Iran border, Tabriz
29.3. rano vstavame v sedm hodin do krasneho a prekvapive tepleho dne a chceme byt brz na hranici. Krasa Araratu a nasledovna foceni a toceni filmu nas ale zdrzi, takze se na hranici dostavame az pri druhe.
Z Turecke strany to jde rychle, vystupni razitka, kontrola Karnetu (bez nej evidentne nepusti do Iranu) a neodbytni prekupnici penez. Po te nam otevrou zeleznou branu a vyjizdime na Iranskou stranu. Zde se hned seznamujeme se sympatickou francouzskou rodinou, ktera projizdi Iranem na ceste do Ciny. Budou 6 mesicu na ceste a maji sebou zhruba 10 ti leteho kluka a holcicku. Vymnenime si informace a vyrazime zdolat byrokracii.
Iranska celnice je o mnoho civilizovanejsi nez Turecka – privita nas klimatizace a mramorova uvitaci hala. Nekolik uredniku mluvi Anglicky a pomahaji nam vysvetlit situaci. Celnik jenz nam otevrel branu si bere nase pasy a po par minutach zanaseni udaju do pocitace da na viza razitko, pridava zluty papir – vstupni dokument, jez je treba opatrovat a posila nas k ‘zasedaci komisi’ 5 uredniku, z nichz jenom jeden, kapo de la kampa prohlizi viza a Karnet. Griluje frantika za rucne vyplnene udaje a chvali ceske uredniky za strojove tisteny…. Po te zapisuje na druhou stranu karnetu nejake udaje a posila ns do dalsi kancelare. Zde se evidentne preklada do Farsi a zanasi udaje o Karnetu do pocitace. Mlady urednik se mnou vybiha ven a kontroluje auto (PSZ a cislo podvozku). Uspokojen nad zjistenymi informacemi me bere zpet do kancelare, kde nam trhaji spodni cast Karnetru (vstupni udaje), orazitkuji jej pridaji bily papirek ve farsi a posilaji nas zpet ke Kapovi. Ten vse pochvalne odbruci a mlady urednik preklada, ze potrebujeme kopi viz a prvni strany pasu a jsem volni. Ma to ale hacek. Na celnici neni kopirka. Proto urednici vysilaji francouze, jemuz sveruju I svuj pas aby zajel do nedalekeho mestecka Bazarganu to vse zkopirovat. Za pul hodiny je frantik zpet, kapo s usmevem bere fotokopie a preje nam anglicky ‘Welcome to Iran and enjoy your stay’. V mini bance primo v budove celnice menim dolary v kurzu 9100 za $1. Lepsi nez ‘friendly’ kurzy mistnich neodbytnych vekslaku a vyrazime na Vychod.
Po prvnich 10 minutach zaciname chapat vyraz ‘V Iranu ridicak nic neznamena’. Jezdi se zasadne bez blinkru, 3-4 rady ve dvou, v protismeru a vylozene plati heslo dravejsi vyhrava. Marocti a Istambulsti ridici, ktere jsem dodnes povazoval za nejvetsi maniaky muzou blednout zavisti a klopit zraky studem..
