Kerman to Zehedan

Posted on February 13, 2012 by admin

Another long drive today. With very little between Kerman and the Pakistani border, it’s probably a good move to get going early. I gave the van a quick clean inside and got on the road before 09:00. The desert is sided by some light mountain ranges, and I think back to the time Bex and I drove out from Los Angeles on our honeymoon. We went out into the Joshua Tree National park, which is well worth the trouble, but that took us then on a trip towards the desert. I remember heading towards a mountain range that never seemed to get any nearer, despite driving for hours. Today is the same.

Not a huge choice in roads to take!

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Long road to Kerman

Posted on February 12, 2012 by admin

I had to be up bright and early today, because I have a long drive through Iran. The trip should take around ten hours, which is a little troublesome, as I only have about 11 and a half hours light and the Foreign Office suggest not arriving anywhere after dark. I’m not sure that this is a true reflection of the country, but I am concerned all the same.

I fill up the camper with fuel and provisions on my way south of Tehran and get on Highway 7. It winds south out of the city and toward what I can only describe as desert. There are mountain ranges to my right for the first few hours and then it opens out to flatter terrain.

I never thought a desert could be so, well, empty.

It’s a long drive, and by the time I approach Kerman the sun is nearing the horizon and I need to get to my hotel. I have a suitable supply of Lady Grey tea to sooth the aches. Tea fixes everything.

Oh, I do hope there's a good breakfast in the morning.

Reception was a welcome sight.

After breakfast I will check my next step and give the camper a tidy-up.

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Tehran

Posted on February 11, 2012 by admin

Yesterday, my virtual self passed through Tabriz much quicker than I thought I would, so ventured on towards Tehran to finish the day. This morning I got up, just short of the city, and made a bit of camper breakfast of eggs and spicy sausage I bought as I left Tabriz. Shopping for a westerner was a little intimidating, but the people were wonderful and very friendly. When I left I wasn’t entirely sure that I hadn’t married someone’s cousin or sister, but nobody was forced into the back, so I guess I was safe.

Tehran is the capital of Iran and scene of many political and revolutionary images over the years. It is interesting to find that Tehran is the 32nd capital in the countries history and a discussion to change it again is still in progress. This is largely because is is over populated and a number of industries, including the military, are being moved out slowly. The city has some of the most outstanding archeological find, dating the area back to 6,000 BC around the ancient village of Rayy, now absorbed into the city.

Milad tower and cityscape

The impressive Azadi Tower

The Azadi Tower, meaning ‘Freedom Tower’, stands as a modern symbol of Tehran, being built to celebrate the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire, to which Iran belonged.

I had lunch in typical Iranian restaurant near the tower, and was introduced to a number of dishes by the owner, who was gracious and kind. I knew a number of fine foods, including the Baklava, which I get in the local deli at home.

A hot soup to some. A full meal to others.

Baklava is a rich sweet pastry of nuts and syrup.

So I will spend my Saturday here and visit a number of sights before moving on in the morning.

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A trip through Tabriz

Posted on February 10, 2012 by admin

Tabriz is the fourth largest city in Iran with nearly 2 million residents and was once the nations capital. One thing that is noticeable as I drive through is the air pollution which, despite recent legislative changes is still a considerable problem. It’s still only two or three degrees c, but this is normal for this area in February and I have not felt it worth taking my coat off today. I fill up at a Petrol station and pay about 40 pence a litre, which is some of the cheapest fuel so far. The camper seems to like its full stomach and pumps a little more heat out than before.

It doesn't look quite as green as this right now!

Every picture I take on this stretch seems to include a blue van! Everyone seems to have one. I can only think that some van manufacturer had a job lot of blue one week and every vehicle that went out had to be blue to use it all up

Look a blue truck!

Look a blue truck!

Troglodyte dwellings

A little excursion south on the 21 road takes me towards the historic site of Kandovan. I can’t spend too long here, but this is an amazing village cut into the rock face and shares the same sort of heritage that can be seen at similar sites in Turkey. Some of the buildings I pass on the way up to the village are less stable, and definitely won’t last 70 years, let alone 700.

Like big beehives.

A mixture of excavation and stone walls.
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Into Iran

Posted on February 10, 2012 by admin

The border just past Gurbulak is a large, purpose-built border control opened in 2003. This in one of only a few 24 hour border controls in the area. Most of the others on this side are only open from about 08:00 and Midnight most days. In winter some of the crossings have reduced times or simply not open. I get the impression that the armed guards are always here, but the gates are only open when the officials turn up.

The problem I find when arriving is that the very fact that it is 24 hours, is that there is a massive queue. Along the right of the road is a very long line of trucks, bumper to bumper. It takes a couple of minutes to pass them all, but I am waved into a much smaller line of only cars and small vans. More than 400 vehicles and 3000 people pass this border each day.

I am asked for my papers by a soldier with a big gun, who waves me on to the Customs station. Each vehicle is looked over but not many actually searched, and the passengers have to get out while they do it. Not the warmest day, so I wear my coat, which isn’t searched. We have to drive through a big scanner arch, but they obviously don’t find my left over kebab, so I am free to go.

This is slow, but I am through in less than two hours, which I thought was pretty good.

Heading off on the Iran side, I now have time to look about me. The road is very good quality, but it might not always be so. [Oddly, Google Maps refused to plot a route through the border and instead wanted to take me on a far more complicated route north. I therefore plotted to the border, and then from the border into Iran.]

Open stretch of road.

