Travelling Teabox on the way! - Round 1
Any updates? In the mail yet? Anyone new receive the TTB? Forgive me, but after the last fiasco…I hope we are kept abreast of this…
Is there a list telling us where we are so we know when we can generally expect to receive the box? If this was already addressed and I missed it, sorry.
No, I am still running this round. The Overlords will take over from Round 2 and onwards.
RachanaC, I didn’t post the route publicly because I thought it might be more fun if there was an element of surprise about one’s number and who all was in it. Everybody who were (or are) could (or can) email me at [email protected] to either get the full list of the people on the route or just their number if they wished. Other than that, nobody has been told anything else than the total number of participants, who their recipient is and who their sender is.
I can tell you though, that we are about halfway. The box is with Jason at the moment and excluding him there are still 11 people waiting to get the box before it comes home to me.
I’m sooooo sorry Angrboda! Forgive me!!! I wasn’t sure if you were still keeping track! Thanks for all you do!
The Traveling Tea Box continues!
After much delay and failed attempts to get to the post office before it closed, I have finally shipped out the TTB 1.2 with a bunch of new teas provided my TeaEqualsBliss, JacqulineM, and myself.
It has a tracking code and insurance for up to $150 (it only cost about $2.75 for that) so hopefully there will be no need for another replacement (fingers crossed).
The box now weighs 5 lbs 7.5 oz (about 19 oz more than TEB sent me). I’m not sure how much the original weighed (Angrboda, maybe you know?) but I intentionally added the 19 additional oz because I was contributing teas from both myself and JacquelineM and since it’s still domestic the Flat Rate Shipping isn’t affected by the weight. So, if the current weight is significantly over the weight of the original, the US domestic people should take out a little more than they put back before it gets shipped internationally. I also asked the guy at the post office and he said it would be cheaper to ship the box regular (not flat rate) once it goes international, fyi.
Also, I filled a number of food-grade sample bags with some of the tea from the larger tins that weren’t completely full but were taking up space. I put the extra sample bags I didn’t use in the box in case anyone wants to use them too.
The digital camera that AmazonV contributed is also in there with some (probably poor) pics of my box experience. The software only works on Windows so I wasn’t able to use it. But I took pics with my own camera and will post those as soon as I get a cord to transfer the photos. For the next person who is able to use the camera, feel free to post my pics if you like :)
I also added a little baggie with some of my Steepster business cards. Feel free to take some and hand them out to friends or local tea shops if you like. We’re always looking to get more tea lovers on Steepster!
Thanks again to Angrboda, TEB, Jacqueline, and everyone who isn’t mentioned who was involved in both the original TTB and the TTB 1.2. It was great to see such a cool variety of teas as well as the community support and initiative to get the replacement going. Details of what I took/added to come…
(all this is also noted in the new journal included in the box)
What I Took:
Spicy Chocolate – Kusmi Tea (half)
Sesame – Adagio
Rooibos Cocomint – Adagio
Tropical Fruits Red Tea – Vykasa
Lemonberry – TeaSource
Buckingham Palace Garden Tea Party – The Metropolitan Tea Company
Forever Nuts – DavidsTea
Tea Bag – Benner
Diamond Grade Tie Guan Yin – Norbu Tea
Ya Bao – Norbu Tea
Gauguin’s Impression – Merkaba
House Blend (Coconut White Tea) – Tropical Tea Company
Nilgiri Chamraj Frost – Silver Leaf Tea Co
White Tea – Teatulia
China Yunnan – Grace Tea Company
Yunnan Golden Downy Pekoe – TeaGschwendner
Keemun Finest Chuen Cha – TeaGschwendner
Matevana – Teavana
Dawn – The Simple Leaf
Berry Rooibos – Samovar
What I added:
Mint Green – Wiseman Tea Co
Blackberry Sage – The Republic of Tea
Snow Bunny – Compass Teas
Beach Bunny – Compass Teas
Earl Grey Melange – Custom Blend
Apricot Ginger – Mrs. Kelly’s Tea
African Fruit Bowl – Mrs. Kelly’s Tea
Minnesota BlueBerry – Mrs. Kelly’s Tea
Earl Grey Supreme (tea bags) – Harney & Sons
Banana Split – 52Teas
Mayan Chocolate Chai – 52Teas
Kukicha – Teas Etc
Pu’erh Tuo Cha – Teas Etc
Snow Buds – Rishi Tea
Silver Needle – Rishi Tea
Peony Blanc – La Societe du The
Marinyn GFOP – La Societe du The
Fujian Oolong – La Societe du The
Sugar Caramel Oolong – Golden Moon Tea
White Persian Melon – Golden Moon Tea
Youthberry/Ginseng Vitality Blend – Teavana
The original weighed around 600g leaving Denmark. I don’t know what it weighed when it left Cofftea, but it was already severaly over-weight then. I did ask (a LOT of times) that people try and keep the weight as constant as they could but people seem to have been determined to ignore me on that point…
Wow! Yea, this one is much bigger (600g = approx. 1.3 lbs vs. the current 5.5 lbs one [2,494 g if you’re in Europe]). I didn’t realize it was that significant of a difference.