Zastavujeme v Maku na vydychani prvnich 10 kilometru a tri o fous bouracek a snazime se najit saslikarnu a pekarnu. Nedari se ani jedno, ale seznamujeme se s mladym horolezcem, ktery nam lamanou anglictinou vysvetluje pomery a predstavuje mistni delicatesu (jejiz jmeno mne ted unika), coz je vicemene bananovy koktejl s nastrouhanymi pistaciemi a zmrzlinou. Zapominam na veskere pouceni o mlecnych vyrobcich na Vychod od Istanbulu a jeden si davam. Je vyborny a 4 hodiny po konzumaci stale ziju…
Horolezec nam ukazuje smer na nejblizsi vetsi benzinku. K nasi uleve tam stoji kamiony a my jsme prioritne poukazani k naftovemu cerpadlu. Pumpar nam vysvetluje, ze nam nemuze dat vice nez 30 litru nafty a v zadnem pripade nemuze dat do kanystru. Je to pry zakazane (coz potvrzuje informaci z Horizons Unlimited). Nakonec ale jeden kanistr plni. Za 30 litru platime 4000 Rijadu, coz je min nez pul dolaru. Pridava mapu Teheranu jez stoji $3 a v Londyne za ni chteli 35 liber (takze doporucuju koupit mapy na miste. Jsou stejne jako ukazatele cesty v anglictine I Farsi)
Vyrazime dal na Tabriz, ale diky nepochopitelnemu 2.5 hodin casovemu posunu zacina byt dost pozde. Navic potkavame prvni vysledek dabelskych ridicskych schopnosti Irancanu. Nehoda na hlavni ceste a nekazen ridicu, jez se ve 4 pruzich misto jednoho snazi predbehnout privedou celou akci do patove situace, jelikoz se neda jet ani dopredu, ani zpet. Zadny problem pro Defika a pri pojuchavani mladych Irancu se poustime do prikopu a prasnou cestou zpet na jeste prasnejsi odbocku jez vede hodne zubizenou vesnickou. Pri prvnim zastaveni se k nam hned hrnou ochotni domorodci kteri nam ukazuji smer. Jeden na motocyklu znacky Kozi Dech se nabizi ze nas vyveze na krizovatku a ukase cestu. Hrde se vsude zastavuje a ukazuje vuz cizincu, kterym pomaha. Vsichni nas zdravi a usmivaji az mame pocit ze neco neni v poradku. Samozrejme je, Nasr Shajne si vyzada nase autogramy a dava I svuj. Asi mistni zvyk? Davame mu za tu sluzbu tricko z Matadoru, ktere presne jak pruvodce popisuje 2x odmitne a potreti si jej s usmevem veme.
Sjedeme par kilometru smerem na Shot (snad to nebude platit pro nas) k rice, kde zakempujeme stale s vyhledem na spicku Araratu. Nasleduje vecere, zdraveni nekolika projizdejicich mistnich a konec prvniho dne v Iranu. Zatim jeste pozitivnejsi, nez jsme se docetli a nez jsme ocekavali.
Mobily stratily signal hned po prejeti hranice takze se muze ozvat jenom pres internet, ktery vypada ze je vsude. Jak to bude s pristupem na ‘zapadni’ web stranky uvidime zitra.
Nedele 30.3.
Mame trochu zmatek v case, budik na sedmou zvoni do uplne tmy. V Evrope se dnes prehazoval cas, ale mesity hodiny nemaji, tak to musime zjistit v Tabrizu.
K ranu prijelo nekolik aut, zvedave okukovali, ale pk zase odjeli. Jednou se na horizontu objevil zeleny armadni jeep. Po deseti minutach zase odjel.
Vyrazime smer Tabriz pistou pres Shot, napojujeme se na hlavni cestu (jez jsou v Iranu ve velmi dobrem stavu) a jsme prekvapeni relativni ukaznenosti ridicu, dokonce jsme zaznamenali I prvni pouziti blinkru.
Snazime se dostat pres hory k jezeru Orumiyeh, coz je Iranska verze Tureckeho zasaditeho jezera Van, ale pista konci ve vesnici pod horou, tak se vracime na hlavni na Tabriz.
Pri dalsim cepovani nafty (ktera je nakonec v kazdem mensim mestecku) po nas chteji Karnet, kde pridaji nesmyslne razitko na obal dokumentu a nechavaji nas nacepovat plnou i jeden kanystr (takze 30 litrovy limit asi ne uplne plati)
Dnes padla zvlastni inverse, ktera s tezkym Iranskym smogem vytvari neproniknutelnou mlhu, jez bohuzel zastinuje tritisicove hory, kterymi projizdime.
Blizime se k Tabrizu, kde planujeme navstivit mistni prosluly Bazar a pak mame namireno do skalnich vesnicek u Kandovanu.
RADKOVI ZACAL FUNGOVAT MOBIL< TAKZE MUZETE TEXTOVAT!!!
