Hey Alun, nice to meet you. We haven't made it to Indonesia yet. We have been to Thailand, Laos and Malaysia and we will probably visit Myanmar (Burma) next week. Most of our trips have been for visa runs and at this point we don't need to take anymore until after we arrive in Taiwan.

I would like to visit Indonesia sometime, where exactly are you located? I will let you know if I am coming your way. I would be interested in trying some of your coffee(s). Maybe when I have a permanent address in Taiwan I will have to try some of your coffee. I see that you sell it on your website.

Thanks for contacting me Alun. Nice to meet you again. My brother Jonathan Lund is also on BX, he is traveling with me and is a coffee enthusiast as well as a friend of ours (don't think he is on BX).

Cool!
Please send me your email address and I will open a bolgger acount for you. My email is eyal@roaste.com. BTW, you can check out our blogs on this page: coffee blogs.

Eyal /ROASTe.com

Hi Alun,

I'm Eyal from ROASTe.com. Just happened to see that you are from Indonesia and I thought to offer you to join us as a lead blogger for Indonesia. We already feature blogs from leading coffee professional from Hawaii, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. They use their ROASTe blog to promote coffees from their country and to establish themselves as coffee champions among U.S. coffee lovers. We also actively promote each blog on various social platforms, to maximize exposure.

Please let me know if this is of interest to you.

Regards,
Eyal /ROASTe.com

thanks lot, im looking into opening my own place in the next 6 months serving coffee from my local roaster and some single estates through syphon and clover machines so im looking forward to visit more farms throughout south east asia. so ill keep in touch.

Still have one brother in Te Awamutu and three years ago we visited our middle brother, Douglas in Cambodia,who had lived for years around SE Asia.
That's just up the road from you, sort of.

Even met a Te Awamutu guy in Bangkok, just by chance, who imports milk powder and turns it into baby formular, and trades it through Sth China, Vietnam, Thailand etc. He used to go duck shooting down Aria way, in the hills behind Te Kuiti.

The time I spent at brother Dougs place in Cambodia that visit, left impressions on me that were quite different to the Thailand ones from a previous visit in 1976. Then it was fun fun, party party. More grown up now I guess.
Impressions of how close to the edge life is there, how raw and in your face.
And the threads that hold it all together seemed so fragile. One stumble or even an incident nearby, that you have no control over, could change your world forever.
Of course it could also happen out the front of home anywhere.
And then I read your stories of up a muddy track, off the side of a side track, it reminded me of the time I was up a muddy track in the scrub out from Koh Kong, Cambodia.
The rain, heavy clouds, clingly humidity, leeches and a rash. Insect bites that wouldn't stop weeping and damp clothes in the morning. I relished the time there and the oppurtunity, but I don't think I'll be back.

I've had a lick of that ice cream, thanks Alun.

I guess its all a bit far from the steam wand, for me now.

A very well traveled Aussie, lived abroad now most my life in the states etc now japan for the last seven years

Hey mate, yes it is, although building yourself a unique presence requires a lot of time and effort. Its very much a starbucks/ one pattern world here...ah for coffee with personality!

hey Alun, do u open a coffee shop in Jakarta? if u dont mind could u tell me where is ur coffee shop location? i want to taste the coffee that u roast. cheers..

yeah i had a great time just visiting and i got a green sample of them, i would have liked to visit java but im coming back next year to do a bit more exploring around indo plantations. I hope to come see your place soon, thanks for the advice.
cheers.

Took me three years to get to Australia. Others usually go up to Auckland, turn left, and are here in three hours. I took the long way around.
Ran out of petrol here in Mackay in 77, met a girl and...
Went to Brisbane for a few years and Cairns for a few years. Brisbane was a bit cold in winter and Cairns a bit hot in summer, but Mackay was just right.
I noted you had a Vanuatu interest.
My wife has Vanuatu connections and a few months ago she and my kitchen manageress spent a week in Port vila. Had coffee made by a competion winner at the 'deli cafe.'
I think Justin Metcalf from Melbourne had been over to do workshops and run a comp.
[Him and Sean Edwards have also been up to Mackay the last two years for the same thing here in Mackay] Anyway, the report from my people is, that they could do with some help.
Now I know that everyone could do with some help, but these guys are starting from way back. Its exciting just how far they have come in a few years, though.
Yes the Finn family was in Teasdale street, next to Nans place, at one time back in the late 60's. Nan used to think they were too noisy. Some things never change, eh?

hi..alun yes i'm from Indonesia and proud to be that =D nice to know you hope i can meet you soon talk about coffee surely i will visit "MERDEKA" coffee shop as well..MERDEKA ...=D

Thank you for the photos. Was checking through them yesterday. Love your work.
I'm just an old boy from Te Awamutu. You never know where that mob will turn up next, eh Alun?

In saying that is it worth taking a trip to java to find more decent coffees? And is your cafe based in java. It'd be cool to check it out. Thanks

hey alun, Its Tristram here from sydney. Im making my first trip to origin in bali. Ive been to bali before but never for the coffee. Just wondering if you could suggest and good coffee areas to visit or any outstanding coffees to recommend. Thanks.

Hey Thanks,
I think the Bronco's are going to do well this year. I hope the new coach helps. I saw the tail end of the last preseason game and it was like broncos 19 and Arizona 0. I think over all it will be a good season. So I go to ask what does it take to become a small importer of your? would it even be worth it here in Colorado? Would it even be possible? Hey thanks for the info. How you wanting the NFL season to go?

Hey man,

I consider you one of my coffee experts. (Hope you don't mind) I got a guy that comes in that really wants Jamaica Blue Mtn, but it costs me too much to get it. I was wondering if you can recommend a good place to get some or something like that (maybe online) which he would like just as much, if not like more.

thanks,
John

good to befriend you sir

I would be happy to send you some of our roasted coffee we sell in the stores.

Throat beard. ha. I am the owner of Dominican Gold Coffee. We farm/grow gourmet coffee from the D.R. We also distribute it globally from Minneapolis and Miami. Do you guys get coffee from the D.R?
I invite you to visit our facebook fan page at

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dominican-Coffee/111633487205?ref=nf