It mostly comes from the fact that we have an entire new box that didn’t originate internationally. Probably the best thing to do is have people along the way take out some more than they put in. But when it gets to the last US person (not sure who that is) they should just get a new box that weighs closer to that amount (the box shouldn’t cost much, right?). That might be the best thing to do instead of shipping the larger box with all that tea…although I’m not sure what the exact costs are (the guy said the fee for using the Flat Rate Box internally would be around $50 and that it would be cheaper just to send it regularly…).
Maybe. The box itself has been replaced a few times because it was getting worn, and the replacement probably didn’t have the same size. I just really hope that it’s not just because there wasn’t room for the stuff people wanted to add otherwise.
Also, yes I am! Ain’t it pwetty?! It’s Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir with someone riding him, probably a dead warrior being transported to Valhal. The image comes from a picture-stone found on Gotland in Sweden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tj%C3%A4ngvide_image_stone).
So now I have an icon that fits the origin of my name. I’m awfully pleased about it, and I’m fighting the urge to turn my bio-section into a history lesson. (It’s really making me feel my roots too in an incredibly inspiring and irrelevant way)
Yikes! 5.5 lbs is a lot to send overseas, here there is usually a rate for packages up to 2 kg and then the price shoots up. So the person sending internationally will just have to force themselves to take a little more out. (On the other hand, I think I’m the one who gets the box once it leaves North America, so maybe I should shut up….) (~_^ )
So excited that the (new) box is on the move!
Jason you took half the spicy chocolate i sent! oh my, watch out it’s a kicker :)
luckily the Kusmi store is opening in NYC and i’ll be going on friday :)
Yay, I’m so glad that we’re going again.
At 5.5 lbs I’m semi-cringing at how much it’s likely going to cost to ship to Pete who, although he’s in Canada like me, is basically on the other side of the continent. Oh well, I’m mostly just glad that we finally have things back up and running. :)
@Angrboda: For me at least, I didn’t have any real trouble fitting it in the box that came. I packed it pretty good, but it wasn’t overflowing or anything, so it’s probably a combination of a lot of factors. And nice avatar – it has a whole backstory and everything!
@TEB: YES!! I know. Honestly, I have been drinking tea I’ve just been really bad about logging it (kinda sad huh?). I will definitely be putting out some more tasting notes.
@AmazonV: I didn’t actually take exactly half, just close to there. I put the larger portion back in the box. It just sounded really good and it’s hard to estimate by eye when you’re pouring in sample pouches :)
@chana & Jillian: Yea, I think that if the box gets to someone who is concerned about long/international shipping charges they should just take out enough to get it back closer to the original 60g/1.3lbs weight.
Right about now the price does not matter…I am glad that we are in the game once again…tks to all who made this possible…Note: for those who wish to participate in the next TTB…please consider that it may cost a bit to ship but I am so sure it is well worth the $$/euro value!!! Jillian…send me a msg when you receive the TTB…I am once again feeling the excitement that I felt way back in the snowy cold of winter when this all began….Happy Canada Day & 4th of July!…hey Denmark won!!! (I meant the Netherlands!!!) ‘oh those crazy Canucks!!??’
It’s called football, actually. Because… they use their feet. Unlike what you lot insist on calling football in which the players carry the ball around in their hands. (Explain THAT!)
And also Denmark was eliminated ages ago already because we have a crappy team. I’ve decided I’m rooting for the Netherlands now.
Actually, it’s called football because it was played on foot, mostly by the lower class, as opposed to being played on horse back, which is how most of the upper class played their sports (in England). And the term “soccer” isn’t an american term, it’s English as well. It comes from an abbreviation of “Association” plus the additional “er” which was popular in rugby since they would often call the players “ruggers”. Both terms were actually created around the same time, in England, it’s just a misconception that silly americans invented the term.
- you learn something new every day, huh? :)
@Jamie you have to sign up for the TTB in order to be included as a participant. This is a good time to get in on TTB Two. Except I can’t locate the thread. Why isn’t it pinned to the top?
