TeaChat

Just got home from a week at the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina. I really missed my loose leaf tea while I was gone! I was reduced to tea bags and I have to say, I've gotten pretty spoiled in a fairly short period of time. I took a variety of bags with me, but the only one I really enjoyed was the Honey Ginseng from Republic of Tea. And it still wasn't anywhere near on par with my loose leaf teas.

So, how do you travel with loose leaf teas and a limited cargo space? Oh, and no access to a kitchen. I was using the hot water spigot on the coffee machine. Suggestions?

Pam

pack my teapot, cups, bags of looseleaf tea and if I wasn´t going to have kitchen access a small electric kettle.

I pack a cardboard tokoname kyusu box with an old kyusu, and assorted paraphernalia. The box is perfect, holding at least 2 sample tins of tea, at least two 3 ounce Chinese cups, thermometer, etc.

Then I hope decent hot water will be available

I have a traveling tea tray I take with me. It holds a zisha pot, tools, and four cups. I also bring along 6 to 10 different teas in medicine bottles, a 2 litre bottle of spring water that I get from a mountain near my house, and a thick walled teapot and butane burner. It weighs a bit, but it is better than not having tea. My wife teases me that I would go without clothes on a trip, before I'd go without tea. Sadly, she's probably right.

also...airport security was not worried about the tea leaves...they breathed a sigh of relief when I opened my big metal cylinders and saw tea inside!

I think pack it in foil bags if you´re flying not metal cans!

I almost missed my flight when I first took some tea in the mylar lined paper bags the first time, as carryon. Every pouch had to be patted down with the little wipes before I could pass through security.

I may need to buy an electric kettle I can take with me. I don't have access to hot water in the housing where I teach. I have to wait until I get to the dining hall to have my tea, and then it's too difficult to deal with the loose tea. Would be better if I could make it in my room.

Pam

I would hazard to say that if you want to travel as light as possible, just bring some tea bags that you know you like, even if they aren't up to par with most loose leafs. Otherwise, a travel kit like those mentioned sound like your best bet.

I'm waffling on the tea bags. That's what I did this last trip, but I REALLY missed my loose teas while I was gone! I've seen that you can get little filter bags and make your own tea bags. Has anyone tried that? Do they travel well?

Pam

They should travel like any other tea bags, just be sure to fold them well and seal them in a ziplock bag. I'm not sure what airport security would think, but that's another story.

Adagio's bags are great btw.

Minimum I take is a cheap gaiwan and some loose leaf. I can normally get hot water and a cup somewhere, or just drink from the gaiwan.

Just got back from my week of teaching in NC. I got the Adagio tea bags and took a bunch of loose teas. It worked out great!! The bags are long so the tea really has room to expand. I'd load up several of them each morning and take them with me. The coffee machines had a hot water tap so making my tea was a snap.

Took a couple oolongs and my yunnan jig with me. yum! I'll never use pre-packaged tea bags again!

Pam

I seal my own loose leaf tea into teabags and bring them to flights.
For other places I have my travel gaiwan set and cold brewing bottle. But I would say teabags are very convenient for traveling as long as it's me who put the leaves in them and as long as the bags don't cost more money than the tea leaves

grandpa style for me.

Zip block bags....and a tea ball(: