London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Remember – The adventurists were proposing an Afternoon tea with a legend.

Going there, notebook and camera in hand, I never expected so many people would attend -  the room was entirely full!

The Round Chapel offers a lovely atmosphere and everyone wanders around admiring the architectural details…

…then settles to enjoy a cup of tea. Quite a nice and refined choice: a Superior Keemun (also called the champagne of black teas), a birthday blend (rooiboos, vanilla beans, bergamot) and an amazing Pu-er, a Tuo Cha. On the side are slices of a moist and melting toffee apple cake.

Sipping on their tea, people start chatting with their neighbours, talking of past and coming travels, pointing destinations of the maps at hand. Fascinating anecdotes and experiences fly around, groups intertwine when a familiar exotic name is mentioned.

Tom Morgan steps on the stage to explain what the Adventurists is all about: different kind of rallies for a different kind of people. Mogolia, horse riding, rickshaw driving through the Himalaya, mototaxi through South America… The pictures are gobsmacking too, makes you feel very small. And those people, in extraordinary situations, having to play McGuyver in the middle of nowhere, have little experience. They have passion, adventure is in their heart and blood, they are fully conscious of the dangers involved but still they want to see what is out there. Check out this band of friends’ project to join The Mongol Rally this summer! Each team agrees to raise funds to help one of the charities (such as Frank Waters) supported by the Adventurists.

Then appears Sir Chay Blyth. I had only read articles about him. What a guy! He completely charmed the room with its countless anecdotes, his funny view on events, his death defying stories. He faced challenges with a stupefying sense of humour, from storms to sharks. He is, literally, a living legend. Navigation is a not a field I am familiar with and never did I expect to find an hour much too short. That is probably one of the magic touches of these special afternoon teas: a life story, a personnal contact, not just another conference.

It is now time for festivities. Sir Chay Blyth is applauded again and again. He stays around, shakes hands, chats with the public. The rest of us face a dilemma: on the left, teas, sandwiches, cakes including a gorgeous chai apple and almond as well as an unusual beetroot one. On the right, a reconstructions of the Hendrick’s carriage of curiosities. Serving perfectly dosed G&Ts… How to resist ths rose infused gin?

All those treats with a musical background by Uneven Steven and the Jazz Fools… A Gramophone DJ!

Starts a zig-zag –tea-cake-cocktail-stops to chat on the way with perfect strangers. A very relaxed and social atmosphere indeed! And the perfect finishing touch: elegant acrobaties by No Fit State Circus – looking up to the stars…

I left thinking about the exotic destinations and journeys I had heard about. I started dreaming about making a little adventure of my own… Inspiring.

Look out for news and future afternoon teas on The Adventurist’s website
Why not come to Hendrick’s romantic event at Covent Garden, Feb 10-14?

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