Afghanistan & Iran
Wednesday 17th July
Had poor night on hard beds and room v. hot and noisy – everyone
seems to be either drunk or quarrelling or both. Left early and had breakfast
at Jan’s Cafe. Went to Garage – van nearly ready. This garage told us that we
should in fact have had 4 cogs in the differential all along. The reason that
one cog had broken and the other two sheared was because there was one missing.
They seem surprised that we have come so far with one missing. They have, accordingly,
put in our spare cog – lucky we had one – giving us the required four – 2 new
and 2 very damaged. If what they say about the 4 cogs is correct (and it may
well be as there was a place for the fourth) this is very interesting, as it
means the van left the factory with one very vital part omitted – thus causing
us all this delay, expense and worry. We shall not know for sure till we get
home and check on the latest design, but either way it will have to be taken up
with Bedfords. Drove carefully to Kabul, still with harsh grating noise and
whine. We wonder whether we shall ever do another 6½ thousand miles in the
state. Another worry is that the temperature gauge, which up to now has
remained completely static ever since we left Jersey, has suddenly shown that
we keep overheating. Had to stop once to cool off. Water in Radiator O.K. and
oil O.K. and fan belt intact. On closer inspection we found that 2 screws were
missing from the rocker box cover and there was oil all over the engine, which
means that the oil pressure will have gone on the blink. Blame Orchard Motors
for this as they took it off to adjust the tappets. We found one screw lodged
in engine, but the other has gone. Think this is cause of trouble as thermostat
has been so reliable up to now. Will try to get new screw in Kabul. Had a very
pleasant drive through wonderful scenery on excellent road built by Russians
and Americans.
Rugged hills, narrow gorges and streams. Scenery most impressive beyond Khyber Pass. Crossed frontier at Torkhama soon after Khyber Pass. Put watches back an hour. We decided to go to a place that called itself a Caravan hotel in Kabul, hoping we could park van in grounds and sleep in it – but this was not possible, and as it was dark we had to stay put and have a nice bed-sitting room for £1 a night, cooking food in van and bringing it in to bedroom to eat. We are now back to driving on the right again. Kabul is pretty high up and we had a cool evening. Wish it was a bit warmer – however I’ve got my hot water bottle still and there are facilities here for boiling water.
Speedometer Reading: 13893 Mileage: 196
Thursday July 18th
Had a good night’s sleep. Cooked breakfast and then went
shopping. Bought 1 Afghan rifle (inlaid with mother-of-pearl) for £12 to keep,
and English pistol, also to keep as souvenirs (pistol £4), also other old
rifles for £4 and £5 which we hope to sell for a good profit when we get back.
We have learnt that the rifles mostly originated in North Africa and the
Afghans fitted English locks to them. Also bought a charcoal picture of an
Afghan Tribesman, done by one of the villagers – cost 15/-. It is nice, and
anyway is an original. Did a lot of bargaining and got most things down to ½
original price. Bought a lot of fruit too. Kabul is a fascinating place – wish
we had lots of money to spend here and lots more time.
We have 320 miles to do from here to Kandahar tomorrow. Must reach it in the one day as there is nowhere to sleep en route, we have been told. Have decided to set off from here at 6.30 a.m. Everyone in Caravan hotel very friendly and helpful. I have washed clothes, hair etc., and organised a lot of things. Have offered a lift to a very nice young American chap as far as Herat. He is returning to the States from Australia.
Speedometer Reading: 13915 Mileage: 22
Friday July 19th
Set off from Kabul at 7.30 a.m. with the American boy –
Jerry Millar. Wonderful road to Kandahar – long, straight and excellent surface.
Arrived Kandahar at 3.30 having made good time. Wished we hadn’t got up so
early. Parked for night in grounds of Kandahar Hotel where they allow vans.
Jerry sleeping in Hotel and us in Van.
Speedometer Reading: 14238 Mileage 323
Saturday July 20th
Set off from Kandahar about 7.30 and had breakfast about
an hour later. Bought a delicious water melon (masses of them here and very
cheap) ate half with our breakfast and the other half we had with our lunch.
Jerry has got the inevitable tummy troubles so we are making sure he only drinks
boiled water – have given him several doses of our medicine and hope it helps
him. About 125 miles from Herat (our next destination) we passed an enormous
hotel with a swimming pool – quite incongruous in the middle of nowhere. We had
a swim (10 Afghanis each – about 1/-) – much refreshed. Put up for the night in
the grounds of the Herat Hotel – expensive – 20 Afghanis each person for
camping and 10 Afghanis for use of shower. Did not waste the money on washing
as we had had a swim.
We went into town and bought 2 more water melons, a cucumber and 15 eggs. Jerry slept beside the van, on the ground – lent him our cushions and a sleeping bag as room in hotel v. expensive.
Speedometer Reading: 14615 Mileage: 377
Sunday July 21st
Got up about 6.30. Couldn’t leave Herat till we’d got
our visas for Iran. Did not think that Consulate would be open on a Sunday but
luckily it was, and we were all organised in 1½ hours. Had breakfast – most of
the 15 eggs were stinking and the others far from fresh, so we threw them all
away and ate bread and cups of coffee. Left Herat and as Peter had refused to
ask the right road out we found, after 5 miles, we were heading for Moscow. Turned
back and took the other road out of Herat and reached border out of Afghanistan
80 miles or so away. Got held up 4½ hours as it was their lunch hour. Peter
changed plugs and headlamp bulbs so that we now dip the correct way for
right-hand driving. Had snack lunch and boiled up a lot of water for drinking.
Noise in rear of van seems somewhat worse.
