HOW TO SEND POSTCARDs IN LONDON?
It never crossed my mind that I should send postcards to my friends or family members whenever I travel. However, before I came to London, my cousin, also a close friend of mine, told me that I had to send her a postcard with the UK stamp. She is interested collecting postcards from places all over the world and therefore she definitely does not want to leave the UK out.
As a result, instead of buying one postcard for my cousin, I bought a lot of postcards and started sending them to my family members and close friends. This is one of the new experiences that I truly enjoy during my time here in London.
This post is dedicated to providing an easy guideline to send a postcard. It is not rocket-science, of course. However, if it is your first time sending postcards to friends, you may find this post useful.
Where to buy postcards?
You can buy postcards at different prices in a variety of places in London including bookstores, souvenir shops, and famous tourist attractions. However, keep in mind that quality is proportional to prices.
Souvenir shops on the streets:
I find the postcards in the souvenir shops on Oxford Street or around Piccadilly Circus are not appealing, although they are pretty cheap (10 or 12 for £1).
Famous attractions:
Postcards sold in souvenir shops at famous attractions are much more expensive, approximately ranging from £0.5 to £0.7 each. However, their quality is excellent and they are all really beautiful. They are also designed for a specific attraction and therefore you cannot find the same postcards elsewhere.
Scribbler:
They have fun graphical postcards and I like them a lot. Nevertheless, the postcards are a bit pricey, £0.7 each. But rest assured that you will not feel disappointed. The quality of the postcards is very good.
You can also try to buy postcards in bookstores or post offices. I have never tried these places so I am not sure how the postcards look like. But maybe you may find very good ones.
Where to buy stamps?
Stamps prices are different at different places. The cheapest stamp that I bought so far is £1/stamp. However, it is the price in Scotland. The cheapest in London is £1.1/stamp. The price of stamps in Scribbler is £1.3 each. If you buy stamps at any random souvenir shops on Oxford Street, it will be £1.5/stamp.
So some good places for buying stamps at cheapest prices:
You can buy stamps separately for £1.1 each.
Souvenir shops in museums
I bought one strip (5 stamps) for £5.5 in Tate Modern. Keep in mind that in these places, you cannot buy only 1 stamp but you have to buy a whole strip.
How to write postcards?
You can write whatever you would like to share with the person you send the card to. Maybe you can tell them about your experience in London, asking them how they are doing.
The international stamp is on the top right corner of the postcard.
You put the recipient’s address below the stamp.
The content of your card should be located on the left hand-side.
How to send postcards?
You can go to the nearby post office to send your postcards. However, there is a more convenient and easier way of doing that. If you have walked on London streets, you may notice the red postboxes.
These postboxes, together with the phone booths and double-deckers, are the UK’s iconic symbols. You can find these postboxes on almost every street. If not, you can use this site to find the nearest postbox to your location. When you know where the postbox is, the next step is to drop off all of your postcards and wait until the day your friends receive them.
It normally takes two or three weeks for the postcards to arrive so do not panic if your friends have not got back to you immediately.
Also, be prepared that your postcards can get lost and never be delivered to the right address.
I hope that after reading this post, you will buy postcards and start sending them to friends and family members. It is a fun thing to do and also a way for you to express your care as well as share the joy with your beloved ones. Make them a part of your wonderful experience.
