Masouleh Having slept early last night, I woke about 0400 but lay in bed till 0730. At breakfast, I met the Japanese girls I had seen in Yazd. They flew here and are headed to Ardabil. I have a very empty sad feeling today, from having left the wonderful people I had met in Yazd. […]

Above:  At Mehrabad Airport. I had breakfast with Ada; we drank lots of tea and chatted for a while. It’s funny that I’ve taken an instant liking to her, Jan and the others. We’re so like-minded. Like I said, the more “strange” the destination, the more you’re gonna find in common with the travellers you […]

Travel admin The clocks went back one hour last night with daylight saving finishing, so I woke “early”.  I chatted with an Australian man who had a zinc mining business near here, and his Iranian wife. I needed some more Iranian rials.  Banks here open at 0730 but it was still early.  I went to […]

[Edit:  I repeat this daytrip thirteen years later.  In the age of the digital camera, I capture a lot more in pictures. You can read about it here.] Excursion to Kharanaq I started with a good breakfast of fried eggs, cheese, various kinds of bread, coffee and fruits. Today I had organised to join a Dutch […]

Leaving Mashhad It was a short and interrupted night sleep.  I woke at 0515 and showered.  Prayers at the mosque were on and it was busy.  I settled my bill with the hotel and was pleasantly surprised that it was less than expected, partially because I didn’t take breakfast today. I got to the airport […]

Above:  Imam Reza’s shrine takes up quite an expansive area, as you can see from the two photos stitched up above. I felt shattered today and slept till 0800.  I decided to have the day off.  I couldn’t handle another day of long bus trips especially if the sights were only so so.  I took […]

With a little bit of Malaysian time in my system, I woke up early at 0630 and was downstairs for a delicious breakfast at 0730.  Crunchy cucumber, ripe red tomatoes, thick yoghurt, cheeses, bread, eggs, omelette and boring cornflakes. My plan today was to do a daytrip to Torbat-e Jam.  I took a taxi to […]

Above:  View of Imam Reza Shrine by night, from my new hotel room at Razavieh Hotel. About Mashhad The holy city of Mashhad is home to 6 million people, saffron and the Coca Cola factory. Yes, Coca Cola Iran trade embargo notwithstanding. It is in the far east of the country, near the Turkmenistan and Afghanistan border. […]