In Which One Laughs at the Fickle Finger of Fate

I returned to the little shop where I’d found the Raming Organic Jasmine tea.

If you haven’t read about that, then you’ve sadly missed out on the blockbuster tea buying adventure story of the decade and you need to start about six blog entries back.

I decided to buy another couple of boxes and try to get them through customs.

This time, the little shop was packed. The ginger cat had wandered off, and I probably spoke more Thai than the collected masses spoke English, and while “Hello”, “How much”, “Thank You” and “Tea” are the backbone of a tea vendor/vendee’s conversation, there’s not much room for complexity.

I looked through the cold drinks. There was a range I’ve become very fond of, but that I will not write about until I return home and can use photos. The only one I have not tried is their lemon one, because of my citrus allergy.

I grabbed a strawberry milk instead.

They had one box of Raming left so I grabbed it. Then something caught my eye.

It was a little yellow box, that at first, I thought was something like Tiger Balm. But I shook it. It sounded like tea!

Trembling hands rolled it about until I found the front. A picture of horses? Is it “Three Horses “brand again? No, I don’t think so.

Most of the writing is in Arabic, but there are four words”Teh Cap Lumba Kuda”. “Teh” might be Tea”!

Indonesian, perhaps? I perambulate to the counter and wait for some one-at-a-time cigarette purchases to be completed.

“What is this?”, I ask, expecting a blank look. She processes the request for a minute, and then says “Tea”.

She said “Tea”! In English!

I decided to push my luck. “Where from?”

Blank look.

Keep trying…“From Indonesia?”

She gets it! “Malaysia”.

So it’s Malay tea! I purchase 25 grams for 8 baht. That’s approximately nothing.

Waving to the Buddha on my way past, I arrive at the hotel room, and slip the inner bag from the box into the light.

It’s black tea! Unmistakeable. It looks a bit like my much-favoured Daintree Australian tea. For one mad, giddy moment I dared to dream, then I ripped open the bag, and inhaled.

Bergamot? Lime? Lemon? With a hint of lychee, or grape? I can’t believe it. It’s more or less an Earl Grey.

I have a citrus-infused black tea I can’t even try.

I did some work online and translated every word in Roman lettering to English: “Racehorse Brand Tea” – “Best Before 2014” – “Net Weight 25 Grams”. Well, that’s a lot of help.

It turns out, Lady Devotea likes it, and so she’s been having it for breakfast.

Whilst I sulk a bit.

Obviously.