Day 10: Green Tea With Cranberry

On Thursday (I'm writing this belatedly) my tea was Twinings Green Tea With Cranberry. Again, one of my favourites: I am becoming pretty passionate about green tea, and yet there's something about the fruit flavour that cuts any bitterness so that I can have several cups of it without the odd, 'coating' type of aftertaste that comes with a standard green tea. (I did have a cup of 'plain' green tea and it was all right, but nothing as nice as the cranberry flavour.) It's interesting, since cranberries themselves have a sharp, almost sour flavour - but when you combine them with green tea, the sweetness that is often lost (in muffins or cakes or other sugary options) comes to the fore. I'm fascinated lately by the different flavours that work, often so well, together.

I went to Bristol for the day. I had a meeting to attend in a hotel not far from the airport, and I must say that my journey was not 'travel', but a 'trip'. There's a big difference. Let me explain.

Travel involves seeing new things, or old things with new eyes. Standing still for a moment. Learning. Laughing. Being open-eyed in wonder. Entering into the spirit, the culture. Being ho

peful and joyful. Thinking. Seeing. Experiencing. Breathing in. Noticing. And even buying, entering into the economy! But a 'trip'...that involves none of this. Simple an airport, a shuttle, a conference room with windows sealed off. Noticing nothing, and nothing to notice. Being in a hurry. Working on the computer. Not trying to see anything new but just doing what you have to. Rushing. Being serious. Staring at the phone. Separated from the culture, not even noticing that there is one. And only buying necessities. Yes, I much prefer traveling.

My walk today consisted of walking through Edinburgh and Bristol airports! Walk length: 20 minutes