CyclOrbit

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HIGHLIGHTS

Mountains near Isfahan. To avoid some hills, you can take the trafficked and dangerous highway.
Weather: Trip done in early November, perfect weather of 20°c day, 10°c night. Always sunny but never too hot. After mid-November, it may get cold.

THE GOOD

Iranians are among the most welcoming people in the world. They are always ready to help, support, and talk with you.
CouchSurfing works great and there are nice hostels both in Tehran (Heritage Hostel) and in Isfahan (Ragrug).
Prices are quite low, you can have a meal at a medium-quality restaurant for about four euros.
Some archeological sites to see after 200 km cycled: AsgarAbad Caravansary and Asgarabad Bridge near Rahmatabaf, in Qom Province.
Friendly and professional police, at least the few I met. Moreover, the one military patrol I crossed on my way was really kind, they even asked if I needed any help.
Not much traffic on the smaller roads.
Great shop and workshop for bike touring in Tehran: Ecobiker.ir
No criminality: I didn’t experience or feel any danger from anyone. In comparison with Europe, It feels much safer in Iran.
Young people speak English in big towns, at least in Tehran.
Extensive and cheap metro system in Tehran. There are even free drinking water points in it.
Drinkable tap water in the main cities.
Get an esim here with registration code LUCA0584, or get a sim in an official shop.B
But don´t buy it from taxi drivers or locals who want to sell you stuff.
People who want to help you in the Airport, or taxi drivers, may cheat you. Anywhere else is safe.

THE BAD

Pay attention to your tires when you go camping in the fields, most bushes have needles.
Camping near the road can be dangerous.
Mostly dunes and arid landscapes. Not too interesting to cycle: there are either unpaved streets or highways where there is not much to see for hundreds of kilometers.
VPNs: You need a SPECIAL VPN that works in Iran. The best are Surfshark (paid) and VipVPN (you need to get the configuration from someone). Alternatively: Geph, Biubiuvpn, AdaVPN, Orbot. For Chromebook: #1VPN
Internet will be limited, slow, and intermittent also with the best VPN
Buying a ticket for a train or a bus can be challenging and time-consuming. Even just knowing the schedule took me days. If you want to get a train ticket, best to book it online at least one week before, with the help of a local. Prices are low!
The variety of food in the restaurants is limited, it’s mostly grilled minced meat and rice. People don’t really have the concept of what a vegetarian meal is.
Quality products, such as electronics, cycling, or camping stuff; are scarce and pricy.
In Iran is illegal to dance, penalty jail, but it’s accepted to drive wrong way on the highway.
Cars drive like crazy. Avoid taxis and stick to trains and metros. But if you really need a taxi, you can book one with “Snapp” app (it’s in English), if you have an Iranian SIM. Or ask locals to do it for you, you can also pay cash.

BOTTOM LINE

Do this trip if you like to cycle in deserted landscapes and if you don’t mind a few hills. Make sure to have everything offline, maps, etc; in case the internet is off completely.
Digestive aids: I strongly suggest bringing pills of cayenne Pepper, turmeric, and bullrich salt.

Outside the hostel RagRug in Isfahan, Iran

LOST BICYCLE, LOST LOVE

My previous bicycle, a “Giant” branded that I bought in Armenia, was stolen a while ago.

Now I have bought a new bicycle, it’s unbranded but the shifting and brakes are “Shimano”, and they seem even original!

The new bicycle is even better than the previous one. I now have side bags also in the front and more accessories, thanks to the cool bike workshop of Mahmudi.

Same for a loved one. A while ago I lost someone, but there is always better out there.

In Tehran, each street is dedicated to a certain business. For example, if you want to buy car tires, you have to go to the street with all the shops selling them, which are omnipresent in Iran due to the huge car culture.

My previous bicycle got stolen, but I did have some other stuff that I left at someone’s place which is supposed to still be there. I finally manage to get it. Somehow, there are fewer items than there were, but I can’t complain much.

So now I have to go to the bicycle Street. Thanks to a kind local, after some hours spent store-hopping, I found a new bicycle.

Even if my budget was tight, I managed to get the bicycle plus the gear for less than two hundred euros.

ECOBIKER.FI SHOP

The owner of the shop where I bought the new bicycle, Mahmudi, has been extremely kind and flexible.

He also travels by bicycle and has all kinds of gear for bike touring and cycling in general, which is not always easy to find in Iran.

Now my bicycle is ready to start my adventure going south. I will stop in Isfahan because even though I wanted to reach Pakistan in one go, it would take me too long.

PRAYER ROOMS IN IRAN AND TURKEY

Prayer rooms, both in Turkey and in Iran are even too tolerant, in my opinion.

I see people sleeping and talking on the phone in there without anyone telling them anything. I also got some sleep there, and sometimes I do yoga too.

Furthermore, I did it in some mosques too. I have never expected these places to be so welcoming.

The soft carpets are great for lying down, to meditate, and to relax.

I remember that when I was a bit more than a teenager, I traveled to Tunisia. There I tried to go into a mosque. They stopped me and said: “You are not Muslim”, I replied: “How do you know”? And then I left.

