February 26, 2005 GMT - Last word from Chris

"What a trip – you never know what's going to happen when you hit the starter and take the first miles from home. We stayed in everything from a 7 star hotel to bush camping in a field. The Burg al Arab is some thing special, really spectacular....................

October 26, 2004 GMT - It would be nice in summer
So those of you who have been paying attention will know that our two heroes (Thats THREE heroes, Edwin) are in Murrat Camping, Doggy Biscuit Eastern Turkey, and the darstardly villians out to destroy the world are only in...

October 22, 2004 GMT - The Wrong Way Home

.... and then we are off again towards Turkey using our own private freeway!! The new freeway goes to Tabiz, as you approach there is a HUGE sign telling everyone to take the next junction off.. but I dont want to do that. I have played Whacky Races enough for now, the road looks good beyond the sign, flat smooth and black, so we go for it... What we find is a perfectly good three lane highway with No Traffic, at all.. for the best part of 100 km we fly along... some bits are all built and ready to go, white lines armaco the works, even signs, some bits are just the base layer of tarmac, some bits still have some workers putting up signs and laying down lines..

This is fun!!! and no tolls, not that we have ever paid tolls on Iranian freeways yet One mile into our first ever freeway we see a big sign saying No Bikes.. oops we think.. in the next miles we see our first Iranian bike using the road, going the wrong way along the hard shoulder!! Followed in the next dozens miles or so by all his Iranian brothers doing the same thing .. in the end we also follow the Iranian way and are to be found going the wrong way down streets, along the pavements and cutting across the fields to get to where we need to be.. As we slowly approach the toll both, as far away from the parked police car as we can I seriously think we are in trouble.. Not a bit of it, the man in the window leans out and says "Excuse me sir what is your nation?" We then have the first of many a conversation trying to assure them we are English (Inglistan) and not Grmany (Allmand).. there is absolutely no suggestion of paying the toll - the road is all ours for free

October 13, 2004 GMT - On Being Iranian

Ground Hog Day We have left Kashan twice now.. not that its such a beautiful place we could just not tear ourselves away.. we just made such a mess of it the first time it was best to go back and try again!!

October 13, 2004 GMT - Talk to me
I have just realised that with the comments thingy being switched off because of spammers there are people who cant contact us !!! OK call me bullet! So If you wish to contact Chris or me email to travelcubs@yahoo.com...

September 04, 2004 GMT - Back in Iran
Now dont you just want a bike with a plastic screen and a GLASS window in it?? ...... its a game of two halves , but some barstard just moved the goal posts....... "Mistakes are an essential part of growth,...

September 04, 2004 GMT - chris's bits
So in the UK for a few days for the funeral and time to reflex on the journey so far. Turkey only three and half days from England, what a gem of a country. The wonderful people, even filling up...

September 03, 2004 GMT - its A Game Of Two Halves

Its not over till the ref sings and the fat lady blows her whistle!... We made it to Tehran and found a good home for the bikes - chained up at the back of the Hotel Nadiri... and nearly went mad finding a flight!! All credit to the Man at Nadim Travel, its big green sign next to terminal one at the airport.. Who would have thought it would be soo busy with people leaving Tehran! .. the short of it was he pulled out all the stops, got us on a flight to Birmingam the next day (he insisted on pronouncing it as Bye - minge- arm.. strange!) and a large pile of dollars was pushed across the counter..

... in five hours we did what took us a month - we are back in the land of rules and byelaws... outside the hotel in Tehran was a man digging a hole in the ground, nothing remarkable about that, its a man with a hole and a pick axe - In the UK there would also be a safety fence and site co-ordinator, Health and Safety signage, a feasability study, an enviromental impact survey and a cordon.. and a portable toilet cubicle, in Tehran you just have the man and the hole!!

.... you also have a army guy at every road junction with traffic lights. Can you believe there is a road safety campaign to make people stop at red lights!!! Wow.. not sure if you now get shot if you run a red lights, but somthing happens that is making it all very effective!

September 01, 2004 GMT - How Bazaar How Bizare - Its The Wacky Races

The markets in Turkey are something else - no not the ones for the local people, full of oranges and aubergines etc, but the one that cling to the heels of all the tourist sites - These sell carpets, plates, tick tack and crap..

Theories abound on the best avoidance methods, what do you do when you are approached by a salesman who of course (!) only wants to speak to you and practise his English " We can have tea together, my friend has a shop over here"

I tried the old one.. 'I dont speak your language' technique, Picture this; we are strolling along to the Topkapi Palace Istanbul and as if by magic Mr Ben appears - our new friend...