Amazing views left and right.
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Be Prepared

Posted on February 10, 2012 by admin

Just before I head over the border into Iran, I want to let you know about some of the research I have been doing to do so. There are some areas of the world that have political problems that result in war. Sometimes that war is a civil one, or between nations. According to The Foreign & Commonwealth Office:

We advise against all but essential travel to Iran. We advise all British nationals in Iran to keep a low profile. British nationals have been arbitrarily detained in Iran in 2010 and 2011.

I have also read many blog posts and Q&As from people who have recently travelled through Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, who have said they had no problems as a British Citizen, the people are friendly, and travel was unhindered. As a virtual traveller, this is not really a problem, but the real traveller is best well prepared.

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In the footsteps of Noah

Posted on February 9, 2012 by admin

Today my virtual self is seeing something I would love to see for real: Mount Ararat.

The drive from Erzurum only took about four hours, but getting here, just half an hour’s drive to the Iran border, is something to behold. Mount Ararat stands 5,137 m (16,854 ft) and has a smaller ‘Lesser Ararat’ just to the north-west. The mountain is a dormant volcano, which I didn’t know, and is the biblical resting place of Noah’s ark. The Bible states that Noah’s journey ended on the Mountains of Ararat, but the reference doesn’t actually specify the location, and some historical issues suggest places other than this one. Still, there are plenty of people who have ‘discovered’ the resting place, but they tend to be found out as hoaxes or publicity stunts.

Incidentally, there is a full-sized build of the ark in Hong Kong. Noah’s Ark (Hong Kong) So anyone that way should give it a visit.

A view from a plane.

On the edge of the Iran border.

There is no information on when Ararat erupted last, although bronze age artefacts have been found under pyroclastic flows that date from about 3rd millennium BC. There is a permanent, thick snow cap, and some researchers have put forward that the mountain may not be as high as measurements suggest, but that certainly doesn’t put the experienced climber off heading to whatever top there is, snow or otherwise. The first recorded ascent was Johann Jacob Friedrich Wilhelm Parrot and Khachatur Abovian in 1829 from the north-western slope. Their first attempt failed due to the lack of warm clothing. No kidding! But then again, when Hillary and Tensing went up Everest in 1953, many considered their apparatus to be somewhat lacking too.

I could have given it a go, but the Turkish Government insist on you having a permit, as well as a registered guide. Unfortunately for me, it can take two months to arrange, so I’ll just get a beer, sit back and look in awe from a few miles away.

Tomorrow, I head across the Iranian border. Let’s hope it’s warmer than this side.

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Erzurum

Posted on February 8, 2012 by admin

Another thing I have learnt on this trip is that Turkey is above sea level almost everywhere your go. Certainly true in the north. Erzurum is 1757m (5766 ft) above sea level and known as “The Rock” in NATO code, served as NATO’s southeastern-most air force post during the Cold War. During Roman times it was renamed Theodosiopolis, acquiring its present name after its conquest by the Seljuk Turks following the Battle of Manzikert in 1071.

Surrounded by mountains.

Cifte minareli Medrese

Erzurum is a pretty small city, but the highest in Turkey. Most of the city is easily reached on foot. Due to the high altitude and cold, there are not much vegetables grown in the region, so the traditional food is meat.

Not prepared for the altitude or cold, I ‘booked’ into the Polat hotel near the train terminal. My little camper will have to wait another day for company at night.

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Coasting the coast

Posted on February 8, 2012 by admin

Leaving Samsun this morning takes me out onto the coast road and through the mountains and forests. I didn’t know that Turkey was so green, but the Black Sea climate is mild and wet for most of the year, and the current cold spell is expected, but not such low temperatures.

I stopped off for a short break in Fatsa, a small, but attractive town with about 130,000 people. Fatsa has an interesting history and dates back past the Roman occupation and Ancient Greeks, who took over this region when their nations were at their peak. Fatso had a moment of infamy in the 1970′s when run by a left wing government and linked to the 1980 Turkish coup d’état.

Along the seafront.

The Canik mountains frame the town.

I head further along the coast, and soon I will have to turn south towards Erzurun and the Iran border. I past through Ordu, which means ‘Army’ and has a history of military encampments.

Once on the E97 south, I turned off for an hour to catch sight of the Sumele monastery, a seriously impressive array of buildings built in to the wall of a mountain.

The monastery is 1200m up.

It dates back to 386 AD.
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Samsun

Posted on February 7, 2012 by admin

I arrived in Samsun a little earlier than I thought I would and got to see the Black Sea. I had every intention of sleeping in the camper tonight, but the temperature has dropped and I chickened out. It’s early evening and a noticeable -2c. Googling the weather in other parts of Turkey make me think I should have headed south, as it is a reasonable 10 degrees.

The Black Sea stretched out in front of the city and the port is to the left of me. The water’s calm, despite the cold air and freezing winds. The weather has improved, on the whole, but it’s cold.

Samsun has an important role in Turkey’s history. In 1919, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk landed in a boat here, setting up the Turkish Independence movement and traditionally marking the start of the Turkish War of Independence. This fact is celebrated in a number of monuments and statues around the city.

There are half a million people here.

A statue in the centre of the city.

I googled a few hotels in the area and settled on Grand Atakum Hotel facing the sea. It is a little more expensive here, and I am not aware of a change in season. I will plot my route for tomorrow after getting something to eat. My room is a little less impressive than the pictures on the website, but it does breakfast and has easy parking.

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