Salam !
This newsletter is about my journey from Tehran to Gonbad-e-Kavus, Golestan Province, Iran. Thanks for reading it. And above all... Thanks for your very supporting messages ! I love to read them and they are very precious on my way on. But let me tell you about the latest kilometers...
.... My "vacations" away from my bike stopped on Tuesday 4th when I started my journey out of Tehran towards the Alborz mountains, North of the megapole.
I soon found myself back in the middle of some dry and astoshingly high mountains, ridding along secondary roads or tracks. Roads are rather steeper in Iran than anywherelse I have been to before. It was a hard job to find my way through and it took me 3 full days and (only) 100km to go up to the lake of Lar, after a pass at 3000m and a marvellous journey through a remote and fertile valley... from where I had my first view onto Mount Damavand, the highest summit of Iran, looking similar to Mount Fuji.
Arrived in Polur, the starting point of any climb of Damavand, as a lonely ascent was out of question, I thought my journey would simply continue towards the East. But I unexpectedly met there with a dozen of Kurds, who were right going to start the ascent of Damavand. In 10 seconds, I made up my mind to go with them and started to pack my bag accordingly.
I stored my bike in the restaurant near by and jumped into the shuttles prepared for our merry group. We reached the 2nd base-camp (2950m) at 15.00. From there we climbed up to the 3rd base-camp (4100m), which we reached at night the very same day. It was freezing and windy but my gears were warm enough to sleep outdoors with no tent. We had a short dinner and then a 5-hour sleep. We woke up at 3.00 am and got ready for the final assault. Water was iced in the bottles. The full moon was providing a gosthly but clear light around us onto our track. We went up silently. At first we were the 12 of us. Then, we were a leading group of 4. At 400m of the summit, at around 11.00, when the air becomes icy and rare, our group split again : Each one of us would finish alone, step after step, centimeter after centimeter. This the moment when your mind overtakes your fainting body and pushes you up to the summit.
The air then became full of sulfuric vapours (Damavand is a volcano which still exhales smokes) and the slopes were covered with white-yellowish powder. Our faces were covered with it.
And then, we reached the top !.. At 5671m, the sky was pure blue, the wind was blasting, the air was loaded with sulfuric gases. No snow, just a small glacier in the curved cratere. The outside temperature was probably near -15 Celsius but we stayed 2 hours up there, taking the sun and sleeping a bit in my case.
The descent happened to be lot harder : Passed the challenge of the ascent, my head was aching because of the altitude and certainly because of a cruel lack of food. I had no walking-stick to secure my movements downwards on the uneven slopes and my low shoes were not enough to prevent any ankle-twist or knee tendititis in case of a mistaken stride... It lasted nearly 4 hours to reach the base camp, which we left in the morning. It was 15.00 then. And the 2nd base-camp was again 1000m lower! At least I could get a little bit of food to sustain myself and carry on. I eventually reached the camp at night (19.00), exhausted but very proud and totally unharmed! Well done !
The 13 of us deeply slept in the dormitories of the Iranian Mountainering Federation back in Polur and we separated in the morning in the sight of Damavand... which appeared so high from where we were ! Mo Techekirem, dear friends !
The nothern road from Polur to the coast is known to be very dangerous. Too dangerous for a biker anyhow : I decided to get a lift to the Caspian Sea, which happened to be a fish-smelling but swift pick-up.
Since then, the landscape has been perfectly flat. I turned round the South-East "corner" of the Caspian Sean yesterday and by doing so, I entered into Central Asia.
I am in Iran still, in the Golestan Province; veils are not as often black or strictly tight as before, but colourful and with feminin shapes; eyes are becoming asian and turkish is again an understood language.
I am now rushing to the Turkmen Border toward the Ashquabad border-point, 560km away (and my Iranian visa is still valid 7 days). I won't have time to reach Mashad, too far from here. I leave it for a next time, because it is certain I want to come back to Iran !
From Ashquabad, I shall then again rush to Uzbekistan, in order to stay within the time-limits of my transit visa (again 7 days for 550km)... It will be short but I can make it !
Internet connections are few now. Please forgive my probable future silence. It does not mean I do not think of you; it only means that I am ridding in the wild at "marche forcee" !! Be sure I am very very happy to do so, despite I start to miss you after 5 months away from home !
Take care ,
Barth
Next news letter : possibly from Ashquabad in Turkmenistan or Bukkhara in Uzbekistan in 10 to 15 days from now. |
Photos Iran
Carnets de voyage Iran
Vidéos Iran
Carte Iran
Guide de voyage Iran
Santé Iran
Billets d'avion Iran
