March 20th Kodai



Tennis courts KMU

We had breakfast at the local bakery and then went over to the KMU, where we found we could use the Ipad to show a few pictures to Ms. Curlin David.  She showed us many pictures of old Kuwait, many old mission friends, and some Indian notables, including the Pillicothai raja (we knew him as Chinodurai when we went hunting with him) and Gemini Ganesh, who called himself “the only movie star who plays all the sports well”.  My father and I had beaten Gemini in tennis in a US versus Commonwealth tournament after I had hit him in a delicate place when he was at the net, after which he stayed back.  We also met the last librarian of KMU library, Margaret, who recounted to Leslie the history of the facility of which she was the last Trustee when it was turned over to the school.  The Kodai Mission Unit (KMU) dates from even before the beginning of the school – the late 1800s. Currently she has the library open for members every Tuesday and Saturday from 11am – 1pm and coffee and tea with biscuits are available to encourage visiting. There were several other expats and Indian nationals there all of a certain age.

Wissy - the older boys dorm

We joined David Morris(Kodai class of 1965), his wife Philomina, and George Penner(Class of 1969) at the Tibetan Restaurant, which was better than the previous Tibetan restaurant (this is the one on the second floor at the end of the shopping strip).  George Penner is going to host/cook for the bunch of us when Tim Heineman is scheduled to come from Bangalore to Kodai to see us on Saturday night. Both David Morris and George come from several generations of missionaries to India, and have been able to get the Indian equivalent of a “Green Card.” George is starting a bagel bakery.



Spencer's Grocery store

For dinner we went to Coaker’s Walk and had dinner at the hotel there, called Villa Retreat, which had a great view. David Morris had organized his 50^th class reunion in January here in Kodai and about 24 alumni of his class and those 2 plus or minus his class were invited to attend. Coming out the door of the hotel, we saw a large male bison coming up from Bryant Park and turning toward Seven Corners, with a big truck blowing his horn while Indians scattered behind their cars.  We decided to take the way around toward the bus station and budge, then come back through Seven Corners to avoid the bison.  There is damage to the fence at Loch End that we were told resulted from bison jumping over. We were also told the dogs we hear barking at night relates to bison getting into the compound and coming near the houses. Once one dog starts then you have a whole chorus going!


the old Quad - classrooms



The flag pole area near the dining room