Australia, Two Series

Gibraltar FDCs

A friend surprised me last year with two wonderful FDCs from Gibraltar  - one celebrating the 1st ever Gibraltar definitive stamp, the other with the views of the old town. Much appreciated!

Reptiles Of Zaire

I just couldn't resist this set of reptiles of sub-Saharan Africa...and what an interesting bunch it is: Agama agama (rainbow agama) Python regius (royal python) Dasypeltis scabra (egg-eating snake) Naja nigricollis (black-necked spitting cobra) Dendroaspis jamesoni (Jameson's mamba) Chamaeleo dilepis (flap-necked chameleon)

Wild Ass FDCs, Sudan

Every now and then I scan ebay for donkey FDCs, and this time I really feel lucky - this set with African Wild Ass was issued in 1994 and so nicely presented here :)

African wild donkeys live in the deserts and other arid areas of the Horn of Africa, in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. It is critically endangered, with about 570 individuals existing in the wild. This species is believed to be the ancestor of the domestic donkey.

German Various

My sister lives in Germany, and occasionally sends us small packages - which is a great opportunity to use higher-value stamps. So I get a variety on a paper on top of the package, like this one :) A bit late for xmas stamps...or not, here they are in the top right corner :)

The Princess Anne Royal Wedding, Aitutaki

Re: the aforementioned ebay purchase...one of its interesting items :) I have never before heard of Aitutaki stamps, I am happy to have one example in my collection, even if purchased. 

Aitutaki is one of the Cook Islands, north of Rarotonga. It has a population of approximately 2000, and is the second most visited of the Cook Islands. In 1972, Aitutaki established a separate postal service, and has issued its own stamps (mostly printed by Heraclio Fournier in Spain) since then. These issues are primarily intended for sale to collectors.

Post Boxes, UK

A wonderful side-effect to buying stamps on ebay! I got my shipment in this great cover with Post-Boxes miniature-sheet, issued in 2009. The round cancellations are also not to be taken for granted :)