Celebrity Spotting at a Coffee Plantation in Bali

One of the stops on the customised tour my friendly Balinese taxi driver made for me last year was to a small coffee plantation.

But they grew much more than just coffee.

My guide didn’t speak fluent English, but he pointed out a cocoa tree as we continued down the path. I took more photos. Then he guided me towards some animal enclosures.

“Maybe they sleep,” he said, tapping the wire.

All I could see were large logs with big hollows in their curvy sides. Apparently, home to mysterious creatures sleeping inside.

“Kind of cat,” he said.

“Ohhh….” I said, curious and at the same time confused.

I held my camera at the ready, unsure what might suddenly appear, and wondering why they had animals in the coffee farm. Perhaps it’s a kind of peculiar attraction, I thought. A way to get more tourists.

“Ah, here. Here!” he said, pointing to a furry, half-asleep weasel-looking animal with a long, fluffy tail. It was blinking its eyes.

“Oh, hello there,” I cooed. “Sorry, I’m so sorry to wake you.” I still didn’t know what it was.

“Ok, you ready?” asked the guide and we continued down the pathway, past a clove tree (another cause for excitement from me and more photos), down to a landing where he introduced me to a woman.

There were more cages with more ‘cats,’ and the word Civet on a wooden sign above.

“So, the animal, eats the coffee beans, and then we collect the droppings, clean them, peel them, roast them and grind them to make a very special coffee. Have you heard of this?” she asked me.

“What? I’m sorry. The animal eats it, and then you make coffee from it? Really? No, I’ve never heard this before,” I said.

“Yes, yes. We collect the droppings, and roast them. It is very safe. Very clean. Look,” she took me to baskets with the beans in each stage of the cleaning, peeling, roasting and grinding stage.

“You want to try?” she asked.

“Oh, no, I don’t think so.”

“Here, have a smell. This is the animal coffee, and this is normal coffee,” she held two bowls to my nostrils. The animal coffee smelt smooth, sweet and soft. I was tempted to try it, but unsure of what my sensitive stomach might do to such an exotic beverage. I politely declined.

Instead they served me a tray of herbal teas and flavoured ‘normal’ coffees to try. I sipped each flavour, enjoying the lemongrass tea and vanilla coffee the most.

Another guide took me back up the mountain, and we talked about the plants. I was having a ball, recognising, learning and naming the tropical fruits and vegetables which, up until two years ago, would have just looked like part of the tropical vegetation and not something edible.

Cassava, tarro, betel leaf, carambola and mangostein.

My friends Jessica and Susana know a lot about celebrities in Hollywood, where as I tend to know the names of plants and how to grow them. Jess is often telling me stories about people I’d never heard of before; the Kardashians; Adel; someone else I can’t recall the name of who’s just had a documentary made about them. The girls think it’s a hilarious game, introducing me to popular culture. I like to listen, because it means I know what they’re talking about when we get together.

And I’ve found, the more you know about a topic, often the richer your life becomes.

Instead of wishing your life was more exciting, engaging with instead of enduring what is in your world brings much more joy.

Now, I know I like listening to Adel. And I know you can drink coffee that’s been pooped out by a civet. And now you know that too. You’re welcome to talk about it at your next dinner party.

Recognising plants has brought a richness to my life similar to recognising birds (which I’d like to get better at). It makes travelling a kind of celebrity spotting game. I find it as fun, and often more rewarding, than any trip to Hollywood.

Although, I once met Geoffrey Rush in New York, and I was truly lost for words. I even forgot where I lived when he asked me.

Plants, thankfully, make me a lot less nervous.

With love,

Nicola xx