I am trying to explain to my 94 year old aunt how email travels. We type it then..

How much detail do you need.
It's basically the same as a normal snail mail, but electronic and hence faster.

I was able to locate this site, I'm not sure if the terms used are acceptable for "non tech" but it is the most informative I could locate.

Hope it helps!

http://www.explainthatstuff.com/internet.html

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Originally Posted by tobyjoan

we type it then . . .?

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[caution: non-tech attempt ahead]

1. Your mail software (Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, etc.) sends the message to the mail server computer configured in your software's settings. This computer is usually maintained by the entity that provides your Internet connection.

2. This computer then looks up the recipient's domain (the info after the @ in the email address - something.com, org, etc.) in the global Domain Name System (DNS) (a type of address book) and retrieves the address of the mail computer serving that domain.

3. Your mail computer then sends the message to the recipient's mail computer directly which stores the message until the recipient retrieves it with their mail software.

Usually along the way there are also interim mail servers, multiple virus scans, checks against known sources of SPAM, and attempts to verify the identity of the originating mail server. If you want additional details Wikipedia the following technologies: SMTP (sending), POP3 (receiving), IMAP (receiving), DNS (sending/receiving), and TCP/IP (sending/receiving).