Settling in to Iran

Firstly just how do we navigate in Iran without a GPS ? Well firstly I look for the Southern Cross in the sky! Having discarded that as a workable option it is a case of then intensely studying Mapsme on my iPhone and marking a route. Then memorising it. Then also looking at Google maps where the Internet is available. I also use the road map on the tank bag. I use the compass when I am riding which still works on the GPS. I also an eye on the position of the sun. I study the Lonely Planet book on Iran each night with the intensity of reading passages from the bible. Then last but not least we become unafraid of asking bystanders. They always help. The combination of all of that seems to get us there.

We do the cultural thing today by first visiting the big Mausoleum at Soltanyeh. It is the third biggest clay domed roof in the world.

It is full of scaffolding inside but you get the picture of the size

We then then head up to the Zoroastrians ruins of Takh- e-Soleyman. The Zoroastrians worshipped ( and still do ) the elements of earth, fire water etc. At the ruins is a small volcanic lake which used to have gas coming out of. Burning gas on the water - water and fire symbolism.

Again everyone is friendly, helpful and interested in us ( and the bike!)

The scenery is lovely although desolate ( the girl in the picture is not desolate!)

We take a wrong turn somewhere in mid afternoon and find ourselves heading to the Iraq border. Whoops! We backtrack and head to the town of Bijar in the Kurdistan province of Iran. As it is getting close to dark as we get close to town I select suitable apricot orchards to camp in if we have to. Again locals show us the way to the only hotel in town. There is a room available. Yahoo! And each night the hotels have got better. This one even has a European style toilet! It has been a good day on day 3 in Iran

Comments

The last post!

How do you summarise a motorbike trip around the world from Tokyo to Los Angeles?. With difficulty! Well we are not into record setting. But we believe we are the oldest couple in the world to ride a motorbike “ two up” ie with pillion passenger, right round the world on one season Let’s start off with the statistics for the little trip - Total mileage. 34,416 km * No of days travelling 165 No of countries visited 29 Max temp on bike 41 deg C Min temp on bike 0 deg.C No of punctures. One No of breakdowns. One

Chapters 1 and 2

WHY MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURES ? I have always been interested in adventure. Over the years I have climbed mountains, parachuted, had my private pilots licence, dived, sailed and done various adventurous pursuits (with various degrees of success I might add!). Motorcycling has been one of the later activities. Why motorcycles? Firstly it is all a bit easier on the body as one gets a little bit older. This is of course on the assumption that one does not inadvertently part company suddenly with said machine! Secondly, it does also require a bit of brain power - intellect you might say if that does not sound snobby. There is also, to me, an element of "man and machine" about motorcycling. Then if that is not enough justification in itself there is the scenery and the absorption into the landscape you are passing through. On a bike you see much much more than in a car, bus or train. You are aware of nuances in the landscape, you smell the smells and you become more than just

And a volcano stopped us!

What a day. First thing this morning it was off to check the rear tyre of the bike. Oh the relief ! The tyre was rock solid and the same pressure as after fixing yesterday. So it is a pack up and first day on the road today. We get on the way with a just a little bit of nervous excitement. On to the Japanese motorway system we go. And what a delight. The traffic is orderly, calm not going to fast and not too thick. We track right in towards Tokyo itself before bearing West. Yes, there were lots of spaghetti junctions - It looks like The Los Angeles motorway system but it is so much easier (and slower). Japanese politeness really shows thru’. However there were lots of toll booths - we had chopped thru about NZ$50 in the first hour and a half Then we are on to the slow bit and off the motorways. It was about a four hour stop and start crawl thru the urban sprawl of greater Tokyo. However I did find time for some serious reflection - I also saw a hotel called - and I kid you not

Hubbard Motorcycle Adventures

Search This Blog