Extreme ChaXi: Seoul to Seattle
I had a bit of a unusual flight plan, stopping off back in Seoul for an hour (just enough time to swig some makgeolli and soy milk, separately) before jetting over to Seattle for a bout off coffee tastings.
How could I resist joining the mile high chaxi club?
Ya, its pretty awesome; though the experience was better than the tea. It was almost exiting really, wondering if they would divert the plane to land in Fiji because I was preforming some terrible messianic ritual. Didn’t happen. Which is OK because Seattle is awesome.
I just asked the stewardess to fill my thermos with hot water – almost an OK temperature! and after a brew, reached out the very nice young lady sitting next to me and shared a cup of tea.
The flavor was a bit muted by the planes air, and at least partialy masked by the reminants of the planes food…
but seriously, who could argue with this chaxi view?
Think I’ll find any okapis hiding in Seattle coffee shops?
They best hope not. I need something kosher.
– Jason
Migrated Comments
Brett
Rad. I love the idea of “the mile high chaxi club.” I’m going to join the next time I take off!
Billabongk Charlott
Hello,
I’m glad to say “the mile high Cha Xi club” counts another member! Indeed, I usually prepare tea in planes, but the taste is always sort of “plane taste”, because it’s true: the air, the food’s smell, and the water… what’s wrong with plane water? I can’t really tell, but this particular water is odd. Anyway, I could not do without tea when flying for such a long time, otherwise I feel too dry!
Jason's Reply
Any water that sit in giant holding tanks needs to be treated with chlorine and fluoride, both of which bind to flavonols and aromatics reducing the taste and aroma of tea. The air in planes is also kept much dryer than many of us are use to (unless we live at high altitude) and that further reduces the airs carrying of volatiles because of faster diffusion times. Not a good setting, but more fun to do than not!
Welcome to the club!
– Jason
Patric Penny
Did it on my flight from narita to lax!
…and all day in lax waiting for my layover haha.
My new chaxi combos with my recently acquired materials are great, I love the stand i got from an shi sung!
Jason's Reply
Man… so long since I have seen any of the stuff I shipped…
It will be a good year for tea wear!
If only I could get them to boil a tetsuban on the plane!
– Jason