So far, I have been in all kinds of religious places, except synagogues. Which I also would like to visit, as Judaism gives me some memories of my childhood.

GIVING THINGS FOR GRANTED: WHEN IS THE WEEKEND IN IRAN?

Sometimes in life, we take for granted things that are actually not always so obvious to others. For example, we can’t imagine something like “the week” to be different somewhere else in the world. With Saturday and Sunday being the free days, the weekend.

Well, here in Iran the weekend is different, the two free days are Thursday and Friday.

That means that people start working on Saturday.

Saying “see you next week”, in Iran, is equivalent to “see you Saturday”.

Also, knives, something that we in the West have always on our table when we eat, here in Iran are not always on the table, I don’t see them often.

The months’ nomenclature is also different in Iran.

Want to know another unexpected fact? Iranian time is two and a half hours ahead of the European standard time. Funny that extra half hour, eh?

PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI SYMBOLS: PRO-HAMAS ANTISEMITIC PROPAGANDA

Videos, posters, flags, banners. There is all kinds of support from the government for the Hamas war against Israel.

It’s really depressing seeing how much hate and violence the government is spreading.

Many Palestinian flags promote armed rebellion and Hamas. The government puts them to brainwash the population and spread hate.

I also see another symbol, a Jewish one. The star of David. It surprises me to see David’s stars on the ground, symbolizing Israel, of course.

Once I asked, I found out that that Israeli symbol on the ground was put by the government, so that people would “step on top of Israel” as a sign of disrespect.

INTERNET LIMITATIONS AND VPN: COMFORT CRASH AND MISSING EUROPE

Using the internet in Iran is hell. There are 1001 restrictions.

To visit most of the web, you need a specific VPN, because most VPNs that worked good in Europe, don’t work here.

Some certain websites or services don’t work even with VPNs, for example, Duolingo. Now, my streak is lost. However, I would turn the internet off soon anyway, so it’s fine.

But then, if you want to visit Iranian websites, you need to deactivate the VPN, because those are blocked in the rest of the world.

“Comfort crash”, ever heard of this expression? Iran is the perfect country for people in the old country complaining about the EU.

Stay in Iran for a few days and you will miss all the little things that you overlooked when you were at home.
Being in Iran is really challenging for me, but I think that without experiencing discomfort, we can’t appreciate the comfort.

Living always in a bubble may not just be boring, but may not give us a real picture of reality and may alienate us.

IRANIAN HOSPITALITY, MY COUCHSURFING HOSTS: A RABBIT AND SWASTIKAS

Everyone is extremely kind and hospitable.

Merhdad, a kind local from Couchsurfing, invited me to lunch at his place.

He takes me for a walk and tells me something quite interesting about Iranian architecture: some buildings have high walls. Those are constructions made after the Iranian Islamic Revolution of 1979, when they would have strict rules about privacy.

At that time, even music and dancing was forbidden.

He then tells me to go to a park. I ask if it’s nearby, and he says yes.

It takes about one hour to get there!

I decided to do Couchsurfing in Theran. Here hospitality is taken very seriously, so being with a host, may mean literally staying 24/7 with them. I take the challenge!

I do it mostly for two reasons, I need some social contacts to get distracted from some depressive thoughts and my budget is really limited.

Mary, my first host has a rabbit in the toilet. It’s funny to do all your toiletries in front of the white little creature that stares at you with the side of its face and poops everywhere.

At home, there is also another couch surfer, Amir.

He is from the north of Iran, bordering Turkmenistan. He has also routes from Turkmenistan.

I was extremely surprised when he told me that I was the first foreigner that he met.

They propose going to a park, I ask if it’s nearby, and they reply positively. It takes one hour and a half to get there and is the same park where my other couchsurfing friend brought me.

After three nights spent with Mary, Amir, and the rabbit, I go to a new host, Alire.

As I enter, I see the corridor fully covered with swastikas and nazi decorations.

There is a friend of the host at home. While we listen to the Italian song “Notti magiche”, dedicated to the Italian World Cup 1990, he tells me that that time for him was not a happy memory.

He was a prisoner of war for three years in Iraq. While defending Iran against Sadam Hussain.

He tells me about his daily torture by flogging.

My couchsurfing host Alire is lovely, he spoils me by constantly cooking food and making healthy drinks.

I even got a room all for myself.

The only thing is that he plays super Loud Music until 6 am. It’s like a disco.

My host says that in Iran is all good, but people just complain. That’s quite strange because all the Iranians I met told me the opposite. They were all really critical of the Iranian government and management.

However, he reminds me of my brother Vito in Pozzuoli. But he is a bit more organized and luxurious.

He even tells me that there was no slavery in the Persian empire, I didn’t know that. After I looked it up, it seems that even though there are some claims of Cyrus the Great abolishing slavery in the Persian empire, it was actually always practiced.

An extremely welcoming and kind Iranian extended family invited me for a really nice dinner.

BIG HEART, HOSPITABLE, BUT A FEW TIMES CHEATING TOO

Got cheated two times. With a SIM card and a metro ticket.

Yet, In southern Europe, I may have been cheated more.

