Today I met with an acquaintance who offered me a cup of tea.

Ah, I love a cup of tea, especially after waking up in the morning, a good hot cup, or should I say, mug of tea sets me up for the day.

Coffee I tend not to drink. Whilst working in Saudi Arabia, on a Friday, the day off or weekend, I would often feel spaced out. I could not work this out, until I realised I was drinking over six cups of strong coffee on Fridays only, the rest of the week, 2 or 3. I cut out coffee on a Friday, and I felt fine. So, if six cups made me feel that way, what was one doing to me?

So I am a tea drinker. Typical British I hear people saying. Well no, tea is drunk in most countries, but in different ways, strengths and tastes.

My acquaintance asked what tea would I prefer, Green tea, Earl Grey, Raspberry, Turkish, English Breakfast?

Not much choice really, English Breakfast, with milk.

"With milk? You must be joking." Came the reply. "You cannot put milk in tea."

How often do I hear that statement? I am British, and that is how we drink it, as my mind went back to the blog I wrote yesterday, NLP Now - Cheese and Onion Sandwich (click to read).

As people know, language and me do not get on, I speak only English, even though I travel to so many countries. The first words I tend to learn are tea with milk. As my hosts and translators will verify, it takes a lot of effort on their part to teach me these words in a foreign language.

Tè con latte (Italian), çay ve süt (Turkish), thé avec lait (French).

I must have milk in my tea. It is not tea without milk.

Well in Turkey and the Middle East, they tend to drink tea in a small glass, and loads of sugar, and I enjoy that. It tastes nothing like real tea, and it is not a mug of tea. If they serve tea for a cup, it is usually brewed in a pot, and it comes out like tar, it is thick, you have to water it down with hot water, but no milk.



Non British airlines will serve tea with the meal, and for some reason the tea is served like dish water, thin and weak, and no milk. When I ask for milk I will most likely be given a small packet of creamer powder. It's not milk.

For those of you who do manage to get one of those little tubs of milk on an aircraft, containing just enough milk for a flea to drink for a day, take care how you open, (if you can), the foil top. Open it up away from you, as the milk tends to spurt out, and opening the tub towards you, ends up with milk all down your tie.

"You cannot put milk in tea." My acquaintance repeated.

"Do you put sugar in your tea and coffee?" I asked.

"Yes." came the reply.

"How strange, it is so sweet, how could you? It is so unhealthy and fattening. It spoils the taste." I replied, hoping that my acquaintance would now realise we all have our own preferences, tastes and customs.

I will try anything once, but tea with milk please.