Turkmenistan

Ashgabat : Turkmenistan.

A wonderful card and my first from Turkmenistan. Thank you Parco for this card from your recent trip there. Turkmenistan formerly Known as" Turkmenia "and one of the Turkic States in Central Asia. Turkmenistan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest , Uzbekistan to the south east and east , Afghanistan to the south east , Iran to the south west and The Caspian Sea to the west.
   Present- day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilisations for centuries. In medieaval times the City of Merv (known today as Mary ) was one of the greatest cities in The Islamic world an important stop on the Silk Road, a large road that was used for trade with China until the middle of the 15th Century. Annexed by The Russian empire in 1881 Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the Anti Bolshevik movement in Central Asia and in 1924 Turkmenistan became a constituent Republic of the Soviet Union.. The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR) and it became independent upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The biggest city is  the city of Ashgabat and is also the Capital of Turkmenistan..
 Thank you once again Parco..

Australia.

Australia : 1914.                         " Little did they know what was awaiting them".

This is another of The cards recently released by Australia Post commemorating 100 years since the departure of Australian troops "Off to The First World War"  in the Middle East and France.
They all gathered in Albany Western Australia and at dawn on November the 1st 1914  "A Great Convoy " of over 40 ships loaded with 30,000 Australian and New Zealand troops along with 7,477 horses and many thousands of tons of supplies  steamed out from King Georges Sound  in Albany bound for the Middle East.  Subsequently most landed in Egypt and went onto Gallipoli and also Syria, Palestine,and Jordan where the A.N.Z.A.C. legend was born. For many of the boys on these ships this would be their last sighting of Australia as over 8,000 were never to return. sadly, along with all their wonderful  horses ..only one horse ever returned to Australia..These horses were a magnificently strong breed of horse known as "whalers " as they came from New South Wales..and the men that rode them were tough country boys that signed up for The Australian Light Horse. A.L.H..  along with their New Zealand counterparts they were a force to be reckoned with. Many troops would follow this initial contingent and be shipped off to build the forces and replace the huge amount of Casualties being suffered within the ranks of The Australian Forces..
  My father was one of these mounted troopers in the Australian Light Horse. Looking back now it is hard for me  to believe that it has been one hundred years........ Lest We forget..

Australia

Australia :1914                                        OUR BOYS..

 A wonderful set of cards recently released , First day of Issue by Australia Post "stamped " Albany WA. Commemorating 100 years since" Our Boys" left to travel overseas to the Middle East and France for their effort in the First World War.  At this time Australia had a small population and this war was to deplete the population severely as so many were not to return, leaving a lot of small country towns completely devoid of men and as a result women had to do everything that was needed for the towns to function. Australia was so affected by this war and the loss of the biggest and the best of the nations male population that now sees a war memorial in every town and city  that one visits in the country..The card shows the uniform of the time. as in the early stages the majority of the boys were with (troopers ) The A.L.H. The Australian Light Horse .Mostly recruited from farms and outlying properties and were excellent horsemen as that was the form of transport on the majority of Properties and farms. A wonderful card commemorating this devastating time in Australian History.

New Zealand

Auckland : New Zealand:
 A souvenir card from a visit home to New Zealand..Thanks Heather .This is a lovely colourful card showing the beautiful Auckland Harbour and Bridge  along with The Westhaven Marina..a great view. Thanks for this lovely card..

Thailand

Sukhothai : THAILAND.:

                                                                                 SUKOTHAI.
                       Elephants atWat Prha Phai Luang.
  This Postcard shows a lovely multi -view card of some of the many scenes to be viewed in the amazing Thai city of Sukhothai.. This is a souvenir card that I kept from my visit here to this amazing complex in Sukhothai of Chedis, Temples, Monuments and just so much early Thai architecture..This was once the Capital of Thailand and was ransacked by the Burmese for the gold..A day here is really not long enough and I would surely like to return to this truly amazing old city.. I visited this site  as a "must see" stopover on my "Around the World by Train" Journey..This is a "must see"destination.

Australia.

Sydney : N.S.W.

 This is a souvenir card that I purchased on my last visit to the Railway Shop in Sydney .it is a great card and it shows a 43 Class Co- Co Deisel Electric Locomotive.Part of the early dieselisation programme in N.S.W. involved the sampling of units from many different sources. In line with this policy six Alco powered locomotives were ordered from A Goninan and Co. of Newcastle N.S.W.
  Entering into service in September 1965 The 43 Class often worked "The Daylight Express " between Sydney and Melbourne and as in the scene on the card ,also the Central West Express.
These were withdrawn from service in October 1979.

Russia

Russia :
 I received this really big card from a good friend in Russia and it shows what appears to be the "Blast off " of the Space Shuttle...The many lovely stamps show The Space Centre in Baikonur ..Thank you Natalya for this great colourful card..Posted Ekaterinburg 12 April 2013.. Spasiba..