Tuesday, January 26, 2016

1976 Roberta's India Letter -Jan.26


January 26, 1976
Dear Family,

Hi!  Have been busy the last hour trying to get out postcards to people I've been meaning to write since I got to India some 10 weeks back!

Got to Madurai this morning – 7:00 AM – came on night train from Trivandrum.  Kerala is by far my favorite place in India – not so much to see & do there but oh the land was beautiful.

Just in the last 2 days I've been convinced what a small world it is.  1st on Sunday I went w/ K.R. Bady [?] to Mitraniketan – "an experiment in education – community centered" & met & talked to the director – who went to Antioch College (Yellow Springs) & studied under Dr. Morgan – whose daughter I went to FBS w/.  Also he worked w/ Pendle Hill [?] – Philly & thus knew alot of the good Quakers I know!  He is an Indian – most interesting program he has going – then in the Trivandrum bus station I met a girl from Chlesea (sp?) area – N.Y.C. – whose family happens to belong to Hudson Guild – but have never been out to the farm.

Alot of mosquitoes here – they buzz all around my netting – but don't get in w/ me – the South is nice but the bitter comes w/ the sweet.

I never went into details but from Trivandrum to Cape Camorin I sat w/ a couple from Bangalore.  When we got there we went around to the hotels – mostly full – we went to the room – anyway they got a room for  3  & treated me like their daughter.  She has a brother in Pittsburgh – he is in the Air Force & she used to teach English literature in college before she was married.  Have just been married 2 months – both in their 30s.  I have their name in my suitcase – and I don't want to get out from under my net.  Really a nice couple – I have met very few people that have given me trouble – if they do I zap them w/ a story than I'm an advocate (attorney) here on business – the story works like medicine every time!

The temple here is beautiful – I went around w/ a guide for 2 hours almost so you know it must be something!  Such details found in the carvings – etc.  Temple most beautiful one I've seen in India.

Plan to go to Ceylon 29th – oh – I made reservation in Trivandrum – March 12th – 1;15 AM – leave Delhi for NY.  15:35 – arrive N.Y. Leave La Guardia (sp?) at 19:00 – arrive Columbus 21:00.  Is this ok?  Please confirm.  Best connection I could get – I must be in Columbus landed by March 13th or ticket not good.  Will find out in Madras if flights are confirmed.  It was funny – the man said Columbus has 3 airports – you will be flying into the Columbia S.C. one – Finally we got it straightened out –

Thought I'd never find climate too hot for me – but plenty warm here!

Love, Berta

No comments:

Items from Uible photo album