Shimla Post Office: 2020
Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all would have had a great time with your loved ones this year end. So did I!
This year end I went on a road trip to Shimla with my parents and my 10-year-old brother Om. Well, those 7 days were peaceful and cold. We survived in -6 to -7 degree climate over there but still it was all worth it and bearable if you add up the layers of 2 inners, 1 sweater, 1 jacket, 2 lowers, woollen socks, cap and an ear muffler.
But today I want to talk about a specific memory of mine from the trip.
You all must have noticed that we have a habit of buying a gift (no matter if big or small) for our loved ones; be it parents, friends, partners, siblings and sometimes teachers also come to the list. Well I also have a similar habit but, sometimes I am not good at selecting THE gift for the person.
So recently another gift confusion situation happened with me while I was in Shimla. Unable to guess what’s perfect for them, a pen with written Shimla on it or a stretchable slime? Because that’s what I got in the search. I almost did 2 to 3 parade rounds on the Mall Road to find the 4 perfect gifts but ended up buying 4 postcards for myself.
As the day ended, the year changed and it was 2020. Woah! Well we were supposed to leave for Chandigarh in few hours and that’s when an idea came in my mind. I decided to gift them something personal: my feelings and memories of them of last year. I decided to write them a postcard. 📮
I spent almost an hour in front of the Christ Church writing the letter. Seeing me doing something new and different my brother also insisted in writing a letter to someone but we were out of postcards and he didn’t remembered his friend’s address so he decided to carry on with his Sudoku puzzle. After writing them I decided to take my younger brother Om with me to the post office as well, to give him a new experience. Our dad also accompanied us. (and I am glad he did, handling Om alone is a big adventure itself)
Being honest, it was my first time as well in posting a letter. I have written a lot of letters earlier but never posted them instead I would give it to the person myself so this was something new for me as well. So I am glad that he (dad) came and taught us the art of posting a letter.
Starting from buying the correct value stamp, then sticking it on the postcard (with our saliva) and dropping it off in the letter box. What a fun it was as we learnt something new this day. I learned how to post a letter and Om learned that he should remember his friend’s name and address if he needs to post a letter someday!
During our time in the GPO (General Post Office) we met a stamp dealer and a philatelist over there who told Om all about stamps and philately and how one can gain education just with the help of stamps as well. Listening and seeing different types of stamps he (Om) also decided to develop this habit and as a start he bought a 2019’s Children’s Day special stamps (for Rs. 30).
Even I remember my dad telling me once that he used to collect stamps when he was young but I never got a chance to see them as the collection resides at my uncle’s place, but I will try to get a sight of it on my next visit for sure.
Well my 1st day of the decade started with doing what I love: writing!
Well, do let me know your start of the year in the comment section below or on my latest post on Instagram.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/meghnathanvi/?hl=en
Might be wondering where my mom was? Well she was busy discovering the city on her own! Sometimes you just need to spend time with yourself as well.