Such a paradox that the most hospitable people of the world may give you everything they have, but may also cheat.

But of course, everyone is different and we should not generalize.

I could have avoided being cheated about the sim card, because it happened in the airport, from a taxi driver. I was too naïve.

TAKING PHOTOS IN IRAN – THE SECURITY IN THE METRO TELLS ME TO GO FOLLOW THEM

Taking photos here is quite dangerous, there are often areas where it’s forbidden to do it and there are even signs on the streets.

I ask someone about my route, previously I had taken some pictures in the street. Every time I take pictures, I fear that the police will stop me.

A security man speaks to me in Farsi and points towards the inside of the metro.

I am quite sure that he wants to search me, as maybe he thinks that I am a spy.

I behave like I don’t understand him. He repeats the same words several times, but it seems that he is almost about to give up.

I hope that he will get tired due to the language barrier, and let me go.

On the other side of the tracks, there are more security guards, they look at me and start to talk loudly towards me.

I then understand that it’s better for me to just follow them, continuing to pretend to not understand is now not a good technique anymore.

I hear the guards on the other side speaking English.

Now I finally understand what they are saying: “Move to the other section, you are in the female department”.

The metro is divided into male and female sections.

Luckily it was just about me being on the wrong side of the platform.

CROSSING THE STREETS = LIFE-THREATENING

I fear to die every time I cross the street. I was extremely worried that cycling out of Theran would kill me.

So far, I cycled to the outskirts of the city and I managed to survive.

DAY 1 – STARTING THE TOUR TO ISFAHAN – GETTING OUT OF TEHRAN

20km Cycled

ON THE BICYCLE I AM FINALLY FREE BUT IT IS UNCOMMON TO BE SLEEVELESS

Even among the crazy traffic of Theran, even if my bicycle is not perfectly tuned up, as soon as I jump on the bike, I feel free.

A bit like Billy Eliot when he dances.

Someone on the highway shouts in Farsi to me, I don’t know if it’s for my shirt or because I am on the highway. I later gathered that it was because of my sleeves shirt, so I put on a long-sleeved shirt, which protects me also from the sun.

PEE IN STAIRCASES AND OPEN-MINDED PEOPLE, LESS CRAZY TRAFFIC & MORE FREEDOM

Contrary to what I would expect in Europe, I feel a sense of relief when I smell urine in an underpass. This is because public urination, even in a park, is strictly prohibited here in Iran.

It’s seen as an immoral thing.

Theran is the city with the worst traffic ever. But I have to admit it, the traffic of three years ago, when I first arrived in Tehran, seemed worse.

So maybe there is an improvement.

Another improved aspect of life in Tehran is that about thirty percent of women have no hijab.

In 2019, I saw only one woman not wearing it.

I hear the heavy traffic and I get a bit worried. Some cars horn and make some noises almost like a crash.

I remember a car crash that happened while I was cycling to Tehran. It was a few hundred meters from my tent.

Now I am putting the tent further away from the street.

DAY 2

TEHRAN – VIJIN

49km Cycled

THE HARDEST THINGS: PAPERWORK AND GETTING OFFLINE

The visa procedure to travel to Iran is one of the most challenging parts of my trip. But more than that, it’s extremely hard to get offline.

All my life and work are so digitalized that even being one day without the internet is something that I need to plan for weeks.

IMPOSSIBLE TO CROSS THE ROADS: MOTORBIKES OVER-PASSES

If you are on the wrong side of the road, and it’s a big one, it may be impossible to cross it. Especially if you are by bicycle or wheelchair-which I have never seen in Iran-.

There are some pedestrians over-passes from time to time, but they have no ramps, let alone elevators.

To my surprise, I saw a motorcycle overpass today, which finally allowed me to cross the road.

THE RESTAURANT DIDN’T LET ME PAY – SAME DISH EVERYWHERE

I am worried about my budget, but I am confident that I will survive.

However, I go to eat in a little restaurant. Maybe for the last time.

I have some money left, but I don’t know yet how much it is. It’s probably not a lot.

It’s difficult to eat vegetarian in Iran. I see often the same dish: minced meat on a stick with rice.

Strangely for me, this restaurant doesn’t have a toilet for customers, but they are kind enough to let me use their private toilet.

After eating, I go to pay. I give them a piece of twenty, and they give me two pieces back.

I go out and I start to calculate how much I paid.

To carry 200 euros I Iranian rials, you need a backpack!

I gave them a piece of twenty and they gave me back two pieces of, mmm, ten?

I didn’t immediately realize that they actually didn’t charge me, because I am new to Iranian currency, there are many zeros on the banknotes, and also because there are two varieties of them. The rial and the tomam. The latter is the same as the rial but without four zeros, to “simplify things”.

After thinking a second time, I do realize that they didn’t charge me!

I go back inside to thank them and I give them my visit card.

FIVE EUROS FOR THIRTEEN DAYS

The Iranian currency, the rial, de-evaluates daily. I have changed about two hundred euros and I almost needed a backpack to carry the banknotes. It took several minutes and two people to count them.

I pay for the bicycle and accessories. Now I have a bunch of banknotes left.

