Strange VariaTea Traveling Tea Box

Hello, hello, hello!

So, about a year ago VariaTea and I started a travelling tea box for our tea friends on instagram. We’re ready now for a second round with the box and wanted to extend the offer to participate to our Steepster tea friends!

Because most of our instagram friends participating are in the US the plan right now is that I will ship the box to the US for its first leg of its journey before it comes back to Canada.

Generally speaking most anyone is welcome to participate, though at the moment we’re only able to include the US/CAN in this round of the TTB. However, we politely ask that anyone who’s brand new to Steepster sit out this round until they have a bit more site history – this is to prevent the box from disappearing midway through its journey from someone who drops off the site.

General TTB rules apply:

1. We recommend keeping the box for a max of two weeks before sending to the next person. Please be mindful that there are usually many others in the list after you, and they’re all just excited to taste through the teas as you were! This might mean needing to pick some teas out of the box to drink/try after you’ve sent it to the next person.

2. All samples added should be well packaged (no Ziploc bags) to keep sent contamination to a minimum and labelled with the tea and company names, and any helpful information. Try to avoid adding tins to the box as they take up more space and increase the weight of the box.

3. The box is not just a dumping ground for bad teas. It’s okay to include things you dislike, but they should be teas you genuinely believe other people WILL like. Same goes for the age of teas – try to keep samples reasonably fresh. If it’s so old you don’t want to drink it then other people probably won’t either.

4. If the box is damaged in transit please replace it with something of a comparable size. It is best not to increase the size of the box to keep shipping prices consistent for everyone.

5. The tea you take with something of comparable value and/or weight; it doesn’t need to be perfect but the general rule is that you shouldn’t replace 100g of tea with only 10g or only include teabags if the majority of what you drank with loose leaf tea. This is a mix of honor system and best judgement.

I think that about covers it. Please drop a comment below if you’d like to participate, as well as the country you’re in! Ideally I’d like to keep the Steepster folk grouped together in their respective CAN and US sections with someone who’s on IG and Steepster in the middle to help with the pivot between the two platforms – that way people don’t have to coordinate address outside of their preferred platform.

I’ll be putting together the shipping order this week, and would like to get the box shipped to the first person on Friday evening!

EDIT: Here is the shipping order!

Kelmishka (Steepster)
Inkling (Steepster)
Kaylee (Steepster)
AJRimmer (Steepster)
Tiffany (Steepster/IG)
Molly (IG)
Shel (IG)
Tea Adventure (IG)
Heather (IG)
Gabby (IG – Ship to Canada)
Jackie (IG)
Arby (Steepster)

40 Replies
AJRimmer said

I’m in the US and would love to participate! Thanks for adding Steepster to its journey!

Noted – will add you to the list :)

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Kelmishka said

Yes, please! I’m in the U.S. (Maryland). Thanks!

Perfect, adding you to the list! :)

Kelmishka said

Thank you!

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Inkling said

I’d love to join! I’m in the USA (Wisconsin).

Added to the list!

Inkling said

Yay, thank you! :)

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Hi All! Looks like this is going to be the shipping order:

Kelmishka (Steepster)
Inkling (Steepster)
Kaylee (Steepster)
AJRimmer (Steepster)
Tiffany (Steepster/IG)
Molly (IG)
Shel (IG)
Tea Adventure (IG)
Heather (IG)
Gabby (IG – Ship to Canada)
Jackie (IG)
Arby (Steepster)

If you’re not already following the person before or after you, I recommend doing so as that usually makes address coordination the smoothest.

For AJRimmer, the person after you will be our “hinge” connecting Steepster to Instagram – she’s aware of this, and knows to be checking Steepster for address coordination for you.

Here is her account link → https://steepster.com/purpleglow

Since we’re kicking it off with Kelmishka please send me a DM here on Steepster with your shipping address and I’ll get the box sent out to you ASAP :)

AJRimmer said

Got it, thank you! I’ll be out of town for the last week in October, but I’m hoping with this order, that won’t be when it hits me.

Kelmishka said

Just sent you my address; thanks!

I seem to be having issues replying back via DM, but just wanted to confirm that it shipped out to you this evening :)

Kelmishka said

Oh, Steepster. :D

Thanks for confirming; looking forward to it.

AJRimmer Worst case scenario we can have Kaylee hold onto it a little longer if it seems too close to when you’re on vacation. Flexability an’ all ;)

Kaylee said

Thanks for adding me! Happy to be flexible on timing – historically I’ve had terrible luck (migraines, work crisis, etc.) every time a TTB is in my care and usually end up keeping it for 2-3 weeks instead of the typically allotted one. That’s never the goal! But I’m aware that it happens, and appreciate that people have always been understanding. And so OF COURSE would extend that same flexibility to others (I’d do it anyway but in these circumstances would really be a hypocrite not to).

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Tiffany :) said

@ajrimmer can you pm me please it won’t let me message you thanks

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Kaylee said

If it’s not too late, I’d love to join! I’m in the U.S.

Hi Kaylee, not too late at all – I’ll add you in before AJRimmer :)

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Kelmishka said

The box arrived today!

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Arby said

I’m in BC, Canada and would love to participate. I could ship it back to you?

Hi Arby – I can add you in at the end! :)

Arby said

Awesome, sounds good :)

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Kelmishka said

Heads-up that I’m planning to send the box out to Inkling Monday or Tuesday!

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Inkling said

The box arrived today! So excited to dive in. :)

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