We’ve been following the ongoing adventures of young Ross Dicker as he heads from London to Australia on his Vespa PX 150.
In this third part he goes from Turkey to Iran and eventually crosses into Pakistan. If you missed the previous parts you can catch up here.
Poverty-stricken
Since Easter Monday a lot has happened. I got back to Turkey and was now in Mersin. I got a cheap hotel and stayed for two nights. Part of me soon regretted staying so long as the hotel was awful and in such a bad area. But I enjoyed wandering around and it was the first place I’d seen real poverty, that actually hit me.
Gone fishing
When I left Mersin I headed for Adana, the next town, but for some reason didn’t want to stay there. So headed for the coast and ended up camping on the beach in Yumurtalık. It was a great spot! The only food in the area was fish caught by an old fisherman. I actually got talking to him and helped him bring in his nets. He said if the weather was bad that evening I could sleep in the boat.
Friendly face
The next day I stopped at Gaziantep and Sanliurfa. Passing Sanliurfa before coming back to the town that evening. This was so I could go and see Göbekli Tepe, which are the oldest known megaliths in the world!
In my digs that night I went in to pay and there was actually a British bloke staying there. I hadn’t seen a Westerner since Easter so it was nice. Turns out he was overlanding in his Volvo to India. He genuinely didn’t believe me when I said I was doing the same. It turned out to be a good evening despite the jail cell-looking room.
Diyarbakir was my next stop and riding in East Turkey was great, I was really loving it. I think in this town I really got a good taste of Turkey between the food, exploring the town and just all the locals I met. It was also the first time I experienced a main road being full of cows!
Biker gang
After Diyarbakir I headed for Lake Van, stopping in Tatvan on the south side of the lake and then up to Ercis on the east side. It was lovely being on the lake, both towns were small but there were plenty of people. I left Ercis on a Friday for the final town, Dogubayazit before crossing to Iran, I decided to stop there until Monday to rest before the border crossing. I checked into a massive hotel that was literally empty. I still hadn’t seen any Vespas since Cyprus, but I did meet a local group of guys riding Kubas. The local’s bike of choice.
Corruption
Monday came and I made the short run to the border. I flew through the Turkish side and then headed for the Iranian side of the border. It was the first time I’d had to use my Carnet De Passage and Visas. The Iranian border wasn’t very pleasant at all. Besides, everyone wanted to exchange currency with you or try to ‘help’ you for a big fee, the border guards were really corrupt. If westerners didn’t pay backhanders they weren’t getting through.
I got to the passport control and the guard said eventually that there was a problem with my visa. To cut a long story short, I had to leave my bike at the border and get on a bus for a four-hour journey to the consulate in Erzurum. By the time I got there, it was shut. I got to the hotel and I was exhausted and tired of dealing with conmen and border police. Even a priest lied to me that morning! I got up early the next day and got the visa straight away. Basically, my visa had gone out of date as my journey had been delayed due to my crash before I left home many weeks ago.
Once I got my visa I skipped back to catch the bus to Dogubayazit. When the bus arrived it was getting late so I decided I’d head for the border in the morning. Also, I had to get to the bank before crossing as I had to take as many dollars as possible since no international cards work in Iran. Finally, I got across the border the following day with some backhanders and the correct paperwork.
Bag full of cash
I found a place to exchange currency and received a carrier bag with 48 million Rial for 100 USD. I headed for Khvoy, which was the closest city to the border. I had no maps as my sim wasn’t working, almost everything is blocked online in Iran after the protests. With the help of locals, I eventually got one of them to buy me a SIM card as nobody would sell me one. They also told me of a hotel on the outskirts of town.
Iran
I headed for Tabriz next and found a great guest house, where I met two bikers. One was Russian and the other was Iranian. It was great having a native to show you around. We walked around exploring the Bazaars, trying some local food and wandered through the bike shop district.
It was funny, the owner of the guest house said I was the second guy to arrive on a Vespa. He had a picture up of an Aussie that came on a white PX too!
Petrol – 30p a tank
Leaving Tabriz, I headed for Zanjan and was on the hunt for two stroke oil all day! I pulled over in Mianeh about halfway to get petrol and the owner of the station joked with me that “Petrol is cheaper than water here.” I asked how much my full tank would cost in pounds and he said “About 30p.” I couldn’t believe it and was laughing to myself!
Well oiled
Eventually, when I got to Zanjan I found some two stroke cans of oil after hours of searching. Despite hunting for oil I’d had a great time riding there and found a great place to stay.
Each town seemed to be so beautiful but so different from the last. It was like each city was a different country, besides them all having one common similarity – a bazaar (indoor market).
My final stop before Tehran was Qazvin and on the first of May, I’d made it to Tehran which felt amazing after eight weeks on the road. The traffic was probably the craziest I’d experienced since Naples. Masoud from the Vespa Club of Tehran recommended a great hostel to me and I met tons of people there.
Aussie guide
I made it to Isfahan on the 6th of May where I’d agreed to meet Ben, (who I’d met in Tehran at the hostel) he’s an Aussie traveller and tour guide in the Middle East. The city was beautiful with most streets being tree lined which give great shade from the blistering heat. The hostel was also lovely and so cheap. Ben turned out to be an invaluable guy as he helped me out so much with recommendations on places to visit and stay for the whole trip!