I feel confident that I have still enough because there are many.

Today, after buying some fruits, I counted the money. I have just five euros left! And in Iran, it’s not possible to withdraw money.

Now I have to use all my money-saving skills, I still have two weeks ahead. Therefore, my budget is less than fifty euro cent per day.

SHOOTINGS IN THE NIGHT

I hear some shootings, they seem quite near. I realize that I am near a military field.

I hope I will not end up like in Belarus, where they thought that I was a spy and interrogated me for seven hours.

DAY 3

VIJIN – AZIZABAD

51km Cycled

PROBLEMS WITH THE WHEEL

As I start cycling, the first problem occurs. The back wheel makes a noise. I think it’s the fender, so I move it and I even remove some parts of it.

There is still noise.

I finally understand that a hook is touching the wheel.

I GET FREE FOOD

I am just thinking that now more than ever, I need hospitable people around me because my budget is extremely low. Almost finished. And it’s not possible to withdraw money from Western banks in Iran.

After a little cycling, I see some people waving at me. A kind restaurant owner invites me for tea, and later for food.

MORE HAMAS WAR PROPAGANDA

While eating, I see on restaurant TV a lot of pro-Hamas propaganda. It’s almost unreal to see how much the government supports the armed conflict against Israel.

There is a lot of martyrdom exaltation, it really seems that the most important thing for the government is to have fighters ready to die. Both outside and inside Iran.

There are often martyrs depicted on walls.

The military service is mandatory, two years. If you don’t do it, you can’t leave Iran.

FLAT TIRE

My first flat tire of the trip! After less than one hundred kilometers.

I fear that the inner tube is of low quality. But this time the problem is a little needle from a bush.

I replace the inner tube. Now I don’t have another spare inner tube of good quality. Those are really hard to find.

Now I remember a Chinese fellow cyclist. He cycled from China to Armenia and never had a flat tire!

MANY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION WASTE LANDFILL AREAS

The landscape around me is not really the nicest. The main thing that I see are abandoned fields where trucks discharge construction leftovers.

SLAVERY IN THE PERSIAN EMPIRE

One of the most enjoyable things to do while cycling is to listen to audiobooks. If they are about the area where you are cycling, then it’s for sure the best experience you can have.

While listening to an audiobook about Iranian history, I learn that many previous civilizations in Iran did take many slaves. So it’s not as my host said.

I should do some internet research when I am home, now I prefer to avoid using the web.

MONOTONE & POLLUTED ROAD

The landscape is not really interesting, just desert-like lands without any architecture from the past.

I imagined finding many archeological sites like in Italy.

The road is like a highway, so I have to cycle on the side. Many trucks pass, and they release back, smelly smoke.

Sometimes I ask myself why I am doing this cycling. The answer is comfort crash. And also to appreciate better what I have at home.

EYES BURNING, LEGS TIRED

It’s around 16.00, and my legs are tired. But more of all, unexpectedly, my eyes burn. I try to cycle for longer, but then I really need a rest for my eyes. I find a place to camp on the side of the road

DAY 4

Azizabad – Baquerabad

46km Cycled

WAKING UP LATER THAN BEFORE

I used to wake up around 6am in my previous lapses, starting cycling after a short time. Now I wake up around 8am and I start cycling after about two hours.

Maybe it’s because I don’t feel so good at the moment.

But also because I do need to organize some work back home in the mornings and evenings, I am not completely free.

LUNAR LANDSCAPE, LIKE IN THE VIDEO GAME “DUNES”

Since I am out of Tehran, the landscape has been quite monotonous. After a few villages, I see just dunes and desert-like environments.

There was not even one house after the last village, one hundred kilometers ago.

PROUD OF MY PACKING AND ORGANIZATION SKILLS

Since I am suffering a depression, I am happy to see that I still have some good skills.

I admire the bicycle and I appreciate the fact that I can pack and organize the accessories in the best possible way.

I have now two extra bags in front and even a support on the back for a solar panel.

THE GOOD THING OF BEING IN A TENT

Whenever we stay at a hostel, a friend’s place, or in a hotel, we can easily leave our items behind. Especially if we change place often. When you stay in a tent, you can’t forget anything. Because you have to empty the tent before packing.

EXCLUSIVE PATH FOR ME

I see a parallel road that is in perfect condition and no vehicles drive on it.

After a few kilometers, I decide to take that road, I just have to cross about twenty meters of bushes.

It’s paradise! A road only for me. It’s an unfinished road that is not in use. One of the many unfinished constructions of Iran, but at least it’s useful to me.

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, SOLAR POWER

Another thing I am proud of, it’s my energy independence. I use digital maps, audiobooks, lights, and Bluetooth headphones. For four days I didn’t have to plug in to charge anywhere, I managed with the solar power.

I DON’T GET STOMACHACHE, YET

I am so happy to be able to eat in Iran. A while ago, I could almost not eat anything because of food poisoning, different food hygiene, and bacteria.

But thanks to cayenne pepper, turmeric, and bullrich salt pills, now I can eat anything!

I can even eat in the evening, which is something that I don’t do normally. Because I mostly eat in the early afternoon, one or two times, without dinner.

