Fortunately, the road condition improved significantly and the landscape continued to be beautiful: high plateaus, snow covered peaks, lakes and tunnels.     |
Probably because it is closer to Europe, Turkey is a very popular destination among bikers. We met here more overlanders than in all other countries combined. |
Turkish breakfast at the fuel station, together with some bus drivers. |
One morning we had an unexpected guest in the tent: a 1.2 meter long snake. |
Eastern Anatolia
Good bye Iran! Hello Turkey!
We could not move forward with blogging without expressing our deepest consideration towards all Iranians who did everything within their means so we can have the best time in their country. Ordinary people on the street who sacrificed their time to take us around town making sure we won’t miss any important sights; warm hosts that welcomed us in their houses; skilled chefs who delighted us with their home made dishes.
For us, there is no doubt Iran is the country where we received the warmest welcome ever and we had the chance to meet some of the kindest and most hospitable persons so far. We will forever remember all of you!
With that in mind we proceeded through the border checkpoint near Sero, just 20km North of Iraq. That’s where we found the first car registered in Romania, a Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG. It was stored in the confiscated contraband area. Business as usual!
The fist few hundred km in Turkey weren’t that pleasant. The road condition was very bad. We collected more dust there than during the 3000km in Iran. The cities seemed crowded and disorderly, reminding us about India. Same kind of bystanders were gathering around the bike. The main difference was the bystanders in India were barefoot, while the ones in Turkey were wearing black leather jackets.