Chennai

Dec 30 6.45 mass celebrated by the youth chaplain in Malayam- he has a most impressive voice and presence. Rain! Xavier came to the airport with us and asked us to get some tea for Lord Alton. Had to go back to security. Unfortunatley no shops in domestic to get the tea once through the barrier. We have not seen a lot of Xavier but had a restul time. Our 5.25 flight with Jetconnect was just over an hour but they managed to feed us. I read and slept! We were met at the big Chennai airport by a minicab and driven to the Laity training establishment in Kilpaul. Ken welcomed us as Alan was unwell and will come later. Our room has aircon and a fan - the aircon only came on later in the week after the linen was changed! All valuables have to be taken with us. The food is in a room down the corridor for which Hatta insisted she must have the key! We went straight to the Muslim wedding in the hall where we met the happy couple and ate off banana leaves with our fingers. We have missed Prem's intro although he did come briefly with his son David. I have met them in London. The programme looks flexible but with little time for sightseeing or shopping.