I ASK FOR A BIG VEGETARIAN DISH, I GET A SMALL PORTION OF LENTILS AND MEAT

I stop some food. I know that I should not be surprised that people do not understand what the word ‘vegetarian’ means. But this time I really thought they understood, so I used Google Translate.

So I order a big vegetarian dish. I wait ten minutes, happy to have them preparing something special for me. The waiter brings me even to the kitchen to let me talk with the cook.

After short, I get a mini-sized portion of lentils with chicken.

WHILE ABOUT TO SLEEP ON ARID DESERT LANDS, I MEET A FELLOW WORLD CYCLIST: LUKAS

The landscape it’s always the same: dry dunes.

Sleeping it’s not that comfortable because the soil is rocky and hard. I don’t have much padding, so I don’t really have the best sleeping experience.

I am about to write my stories, after having cleaned up my face and feet. I hear someone shouting, it’s Lukas, a bike traveler from Switzerland. He cycled from home until here, through the Balkan, Turkey, Georgia, and Armenia.

He would like to continue cycling because he does an average of 120 kilometers a day. But he decides to stay, and we camp next to each other.

He cooks rice and carrots, and we eat together.

Like most bikepackers, he cooks every evening and has even breakfast in the morning.

While I never do that, I just eat whenever I have the chance while I am cycling.

He seems a skilled cook. He cuts the carrots into small pieces and stir-fries them. He wanted to cook pasta, Iranian pasta, but I convince him to make rice instead, so I would not perpetrate a sin, because of my Italian roots.

I asked him where he learned to cook, and he told me that he learned on this trip.

I hesitate to try the rice, but actually, it’s not bad!

VISIT OF TWO MEN, POSSIBLY POLICE

Two men come to our tents. We are a bit worried.

We try to communicate while they are having a look around.

We don’t manage to exchange any understandable words, and they just leave, making us discern that it could be dangerous to camp there.

We don’t get why it could be dangerous.

Later, I discovered that there was a military field nearby.

DAY 5

Baquerabad – Qom – Zamburak

76 km Cycled

KENSHIRO AND MAD MAX

The lunar landscape around me gives me memories of my childhood’s favorite, a bit too violent, manga: Kenshiro.

Those dry dunes and emptiness seem so surreal.

Also the movie “Mad Max” could have easily been made here.

MAYBE THE RESTAURANT OF A FEW DAYS AGO DID CHARGE ME

Iranian currency is really hard to understand! Now that I checked again, I noticed that I may have given to a previous restaurant 200 tomans, not twenty. Therefore, if they gave me 20 back, I would pay about four euros for a meal, which is already an expensive amount in Iran.

FAKE, FAKE, AND SUPER FAKE

I was so surprised to have bought in Theran a seemingly good quality sleeping bag for a low price.

The sleeping bag was branded “deuter”, and seemed good.

Now I discover that it has lost all the feathers, the tent looks like a chicken house. Moreover, I don’t even like to buy animal products, but I didn’t notice that it had feathers when I bought it.

FIRST ARCHEOLOGICAL REMAINS, FINALLY!

Today, for the first time in Iran, I cross on the way several archeological sites. Such a pity that there is not much information about them, but once at home, I will look them up.

QOM, THE IRANIAN VATICAN. I MEET ALI, PAKISTANI ISLAMIC STUDENT

People call Qom the most religious city in the country. Some folk compare it to the Vatican.

Indeed I see a lot of religious people, but the architectural part is not that much like in Vatican City.

A young man sitting on the back of a motorcycle talks to me. He speaks English, so I am glad to finally have a chat with some locals in English. The first in four days.

I quickly get to know that he is actually not really a local, he moved here two years ago from Pakistan.

He is a Shia Muslim, which is not common in Pakistan. It’s also interesting that his father has two wives, a practice that is not really common in Iran but it is in Pakistan.

He invites me for tea and he asks me if I am hungry.

Since I was born hungry, and naked; I say yes. I told him that I eat Vegetarian and that I would eat only if we ate together. Otherwise, a tea was enough. By the way, to avoid any misunderstandings, didn’t tell him that I was born naked.

I also say that I don’t want to go too far from my path because I am already following him, and I see he is going out of my planned direction.

He tells me that he lives nearby.

We go about 5km out of my way, I should have known that saying “nearby” in Iran has a different meaning. I now remember also about my host in Theran and other people that told me #“let’s go to the nearby park”.

Finally, we arrive at a little snack place, he gives me meat and I am the only one eating.

I GET INVITED AGAIN

I just cycle a few kilometers after the stop with Ali. A car stops in front of me and they invite me for tea.

I first refuse.

It seems that they want to give me money, but I have to refuse again.

But since they seemed really kind and polite, I decided to go, but I told them that I didn’t have much time.

I ask them where we are going if it’s far. They point the finger, making me understand that it’s nearby. I worrisomely trust them.

This time, for the first time, it’s true! It’s just five hundred meters away.

They have a large living room and offer me pomegranate. They also teach me how to cut it.

I get invited for dinner, but from the moment that it is 15.00 and only one person speaks some English there, the daughter, I thank them and I go after a short time.