Vespa servicio
Masoud showed me around the city on his scooter the first day, which was great to sit back and admire the city riding pillion on his Bajaj. We went to loads of old Vespa garages. Then the next day we arranged to service my bike at his friend’s scooter shop.
I got two new tyres, an oil change and a new plug. I actually kept my front tyre as a second spare, which I got an old rim for. My scooter felt brand new leaving there. I’d gotten rid of some things in the hostel also to lose weight, as I now had another spare wheel to carry. Plus, it was getting too hot for some of the clothes I had. I had a great time in Tehran with all the Vespa guys and in the hostel.
On the ride down to Isfahan I stopped in Qom, the second most religious city in Iran. The hotel owner let me park in the lobby and even bought me some traditional Iranian chicken tachin for dinner.
From there my plan for the next week was to ride down to Bam for my birthday and stay in Akbar’s guest house, which is almost a famous stop-off for overlanders and travellers. I’d stop off at Isfahan, Yazd and Kerman on the way.
No singing!
We visited Naqsh-e Jahan Square during the day and then in the evening went to Khaju Bridge which crosses the Zayandeh River. As singing and dancing in public is banned, people congregate under the bridge at night to do it. It really took me back, the beauty of the bridge reflecting into the water and the old men singing. A really incredible evening!
Camels and custard
On Monday 8th of May, I left for Yazd. I’d met an Iranian couple in the hostel who were also going. I’d given them my tent as I wouldn’t be camping from now on and in return, they gave me a handmade button-down shirt from their fashion brand. The mod in me was very happy haha! Then on the way to Yazd, my phone holder snapped and I panicked looking back as I thought it would be on the road behind me but it actually fell on my lap thankfully.
I also stopped in the desert to get water and they were selling custard cream biscuits. So I was riding past camel warning signs munching on custard creams. It turned out to be such a funny day! The ride was tough though in the desert heat with strong winds and a constant flow of trucks passing.
Yazd was very different to Tehran and Isfahan. It was a really old city and was like riding through a maze of wattle and daub lanes. A city that’s been untouched by modernisation, close to the silk and spice roads in the desert. A truly amazing place.
We spent the days in Yazd going to see some of the beautiful hand-woven fabrics being produced. Visited the Zoroastrian Fire Temple and Dowlatabad Garden which has the tallest wind catcher in the world. The city was full of them. They look like chimneys but act basically as an air conditioners, catching the wind and bringing fresh air in and letting stale air out.
Life on the 5:15
I left Yazd early on the 10th of May at about 5:15 am as it was now too hot to ride during the day. I made it to Kerman and was trying to get the guest house to open the door when I heard someone shouting hello from behind me. I turned around and it was a local guy on an EFL PX 125. He got chatting to me with the little English he had and we planned to meet up later for a coffee.
How bazaar
That evening we grabbed a coffee on his PX and then drove to the Bazaar where his father’s shop was. In the back were his other scooters. We then went to see his brother train in a traditional Iranian gym, which was amazing, it was a real performance! It was a nice evening and again I’d met a Vespa guy who’d been so hospitable to a complete stranger.
Following in his wheeltracks
After an early lunch the next day I left Kerman and headed for Bam. I was on track as it was the 11th of May and my birthday was the following day.
I made it to Akbars guest house in Bam that evening and I was the only Westerner there. It didn’t matter though as Akbar and his son, Mohammad, who now runs the guest house made me feel very welcome. We chatted about the famous Vespa traveller Giorgio Bettinelli who’d stayed there on his travels.
25th Birthday
I woke up on the 12th of May, my 25th birthday. It was a Friday, which is the weekend in Iran. I spent the morning having breakfast and reading all the old diary entries left by previous guests (see gallery above). It was a great way to spend the morning.
My phone wasn’t working that day and nothing was open so I just relaxed and in the evening went for a ride with Muhammad to the rooftop of Bam, which was a big mound of rubble from their earthquake. From the top, you could see the whole city. There were date palm trees for miles, which is what they are famous for.
The following morning Akbar had planned to bring me to the Bam Citadel to recreate the picture he took of Giorgio Bettinelli. I actually drove into the old city which was amazing!
Teaching English
Akbar had asked me to come as a guest to some English classes later that evening. I had to buy a shirt to cover my tattoos before I went though. It turned out to be a great experience.
One school actually asked me to come to a dinner party the following evening so I ended up staying another night. Before the party, I was checking over my bike and getting ready for the long ride to the Taftan border in the morning. Over 400km through some of the hottest deserts in the world!
Monday morning came and I left early to try to avoid the heat. The ride was really tough as there was nothing for hundreds of kilometres, only camels at the side of the road. The heat was so intense too. I was apprehensive about breaking down on this section of road. I found a place about halfway that sold water luckily.
Don’t believe all you hear
Despite my worries after entering Iran, like not being able to use cards or contact family (as I had no internet) it turned out to be beautiful. I’d recommend everyone to visit. The people couldn’t have looked after me any more than they did and it made for such an amazing experience!
Pakistan
Eventually, I made it to the border and crossed to the Pakistan side relatively easily. I was now in the hands of the Levies (police) in Pakistan as I waited to be escorted through the country.
Pakistan was going to be a whole new adventure, we’ll take you there in episode four.
Words and photos: Ross Dicker
Catch up on this series
Don’t forget, you can catch up on Ross’ trip by reading the first two instalments.
Want to follow him? Follow Rossdicker98 on Instagram to see videos of his trip and check his progress, or find him on Facebook.
