-- From Kolkata to Puri

The 26/12 I started from Kolkata as of early dawn to avoid the mob at the Howrah bridge. Then by the Grand Trunk Road, I joined the NH6, very good road with twice two lanes and toll gate. I lunched in Baleshwar and continued my progression towards Bhubaneshwar. Alas the road became very degraded and under works in progress to complete the setting with twice two lanes of the NH6 slowed down my walk. Around 15:30 I decided to stop at the first service area, it was at approximately three kilometres before Soro. Whereas I rested, I have the surprise to see arrive a French motor home; it was Agnès and Michel Olibo and their daughter of who I had made knowledge in Kathmandu. We passed a pleasant end of afternoon by exchanging information. Agnès invited me to diner.

The 27/12 I left my friends after a last coffee cup to go to visit the temples of Bhubaneshwar. Stopping me at Orissa Tourism to hang a city map, I saw on the carpark the Vario Mercedes of Germanic Swiss met before, in particular in Bodh-gayâ. I discussed with the wife in absence of her husband. Among ten temples of the sacred lake, the most representative of the architecture of Orissa is Mukteshwara. It is characterized by an architrave, Torana, a monumental porch, Jagamouana, and by a sanctuary tower, Rakha-deul. It was a pleasant afternoon; I decided to bivouac at the exit of the city on a service area.

The day of the 28/12 was dedicated to the visit of the Sun Temple in Konark where I arrived in the end of the morning. This immense entirely carved pyramid with Vedic scenes is the representation of the chariot of the sun towed by six horses. The twenty-four wheels are finely decorated with erotic scenes. Its illumination in the night gives a dramatic vision of it, see the picture in cover or in the gallery. In any event I had established my bivouac on the carpark in front of the site. I spent there a night in all quietude.

I had decided to turn the New Year, 2007, in Puri at approximately forty kilometres from Konark. With the help of locals I rather easily found a carpark at twenty meters of the beach which extends on several kilometres.

From the 02/01 I moved towards Bangalore to approximately 2,000 kilometres to change the tires of my truck, promised by Radials International in agreement with Michelin-India.