Now heading for Mashad in Iran. We are now on dust roads again – drove on to Iranian border some miles away at Yusafobad. They have sealed our guns we bought in Afghanistan but did not worry unduly about them. Parked van for the night across the road from Police Post and Army Fort. They would not let us inside. Put clocks back one hour. Jerry slept on ground beside van. The Iranians made us eat 4 enormous white pills each in case we were brewing cholera, even though our health certificates were in order. They made us eat them there and then, at the Customs place, and we had to wash them down with awful green water. Wonder why I’ve bothered to boil all the water.
Speedometer Reading: 14727 Mileage: 112
Monday July 22nd
Got under way at 6.30 after cup of coffee. Stopped for
breakfast about 8.00. Have abandoned eggs now as they are never fresh – had
sausages and baked beans from tins. Made a diversion off our road to Mashad to
a dam about 7 miles away, where we had a lovely swim in a reservoir – water icy
cold, so after a quick dip to get clean I sunbathed while Peter and Jerry swam.
Drove on to Mashad where we changed money – tried to post letter home but P.O.
closed at 4.00 p.m. so we had to abandon it. Had trouble getting on to the
right, road out of Mashad, but finally made it. Roads bad, but so far not
nearly as bad as those we had on the way out. Have kept up quite a good speed. Dust
is ghastly and the whole van is inches deep in it and everything in the
cupboard is coated with it. We left Jerry in Mashad, to get on a bus for
Tehran. Judging by the noise we are making and the dicey state we are in, we
reckon he’ll get there first. Picked some curious dried thistles (covered in
lethal spikes) in the desert. Hope to get them home somehow. I’ve stripped the
worst of the thorns off the stems, but the flowers themselves are sharp as
razors. Don’t think Peter likes them much. The bus from Mashad to Tehran has
just stopped at the Check Post where we have stopped for the night and we found
Jerry on board and had a quick word with him.
Speedometer Reading: 14970 Mileage: 243
Tuesday July 23rd
Set off at 6.15 after cup of coffee. Travelling on dust
roads – surface not too bad and we made goodish time all the way, riding fairly
fast over the corrugations, but the dust is worse than ever. The van is now so
shaken about in the bodywork that none of the doors etc. fit properly and
clouds of dust pour in in great billows. The whole of the interior is thick
with it and we are hardly able to see each other, let alone anything else. Ate
large slices of delicious water melon for lunch – we saw them growing in the
fields – millions of them – no wonder they are so cheap. After about 500 miles
of dust roads altogether, we hit a wonderful tarred road – straight and with a
perfect surface – at Shah-Pasand. We have had to park for the night just off
the main road – noisy and full of mosquitos, but we can find nowhere else.
There is a water pump here and we have cleaned out the van – cupboards and all,
and can have a wash ourselves. Bur hair, clothes, all of us, in fact – are grey
and matted with dust. The Police have just come along and said it is not safe
to sleep beside the road and have kindly parked us at their check post nearby.
Speedometer Reading: 15320 Mileage: 350
Wednesday July 24th
Had a very comfortable night at the Police Check Post.
Set off at 7.30 and deviated north off our road to Tehran and went up to the
Caspian Sea. We parked the van by the beach and had breakfast there. Afterwards
we had a lovely swim in the Caspian Sea – more or less fresh water. From Amol
to Tehran was a beautiful drive on a very good road, through splendid scenery –
hills and gorges and rivers – everything much greener now. The horn is behaving
rather erratically emitting hoarse croaking noises half the time. While we were
in a cafe having a drink a bus hit us in the rear, damaging the rear light. We
took his number and the name of the bus Company and when we reached Tehran we
went to the depot but no-one spoke English, and couldn’t have cared less
anyway, so we shall get no joy there. Have gone to campsite for the night – daylight
robbery – 100 Rials (12/6) for parking the van – little or no facilities – have
washed clothes in bucket and hope to have got rid of the dust at last. Washed
hair too.
Speedometer Reading: 15594 Mileage: 274
Thursday July 25th
We slept late at our Camp Site (so called), had
breakfast and left about 8.30. Reached Gazvin (about 90 miles) at 10.30 – good
road.
We are now retracing our original steps for the first time, apart from the road from Delhi to Lahore. Stocked up on food and posted letter to Jersey in Gazvin – easier than doing it in Tehran. Roads variable – some excellent and we travelled a steady 50 m.p.h. for mile after mile – other stretches were bad – pot-holes and some dust roads, so we have quite a lot of dust to contend with again. We have found a heavenly campsite for the night and have come to roost early as it was too lovely to pass by, (4.00-ish). We have got off the road, with a good deal of pushing and moving of rocks and boulders, and manoeuvred the van on to a sandy stretch beside a river. It is quite perfect with mountains in the background, the river, the sound of the water, a marvellous sunset, and complete peace. There is a clear sky, it is hot, with a breeze and this fantastic scenery. Peter has tightened nuts and bolts under the van and changed the oil. We have had a swim in the river – lovely warm water. Supper and bed now.
Speedometer Reading: 15873 Mileage: 279
Friday July 26th
We had breakfast before setting off as we slept late,
and the surroundings were so beautiful we did not feel like hurrying away. Took
some photographs. Did some shopping and posted Post Cards in Tabriz. Travelled
partly on dust roads but for the main part the roads were fast and good. Got
our first puncture of the whole trip (a slow one) at Macon (Maku?) and we changed the wheel by the road. Have found another lovely
camping spot by a stream – rocky countryside. There is another camping party
here – tents up etc. We think they are Turks.
The Camping party have turned out to be American – a Zoological Expedition starting here and working down towards the Persian Gulf apparently.
Speedometer Reading: 16158 Mileage: 285