Knew we had a shorter day driving, but told to get down to breakfast early as hotel full. The early bird gets the worm. A lot of foreign travellers. Isabel thinks she sticks out like a sore thumb wearing baggy clothes and dubious head scarf arrangements!! Iranian women very stylish.
Nasty smell in car, surely we don’t stink that much. I furtle around and fine slimy mushrooms. Atle catches gaz bottle on security gates, but no harm done. We have only been driving a couple of minutes when we find a LR garage. Well, we have to stop, jump out and have a nosey. As we drive off a police car pulls Atle over – just to have a natter. Need fuel, fill both cars for 250,000 Rials -Nasty smell in car, surely we don’t stink that much. I furtle around and fine slimy mushrooms. Atle catches gaz bottle on security gates, but no harm done. We have only been driving a couple of minutes when we find a LR garage. Well, we have to stop, jump out and have a nosey. As we drive off a police car pulls Atle over – just to have a natter. Need fuel, fill both cars for 250,000 Rials – £26. Bargain. Atle is leading, and we miss the turn for the motorway as he is ogling a Landie. We take lead. Suddenly can’t see them in mirror, they had stopped to change drivers. Hilde had noticed other women driving, so she knew it was ok. Soon lose them again. Diagnostic kit said “Driver error!!!” Hilde thought this was hilarious. Park by a vineyard. Throttle cable was oiled and ECU changed. Landscape more arid, but can follow water courses by the lush trees. Large iron mines and lumbering lorries. Really excited about going to Tehran.
Toll booth attendants wave us through and waives the fee – all 2.5p. Broken down lorry uses stones to cone off area. Good team work driving, CB radios help. Couple who waved at us on motorway come and talk at services. Isabel takes picture of first sign for Tehran. She is moaning about her camera being too slow to capture the moment. She’ll be wanting a new one for Christmas, no doubt. Traffic heavy through Tehran, and many new roads are not on say nav. But find Norwegian Embassy, to collect stuff for Hilde and Atle.
Very swanky apartment hotel. Handbrake doesn’t hold us on hill, so we park up to garage doors. Huge suite each, ours has balcony with 5 patio doors. Five loads go into washing machine, and dry within 40 mins. Beat that Will. We were going to taxi to a restaurant, but Iran has just beaten Korea in a World Cup qualifying game. We go outside to join in the celebrations. Cars whizz past with people hanging out, waving flags, horns tooting. They wave at us and shout welcome. We order a take away and eat together. Hilde says that if the Turkmenistan visas don’t come through, at least we have driven from home to Tehran. We feel privileged to be visiting Iran, but also it is such a historic moment to be here. We are sharing some of their joy at the election results and share their hope for a bright future.