2012 Discovery Tour to India
[Dec 11] Hi folks,
It's been somewhat longer than I anticipated between communications home but we have been pretty flat-out here and a little 'time poor' for messages home. Besides, it would appear most of the girls have been in touch with you at least once so you are probably well informed anyway.
So... the wedding was lovely. Traditionally, Indian brides are not supposed to smile but Terrsa was radiant and so obviously happy. I'm sure you will see more than a few photos when the girls return on Saturday. The wedding ceremony was all in Tamil but some things in life just don't need translation!
Because of the wedding, there has been little time to do the work at Mizpah that is required. In fact, today is the first time we will 'get stuck in' and make a dent in the painting (which is significant).
It is breakfast time here. Cereal, toast, pineapple and papya are the regular fare. The red papya is amazing up here! At 9.30 this morning we go to Doddabetta Peak (the highest point around here) then back to the Tea Factory. After lunch we hit Mizpah and WORK.
Tomorrow we will need to resurrect Farley in readiness for the second group to arrive on Thursday. That should be fun.
But our time here is running out. We have three more sleeps in India before we fly home. The time has surely slipped away quickly.
All the girls are well. We have had a couple of tummy upsets but nothing severe. There is a smile on every face this morning.
I am going to get some breakfast now before they Hoover it all up and none is left. I'll try to send one more communication before we leave. Keep checking here for photos
Blessings to all | Richard, Alison, Stewart and Brigette.
[Dec 9] Of the wedding: What an experience! The whole service was in Tamil so we didn't understand a word. What we did understand was a love between people and for this no words are necessary and no translation required.
[7 Dec] In Thailand we were looked after by Pat (centre of photo number 6) who was fantastic. The girls were trying to work out a way to smuggle him home in their luggage. Our time in Thailand was excellent, albeit brief. Seeing the River Kwai region and walking along the railway and bridge that was immortalized by the movie 'Bridge Over the River Kwai' was such a sobering moment. It makes one stop and think about so much and for those of us a bit older, gratitude mixed with deep sadness is our response.
Also check out Mr Evans Mizpah Blog.
2012 Discovery Tour Itinerary
| Group 1 | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Depart Fairholme: Brisbane - Singapore - Changi - Bangkok | Dec 2 | |
| Bangkok | Dec 3 | |
| Bangkok | Dec 4 | |
| Bangkok - Singapore - Changi | Dec 5 | |
| Travel to Ootacamund (Ooty) | Dec 6 | |
| Ooty | Dec 7 | |
| Ooty | Dec 8 | Group 2 |
| Ooty | Dec 9 | Depart Fairholme: Brisbane - Singapore - Changi - Bangkok |
| Ooty | Dec 10 | Bangkok |
| Ooty | Dec 11 | Bangkok |
| Ooty | Dec 12 | Bangkok - Singapore - Coimbatore |
| Ooty | Dec 13 | Travel to Ootacamund (Ooty) |
| Ooty to Coimbatore | Dec 14 | Ooty |
| Coimbatore - Singapore - BNE - TBA | Dec 15 | Arrive Ootacamund |
| Dec 16 | Ooty | |
| Dec 17 | Ooty | |
| Dec 18 | Ooty | |
| Dec 19 | Ooty | |
| Dec 20 | Ooty | |
| Dec 21 | Ooty to Coimbatore | |
| Dec 22 | Coimbatore - Singapore - BNE - TBA |
The story behind this tour
Since 1998, there have been three unsuccessful attempts to organise a Fairholme trip into India. Trying to organise anything in India by phone or email is highly problematic at the best of times! It soon became apparent that the only way to organise a trip was actually to travel to India beforehand and map out a possible journey plus make all the necessary contacts.
In November/December, 2006, Kerrie and Richard Jessup spent a month in India travelling around both the north and south of the country. It was on that trip they met Mohan and Jennifer who run an orphanage in the hill town, Ootacamund (Ooty). Their orphanage is called Mizpah Home.
Then, in 2007 following a discussion with Julian Turner, an idea was birthed to take a team of girls into India on what has now become known as the Discovery Tour. It was agreed that it would be good to expand the girls’ experience as much as possible so a side trip experience was included as part of the tour.
So this has become the benchmark for our Discovery Tour – time in India working at Mizpah Home according to their needs, enjoying the children of Mizpah and allowing time to experience the culture of India (and at least one other country) along the way.
The trip is open only to students in Year 11 because it is our hope that the girls who make this journey will have a “life-changing experience” and will return to Fairholme as Seniors full of determination to ‘make a difference’ in the world. I can say now with a great sense of satisfaction, that the 61 girls who travelled with us on the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Tours, have returned as more thoughtful and passionate young women, and we are very proud of them and what they have achieved.
