Have a plumber in to fix a leak, or an electrician to look at a wonky switch? Without the offer and supply of copious cuppas, you'll be lucky if you don't drown/get electrocuted after the job is "done".
"I suspect this is why from China and Japan to here in the UK, slow and elaborate practises have formed over centuries around the proper way to drink tea."
The author is a Brit, ie one of us.
We own a built in coffee machine that does bean to cup - I insist on an Italian standard type blend (but wifey is starting to chafe about that - we'll see, ie I'll change it eventually) - 75% Arabica and 25% Robusta.
We also drink an absolute shit load of black tea. Nothing fancy because all black tea is roughly the same. I use to work in a tea plant in Hampshire (UK) many years ago so I have a fair idea about the stuff. We generally go for Yorkshire for no particular reason.
Tea is superb on a hot day and we have had quite a few recently. I have no idea why it works so well but when it is 40C+ outside then why not reach for a 90C cup of tea?
Please, please, please, please try some good Chinese teas some time.
Once you've tried a nice cup of high grade Yunnan gold-tipped loose leaf black tea, a new world opens up.
And notably little green tea.
> Tea is superb on a hot day and we have had quite a few recently.
This is because tea is generally superb. It is the solution to all problems. 'Put the kettle on' is often the first thing said after anything goes wrong.
Maybe tea packets are. Try fresh loose leaf black tea sometime, it doesn't have to be expensive if you buy online. Assam would be close to packets, Keemun, Darjeeling or Lapsang Souchong would be definitely different.