But I take pride in my collection. My modest but growing collection of teas is the result of numerous intrepid excursions, where few have gone before, or so I would like to think. But that previous statement is, as usual, my super ego speaking. (Isn't it fun?) Although my mom has an extremely valid point. It took years of trial and error before I realised that I hate fruit infusions, anything with spice, rosehips or hibiscus. Eech. Thinking of them makes my salivary glands work overtime because those teas are so sour! But yes, we are running out of containers at home, no one else drinks them, my family is a notorious bunch of squirrels ... you get the idea.

Let's see. This month's expenditure came up to a whopping 118 dollars on tea alone. No, they aren't gilded with gold leaf. I just indulged my lunacy. Too much indulgence though. I was sick of Twinings Lady Earl Grey, (which was bound to happen since I have been drinking it for over a year) and decided to return to the more traditional Earl Grey. This meant that I just absolutely had to try some of the more established luxury brands instead of those you grab off the shelf in the supermarket. Yes, I can be such a pretentious snob.

To compound this extravagance, I re-read my herbal tea manual and decided to make my own herbal tea blends. This decision was additionally influenced by the unpleasant fact that buying Penelope Sach's range of herbal teas is too extravagant, even for me. It's about AUD 25 for a small tin. And I drink about three to four pots of herbal tea a day. (Although such a prodigious amount imbibed may actually prove inhibitive healthwise rather than beneficial.) That of course added to the compulsive amount of tea supplies I just had to stock up on.

I was pleasantly surprised that the gentleman, who owns the little herb and spice store where I used to get my supplies from, remembered me. I have not stepped foot into his store for absolutely ages.

It is rather self-destructive of me. I mean, I have about a month left before returning to Singapore, where it is far too warm to drink proper tea (iced tea, my dears, isn't real tea) and time spent on such little excursions could be better spent on my thesis!

Which reminds me. Back to work.

(Yes, I know, the title is uninsipired and somewhat hackneyed.)