Michael Eierle - Germany to India, Pakistan and Iran, Germany to Turkey - Iran

This is a report about my journey through Iran.

On the 15.Oct.00 we finally reached the Iran border. The border crossing was painless and needs less than two hours. Staff on both sides was friendly and helpful. We have been the only tourists this time.

We (Tim and I) reached Orymie on the 15.Oct.00. It's like the most other Turkish cities. I had the Lonely planet guide book, edition 98. I found the hotel prizes have nearly doubled.

My trouble is, that I have only a 5-day-transit-visa. The story was, that friends told me it's a big hassle to get an Iran visa very fast. So I sent the passport to a visa service (believing it would make the thing easier and faster) and they promised me a 5-day-transit in one week, a 21-day-tourist in one month. Finally I had to wait 5 weeks for shitty 5 days transit.

So I split with Tim (on his Enfield race bike) and rushed on the next day to Sanandaj. I had little rain and it was cold in this mountain area, but beautiful. Far away I could always see the sun, but the clouds were following me all day. It was already dark when I reached the city, so I didn't see much (Lonely planet also means there is not much to see). Early next morning I left for Esfahan, because it was said, that the visa extension there is easy.

It was cold and windy and starts raining after a short time. And it was raining the whole day. I have no big windshield on my bike and this strong front/side wind costs me a lot of power. I made 700 km this day, passed Hamadan and Arak. Iranians were very friendly. In Arak I hadn't to pay for my lunch and in a petrol station one guy paid my patrol (okay petrol is only 0,05 $US the liter, but it was very nice). Warning: Iranian petrol pumps have no automatic stop. When the petrol comes out of the cars then they stop manually. So better don't smoke on a petrol station and it can be very slippery there.

The roads are one of the best in Asia. If you want you can go with high speed, no problem. It was already dark when I reached the Amir Kabir Guest House in Esfahan. This place is okay. You meet a lot of travellers there, it's not expensive and - important for overlander - there is a carpark ca. 250 m away. If the owner of the A.K. is unfriendly (and this happens some times) smile and kick his a.. Don't go to the "Cheysarie Tea Shop" on the Imam Khomeni square, opposite big mosque. It has a beautiful view over the place but prices for tea and bakery are a rip-off. Other travellers had the same bad experience.

The extension of the visa was painless, very cheap and needs 20 minutes. I got 5 more days only (because of my transit visa). Tourist visa gets more days extension.

After two days I left Esfahan for Yazd. I wasn't under the best health conditions the last days. It was warm weather, best riding conditions, and I was on my way again. After 300 km in the afternoon I reached Yazd. I stood in the Farram Hotel. It was not really cheap (17 $US) but I felt sick and wanted a cleaner room. And they had a safe garage for cars/bikes. In the evening I got fever. I slept very well this night - till 5 am. Then a infernal noise made me flying one meter over my bed. The window was open and 20 meters away on the top of a mosque was a huge megaphone crying in my direction. Thank you Islam. Do you know the difference between Muslim and Christians? I found it out: Our priests ring the church bells, in Muslim countries they ring the priests bells and then he starts singing. Believe it or not. And this happens 5 times a day.

This day I visited the old city. In the afternoon I went to the towers of silence. Not easy to find In the LP. They say "head south" that means on the roundabout "go right" not straight. You can't see the towers from the main road. The atmosphere there was fantastic. There are only two big towers and some old houses downside. Some youths were hanging around, I always had the feeling, maybe they need some parts of my bike. I felt much better today and decided to leave Yazd for Bam tomorrow.

22.Oct.

I started early and around lunchtime I reached Kerman. Like so often I lost my way in the city. A car stopped, an architect who has studied and worked in good old Germany invited me for lunch in his house.

Woah, what a huge "palace". Normally people in these countries give you the feeling, that you are a rich man - they believe this and you can't change their mind. But now I felt like a poor guy, left his cheap rental living toilet (supported by the government) for a trip into the Muslim neighbourhood. After a nice talk I went further to Bam. 200 km later I reached "Akbars Place" in Bam. It's a nice, relax place around a yard with a little garden. Maybe the best of the cheap places to stay. You can park your bike inside the yard.

If you want, Akbar will organise dinner. Next morning I had a laundry session and went with Steven (funny english guy)into the city for lunch. Then we visited the old citadel. Costs around 4 $US. Expensive, but worth the money.

Together with 10 Overlander, travelling on a truck, we had dinner in Akbars place later.

Next morning I left Bam. It was quite warm and I had 400 km to the border.

There is not much choice in 5 days extension. But my important destination was always the north of Pakistan. The roads were perfect as usual. I only stopped in Zahedan. I needed urgently petrol. The petrol station only served Diesel. On the bus station there are some guys who are selling petrol out of plastic bowls, filtered through a towel. Then these wankers started nearly fighting for the right who's serving me and in that two tried to fill in the petrol on the same time. At the end some litre petrol run over the hot machine (very nice) and they tried to charge me for 30 litres then. I never knew that I had such a big petrol tank on my bike. Or Muslim litres are smaller. I paid for 20 litres and left this s*** hole.

Around lunchtime I reached the border to Pakistan. Altogether travelling in Iran is save (except the region Zahedan), the people are very friendly and helpful. It's still cheap, especially petrol.

Depending on Lonely planet 98 ed. the prices increased 30 to 50 %. Easily you can spend more time in Iran. It's also safe for solo travelling women. As long as they cover everything what shows the difference between a man and a woman there is no problem. I had the feeling there is secret police around who controls everything. I haven't heard that a female tourist was harassed or touched by an Iranian man.

The roads are in very good condition, much better than in Turkey.