PRAYING IN PUBLIC

The kind man who invited me to his home was praying while I was there. He did it in the living room while I and about five more people were drinking tea.

It’s interesting to see that praying can be done this way, while others are next to you doing other things.

I remember that when I was in prayer rooms and mosques, people were praying while others were even talking on the phone.

Once I was even sleeping while someone else was praying.

One thing that I appreciate is that nobody tried to convert me to Islam. Neither did any bigot talk about religion.

ANOTHER CAR STOPS, I GET WORRIED

Yet again, a vehicle stops to approach me.

This time, I don’t have a good feeling with the person. He actually speaks Italian, and this brings to my mind also some bad memories about # Italo-Russian criminals in Latvia who tried to drug and rip me off.

The most worrying signal is that this person asks me to show him my money. Actually, he even talks about me showing him Italian liras, which have not been in use since 2000.

I decide to say goodbye and just go.

DAY 6

Zamburak (Qom) – Kashan

84 km Cycled

HEAVY WIND

In the morning, I get woken up by heavy wind. The tent almost flies away. But luckily all the clothing that I left on the bicycle to get a bit of air is still there.

It’s ironic that, before stating, the wind blows in the same direction where I have to cycle. But later, it comes in my opposite direction.

SITTING ON CARPETS EVEN IN RESTAURANTS

One of the things that I like the most about Iran is the “carpet culture”.

Not just homes, but many restaurants have areas where to sit on carpets.

It’s funny that locals often think I would prefer to sit on chairs, but I like much more sitting on the ground.

I can even stretch or lay down on the thick Persian carpets.

NO PERFECT COUNTRY, NO PERFECT PARTNER

Iran is one of the countries where I could definitely not live, but even here, there are so many things that I like. A few of the ways of living here are better for me than in Europe.

For example, the carpet culture and sitting on the floor, the hospitality, the toilet with dedicated slippers, the tea culture, the rice, the poetry.

Even Finland, which is for me one of the best countries to live in, has its own glitches that make me understand there is no perfect country.

The important is to focus on the good things.

THE FIRST TWO STUPID PEOPLE, ON A MOTORBIKE

A motorbike comes speeding towards me in the opposite direction, the two guys on it scream and drive just a few centimeters from me, purposely, to scare me.

The same happens with a car later.

Not sure if it’s because I have just arrived in the Isfahan region.

KIDS DRIVING CARS AND BIG MOTORBIKES. INHUMAN CHILD LABOR: CHILDREN USED AS HUMAN-BANNERPALES, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY!

Since I started cycling from Tehran, I have noticed at least a dozen kids driving cars and motorcycles.

Traffic rules are nonexistent here. There are often cars driving in the opposite direction of the highway. Probably, the police are busy doing some other stuff. Ironic that moral police, instead, are really strict if someone does not dress following the Islamic rules. Interesting priorities.

I see two human shapes holding signs on the highway. First I think it’s a protest. Then I guess are road workers.

To my astonishment, it’s two kids working for the family that sell fruits. They advertise the street sellers.

The two boys are in an heavily trafficked highway in the outskirts of Isfahan.

I can’t keep myself from going to the families selling fruit and tell them that it’s dangerous. They don’t have any particular response to that. It is quite normal for them.

CHEAPER TO EAT AT RESTAURANTS THAN BUYING FOOD AT THE SUPERMARKET

Buying a few snacks can cost up to three euros. A meal at a restaurant costs an average of two euros.

I really don’t understand the bike packers that cook while traveling in Iran.

MARTYRDOM PROPAGANDA

Most of the walls, vitrines, and decorations are about “martyrs” and the two ayatollahs. This country highly glorifies those who want to give their life for the “faith”.

It’s quite sad and ugly to see so much war and violence propaganda.

NO SIDEWALKS. SHOPS AROUND: CAR TIRES, CAR TIRES, AND CAR TIRES

I have so far barely seen one sidewalk. People often walk in the street. Cars are the king here. All the urbanistic and architecture are just made for cars.

Since there are a huge number of cars, most shops are for them. You may find a town with twenty tire shops and just one bakery.

MOTORBIKES: ZERO HELMETS AND UP TO FOUR PEOPLE ON ONE BIKE

Southern Europe may seem wild to northern Europeans when it comes to traffic. But Iran is for sure even wilder to the eyes of southern Europeans.

I didn’t see a single person on a motorbike wearing a helmet. Entire families of four drive the wrong way on motorbikes.

TURKISH AYRAN VS IRANIAN DOOGH

In Turkey, the first time that a local offered me some ayran when I was twenty years old, I had to run to the toilet to spit it off.

Now, after “a few” years, I like both ayran and Kefir.

In Iran, if you ask for ayran, nobody will understand you. Instead, they call it doogh. Which is the same thing, soured milk, but with a mint taste. Actually, I prefer the Turkish version. The doogh tastes too artificial.

DAY 7

Kashan – Badroud

70 km Cycled

STRANGE LASER GUN SOUND, SHAPE OF A WOMAN

I wake up with a strange electronic sound of something that seems like a laser gun.

In my mind, I think about a kid playing around.

