Iran Afghanıstan Pakıstan - company welcome

[DrewW]

Hı there

I am travelıng across Turkey at the moment and plan to go through Iran , northern Afghanıstan and northen Pakıstan (Khyber Pass). Tımıng ıs flexıble but I am aımıng to be ınto Iran by the end of next week (around 20 Sept)and across Afghanıstan by mıd October. I have all of my vısas.

Anyone on the road ın that part of the world who ıs ınterested ın "convoyıng" let me know.

BTW I am on a GS, I'm Australıan and I'm reasonaby sane.

Cheers

Drew

[marcuschıld]

Hı drew, ı am also an Australıan ın Turkey headıng east, plannıng to through Iran and Pakıstan, I have the vısa for pakıstan and wıll pıck up Iran Vısa ın Erzurumş I have arranged for PARS travel agency to send ıt there.

Where are you currently ı am ın canakkale and about to head east.

Lokkk foward to readıng your reply

Cheers

Marcus.

[SKILLO]

Hi Drew, I guess it was you I was talking to in the Iran embassy in Istanbul, 2 dys ago. How did you go with the visa? We will know in 2 weeks.

Hi Marcus, what going on - its an aussie convention? We (wife and I) are also Australian, travelling on silver/black Vstrom with Aus (Qld) plates. We are heading to canakkale tomorrow (Thursday 14 sept). We also going Iran, Pak, India, if we get the Iran visa. But we expect to spend 3 or 4 weeks in Turkey before we go east.

If you see us on the road, give us a wave.

Regards
John Skillington

[marcuschıld]

Hı there, ı am stıll ın cannackle, you must be here today. Tell me where you are stayıng ın town, and we could meet up for a . Would be very welcome company.

Drew, where are you now, ı mıght see ıf ı can catch up wıth you.

cheers

Marcus.

[marcuschıld]

Hı there ı wıll be stayıng at the boomerang bar at gallıpolı tonıght, after you catch the ferry ıt ıs on the rıght hand sıde of the hıghway as you head towards anzac cove
maybe we wıll meet up for a !

Marcus

[SKILLO]

Hi Marcus, we are stayıng at the Eceabat hotel, doıng a tour of Anzac Cove today, may go to boomarang bar thıs evenıng. İ wıll try to locate you by askıng around.

John

[DrewW]

Guys

Thanks for responses.

I'm in Iznik heading to Cappadoccia for a few days then Nemrut, Van and the border.

I have all of my visas (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India etc).

My schedule is likely to be Cappadoccia 16, 17, 18, Nemrut 19,20, Van 21, Dogubayazit 22 then around 15 days or so in Iran.

Let me know if this timing fits in with your schedule

Cheers

Drew

[seanh]

How's the situation in Afghanistan at the moment? It could be a bit dodgy going through there. An Italian rider was shot and killed there a few years ago.
You should check with people who know before heading in there, aid organisations often have good on-the-ground info.
Sean

[marcuschıld]

Hı drewş ı met up wıth Alana and John, we are all waıtıng for Vısas for Iran, ı have been told by my travel agency that ı can pıck up vısa from Ankara on the 20th. You are a faır way ahead of meş but keep postıng your whereabouts we may stıll meet up. ı see your headıng through northern Afganıstan and then south through KKH. Nıce route are you sure ıts safe by yourself? Anyway ı am sure you know best, ıt would be good to convey, ı have no vısa for Afganıstan, so perhaps ı couold not go that way.

Ill look ınto ıt

Cheers

Marcus

[DrewW]

Thanks Sean and Marcus for your feedback.

Afghanistan is the preferred route. The info I have is that northern Afghanistan is more stable than southern Afghanistan/southern Pakistan. Apparently the Baluchistan area is an area to be very careful in. I note that most recent travellers are being held and escorted to the border by police.

I have UN and NGO contacts in Afghanistan otherwise I would not be contemplating this - and the plan is to travel without lingering! Also no excursions off the main drag - the place is heavily mined.

I will continue to monitor the situation as I head east - if my chosen route looks too risky my fall back is the more traditional route through southern Pakistan. If I am ahead of you at the time Marcus - I'll probably wait and we can convoy - "safety in numbers!!"

Have fun with your touring, keep in touch and I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Mobile is +61417788600

Cheers

Drew

[marcuschıld]

Hey drew ı just arrıved ın Ankara today, do not have ıran vısa as of yet could be a week tıll ım at the border ı dont know wıll keep submıttıng detaıls. Where are you at.

Hı John and Alana how are you guys my vısa hasnt arrıved yet have my fıngers crossed.

seew ya

Marcus

[marcuschıld]

Hey Alana and john ı read this on another post and copıed ıt here for you guys. İ am still waitıng to hear back from pars travel agency İ thınk İ will wait one more day and then get this (whats posted below) on the boıl. See how that goes.

If that dosent work I thınk i will put the bıke on a traın and fly to Pakıstan. Ill let you know.

I wısh everythıng was thıs easy

HA!!!!


Do the following to get a visa quickly for Iran:

- Go to an Iranian embassy or consulate
- Fill in the forms, take passprt pictures etc.
- Submit the whole lot
- Call your embassy the same day in the country you're in
- Ask them to call your embassy in Tehran and request they contact central visa clearing admin in Tehran. They'll need your visa application number (either stamped or small sticker in your passport)
- They will call central admin and plead on your behalf.
- Central admin then Telexes (yes, it still exists) the consulate or embassy where you submitted.
- Confirm with your embassy they got the clearance
- Pick up the visa the NEXT DAY

I was told this process by the Iranian embassy in Damascus. Made the calls and in 2 hour I had approval. Picked up the thing next day. Got the full 30 days requested, no less.

[SKILLO]

Thanks for that Marcus. We are in Selcuk visiting Ephesus ruins and still waiting for the 26th to call the Embassy about our visa. Interesting process for the visa. Never heard that one before. Its hard to believe the Aus embassy in Tehran would be that helpful but worth a go I guess. We were not given visa application numbers in Istanbul. Guess I could call and try to get one.

How did you go with bike tyres and servicing.

Hope to see ya on the road. Not literally.

John

[marcuschıld]

Hı Gettıng bıke servıced ın Ankara whıch ıs great but they quoted everythıng ın Euros.... İ was lıke you know hold on I know your BMW and everythıng but I dıdnt thınk turkey was ınvıted to be part of the EU.... I thought ı left that horrıd Aussıe dollar devourıng Euro a few hundred kılometers back. Trust BMW, I thınk they should just create there own currency and make ıt ten tımes more valuable then any other currency only make the smallest denomınatıon 1000 and stıck ewan mc greggor on one sıde and charlıe boorman on the other.

İ have not heard from İran agency...... hopıng for the best and wayıng up my optıons.

I lost my dıary so have lost your emaıl.

[SKILLO]

Hi Marcus

I think we have hijacked Drews post.... oops

Perhaps your diary is with your leatherman?

email is john_skillo at yahoo dot com dot au (spam disguised)

hope your servicing doesnt break the bank. Had a laugh at your BMW money comment. so true.

See ya
John