Mosquitos and Elephants (English)

Naturally, having just ten day avaiable to experience any country is way too short. As with Iran undoubtely this is the case too. Tough by travelling East-to-West you can get a good impression about the culture, the nature and the people.

Besides one attempt in Jazd we did not try to prolong our ten-day transit visa. We felt that we already had lost two weeks in Pakistan and we needed to 'reclaim' some time - it came to the expense of Iran.

We decided to ride our bikes every single day, excluding our visits to the touristplaces Jazd and Esfehan; here we would stay at least two nights before moving on.

Being relieved from our beloved police escorts in Bam we hit the road for a long stroke: Bam to Jazd.
This stretch would take us across some 650 km good quality Iranian tarmac. We stopped in Kerman for lunch. Now, without the escort we experienced a lot more interaction with the local people. Because our 'bigbikes' immedately draw a lot of attention when we drive nto a local dwelling, in no-time we have a mosquito on our sde. As mentioned earlier, 'Mosquito' is the name for ever friendly, ever road-raging motorcyclists who lyrically drive next to you - screaming out load how wonderful your bike is. Preferably riding just millimeters apart from you.

In Kerman a friendly young student was bringing us to a lunch room just before his classes commenced. Finally we could experience some of Iran's revered hospitable culture. From Kerman, we rode on for Rafsanjan to Jazd. Just about 50 klometers before Jazd our 'friend-the-wind' dropped by to say hello. This wnd was certainly not as friendly as Demis Roussos' number one hit song. This wind was sudden and hit us hard wthout warning.

Instantly my intercom connection with Lisanne was lost. Despite the mere distance between Lisanne and I - some 60 meters - I was unable to turn my bike and offer help. Finding myself in great distress, batteling Beauforts big numbers I hardly could stand ground. Rain, wind and a great turmoil mix of fierce weather was trying to 'KO' us once more.
Then suddenly I saw big trucks overhauling Lisanne. Lisanne's headlight was suddenly out of sight..

..no sign of light, and no communication via intercom. Painstaking seconds become hours when all-of-a-sudden a big truck stops just inches away from your bike. The trucker jumped out of his vehicle asking you to join him in his safe cabin. Unable to think clearly the only thing that you can try to do is make an effort to calm yourself. Lisanne's headlight was still gone. Just big trucks were standing afar in the thunderstorm with their big headlights. Not movng an inch.

After the wind seized I realized that the trucker was the same trucker that we briefly crossed earlier at the Pakistan/Iran border. Despite the fever we had exchanged some German words back then. The truckers were driving in convoi and all of them where Turkish. Some of them had been workng in the Netherlands and named some of our towns; even Den Bosch!

Now the truckers were our angels of Iran. The remainder of the convoi appeared to have provide shelter to Lisanne whilst she was fighting the wind on the hghway. They literally closed in on her to protect her from the wind. That was the reason why I couldn't see her headlight; she had a virtual resting elephant stampede surrounding her in the form of big Turkish Volvo and Mercedes trucks and trailers

We were saved by the Turks. After the wind returned to normal conditions we drove along with the trucks to Jazd. We drove with them to every checkpoint. We completed the Turkish trucker's convoi with BMW and Kawasak engines; albeit with less power and volume, we were bonded with the truckers until our next destiny: Jazd.

After honking and waving goodbye we entered the busy center of Jazd. It already turned dark outside. We were tired, but happy wth arriving safely at last in the desert city Jazd.

We parked our bikes at the Silk Road Guesthouse and found our romantic little room at the courtyard of this cosy 'arabic-styled' guesthouse. One full day of rest ahead..