@Dax Pamela Dean found it http://steepster.com/discuss/563-traveling-tea-box-2?page=1 It was the 2nd one I signed up for, sorry for posting in the wrong thread. Said I was ‘in’ 2 months ago and then never heard anything. Reading the updates now, I guess I was supposed to email my info – anyway, there’s always next year =)
Just received the TTB from Jason over the weekend and contacted the next person in line… should have it on its way by the end of the week or next week at the latest!
It arrived today:) I am amazed at the volume of tea in the box.
YAY! I filled it a little too full but I couldn’t bear to take anything else out so I’m sure you can try an extra few without feeling guilty!
There is definitely an element of guilt that goes along with having custody of the box. You don’t want to take too much, but you do need to get the box closed…LOL…Rest assured the box is still quite full and has tons of choices for the rest of the pack.
mrawlins2 and I certainly enjoyed our afternoon with the TTB1.2.
Actually, feel free to take out more than you put in since it’s much heavier than the original TTB that Angrboda sent out, so international shipping (once the flat rate box no longer implies) will be much more expensive than anticipated.
TTB1.2 should be getting close to Frolic by now.
Post office said she should get delivery by Tuesday…Super FAST shipping between TX and CA:)
Got the package monday night.
Mmm it’s fun to go through all the goodness. It’s stuffed to the brim.
moving this here so it’s easier to find, i’ll update this one not the one on page 6 next time
TTB travel order:
0. Angrboda
1. teafiend
2. Kitch3ntools
3. Ricky
4. Mike
5. Jack
6. JacquelineM
7. tea=Bliss
8. AmazonV (Philadelphia, PA)
9. Hyrulehippie
10. Doulton
11. laurenpressley
12. LENA
13. Janni
14. notarevolution
15. Cofftea
Switch to 1.2
16. Jason
17. Alannah
18. threewhales
19. Frolic
20. Suzi
21. Oolonga
22. *
23. *
24. *PeteG
Assuming the box is still with Frolic, there are only 4 more people before it’s your turn, Pete.
Pete! I’m SO SORRY this seems to be happening to you again! BUMMER. Have you contacted Jason? Has he said anything regarding the package?
I haven’t heard anything about the package. Angrboda did all the work so I don’t actually know who is on the list or what the order is. I would assume that Frolic has it or the person after does (I’m not sure who that is). But let me know if I can help any way (I might be able to contact people more easily).
Since it sounds like people were getting concerned, I have been in contact with Suzi who is the next participant last night. She hasn’t received it yet BUT according to the date she was told it would be sent, she isn’t too concerned about it yet.
I also emailed Frolic, but I haven’t heard back from her yet.
If Suzi’s not concerned, I’m not concerned either. I’m about to travel to the Wild Abroads and will return on the 18th, so hopefully things will have sorted themselves before then. If not, we’ll look at it when I come home. I don’t know how much, if any, computer access I’ll have during the trip.
England. Meeting of parents for the first time OMG! O.o Suffolk area at first and then later up to York to visit the guy who introduced us.
Here we go again!!! It appears to me that people get excited about the idea of the TTB but once they receive it no notice is posted to keep the rest of us informed. At the beginning of this run the package was moving quite quickly but now it is slower than molasses in January!
I hope it comes soon I will be off teaching for the fall in another province all together and will not be home…although, assuming it arrives then, I know that it will be fwd to me…and I PROMISE to send it off promptly to the next person in line…
@PeteG, it was very that very reason that Mrawlins2 and myself plowed through the TTB in record time and sent the box off immediately. It seems to me that I recall at the beginning (it seems like the beginning of time…LOL) that the recipient of the TTB should not keep the box more than 3 days before moving it along its journey. Sounds simple enough to me. The cost of the box may be the X-Factor now, but you should plan ahead for the cost and be ready to anti-up within the 3 day time frame!
I made a suggestion to Jason by mail regarding the next TTB, but I’ll throw the idea out here too. In another TTB forum I belong to, we have a hot potato prize. Anyone who can get the box out within 24 hours after receiving it gets an additional small package. We have a “hot potato goddess” who keeps track, and sends out a little package with some tea, tea accessories and a few other trinkets to the hot potato recipient. Most of the people on the TTB list send a few things to the goddess every round so she doesn’t have to foot the bill for the package goodies herself. (She does pay the postage.) It’s a good way to keep the box moving, it’s always fun to get another package, and I’ve received some great little surprises.
I don’t know if folks would be willing to do something like this. It does require that people post when they receive and post when they send the box (including a tracking number, which I think was mentioned somewhere…). It doesn’t have to be 24 hours, we can keep the 3-day idea, depends on what everyone thinks about it.
I think this is a great idea chana! It is not hard to move that box within 24 hours of receiving it, I did it…I got it at noon and by 4:30 the same day, I had it back at the post office!
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