10-Mar-2008 -- This is the 15th point in a journey by motorbike in India to visit 16 confluence points. The story starts at 22N 86E and this visit follows on from 21N 84E. The final point in the series is 21N 86E.

The alarm rang at 5.30 and we were away from Sonapur by 6.30 having refueled the bikes. The road to Bauda was one of the worst – rough stony surface and many potholes for nearly the entire 40kms. We then turned north and crossed a bridge over the river Mahanadi. The road north from the bridge was a dream – wide, new and empty! We cruised along gently enjoying the restfulness! At Redhakhol we turned east again and the good road continued but became increasingly busy towards Angul. A little before Angul we reached the closest approach to the point. At 20 kms this was not really a serious attempt – we wanted to move on and realized that this would be a serious expedition through mine-workings and forest. After our experience at 22N 85E and with the pressure of time and the problem of finding a night’s accommodation in our minds we decided to skip this point and concentrate on the last point of the series – 21N 86E

At Angul we headed north towards Talcher – although further from the point (24kms) than our closest approach this would be the jumping off point for a more serious point hunt. It is a mining town with trains of coal moving up and down the railway line. At this town we turned east again – away from the point and towards 21N 86E.