10-12-2007
To day could be our last day in Turkey, I am writing this 40 km fro the border in a altitude of 2000meter and a temperature around zero degrees. The travel hereto was full of happenings.
Well we left Mersin after a negative answer from Venezuela and a good deal angry to this mister Peter who promised to mail me but did not. Now courage and take of for Iran and god help us. We left in a clouded and rainy weather. The road was good sometimes surprising with very little traffic, sometimes monotone and sometimes breathtaking mountain climbing.
We passed a lot of towns most very moderns and very good planed all with unknowns names to us we learned there names and forgot them as soon we passed them.Unfortunatly the daylight is very short, at four o’clock we had to stop and pass a very long night in low temperature.
He routine is to stop at that time and look for a place to stop and here happened a surprice, seen from the road it seemed an apartment building and we went in there hoping for a place to park it happened to be a big farmhouse and the farmer appeared at once, I asked permition at got it at once, and more he offered us to sleep in his house, but we preferred to stay in the BB, shortly after his two daughters brought two meals, and the next morning we where invited to breakfast, and for the first time in our life we saw a different house in side. See the photos.
Coming near to Van we noticed a sign Iran and took off that way, but analyzing the map it seems to us that that was not our border crossing so we turned round to Van. Coming there we had a lot of trouble to find the right road to our border a 50km, just to find the road closed no entrance to Iran. WE happened to travel in apart of Turkey with troubles with KPP and we noticed several roadblocks for the Lorries
For us was a detour of 300 km.
WE happen to have trouble with the car suddenly it stopped to charge and it got hotter, but her we had luck to find a good mechanic, even late he arranged most of it , and the next morning we took off again, but to day it started again the charging stop, but also here we happen to get help in the last town near to the Iran border an even without charge.
Result the Turkish people have been fantastic and helpful to us
Well the day com to start for the Iran border, it was very cold below Zero .but the last kms were eacy, and we arrived and this time the border was open.
Well it took time to get out because I had insurance deft to pay but we got out and in to Iran everything went smooth until I had to tell that I did not have the document, and when I got real nervosa , 300 Us$ and by the end 400$ was the price for an insurance and a lot of papers written in there language and there letters. We should be very happy but it was a strange feeling when they gave me a map telling what way to follow, with a threat of jail if I took an other road. It was a feeling of not being welcome not at all. But off we went.
The road was good, and we came to Urmiye a big town and slept at street. Now not so cold. It has been a bit of a day.
Well to day was our first day in Iran.First problem to find a real supermarket, only small chops.
Next diesel for the BB, different from Turkey where you find a petrol station every kilometer there are few and diesel seems to be rationed. They would not sell to us without a green card. And where to get that? We took of from town and 25 km out I asked at a police station where to get it .A horrible day started because of the language no one spoke Inglish.I asked them to write an address on a paper so I could show the people. First 25 km back to the town it was a hell running from place to place , and I happen not to get no card it seems to be a problem only in this place.
We are now sitting at a P place some kms out of town .
Text to the next 10 photos
No 1 on the flat road to Van
No 2 The farm house mentioned in the dairey
No3 At the breakfast
No4 The whole family in front of the barn.
No5 The elektrition who helped a lot
No6 An ugly accident
No7 Lake Van
No8 The cloced border
No9 A lot of helpers
No10 speaks for it self