ENGLISH
Finding the Turkish/Iranian border isn’t difficult as it is very well marked along the way to Dogubeyazyt. We set of early in the morning, but beautiful views of Ararat and close by mountains slowed us down as we kept stopping and taking pictures. We reached the Turkish border at Gurbulak, showed the Carnet which is needed in order to be allowed past the fence to Iranian side, had passports stamped waited a short while by the massive iron gate with the view of portraits of Islamic leaders.
The Iranian official who let us in took us into the entry hall which was in sharp contrast with Turkish huts decorated with marble and air conditioned.
We had our passports stamped, received yellow entry cards which are crucial to keep in the passport all the time and were showed to a main hall where a receiving commission is seated. We were asked for carnet which was checked with car registration and VIN (make sure you know where it is on your car chassis), had the carnet stamped, import part torn off and were given the white car document (whose meaning I don’t know) and we were asked for photocopies of our visa and info pages (however, there isn’t a copy machine at the border, so I was send of to the near town of Bazargan to fetch it. It is therefore recommended to bring your own copy). After handing the copies we were wished the ‘Pleasant stay in Iran’ and we set off towards unknown. We exchanged some dollars (which still seem to be the preferred currency in Iran) at the rate of 9100 rials to $1 (which is a better rate to than of Turkish and Iranian handlers which were trying to persuade us of their superior exchange rates).
Bazargan isn’t what you would call exciting place and after handing the white car document we skipped it and went straight to Maku. Immediately we realized the true meaning of the expression ‘The driving licence doesn’t mean anything in Iran’. The traffic and road manners are devilish. 4 rows in two lanes, cut offs, and lack of indication wouldn’t be the worse scenario, however driving in the opposite direction in 2 lane high way is hard to swallow. We didn’t buy the insurance on the border, but definitely will get one in Tabriz.
Despite the terrible driving Iranians seem to be extremely friendly and we are overwhelmed by constant waving, smiles and attempts of help. In the first restaurant we rae introduced toa delicious local banana milk shake with pistachio nuts and ice cream and talk about mountaineering in Elbros mountains…. Young Iranians are keen to speak English and although sometimes look bit distant it is always just a question of a first move in starting the conversation.
We are showed in direction to a fuel pump station and hope for a diesel (we filled up full in Turkey where price reaches 1.5 Eu per litre as we were told the diesel is hard to find in Iran).
The diesel station 4km past Maku has diesel and we were allowed to fill 30 litres (which we were told is a limit for tourists). We tried to fill the jerries but again were refused on the grounds that ‘It is Problem’. Few smiles later and a purchase of Teheren map for aq. of $3 (Stanfords in London sell them for £35) and we are let off with one full can.
We are setting of to Tabriz, but due to weird 2.5 time difference is getting late and we are starting to look for a place to camp.
Again, we are help by young Iranians who at the first sign of us getting lost offer to take us in direction of village Shot and a small river were we pitch the tent up and preparing for the first night in Iran.
30.3.
Slept well, there were few trucks stopping by and curiously looking at our roof tent for few minutes before setting off.
We’re pack up and head for Tabriz. On the way there we’re trying to find a piste to a lake Orumiyeh , but the track ends below a 3000m mountain in a tiny dusty mud brick village so we are forced to return on the main road. Lack of detailed maps seem to trouble us already.
The main road to Tabriz where we plan visiting the famous Bazaar is well marked in both Farsi and English and we meet quite a few pumps with diesel. One of them lets us fill over 40 litres including one jerrycan. For some reason our Carnet is stamped on the first page.
Weather is hoting up and smog is getting unbearable. We are reaching Tabriz where we are again reminded of crazy traffic and lack of driving rules.
More info from Esfahan. Ins Allah…
PS: MY MOBILE IS WORKING AGAIN!!!
Agia Sofia, Istanbul
Radek And Mirek after 3 day transit to Ararat
One of many friendly Iranians, always keen to help at the first sign of a problem.
