10-Dec-2008 -- This is the 49^th of a series of 83 confluence visits during our voyage from Nigeria to Europe and back to Nigeria around the entire African continent. It all started on 28 January at 11N 5E.

Story continues from 18N 34E.

We have been spending several days with the Satti family in Wad Madanī. During this time we had the pleasure and were invited to the festivities of the `Īd al-Kabīr celebration. The custom is that there will be one or more rams be slaughtered and deliciously prepared. After we had been overindulging on these delicious meals, it was time to carry on.

We took the road from Wad Madanī to al-Qaḍārif. About 65 km on this road we got to the river Nahr al-Ralad. We found a path which lead us along the river in the desired direction and got as close as 900 meter to the Confluence. But then there was the river in our way with no way to cross it with the car. It was still early and there was nice scenery along the river, so we did not mind to drive the 13 km back to the main road and cross the river and try from the other side.

On the other side it proved to be difficult to find the correct path, but eventually we managed to get on the right path. All went well till we got stopped again close to the Confluence by overflow channels of a huge irrigation system. It was our bad luck, too, that they had this channel flowing at the time when we where there, otherwise the crossing would have been easy.

We tried to get around this irrigation system but after several hours we gave up and continued to the next confluence 14N 35E.