First and foremost, this is a blog about my journey.  My travels, thoughts, tasting notes, tea, beer, wine, and whatever else I feel like writing about.  It started as an idea and a desire to share my experiences and photos of taking my tea to the mountains, but it has grown into much more than that. Traveling Gaiwan is about learning, growing, and having fun!

Traveling gaiwan, to me, represents a connection to the world around us as well as a return to Chinese tea culture at its roots. This whole blog was born out this simple concept of sharing photos of my tea ceremonies in nature.  It is a simple thing, but for me it holds some magic.  Many ancient tea masters believed that tea, coming from the earth, should be enjoyed in nature. Since tea comes from ancient trees on misty peaks, one way to truly connect with the leaf is to recreate that original setting. I have been enjoying Chinese tea on my beautiful Colorado hikes for a couple years now.  Typically, what I do is bring a gai wan packed with tea, find a nice quiet spot with a view, and brew up some tea.  Drinking tea in nature is rejuvenating and there is a peaceful energy about it.

This blog is a journey and I’m learning new things every step of the way. I’m hoping that through my personal experiences I can create curiosity and pass along some of what I learn.  By observing, tasting, talking with experts, taking classes, being adventurous, and keeping an open mind, we open ourselves up to so many new opportunities and experiences.  I’m thrilled to get this whole thing underway!