Donkin was instructed to return to London with them. Mabel expired five months later.

On 25 October, Sam Cohen was sent to Mexico by Baba, and Nadine left for Zurich. Three days later, Jean and Malcolm Schloss left for Paris by the morning bus. Alfredo and Consuelo Sides, who had come to Cannes the previous day to say goodbye to Baba, left the same afternoon.

While leaving, Jean wept and said to Baba, "Thank you for all the joy and pain in my life I have had while with you."

Baba replied, "Thank me only for the pain." Jean understood what Baba meant. Only while suffering do we grow in love and through pain overcome our weaknesses and ego.

Having come back from Paris, Adi Sr., Adi Jr. and Nilu left on 28 October for Marseilles, where they boarded the Strathnaver for India. 

The next day, Mercedes de Acosta bid farewell to return to America. For some, this farewell to Baba in Cannes would be their last intimate contact. Baba would not make another trip to the West for fifteen years, until 1952. Some of the Westerners would never see him again.

After Baba had announced that he would soon be returning to India, Rano began wondering if she would ever see him again. She knew Norina and Kitty were going back with him, but there was not a hint about anyone else. On one of the last days, Baba called her into his room and asked, "How would you like to come back to India with me?"

"Would I!" she cried out.

"But what will Nonny say?"

"This time Nonny has no say!" Rano declared.

"Will she pay your passage?"

"I know she won't refuse."

"Don't worry," Baba assured her, "If Nonny won't pay, then I'll pay your fare."

When Baba had asked Rano in Nasik how she liked Meherabad, she had replied honestly, "Very nice, but not for me." Now, she was only too willing to return to India with her Beloved! 

With the onset of cool, damp, autumn weather in Cannes, Baba's health noticeably suffered. On Sunday, 31 October 1937, one of the remaining Westerners asked Baba, "Why does a Master fall ill and make use of medicine?"

Baba explained:

The West differs from the East in its ideal of spiritual perfection. The West believes perfection to signify the possession and use of psychic powers.