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The tea fields of Africa one day. A tasting room in London the next. You never know where Tea Master Barry W. Cooper will be tomorrow! Check here frequently to read Barry’s latest entry in his travel blog—or send us an email with “Barry’s Blog” in the subject line and we’ll alert you when a new entry is posted. Sign Up |
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Anyone happily sitting in this particular lounger reading his or her book would have had a very bad ending to their day. The tree fell in a matter of seconds…anyone snoozing would have had even less of a chance to get out of the way…
Its Monday and I spent all weekend working on the tea estate, followed by a bumpy 6 hour ride back to Jakarta. I decide that I need some RR so I take a book “a Naïve and Sentimental Lover” by John Le Carre (which funnily enough I am having trouble getting into and I normally like John Le Carre’s books) anyway I take the book, and go and laze by the pool, under the whispering fronds of the very large palm behind me that is giving a fair amount of shade. Its also noisy because the wind is really kicking up and the fronds are lashing about. Suddenly I hear a creaking sound then a sudden ‘SNAP” and the very large palm tree next to me came crashing down and crushed the lounger a few feet away from me. I mean it obliterated it….
Look as these rolling hills of tea. I think I would have enjoyed being a tea planter. Working and walking among these types of bushes everyday would have made me a very happy fella. My career took a different direction but it is really great to be able to get back to my roots (a real pun there) as it were…get the dirt under my fingernails…smell the tea, get my trousers soaked as I walk through the dew laden bushes in the morning…I could go on but you get the picture…..Boy do love this business….
I have two technicians with me to handle the set ups, camera and sound. The camera amazed me, it was so small it almost, but not quite, fit in the palm of my hand. Micro technology has made those large shoulder borne cameras a thing of the past. The cameraman is muttering about the lens (They always mutter about the lens I think) and is saying he needs a wider angle lens to catch the beauty of the bushes. Well, I have to agree with him on that one…no question….
There are a few places on this earth that I feel totally, completely at home (and at peace) one of them is in the tea fields. Here I am in Indonesia now (Thailand was a relay point) up in the highlands at 7,700 feet, glorying in the majesty of rolling, verdant tea bushes. Tea is a passion for me (Duh!) and when I get among the bushes I have to tell you my heart sings….I am here to shoot a series of videos on tea manufacturing and growing…this going to be a labor of love…..
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The full mission of the Kwale Eye Center is displayed in the road sign. Of course they use the English spelling for “CENTRE” It has taken me years to adopt the American version and that is mainly because my word processing program kept on correcting my “correct” spelling. What was it that George Bernard Shaw said about the English and the Americans? “A common people separated by a common language?”…There is a good example right here…..! he struck to the centre/center of the argument…..
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My mother owned another home on the coast. She named it the “Rainbow House” and wanted it used for the good of the Kenya people. My sister and I decided that it should be given to the Kwale Eye Center, a charitable organization that does tremendous work in Kenya. I stopped by the center and this shot was taken of my visit. I was melting at the time…but I have written about the heat…its just when I look at this shot I remember how hot it was….
For those who follow my blog you may remember the mothers memorial gathering at this “Banda Hut” back in 2008…The hut sits on the beach with a glorious view of the sea. If you look carefully you will see a wooden plaque at the rear of the structure, just over the exit….it memorializes those who were remembered here…and my mothers name has been added to the list…she would be happy with this site..and the view…
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It takes one to know one and I spied a kindred soul in this shot……an entrepreneur hard at work. We call these vehicles “pic pics”. Have “pic pic”, will travel and lo and behold you have a business. Of course it is the height of summer so rain is not an issue, but it can get pretty gusty on the roads with the coastal winds..good luck to you fella…you would have my vote for entrepreneur of the year….
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There it sits in solitary splendor…while we melt. I can understand why it has to sail alone…(its all about safety) but there has to be a better way….If it is going to take me 2 hours to cross it is going to take the traffic behind me at least three hours and maybe more…..and traffic is getting heavier over the future years..not lighter so this logistical movement of gas does not have a long term future…..(one would think)
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