A Spot of Tea, Anywhere

Years ago, on a whim, I purchased a folding pocket stove. The small rectangular box is light and compact enough to fit snugly into my pack, and the fire tablets are dual use. They can be used to light stubborn fuel, as they will burn unaided for ten to fifteen minutes.

I took it out to my carport, just to give it a try, and brought some tea bags with me. Popping some water in one of my Coleman stainless folding camp pots, I lit the tablet and set the water to boil.
In no time, the water was boiling, and the tablet still had some time left to burn. I tossed the tea bags in, and pulled the pot of the flame. In just a few moments I had a cheery cup of tea and all with very little work
.
Since then, the stove, the tablets and several tea bags have always been a part of my gear.
Why tea? When I was a bit younger, my uncle used to make a tea from various herbs and roots found in nature. Especially on a chilly day, that tea would always warm me and fill me with good feelings. It is amazing how chilly or damp weather can soak up your good mood and leave you miserable. Even with the appropriate winter/wet gear and a lovely trail, I have found myself muttering grumpily, thinking about a warm house and a nice fire and some hot soup.
This bad attitude can be really dangerous in an emergency situation. If you get lost, while you’re waiting for search and rescue, you need to have a good, positive attitude about getting out, or you will become depressed and limit your chances of survival very severely.
One snowy day, when the schools were called on the chance for snow, but other than frosty temperatures and a few flecks of sleet, there was no snow, I broke out the little stove, a fire tablet and set about clearing a safe little spot and a few of our boys and I made some nice hot tea. Even just a few yards from our house, on that cold day, the tea was a warm and friendly pick-me-up and made the cold stand back a few feet.
I’m tempted on a good cold day to break out the stove and some metal cups and an assortment of teas for my hiking partners. We can stop walking, huddle together and wait for a nice, steaming cuppa to take the chill off and cheer our spirits, before we complete the hike. Just thinking about it, puts me in the mood for a hike and a spot of tea.
Cheers!