Lattes.....

Those "make it yourself" coffee machines on the Stuart Highway in almost every roadhouse gets my vote for the worst coffee I have ever tasted. I had one that was so bed I though I'd just guzzle a litre of diesel down to get the taste of the coffee out of my mouth. Horrible stuff.

The machine has probably never been cleaned or de-scaled in it's life

I'll second these things.Just add sugar and your done. So much easier than the camping percolators you put on a stove or the 12v things.

Yes bushies are tea drinkers. If you are addicted to latte should you really be leaving the big smoke?

There is nothing 'American' about the coffee we drink in Australia as anyone who has tried to get a decent cup in the US will attest to. 'What flavour do you want?'. 'Aaaah, coffee flavoured would be good'.

Ironically, consumption of tea in the US is one the up, while coffee consumption in Australia increases. Yes, they drink most of it iced, but hot tea consumption in the US has also increased markedly in recent years.

I always laugh at the clichéd concept of 'Latte Sipping Yuppies'. I get my morning coffee from a 'trendy' coffee shop (roast on premises, fair trade coffee and all that), yet every morning I have to park in amongst the tradie's vans, dump trucks and utes. Then line up behind a sea of work boots and day glo. All ordering their 'lattes', decafs, twist of lemon, cold filtered, etc., etc. The apprentice walking out with the morning order for the site and if the order is black coffee then it is a short black single origin Rwandan Nkora (or some such thing). Far from Toorak and not a yuppie in sight, but all enjoying the wonderful array of coffee we can get in Australia. In a world where we all lament the demise of the tradesman and the small operator, it is good to see one area at least where people are happy to wait a little longer and pay a bit extra for something prepared by a 'craftsman' who takes pride in what he/she is doing.

I love a cup of tea, but mostly at home and it is disappointing that most cafes dont do much more than dump a bag in a cup/pot, yet charge upwards of $4 for hot water and a tea bag.

That said, there is nothing quite like a cup of billy tea in the right setting.

Matt.

Hi Paul, that's a fine camper trailer you have there.
We use a stove top cafeteria—one of those things with water in the bottom. Coffee in the strainer thingy. Tamp it down a bit but not too much or you will blow the thing up. Apply heat for pretty good espresso. Add milk as you like it. Bit more fiddly than instant or plunger but worth it. Caffeine hit assured. Gadget is aluminium light, simple, but only single use. But, as you are probably aware, we Vics are terrible coffee wonkers.
In a hurry? Nice cup of tea.
Hope you're in good nick.
KenD