Malang, Indonesia

Coral reef stamps from 2017 commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Indonesia.

Tikhaya Bay, Hooker Island

Hooker Island is part of Franz Josef Land: a Russian archipelago far above the Arctic Circle. A little further north than Svalbard. At one time the island was a base for polar exploration and meteorologic research. I don't think much goes on there now. Mainly research I guess. Tourism is growing though and every summer a post office at Tikhaya Bay opens for business. That's where this letter came from.

The cover I got back was not the cover I sent. My cover letter requested that the enclosed letter, stamped and addressed, be returned to me.  But instead they literally returned my cover letter under a new cover with different stamps, as shown above. Perhaps my original cover was damaged or stolen or lost of something. Who knows. Or they literally interpreted my request to mail back "the letter" to mean "mail back my cover letter". Pretty sure I used enough postage.

For reference, this is the address I used:

Post Office - Почтовое отделение
Tikhaya Bay - Hooker Island
Franz Josef Land
Arhangelsk obl.
163110
RUSSIAN FEDERATION

East London, South Africa

Mario Zucchelli Antarctic Station

Although this was mailed from the US Antarctic base McMurdo Station it was actually sent back to me from Italy's Mario Zucchelli Station which is 350km north of McMurdo. There is a PNRA (Programma Nazionale Di Ricerche in Antartide) 34th expedition hand stamp on the left.

France, Marianne l’engagée

Christmas colours. These stamps are from a book of gummed "Marianne l’engagée" stamps issued on 12 November for the 72nd Autumn Philatelic Exhibition. The booklet contains stamps for priority letters (red) and second class letters (green). Thank you François.

Mars InSight Landing

Postmark commemorating the landing of the Mars InSight lander on the Martian surface on 26 November 2018. Shortly after landing it returned the first ever recording of wind on Marts.  And just yesterday it placed the first seismic sensor on the surface of the planet.

Åland, Christmas 2018