Here is a link to a recent article regarding the benefits of drinking tea to boost your immune system. It might be a good idea to start before your trips and continue during your trip to increase the chances of staying healthy and having the most enjoyable time throughout.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030422/ap_on_he_me/tea_germ_buster_7

It's good once in a while to have a pleasant surprise: Something you already do because you enjoy is actually good for you .

If caffeine makes you crazy Lipton has decaf bags.. I use a 4 cup Mr. Coffeemaker, just hang the bag in the water as it drips. In about 2 minutes you've got a hot cup of tea.

Great after meals and some say helps lose weight.

Since I drink about 5 or 6 cups of tea a day (about three cups of green tea and three cups of Tejava iced tea)I was happy to see this article, until I came down with a killer cold a few hours after reading it! Then again, maybe if I hadn't been drinking the tea, the cold would have turned out to be SARS and I'd be dead now. In any event, those of you who would like to experience the benefits of tea but don't quite go for the hot stuff, I am practically addicted to Tejava iced tea (it doesn't have sugar, it comes in bottles, and is usually available at Trader Joe's, and some supermarkets) Also UCC iced green tea (again without sugar) can be found at some Japanese grocery stores (at least in the LA area). As to weight loss, green tea is supposedly the best type for this.