I could have spent hours browsing the selection here, at L’univers de Leo in Paris

When I moved to England I decided to channel my weakness for stationery into something worthwhile. So I started a postcard project back in October, offering to send a postcard to anyone who requested one.

The final tally: I’ve sent 47 postcards in the last seven months, 16 of which have been for my family (because I send one from every city I visit). My brother joked that he’d have to dedicate a whole wall to my postcards soon.

Writing postcards has become a fun and functional habit—it indulges my love of stationery, helps me stay in touch with friends back home, keeps the dying postal service in business and is a much cheaper habit than buying souvenirs that just gather dust. The only things I ever bring back from my trips are chocolate bars and other edible items :)

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*Tip: If you’re looking to buy postcards in London
The best selection of postcards I’ve found in London—and believe me, I’ve looked all over this town—is in a small convenience store in Hay’s Galleria along the South Bank, on Hay’s Lane. I honestly don’t even remember if the store had a name; it’s just on the left before you enter the Galleria if you’re walking from Tooley St. It’s a small selection, but they’ve got a lot of interesting historic ones. A lot classier than the garish close-ups of the Queen where you can see all her pores. The postcards here cost about £0.60 per card. The cheapest postcards I’ve seen are sold in the souvenir shops lining Oxford Street, for £0.10~0.15 apiece. 

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