Salam !
Thanks for reading this newsletter ! This issue tells about my journey from Baku down to Tehran along the Caspian Sea and I hope it will give you an opportunity to travel mentally far far away, especially if you are back in the office after some great holidays ;-)
My way down to the Iranian border was faster than I expected. Southern coastal Azerbaijan is flat and roads are good. The desert South of Baku, which extends over 200km along the Caspian Sea, was an easy crossing, showing extraordinary arid landscapes, such as salted lakes or endless steppic plaines. Few people or animals live there; from times to times some cattle were cruising from a muddy water pond to a limited shadow spot produced by a squeletic acacia-tree. To be honest, you do not want to stay there longer than necessary.
I reached the subtropical area of Masalli after a record journey of 146km in a single day, and I rejoyed myself to feel humidity and freshness again. Abundance after austerity: streams, torrents, rivers... fruits, flowers and ... wide and cold shadow under the trees ! The prevailing coulour was green everywhere again.
Then, I followed the coastline and I had my first bath in the Caspian Sea... Despite what I was told several times, I think it is more salty than the Black Sea is, but I have no means to check this point... The coast is relatively clean and the water is clear and warm : This was an absolute delight to swim at sunset after a long day pedaling.
For my last night in Azerbaijan, I was lucky enough to get the authorisation to camp on a military ground only a few meters from the waves and just before my 7000th kilometer. On August, 20th, I passed the border in 15 minutes only, where once the Iron Curtain extended. This used to make some neighbours only distant of a few km's separated by weeks of travel via the former USSR before they could meet.
Getting into a new country is always a great excitement for me and I was more than happy to step into the heart of the so-called "Evil Axis"...
This is tonight my 7th night in Iran. Day after day, I am ridding further in this country and I am glad to discover a place that is extremely different from what Western TV's and political leaders usually tell. For instance :
- It took 5 seconds before I received the first smile, the first welcome and some fresh fruits from a Iranian after the border point,
- It took 10 minutes before the first woman came to me with other female friends to merrily investigate what a strange animal had arrived in her country,
- I can wear short outfits on the bike with no remark or consequence at all, even if I do my best to wear long pants off the roads as to respect the local dressing codes,
- That's only after 33km that I saw the first strict black Iranian veil on a woman,
- That's only in Tehran that I have seen the first bus in which men (jammed at the front) and women (sitting at the rear) were separated,
- Not a single Iranian I have met has made any aggressive or undelicate remark on Israel or the US, or what recently happened in Lebanon,
- And above all, I feel happy to be in a country where people smile and look... happy !
- ...
Oil is very cheap in Iran. Is that why roads are so busy ? At first, I did my best to avoid the main axis, but traffic is always relatively dense. A loop away from the national road Astara-Tehran led me to high mountains and beautiful landscapes again. First forests, trees everywhere. Then, from 2000m and a little above, no more vegetation but some limited irrigated fields near the villages. Beyond that point, this is the realm of sheeps and sheppherds, and eagles.
Sun was rather hammering and temperatures as high as 45 Celsius at noon but each kilometer was more rewarding than the previous one. Once again, I went into a desertic environment, an immense, silent volume of pure air and... I loved it ! Water was pouring regularly from irrigation canals or natural torrents and I felt no stress on this point this time, that's may be why I enjoyed more.
Ascents are hard. Descents are very technical. The one down to Masoleh was long and steep (-2100m over 25km of surfaced track). It required serious focus on the speed, the position of the gravity centre and the brakes' temperature ! And I can now tell that there are descents which lead you to wish they would end NOW and you went up again !
Masoleh was a beautiful village hung onto the mountain, where roofs become staired terrasses according to how you look at them.Streets are narrow and wavy gangways. I was lucky to meet there Payam, who is now taking care of me in Tehran... We simply exchanged numbers as it often happens on the way and friendship now grows.
Down Masoleh, the subtropical forest replaced the tempered trees and again, after the desert, I camped in the middle of humidity, green leaves and singing birds.
Many Iranians had warned me about the dangers of the road linking Rasht to Tehran. This is the only way together with the equally busy -but far longer- road along the Caspian Sea to reach the Capital of Iran. I decided to put my bike in a bus and go straight into the 9-million inhabitant city for safety reasons. I felt a little guilty only till I saw the road and the obvious hazards it causes...
Tehran ! This is a huge city, limited against the walls of the Albroz Mountains,in the North, which extends endlessly to the South.
Cars, motos everywhere. The polluted air was bothering for a while at the beginning. But the city is rather silent -or not too loud-, as Iranian drivers horn less than other drivers in other countries.
Friday is the only day off of the week here. Saturday and Sunday are working days. I spent this Friday with Payam and his friends in a leisure park, 15km West of the city. All Tehran was there, having kebab within family and friends, boys and girls, renting bikes, playing football : Such a peaceful image of a country which is systematically shown outside as fanatic and belligerent... Could it be there is any mistake here ?
Tomorrow, I'll apply for a transit visa for Turkmenistan. I am planning to visit the cities of Esfahan, Shiraz and then Yazd in the time they'll need to process my request. Then I shall pick up both passport & bike on my way back to Tehran before I'll head to Mashad, the Gate to Central Asia, near the Turkmen and Afghan borders, East of the country...
I think of you all and I hope you're all fine,
All the best my friends,
Barth
Next Newsletter : Teheran in 8 days or Mashad in about 20 days.
Latest News :
0- The Blog : http://www.top-depart.com/carnet-de-voyage-sv-bartrouer-rq-ACCUEIL
1- The Route : Google Earth has been fully updated up to Tehran.
2- The Photographs : All pictures are on PixVillage up to Baku. Picture up to Tehran will be online soon. |
Photos Iran
Carnets de voyage Iran
Vidéos Iran
Carte Iran
Guide de voyage Iran
Santé Iran
Billets d'avion Iran
