I intended
to take it slow and easy in Iran, now back on my original planned adventure
route, I had researched Iran, I had a basic idea of the cities and towns I
wanted to visit and the sights I wanted to see. Day one (1) was a short ride to
the town of Quchan and with the temperature sitting on 38 degrees I was glad to
find a hotel quickly and easily. While settling in I noticed the hotel
restaurant had a steady stream of locals purchasing food, so I gestured to the
hotel manager who spoke little English and I speak no Farsi that I would like
to eat.
I have to
say I have eaten some pretty ordinary food in recent months, had a crook stomach
for more time than not, and was well and truly over it, so while I stayed close
to the toilet after a dodgy doner kebab on my last day in Turkmenistan I gave
in and took a dose of antibiotics from my medical kit. Feeling much better just
a day later I was keen for some decent food, and decent food was what I got.
Jouje kebab and Berenj (flame grilled skewered chicken and rice), who would
have thought plain rice and grilled chicken could taste so-good.
As I
finished my delicious meal the hotel manager’s younger brother came over and
introduced himself, speaking good English he provided me with some information
that would be helpful during my Iran travels, including the symbols for numbers
1 to 9, money exchange values, and names of various foods. So with my newfound
knowledge I left the hotel and wandered the streets, I found a money changer,
negotiated a good rate, then I retreated from the days heat.
The following morning I set out from Quchan on
what should have been a long day’s ride, but the long ride did not eventuate,
as I approached the city of Mashhad I was on the lookout for a by-pass road to
take me South, then my motorcycle cut out, I turned off the ignition and
restarted the bike only to have it cut out when mobile again. The bike cut out
numerous times in several kilometres, I found the bypass road and while stopped
road side contemplating my next move a man in a car pulled over to offer
assistance after noticing my stop start road edge riding. I asked Hossain who
spoke good English if he knew of a mechanic who could investigate my motorcycle
issue, he said he did and offered to guide me to the mechanics workshop. With
the bike continuing to cut out it was a slow trip to the mechanic and on
arrival the motorcycle stopped cutting out and ran fine. The mechanic offered
advice as to the problem and said he could not get parts to fix the problem anyway,
and I should continue on my travels. Being close to Hossain’s home, he invited
me to drink tea, I accepted and there began my experience of just how friendly
and hospitable Iranian people are. During the afternoon I met Hossain’s wife
Shohre, their two sons Ali and MJ (Mohammad Javad) and two cousins, drank tea,
ate a meal and discussed my travel route and destinations while in Iran, Hossain
also provided me with suggestions for additional or alternative places to
visit. Ali and MJ then found me a good hotel within my budget and during that
evening MJ picked me up in his car and we visited Mashhad Holy Shrine, it was
incredibly busy with hundreds of other visitors, but a worthwhile experience.
Due to my
short ride to Mashhad I had ground to make up and an even longer ride South the
following day, with the temperature rising to 40 degrees I rode 520 kilometres
in about eight (8) hours, my motorcycle cut out several times midway but
started again and got me to the town of Tabas. I stopped at a pretty run down
hotel that looked deserted, but the young man at the small entry/guard building
was extremely happy, friendly and accommodating and with little other option I
settled in.
I ventured
down the road in the early evening, finding a large mosque situated on a
roundabout with souvenir shops and eateries on the outer side of the roundabout
road. I entered an eatery and ordered a meal, but the lady did not seem happy, due
to language differences I had no idea if there was a problem or not. There was
three (3) ladies and three (3) children at another table who had just been
served large plates of Berenj and Jouje kebabs, one of the ladies speaking a
little English asked what I wanted to eat and then spoke to the lady owner, who
was still not happy, I think she must have dished up the last of the rice and
chicken and could not communicate that to me, anyway, another of the ladies at
the other table put rice and chicken on a plate and placed it in front of me
and gestured me to eat. After I gestured that she did not have to do that for
me, she again gestured me to eat, so I did. After we had all finished our meals
I could see one of the ladies talking to her son and gesturing towards me, I
sensed he may speak a little English but was too shy to approach me and talk,
so I approached him and spoke to him, and yes, he then opened up, speaking
enough English to pass on my thanks to them all, asking where I was from, where
I was going, along with other questions. I then offered to pay for their meals
but they would not accept, so I paid for my share and we all exited the eatery.
The children were interested in my motorcycle parked outside, so I sat them on
the bike while their mother and I photographed them. I thanked them again,
photographed the Mosque and returned to the hotel, grateful again for Iranian
hospitality.
Before settling
in to sleep I set my alarm for an early morning start, and it was lucky I did,
the young man at the hotel knocked on my room door at 7.00 am with my breakfast
in hand, I ate boiled eggs, flat bread, and carrot jam and drank tea. I then
rode another hot day in 38 degree heat through a dry barren mountain and desert
landscape, my motorcycle cut out several times but I made it to the city of
Yazd mid-afternoon.
While in
Yazd I stayed at a comfortable guesthouse just outside the old city area, with
rooms off a central court yard, a large water feature and fountain providing a
pleasant area to eat the standard Iranian breakfast consisting of boiled eggs,
tomato, cucumber flat bread, jam and plenty of tea to drink, or an evening meal
including another widely available dish in Iran, consisting of a leg/breast
piece of chicken with a very mild tomato based sauce and rice. I spent my days
walking the streets, visiting the sights in the old city including Dowlat Abad
Garden, the School/Prison building and the Water Museum which provided insight
into how tunnels were dug below the city and provide water to residents in
another wise dry area.
After
several days in Yazd I got back on my motorcycle and rode further South, the
ride ended a little short of my intended destination , but Iranian hospitality from
a family in Shiraz sure made up for a broken down motorcycle being placed in the hands of a local mechanic.
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