I recently travelled to Europe...
Oh, hang on. I guess I should stop and start at the beginning...
Around six months ago, my anxiety was getting worse. I knew my morning coffee habit probably wasn't helping, but I didn't want to admit it. I'm a coffee addict through and through!
When I first heard of Eightbillion's coffee alternative, JostArriba, I thought, "Mushroom coffee? No thanks." I had previously tried a chicory-based coffee alternative when I wanted to kick the coffee habit a few years ago, and its gritty and gross taste still lives in my mind rent-free. 😅 I was totally thinking that JostArriba would taste the same, or similar, and wouldn't hit the spot (I'm also a bit of a coffee snob, not gonna lie!).
I started to learn more about the product and the company. Eightbillion is a Certified B Corp and a 1% for the Planet member, two things that are values-aligned and I am 100% behind. I read more about the effectiveness and quality of the ingredients in JostArriba, including the scientific research and findings. I also read reviews from people who said that JostArriba actually tasted like real coffee, not like mushrooms or dirt, which is what I had expected, so my interest was piqued.
People were also saying their anxiety had significantly improved, along with other things like stomachaches, jitters, and palpitations. All things I was getting from drinking three or four cups of regular coffee a day.
So, I gave it a try…
I started my mornings with one sachet of JostArriba, followed by one "regular coffee". Fast forward 6 months and I'm now drinking two or three sachets of JostArriba daily, and no regular coffee at all! At first, I thought giving up coffee would mean headaches and withdrawal, but I had none of that.
The jitters and palpitations went away. So did the stomach aches, which I used to get from drinking coffee on an empty stomach in the morning (I know, I know, bad habit!). Now, I have JostArriba on an empty stomach and feel completely fine, with no gut issues or anxiety.
Back to the travel story...
I recently travelled to Europe, flying from Vancouver to London on a nine-hour flight. I like to have a coffee when I wake up on the plane because it helps me feel grounded, like I'm starting the day. It sets the tone, helps my body think it's morning, and gets me through the jet lag.
But let's face it, plane coffee is bad! And flying often causes anxiety for me, especially during takeoff and landing.
Thankfully, I'd already been drinking JostArriba for a few months, and the benefits of its ingredients are accumulative, meaning the more regularly you have it, the better you feel. So my anxiety was already better overall.
Still, I had some nerves toward the end of the flight. So, I brought JostArriba with me, asked the flight attendant for hot water, and she happily brought some over. I opened the sachet, poured it into a cup, asked for some milk, and just like that, I had a proper-tasting coffee right at my seat.
It was such a relief. The coffee tasted good, didn't upset my stomach (the last thing you need on a plane!) and didn't spike any flight or travel anxiety...Just a nice, mellow calm.
London and Greece approved.
With a quick stop in London, I wasn't too concerned about the coffee situation at the hotel because it was just one night on my way to Greece, but with no coffee machine or cafetière, and with just a kettle and some sad instant coffee sachets, which, let's be honest, are not it, I was feeling pretty smug about my JostArriba stashed in my carry on.
I really love the fact that all I need is a kettle to make good coffee when I'm travelling, and the coffee situation is unknown!
The hotel in Greece had a buffet breakfast, and the basic coffee machine at the buffet wasn't great and just produced instant, weak, and poor-tasting coffee. Fortunately, it had a hot water button. So every morning, I'd head over for breakfast, make myself a JostArriba using hot water, and sit by the pool with my book. Absolute perfection. ✌️
I didn't want to go out every day looking for coffee. Not just because of the cost, but because some mornings I just wanted to have breakfast, relax, and enjoy the view without getting dressed and heading into town to find a café. Slow, lazy mornings in Greece are a total vibe.
Of course, I did that a few times and had some great coffee, but most mornings I just wanted something simple and immediate. When I wake up, I want coffee right away! Like I said, I'm a self-confessed coffee addict. 😅
Lightweight, low-waste, and easy to travel with.
Another great thing was how light and compact the JostArriba sachets were. I'm a chronic overpacker, so I don't have room for anything extra (having to pick favourites with my clothes is already hard enough!), but these took up almost no space and are super lightweight. I kept a few in my carry-on and more in my checked bag to cover all my bases.
With the JostArriba sachets also being compostable, I didn't feel like I was leaving waste behind in these beautiful places I was visiting. That mattered to me.
The ultimate travel hack.
Having JostArriba with me made a huge difference. It helped during the flight, at the hotels and Airbnbs, and just in general, I'd consider it the ultimate travel hack for coffee lovers! Coffee situations on the road are often disappointing, and I'm pretty particular about what I like.
And seriously, are we still using pod machines with single-use plastic pods that can't be recycled? Plus, if there's a chance to reduce my microplastic intake, I'll take it!
Why I consider JostArriba the ultimate travel hack for coffee lovers:
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It made flying less stressful and I didn't experience any negative side effects, such as gut issues.
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Helped with travel anxiety.
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Saved me from bad plane and hotel coffee.
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Didn't take up space in my suitcase (I see you, overpackers!)
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It saved me money; through the UK and Greece, I only went out to coffee shops a few times. I mostly relied on JostArriba first thing in the morning and saved my money for delicious food (definitely worth it). 😋
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I didn't leave any plastic waste behind thanks to compostable sachets.
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It made the perfect beach and poolside sip; I took my Eightbillion tumbler on the plane and used it for my entire trip. It's the perfect travel size.
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It gave me the familiar ritual I love every morning, which kept me grounded, even when bouncing around London, Greece, and multiple other UK cities with lacklustre coffee options in the hotels and Airbnbs.
And for me, that morning ritual means a lot!
I love great-tasting coffee, I do not love the anxiety. And that's why I'm so happy to have found Eightbillion's JostArriba. 🙌
Highly recommend bringing JostArriba and a tumbler on your summer vacations and road trips!
Safe travels, friends!
Fleur✌️
