Bali – Traveling Noodles

Life at a coffee plantation can be arduous, laid back, dangerous and at the same time fulfilling. I haven’t lived at a coffee plantation but we got an opportunity to glimpse at this slice of life by visiting and staying at plantations in Coorg, Chikmanglur and in Bali (Indonesia). Most coffee plantations are situated remotely with coffee shrubs interspersed by tall silver oak trees. It is not unusual for the plantation to be visited by elephants, tigers and wild boars. The coffee planter would ideally have his bungalow in the middle of the plantation with the next neighbor about 30 kms away.

But if you look carefully, a plantation is not just the coffee planter and his wife and kids its a micro community of sorts with staff at the bungalow, permanent workers at the plantation, drivers, people at the plant, migrant workers, coffee pickers, people working at processing. If it is a large enough plantation then there would also be schools, creches, co operative shops and a whole gamut of people and services that running a plantation involves.

The stories that the people whose life revolves around coffee tell is very interesting. Living at a plantation is a different experience entirely as you get to immerse yourself in their world for a short while and see the world from their eyes. You would hear stories of being scared when confronted by a lone tusker, stories of catching a majestic tiger, coffee flowers blooming early or about coffee planters awaiting spring showers.

Stories by migrant workers from Bengal who would leave after the harvesting season is over to some other part of the country where work would be available. Childhood memories of helping one’s mother at coffee picking as wages are determined by weight and then skipping off to play once snacks had been brought for the workers. About the rare bird sightings and the excitement of that conjures. Greetings from a post master from the nearby town who connects the people tucked away at the plantation to the rest of the world.

School going children who are accompanied by their parents going to work for coffee picking or any of the other tasks that forms the life line of coffee. Younger children running amok among the rows of coffee shrubs lined with tall trees with their parents on the look out for a wild boar or a herd of elephants crossing their paths. People always on the look out for each other as life is tough and a friendly greeting or a timely warning can make a big difference in an otherwise simple life.

The life at a plantation rises with the sun and sets with it and follows a lifestyle hidden to the city dweller . The conversations revolve around coffee amidst the fragrance of coffee blooms while sipping a cup of the heady brew. Visiting a plantation is great for the body and soul with the fresh mountain air, wholesome food and friendly faces and smiles that one can earn just by being present in the moment.

WP_20131225_018 — Making New friends at a Coffee Plantation in Indonesia

Bali, Indonesia was the first time we plunged down the equator. We arrived on a stormy day in Bali and for lack of better things to do stood peering at the sink to see if water swirled in the anti-clock wise direction in areas below the equator. To my bewilderment I could not really ascertain if the water was taking any preferred direction as from what I could tell it seemed to be going only in one direction and that was down.

After one whole day of lazing around in the resort at Kuta beach and some afore mentioned hydro physics, we decided we could not spend all of our time in Bali waiting for the storm to blow over. So we hired a car for a day and marked out the places we wanted to go to. We would get in the car after breakfast and get back to the hotel by night. My then one year old seemed to thrive in this nomadic life, it always makes me wonder whether we should sell our house and live in an RV for his sake.

One of our trips while in Bali was to Ubud, Wenara wana and the rolling paddy fields of Tegalalang. Ubud seems to be where art and entrepreneurship thrives. Along with beautiful temples with amazing sculptures, Ubud is also home to the 21st century nomadic entrepreneur. Ubud is home to many co working spaces and start ups that house people from all over the world, working in the lap of nature must be reward in itself for these go getters.

Ubud is also home to beautiful wood cravings, glass work and exquisite furniture that is shipped all over the world. In fact we stumbled across a small cottage industry of wind chime makers in Ubud that had Jamaica written on the chimes and would be sold as souvenirs for tourists who visit Jamaica. This is what globalization has led to, when souvenirs for one part of the world are manufactured in another.

Ubud and Bali also offers some great batik prints and batik sarongs are quite amazing. We also visited a showroom that sold some exquisite designs in silver that were truly intricate. Wood carvings and other such art forms are dying art forms as youngsters look for other glamorous job prospects and move to the cities. There is a distinct hierarchy that is followed in the workshops where these crafts are still practiced and the quality of the work can also be distinguished between master, expert and apprentice. We were lucky to see this art that is revered as worship.

Another noteworthy temple to visit is Wenara Wana which translates to monkey forest. The temple is dedicated to the monkey God and is a haven for mischievous monkeys. This is a sanctuary for monkeys and contrary to what businesses selling food for the monkeys say, it is better to go inside without any food items or bags. The temple is surrounded by thick trees and laced by a sparkling stream. The entire place gives the aura of being at peace with itself. There are certain rules to be followed while visiting temples in Bali from wearing a sarong that can be rented to not entering certain temples with young children.

Our last stop for the day was Tegalalang which is home to step terraces of paddy fields. Some of the farmers make an extra buck by posing for pictures or taking you through the paddy fields. We chose to stand at the edge of the fields and admire the young green of paddy and the versatile artworks that had blessed this small island where every temple and stone seems to have been touched and uniquely crafted by thoughtful hands.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.