It's a long way to Masuleh, it's a long way to go...

The day started off very calmly and like no other. We had breakfast and packed the tents, and some of the others had been up with diarrhoea all night - perfectly normal.

We had a mountain range we had to cross so off we drove. It took nearly 2 hours to cross the mountain in a cloud with minimal visibility and maximal moisture!

We entered a town the other side and were pulled over by the police. After a long and heated debate, we were forced to turn around and were escorted back out of the town and onto that mountain road facing the wrong way from Masuleh. Apparently we weren't taking the most direct route to Pakistan so they wouldn't let us through. How stupid!

So we had to cross the mountains again, drive down the road a little bit, then crossed the mountains for the third time avoiding the town and the police check point. This was along a road that they hadn't been along in the truck and we weren't sure if it had tarmac or not or if we would even fit.

We managed it.

But. We were pulled over 3 more times by the police but luckily they don't communicate with each other. So today we are glad that Iran is 621 years behind the rest of the world. Except the Mayans and Chinese. But anyway.

Because of the delay, we weren't going to make it to Masuleh so had to find camp. We were just about to turn into a potential bush camp but as we did, the following car wasn't paying attention and tried to overtake as we were turning and he careered off the winding mountain road.

The driver was very angry that we had run him off the road. But the doddery old man forgot that he was zooming on a wet, cloudy, thin mountain road in a no overtaking zone. Oh, and we are in a massive bright orange truck.

Anyway, we pushed and pulled the car out of the ditch and drove away before he demanded any money. Thankfully, no one was hurt, the car wasn't damaged and we had to pay him no money. Change of plan, we did a quick straw poll and are off driving into the night to make Masuleh running away from the angry locals!

Iranian Insight #3

How many different types of car are there in the world? Bajillions. How many different types of car are there in Iran? 2. A few Peugeots and a lot of unbranded ones. These cars are called Paykans and are local to Iran. They seem to have the same chassis but are all different.

There is your standard version

It comes with optional roof bars

You can get it with a big box on the back

Or as a pick up

Or get pimped

Or it comes with a cage

Taxi versions too

They are reliable and never break down

Handling can be a little sluggish

But it does come with a tow bar

But the only problem is, they are all white(ish)!

Written on 2/8/13