United Airlines Gate E8

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By the skin of my teeth, I’m at my gate awaiting the first leg of my trip to India. I fly to Chicago, then Frankfurt, Germany, then on to Chennai, India. But it’s sort of (mistaken, short-sited) to call it the first leg. I actually began this journey long, long ago. Since I have some time to fill - and since you obviously don’t have enough to do, since you’re reading my travel blog -- let me tell you about it. I’ll tell it in the style of a Russian toast (which is another long story for another airport layover some day).

I’m not sure when I first learned that the United States was one of many countries. But it may very well have been when I “inherited” my grandmother Hazel’s stamp collection. As stamp collections go, it was quite modest, comprised mainly of the cancelled stamps she took off letters she received. But there were some foreign stamps as well. You know those tiny ads you see in the back of comic books and magazines advertising “Get hundreds of exotic postage stamps for just $1!”? Grandma must have splurged on one or two of those offers, because there were dozens of Queen Elizabeth stamps of various colors in her collection. I didn’t understand this until I too paid my dollar or two for one of these too-good-to-be-true offers to find - you guessed it - dozens of Queen Elizabeth silhouettes in various colors.

Grandma’s stamp collection was just that - stamps. Instead of an album, the stamps were stored in small jars or used envelopes. I remember them being sorted into empty seed packets and gathered in a shoe box, but I don’t remember if that was my system or her. But there was no album; no pages to pore over and no spaces to fill as new stamps were acquired. I think Grandpa Diede’s annual Christmas $5 bill rectified this problem. One Sunday after church I used that precious $5 to buy an album and probably some of those infamous stamp grab bags. I was an official stamp collector.

I still remember the mysteries those stamps represented. Where was Sierra Leone, and why would they put Disney characters on their stamps? How do you pronounce “Qatar”? What does “CCCP” mean? Where is Helvetica? What is a “Magyar Post”? Those stamps took me on a trip around the world. I guess you could say I’m just catching up with my imagination.

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Comments

[Mom and Dad]

A little late but very welcome.
Today is Jan 12. Just received an email stating that you had added to the blog which was written on Jan 5th. Interesting memories. Too bad Dad nor I can really remember the stamp collection. Maybe with more hints, we will. Hope things are going well. Did you get my e-mail answer? Will we use the same e-mail as you had here. Love you

[dad]

puzzled
Al, I am puzzled about the stamps you allege belonged to my mother. Did I know this,. did you raid the house when dad and I weren't looking. I guess I'm going to have to see this collection sometime. We have been waiting for news from you, but maybe you are going to have to send any mail by snail mail. Love dad

[Mary]

me too!
Hi Allison! How exciting, I'm so happy for your adventure and to be able to follow it via the blog. I have to admit I had the same type of stamp collection. We were talking recently and he didn't remember I had one either ;) I had penpals from across the world, at that time, and it was so fun to add to the collection. Hey - how DO you pronounce "Qatar"?! Happy travels to you. Love, Mary