I carefully open the tent, because there are dogs around. I don’t see anything or anyone, except for the shape of a woman with a chador–the black full body cover that leaves only the face visible–with crossed lags a few hundred meters away, and some birds that make some sounds.

I could not understand where the sound came from, and neither if that shape was a human or anything else, because it did not seem to move.

It all seems quite unreal.

THE GREAT MAJORITY OF VEHICLES TAKE A SAFE AND KIND DISTANCE

It seems that most vehicles are extremely kind and respectful of cyclists. To give me more space, several trucks and cars go all the way to the other side of the road. Getting even on the lane of the opposite direction.

Today it happened that a truck went to the other lane while a car was coming, they almost crashed.

LUCKY, I DON’T SEE TRUCKS CARRYING ANIMALS. BUT I DO SEE MANY VOLVO TRUCKS

When I cycled from Tabriz to Tehran, there were many trucks carrying animals. Mostly cattle.

They were carried in terrible conditions and some of them would even die due to the harsh traveling conditions.

I am happy to see none of them on this trip. Yet, meat consumption has not really diminished since a few years ago.

On the other hand, I see many new Volvo trucks. I was surprised because I thought that it was not allowed for Iran to import them.

There is also a funny truck brand called “amico”.

NO GRASS

Since the start of this trip, I camped only once on grass. Most of the time I have put the tent on top of arid ground. I didn’t see any main grass fields, except for a few crops.

I don’t have much padding with me to sleep on. Therefore, some nights are hard, literally.

TAKING THE HIGHWAY, I GET STOPPED BY POLICE

I have cycled about fifty kilometers of hills, and I have some mountains in front of me, when I decide to go “flat” and take the highway.

Mountains are not for me, here on the highway there is more traffic and and an even more monotone landscape, at least there are no hills and that is the most important thing for me now.

A police car stops me. They first talk in Farsi, but soon after they use Google Translate to question me.

The first thing that they ask is where I am going. I say that I go to Isfahan.

Then they asked about my nationality.

I am a bit worried that they may think I am a spy because of my many gadgets and solar panels.

The mechanic in Tehran even installed, on the back of the bicycle, an antenna-like stick to hang a flag.

Luckily, the police just checked the visa. After about ten minutes they tell me to be careful on the highway and they say goodbye.

TURKISH TOILETS EXPERIENCE

In Italy, and in other countries, people call the Middle Eastern toilet, the Turkish one.

It’s for sure better for your health to squat when you have to do your thing. Also, from a hygienic perspective, it may be easier to clean.

But the smell of these toilets it’s crazy. Maybe something is missing in the siphoning. I can’t bear the smell.

EXCEEDINGLY HELPFUL AND KIND PEOPLE

Access to the Internet is always a challenge in Iran. Even using a VPN does not assure you continuous access to the net, because VPNs are constantly taken down from the government.

Therefore, I asked some people passing by to help me, they were all so kind and helpful.

Saman, a local who was traveling, even offered to add money to my phone.

DAY 8

Badroud – Abbasabad

80 km Cycled

TURMERIC, CAYENNE PEPPER, BULLRICH SALT: MY GODS

Luckily, thanks to digestive aids, I manage to eat even a few hours before going to sleep, and I don’t feel sick!

The last time I was in Iran, I had constant digestion problems.

I will have to always carry Turmeric, Cayenne pepper, and Bullrich salt on all of my trips out of Europe.

POLICE WITH A BIG RIFLE COMING TO THE TENT IN THE NIGHT

It’s about four in the night when I see a strong light coming into the tent. It’s a flashlight.

I was a bit worried, but then I remembered that I am in Iran, one of the safest places where I have been, regarding criminality.

Opening the tent, I say “salam” and I see a police SUV parked on the street.

I am surprised because, this time, I tried to camp not too close to the road, so that cars would not see me.

A second policeman is coming behind, with a big rifle. I get a bit intimidated.

They ask for my documents and some other information, always using Google Translate. I comply with the request and I give them my documents, of course.

They are quite professional, quick, and kind. After ten minutes, they are gone.

DILEMMA: MOUNTAINS OR HIGHWAY? NATANZ, THE FIRST ENJOYABLE VILLAGE SO FAR

I first started with smaller roads, but there were too many hills and some roads weren’t in the best shape.

I took the highway for about thirty kilometers, it is much easier and flatter! But there is too much traffic. So I decided to take the smaller roads and go through some mountains.

Also on this mountainous road, even though less trafficked, the landscape is quite homogeneous, not thrilling. But at least I found a somewhat fascinating village: Natanz.

This is the first and last village that I find quite pleasant to cycle through and admire.

MESSED UP CURRENCY, MESSED UP ADMINISTRATION

I have spent two weeks, I still haven’t managed to figure out the exact amounts of the currency. The tricky thing is that there are two nomenclatures: rials and tomans. But indeed, the currency is only one, the rial.

Only Iran has this feature!

Informally, people refer to Tomans, removing one zero from the highly depreciated Iranian banknotes, as a question of practicality.

The additional problem is that most of the time, they don’t remove one zero, but four of them. So that 100.000 rials is 10 tomans.

