I visited Darjeeling earlier this year. My trips are more of a fact-finding mission than a 'buying trip'. I want to find out what has changed, what is being planned and understand if political or climatic conditions are liable to be the cause of forthcoming changes to the tea. The visit is also an excuse to explore the wonderful Himalayas with its diversity of ethnic groups. There are still regional differences, as was proven whilst I was there. Very noisy Ghurkhas in Darjeeling town wanting independence, and just across the valley the Nepalese were getting it!

Whittard had dealt with the Goodricke Tea Company for many years before Dick Whittard introduced me to them in 1978, whilst I was still struggling to unravel the mysteries of tea tasting. We celebrated their purchase of Margaret's Hope in 1984, and were delighted by the phenomenal quality that appeared from MH. Goodricke still own a lot of the best Darjeeling and Assam gardens and l am always aware how their attention to people, product and the wild remote tea estates goes far, far beyond the call of duty.

I bought some tea whilst l was at Thurbo - OK, so it was a buying trip after all, but l couldn't resist it - just don't tell the Whittard accountant. It was the end of the First Flush picking period, and a much-welcomed rain and mist were promising a great start to the Second Flush. The Tea I bought is more mature, less green than First Flush, and seems to have gained an intense version of the mouth-wateringly crisp 'muscatel flavour' of quality Second Flush main crop.

I had a fairly intense two days of tasting tea at Goodricke's Kolkata (once Calcutta) office, and was knocked out by the range and diversity of what was being produced - in an era when you might think everything is teabags and mass production. I was able to taste some great Assam teas too since Goodricke also owns many gardens there as well. There was the wonderful Orangajuli Estate, named because it lies on the banks of a small stream (juli) that feeds the huge Orang River. Also the firm, solid well-established Dejoo that never fails to produce a thoroughly agreeable orthodox large leaf tea.

My favourite Assam of all comes from Harmutty - is that Dick Whittard's influence again? - and I timed my visit perfectly to coincide with arrival of the best Golden Tips I have seen for some years. Harmutty has an exceptional warm, rich, full malty character which makes it stand out. Oh dear! Bought some of that too!!

Do they find time to sleep in Japan? It seemed that whatever sleep I might get was destined to be during flights and there was certainly no such thing as a 'Day Off'.

I was a 'special guest' at the Hankyu Department Store Osaka's British Fair special opening event. One is never late in Japan, so I had to take indirect flights to get there on time. My hoped-for in-flight sleep was broken as I disembarked at Tokyo Narita, took a bus to Hameda suburban airport, then a one hour internal flight to Osaka.

It was Hankyu's 41st British Fair .......in 38 years. Don't ask! We all discussed the numerical options of how that could happen. The opening event was very well supported by the British Embassy which also wanted to celebrate 150 years of British-Japanese accord.

We had a marine band playing, welcoming speeches, ribbon cutting, then suddenly crowds of 'ladies who shop' exploded onto the 7th floor of Hankyu Department store. There was a permanent and orderly queue winding up the stairs to buy scones, there were jostling groups around a bijou stall, and a positively heaving press trying to see what tea yours truly was blending in the Whittard corner.

My temporary staff badge (which called me Gailes!) gave me access to a roof terrace on the 7th floor of Hankyu. Dominated by serious smokers, it offered delightful views over the JR and metro railway stations and the cranes towering over the new Isetan store construction.

Most of my days were spent blending, offering tasting samples and talking about tea. A surprising number of customers were regulars and certainly had their Whittard favourites. On Saturday afternoon I took over a lecture hall to give a talk on tea and show pictures of my recent trip to North India. Lecturing to a group of 80, with only standing room remaining is very satisfying. Having a good translator in Minoru Masuo is a joy. Can one be 'less lost in translation'?

After a week in Osaka with some very interesting evenings unwinding in wonderfully scruffy 'normal' Japanese bar/restaurants (I am no good in smart hotels or big restaurants) it was time to leave. So the next day was spent in the Whittard section at the Kyoto Isetan store; the day after that in Tokyo at our importers and the Shinjuku Isetan store.

The memories of visits to Shinjuku over the last 12 years flood back! Exploring the cafés in the shanty town of wooden huts under the railway bridge, before the great fire. Discovering my first ever Oden bar (boiled root veg in beef stock - I think). Casually sipping beer with Japanese friends in a 7th floor bar whilst a minor earthquake tilted the pictures. Being given a dish of whale meat by two Japanese who thought we Europeans should understand more. Being taught how to handle Shabu Shabu in steambowls by Minatake my interpreter. Its great being an old boy let loose to explore!

And hey presto the evening flight to Sydney, Australia, with twelve hours to catch up on some sleep (ha-ha) before arriving at Whittard Sydney store in the suburb of Gordon for the morning shift.

"You visit so many other places in the world Giles, why have you never been to Australia before?" The question seemed to follow me around the various tastings and lectures I was organizing in Sydney. "Because Australia is not a major player in tea and coffee production" became my standard answer.

Actually I have been buying Australian coffee 'on and off' over the years to feature as Whittard's Coffee of the Month. Most amusing is that English Eccentrics are the ones mad enough to attempt to grow coffee in such an inhospitable climate - Ian McLaughlin at Skyberry and Richard Arnot at Nutkins Farm. Certainly Ian must use 100% irrigation from the Mareeba dam because there is no rainfall! He told me that the biggest problem seems to be kangaroos racing through the bushes, and tripping on the irrigation hoses!

So we had a great time; discovering the attitude towards tea is exactly like that in England - the domination of classic strong brews - Ceylon, Assam, Kenya and blends made with mixed proportions of those three. Flavoured and Green teas, and even Caffeine-free infusions certainly had a following, but lagged behind 'the Real Stuff'.

Treat of the week for me had to be the afternoon tea event at 72 Erskine Street. Emmaline runs a cultural centre at this tiny site and helped us put on a tea party for City businessmen and British Embassy contacts. A marvelous caterer from Stix provided to-die-for snacks whilst we sipped tea and admired the artwork. There was just room on the top floor to accommodate the 75 guests for my tea lecture, and I amazed myself by successfully presenting slides whilst talking. 'Old dog, new tricks' or the beginnings of multi-tasking perhaps? Highlight had to be the finale; a little Puccini from opera singer Carole with piano accompaniment, whilst we sipped more tea.

Sydney was a delight; I like to avoid big hotels, so I lodged comfortably at McLaren's B&B. I discovered Harry's pie stall on the harbourside in Woolloomooloo during the mid afternoon return from David Jones and learnt how to eat genuine Australian meat pie with mash potato and mushy peas attractively piled on top. Having been 'foreign' the week before in Japan, it just felt weird going back to speaking English but knowing I was not yet 'at home'.