Taking your Tea on Vacation?

[chamekke]

Does your nodate natsume include an inner plastic lid? Mine does. I was very surprised when I first saw it, but of course it's meant to ensure that you can securely carry matcha in the nodate with you without having to decant it from its own container.

The basket, chasen, folding chashaku and the bamboo holder are from an ebay store, http://stores.ebay.com/LA-Bamboo-Direct I added my own natsume and chawan. The natsume does not have an inner lid. That is a very nice touch. Are they available without the rest of the set?

My nodate set was bought second-hand from someone in the UK, and they were unable to tell me where they bought it. That natsume is the only one of its type that I've seen. It's so supremely useful, I'm surprised that the inner removable-lid approach isn't available with all nodate natsume-s!

I'm always on the lookout for another, though (hence my question). If I do manage to spot any for sale, I will definitely let you know.

[Beidao]

I came home from a short vacation today. I took only black teas (that can stand boiling water): Nilgiri, Keemun, Darjeeling and Yunnan. They have been around my tea cupboard for quite a long time so I wanted to get closer to finishing them. Also brought my favourite strainer. One of the persons where I stayed remembered me from last time I was there as "the one who brings tea"

Now I'm going on a longer vacation so I bring Jasmine Pearls for the evening, a gaiwan and a few blacks. There are three teastores near where I'm going, not very good but ok, so I will buy most of the tea I need while there. Hoping to get lots of time for tea!