Therefore, whenever I have to pay, I just show all the cash I have to the vendor, in the hope that he takes the right amount himself.

It seems that most of the time, they are quite honest, giving me discounts.

A POMEGRANATE FROM A MOTORCYCLIST, NINE TO FIVE CYCLING

I started cycling this morning at 9:00 am, it seems that this is the average starting time of this tour, sometimes I also start a bit earlier.

I am still cycling slightly uphill, on arid lands, when a motorbike comes next to me. The driver tries to communicate, and I tell him that I don´t speak Farsi.

He is eating a pomegranate at the same time while driving, that’s impressive. I don’t even manage to eat it while I sit at the table with a fork and knife. He manages to finish it even without having many teeth.

He is so kind to offer me one of these typical hard-to-eat fruits. I accept it, and so I have a snack for later.

I look at the clock when I stop cycling, it’s five. And actually, that´s the time when I really have to stop, because the sun is about to go down then.

It´s important to set up the tent before dark.

Funny that my cycling timing is exactly the same as a clerk’s.

DAY 8 – ARRIVAL!

Abbasabad – Isfahan

75 km Cycled

WIND AND RAIN AGAINST ME, I FIND A GHOST VILLAGE

I have only about twenty kilometers of uphill, and then everything is downhill. The main problem is that the wind is so strong that even the downhill is going slow.

Once I get on the descending road, it starts to rain. I see a little village with some houses, where I go to ask for information about the neighborhood. I as if there is a restaurant nearby.

It’s a surreal village. There is nobody outside. But I do see a few cars parked.

I see only closed-down businesses and houses.

I have to go door to door and ring the bells. Strangely, the first two locals don’t come out of the house.

The third is friendly, he points me to a restaurant. He also invited me home. I want to accept, but I see that he does it only out of politeness.

At this point, my budget is over. From now on, I have one week ahead of me and I have only to rely on the kindness of locals. Because it’s also not possible to withdraw money in Iran.

A truck driver lying above the wheels greets me with a smile

POLICE, MILITARY, AND TRUCKS DRIVER: KINDNESS WAVE

A group of policemen stops me. They are about seven, with all different ranks. I notice that they let only the higher-ranking policeman speak with me, so I feel kind of important.

I am about to show them my passport when they tell me that there is no need for it, they just want to chat with me.

After the standard questions: “Where are you from, where are you cycling from, and where are you going” they even take a picture with me.

With the aid of Google Translate, they told me to pay attention and to wear warm clothes.

They also say that the Iranian police is a friend of tourists. I do believe them because all the policemen I met were friendly.

A picture of me with the higher ranks is taken by another policeman, but they don’t want me to take a picture with my camera.

They greet me warmly many times, even later from the cars while they go.

After a few kilometers, a military SUV stops next to me. There are two dark-bearded soldiers in uniform inside. They smile and ask me if I have a place to sleep because it’s raining.

They are so sweet and worried for me. I tell them that I have a hostel where to go, a cool and welcoming hostel called Ragrug that is hosting me as a special guest.

Not even thirty minutes after the military car left, a truck stopped in front of me. The man inside points his hands to the back of the truck, meaning that he can take me inside since it’s raining. I don’t even stop, but I thank him and I greet him several times.

MAN UNDER A BRIDGE

I stop under a bridge to have shelter from the rain. There is a man who tries to sell some odd stuff. He probably sleeps under this same bridge where he shows his items to me. I would have bought something if I had the money.

Trying to communicate with him, I share some little food that I have. I wish I could have given him more.

I tell him that I have almost no money, showing him my empty pockets.

At this point, I have only a few local small banknotes, worth a few euros, and a ten euros bill, which I keep hidden for emergencies and was not planning to use.

To make him understand, I showed him the last banknotes I had. Since I have a small piece of euro, he asks me to touch it. I freak out, and I refuse, even though I am sure that he would not have stolen it.

He asks me again to see it, but I put it in my pocket and I go away quickly.

I experienced some guilt, but it was my final banknote, and I required it to purchase the train ticket.

In Iran, it is not even possible to withdraw money.

As I proceed cycling, he approaches, speaking while reaching out with hands outstretched. In response, I pedal faster.

Later, I noticed that my gloves were falling down, and he wanted to give them back.

I see him taking them from the ground.

However, it’s raining, and I don’t want to go back, so I leave them for him. At least he has got something useful now, because the winter may be cold here, reaching negative temperatures.

BACK TO NORMAL LIFE

After nine days of almost no internet use, no communication with other people speaking the same language, and many privations, I am happy to reconnect with the world and my friends.

Actually, I was not able to completely cut the internet off because of the many activities that I am running and my budget, but I used the net just a few times.

Other fellow bike packers that I randomly meet in Isfahan.

For the next trip, I want to cut it off completely. Being for a few weeks with no internet is for sure an experience that we should try, once a year. It gives us a totally different approach to life and to person-to-person interactions.

However, due to the governmental restrictions, internet is always intermittent and limited. Therefore, being in Iran is like a full immersion offline experience.

It will be nice to be back to my routines and to be able to communicate with friends and family.