The Final Journey: Sues Entry

Thursday 17th

A beautiful day but so hot that by the time we have waved goodbye to our Journey Organisers, Richard, Pooja, Swati, Vana and Alex there is only enough energy left for a final trip to the sales at Fab India. Dorothy and I have one final unscheduled visit to make on the way back to Chennai Airport, and at 12.30, much to our delight, a white Ambassador taxi pulls up for us. We have admired these classic cars for the past 2 weeks so pleased to have this as out last mode of transport.

We are heading for Adyar Poonga which is situated in urban Chennai on the banks of the tidal estuary. A major conservation restoration project inspired by the successful reforestation and environmental education work at Pitchandikulam. We meet the staff team and are shown around part of what will become a first for India- an urban ecology park which will not only be used for urban education and research programmes but which will demonstrate on site treatments for waste water, flood management and waste recycling. It will be a couple more years before the project is ready to be fully open to the public but already its creating an impact and should provide an invaluable demonstration project and tool for more sustainable urban planning. For me to finish my journey with a visit so similar to my own back in Sheffield proved the icing on the cake.

Then finally to the airport – and with what different eyes we seemed to look around now. Like a return through the wardrobe in Narnia our Indian cottons were replaced with our travelling clothes. A long and boring wait in Dubai and finally Dorothy and I separated to board our different planes. And at 1.30 pm UK time I stepped off the plane into a grey and wet Manchester day.

Wednesday 16th

The final day of the formal programme is also Holi – a National Festival celebrated by liberal use of colour, on the face, body and wherever else seems appropriate at the time. The morning is spent on the 3rd Reflection session, a very productive process led by William, Jim and Cath and which commenced creatively in the Ashram at Pondecherry, a place where the spiritual teachings also gave birth to the Aaravind Eye Hospital and Auroville.

On a suitably higher plane Dorothy, Cath and I head off for an afternoon at the Ayureveda Holistic Health Clinic. Like so many things here in India this proves to be a totally bizarre experience which involves Dr Johns back street clinic, very liberal amounts of hot oil and no chance of retaining our modesty. Suitably chastised abut our layers of fat and our severe imbalances of Vata, Pitha and Kapha we make a pleasing exhibition of ourselves walking back in our now transparent oily garments stopping to laugh along the way. The street takes us back alongside monkeys scavenging on the pavement and the temple elephant, decked out in Festival Finery half blocking our route and bestowing grateful taps on the head for admirers feeding it bananas and lemon grass.

The evening is our last together as we eat out under the stars at a wonderful restaurant. Thank You speeches and then the first of the Good Byes as Heather, Jim and Laura are whisked away by their taxi. To keep up our spirits we are forced to go back for more champagne cocktails before returning to our hotel. Here we also wish Cath and William farewell as they will be leaving in the early hours of the morning. As an excuse to keep themselves awake they have arranged to watch the Liverpool match live on TV.