

fiore95 09/09/2012 at 10:52 pm

hi gloria greetings from korea
im in seoul.its great. im staying in a hotel near the river han. the weather is could but is beautiful.yesterday, i visited the busan city and musium. im writing this postcard in a cafe of the town.
see you soon
cinthya

silvia 09/09/2012 at 10:32 pm

Hi, Lucia. I´m in Huánuco. My city ir very nice. In here the people is very friendly, there are a lot of place tourist, for example: Kotosh, the principal church, the center. The food is delicious pachacamanca, picante de cuy, locro de gallina. Well, I can see you, take care. Bye

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