August 29, 2004 GMT - OMG Its a Threesome!!

I have a confession to make - Call the The Daily Scum !! we are actually a three some. Its a long story, but in his own words...........Edwin. That me. I been travelling with him for a while now, been to many many places, some of them they will even let me go back too again. Well put it this way, when you are a Bear of my size - six inches ear to toe -you have two choices, You either sit on the shelf looking cute, or you get out there and kick some ankles.... I am a shin kicking kinda cub!!

See my photo below, its a B M W... not an ordinary one mind you but a Chauffeur Driven B M W.. I ride on the top bit... its great, you want airconditioning

August 22, 2004 GMT - Get your Rocks Off......

In the words of the famous song from Robbie Williams - Get your rocks off honey... as chris says we have been lookings at a lot of piles of rocks lately - Istanbul was an early start , arnt they all ? off to Ankara - as mentioned before its not the most inpiring city in the world.... One day in, overnight, look at Mustafa Kamals place and leave.... to Cappadocia, Nemrut and now here - Diyarbikir

August 21, 2004 GMT - One More Star in Heaven Tonight

Tonight there is one more star in heaven - Some days you remember all your life, your first this, your first that, definately the first OTHER.. there is also the last this and the last that; for me yesterday - 20 Aug - was a significant last. My Twin lost her battle with Cancer yesterday; Ýt was a day to remember even before that..

Chris and I have been making progress - an entry on that in detal soon - you would not believe it , I tell ya.... So we ride off early - Oi Mr Mullah time to get up !! Go Wail - You know this is the earliest form of PR and Spinn!! We are heading for Diyarbikir in Turkeys Wild East - but not that wild any more, The Kurdish resistance

August 16, 2004 GMT - Istanbul and more Turkey

...So we are up with the mullahs again leaving Galipolli and heading off around the Dardellens, sea of mamara in to Istanbul.. The local mullah was definately a radical dissident..." there is only one bike and HONDA is its name".... dangerous stuff - and If you have no idea what I am talking about go read the entries in chronological order!! (yes you Simon!)

Chris is looking forward to a bit of bike maintanance once we leave Istanbul - which we duely did - I kinda take a different view to it all, I give my bike a name, he is called Roderick because he has push rods in the engine and I sing him happy birthday evertime he clocked another thousand miles, he was 91 a few days ago!! . and I did give him the full two verses at the traffic lights....(which definately makes him a boy, who else but a male would attempt something at his age and still never ask for directions!!!) You see when it is personal he will not let you down... I did help a bit and clean out the airfilter, check the plugs, oil and

August 14, 2004 GMT - ...and some words from Chris

Istanbul, were east meets west and the adventure begins

Istanbul finaly here a few days later than planed but a few nice places along the way just tooo good to leave. Avyvlik was stunning, yes its better than the pictures ,a pension too good to be true but you need a GS (off road býke) to get there - not quiet full on green lane stuff, steep uphill with a few rocks thrown in for good measure, but good fun. I could have stayed a little longer epecialy when there was a dive boat in the harbour. another time maybe.

Troy was disappointing lots of rocks, the legend did not seam to fit in, Burgama

August 13, 2004 GMT - The Hulabalu of Jelabalou !
Jelabalou, or Galipoli to you an me - Famous for....... Yep its a war memorial, very important to our antipodien cousins, actually rather important to us all really - I speak German (Badly) on a voluntury basis! Its very moving...

August 10, 2004 GMT - The First Bite of the Kepab
So we are in Turkey now.. Came off the boat at Cesme, turned left and followed the coast, heading to Istanbul slowly - nothings a hurry now, deadlines and alarms clocks and working around world time zone changes are all...

August 09, 2004 GMT - My Twin

I have a twin and I have a Mijn lieverd - They are not the same, My twin is my twin and mijn lieverd is my Mooie Ziele - if you really want to know you will need a DUTCH Dictionary!! - The news I got today by text is that my twin has cancer - again

August 07, 2004 GMT - Euro Blur
Its all a blur- Eurpope that is - well it was never meant to be the adventure, that starts in Turkey. We left early on Sat morning - 5 am - Chris as ever was not eating and İ was...

July 24, 2004 GMT - The Who The What The Where and The When

What - the heck do you think you are doing; Seen that look on a few peoples faces in the last few weeks, it's a kinda lopsided stare with glazed eyes as you explain to them where you are going and how; "on a motorbike?" they ask, Oh yes I say - I am gentle with people though, I sneak it up on them - I mention in conversation, especially around business that I am going to be away on long leave, curiosity is piqued and so they ask, and so I tell them.