Some hundreds of meters before the border we drive past long column of trucks and reach the first hatch, where they only check the bike number plate and tell us to park in front of the terminal, near the border gate. We go inside, get a stamp in our passports and then they separate us without explanation (they only say – drivers go there and passengers here). I go through a short corridor and suddenly i’m on Iranian border; well, that was really quick, i’d appreciate if someone told me about it, because all i have with me is a passport and a scarf (which i luckily put around my shoulders before the border), and everything else is left on a bike. I’m second in a line and before i realize what’s going on i have to give my passport. Man behind a hatch is looking at it but nothing happens. The line behind me is getting longer and longer. We’re waiting without an explanation. First i think it’s something wrong with my passport, but later it seems that the system is out and they cannot get a connection. Suddenly it starts to work, i get a stamp and soon after this i hear the words: “Miss Tamara, welcome to Iran!” That was really easy, no checking, no complications... I go out hoping to find Zoran somewhere, but i can’t see the bike anywhere. I hope everything works out and he comes soon. After about an hour he finally drives through the gate. Everything’s ok. He had some more complications on Turkish side, had to walk from one office to another, showing bike papers to different people, nobody speaking English and nobody paying much attention, so it’s quite confused and unpleasant situation. Besides, it took some more time because the system was out. Good that there was one boy who helped and guided Zoran so everything was a bit quicker. He certainly deserved some reward, so we give him some liras we have left and we’re all satisfied. On Iranian side it goes quickly, he just gets a stamp in a passport and we have to show a carnet and that’s it. After 2 hours we’re on a road, riding towards new adventures.

The landscape is still hilly at first, only it is bleaker than in Turkey. Before we reach Orumiye, we leave the hills behind; there is more and more traffic and in a city it gets really chaotic. Everybody is driving fast, there are no rules except the rule of stronger and the only communication that works is tooting. Beside we are witness to an accident, when a car hits a woman crossing the road; luckily nothing serious happens because she stands up and walks away. It seems that driving here it’s going to be a special adventure.

Next day in Mahabad we experience a different kind of shock. With the intention to buy some food we stop in a centre of a city. On the way through the busy streets we can hear all the time from different sides “hello mister! How are you.” When we finally stop, a group of people surrounds us in few seconds. I feel quite embarrassed having to put off my helmet and put on a scarf, while 50 curios people are looking at me. Different questions are raining from everywhere. Soon we realize that these questions are all the same: how are you, where are you from, what’s your name and what you think about Iran – that’s about it. And of course they want to know everything about a bike. Otherwise people are very nice; they help us to find a store where we can buy some food and then they even pay for it, they don’t let us pay.
Soon after Mahabad beside a small river we find a nice spot for camping on a green meadow. In the evening we observe some herdsmen stopping near us, resting, having tea (chai) and talking. In the morning they come by again, this time they stop only 15 m away; they unload a mule, make a fire and observe us packing. Soon we sit together, drinking chai, talking with our hands and laughing.

Late afternoon after unscrambling farsi signs we arrive to Takt-e-Suleiman castle near Takab. There’s no camp or hotel; there’s only some kind of thermal pools about 5 km before the castle, with a big parking and a picnic ground. When passing we see a tent so we return there; they offer us an empty room (only a carpet is on a floor) for 25 USD, trying to convince us that this is really cheap. The toilet is about 200 m away and showers are 100 m away. For putting up a tent they want 10 USD. It’s late so we decide to camp there overnight. We unpack, put up a tent (with some problems, because the wind is blowing like hell) and go to take a shower. Hm, they don’t let us in, because we don’t have a ticket!? Nobody said anything about this before. We try to explain we just want a shower, not swimming in thermal water, but nothing helps. Ok, that’s enough, we pack again and drive few km back and find a better spot for camping – at least it’s peaceful and no wind. In the nigh we hear some strange voices of probably some wild animals and the dogs are barking the whole night, so in the morning we’re not really fresh. We visit the ruins of a castle which was built around beautiful natural lake at the top of a hill; very nice place to relax a bit and enjoy in wonderful views.

From here we continue across the beautiful landscape across the mountains towards Zanjan. We come around 5 in the afternoon, trying to find a normal hotel for normal price. Well, one is without showers, one with stuffy rooms with no windows and one is too expensive for us. We end up in a city park, a local camping ground, with policeman watching and WC near. We’re the first to put up a tent and we feel a little bit confused and uncomfortable. But as time is passing, more and more “campers” are coming. I think there were about 15 tents there at last; looks like very set thing to do this. Finally the night is quite peaceful, except the traffic noise there’s nothing or no one disturbing us.

More photos here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/118443212147267278768