Off to Iran, at last

simondippenhall

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I have wanted to go to Iran for a long time
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Well, perhaps not THAT long. But I still have a 1979 Iran visa in an old passport, which I couldn't use due to a little local difficulty at the US Embassy there, and as a result got stuck in New Delhi
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Note the word 'Imperial' crossed out in biro, which reflects the changing times back then.

But (fingers crossed!) I am all set to head off Wednesday or Thursday this coming week on my GS1150 for the long ride via Istanbul and across Turkey - one I have a done a couple of times before, to Syria in 2008 and to Georgia and Armenia last year.

Once I get under way I will try to post update where wifi allows - I have even splashed out £20 on a keyboard for my iPhone so I don't have to lug a laptop.
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Getting the paperwork has been half the fun so far. The Iran visa itself I got in exactly 50 minutes, so that was easy (it helps that I am Irish, and went to the Iranian Embassy in Dublin). The Turkish e-visa is very slick and took 5 minutes while I watched TV. I decided against going back via Azerbaijan (despite having completed the application form and booked a hotel) when I discovered motorcycles are only allowed in for 72 hours for customs purposes. The most challenging thing to get was the carnet (CPD) for Iran as the once helpful ADAC in Germany will no longer serve the UK since 1 July. After a ring around of other European motoring organisations, I did find a very good solution which will be revealed in a future episode!



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And while I remember, a big thank you to Petcul and Drumacoon Lad of this parish who were full of it! (Good advice, I mean ;-) based on their recent trips to Iran.

I have just been looking at the bike stickers to ensure they won't get me in a punch-up at any border but they are well worn and haven't caused problems so far.

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I had thought f shipping the bike to Bulgaria or Romania to cut out some of the initial slog, but well into the planning stage I realised that, for me, part of the magic is starting out from home and (unlike the abrupt disconnection of air travel) gradually going through the changing landscape on the way. But a big 'thank you' to Bulgaria Bike Shipping and Gabriel Turcanu, both of whom were willing and helpful to ship the bike if I had wanted to.

So now the GS has new Tourances on (not really sensible to start with tyres which already had done 9,000 miles - even I could work that one out) and has been fettled by the illustrious Steptoe who assures me it will probably make it to Folkestone ;-).

I have also added some winglets and headlight protectors from Rugged Roads although I am not planning any particularly high-speed riding.


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You'll love the place and the people .... have a great trip and enjoy :thumb

:beerjug:
 
The most challenging thing to get was the carnet (CPD) for Iran as the once helpful ADAC in Germany will no longer serve the UK since 1 July. After a ring around of other European motoring organisations, I did find a very good solution which will be revealed in a future episode!

Look forward to hearing about this... please don't leave us hanging too long! Always wanted to ride in Iran but the Carnet deposit/insurance indemnity (800% value of bike) was always a deal breaker for me. Guess I could get a cheap C90 like Ed March but that's not really my thing.
 
Look forward to hearing about this... please don't leave us hanging too long! Always wanted to ride in Iran but the Carnet deposit/insurance indemnity (800% value of bike) was always a deal breaker for me. Guess I could get a cheap C90 like Ed March but that's not really my thing.

Or buy one there and flog it again on departure.
 
Have a great trip & await the pictures / trip report....
Safe travels :thumb2
 
Thanks all for the good wishes, and I will post once I get on the road and wifi permits. Stephen, I eventually sourced the carnet from the Swiss Touring Club and the deposit was their minimum level of about 3000chf - that's still a lot but it helps having a 13 year old bike, and I think it's only Egypt, India and Pakistan that require a big multiple of the bike's value.
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Thanks all for the good wishes, and I will post once I get on the road and wifi permits. Stephen, I eventually sourced the carnet from the Swiss Touring Club and the deposit was their minimum level of about 3000chf - that's still a lot but it helps having a 13 year old bike, and I think it's only Egypt, India and Pakistan that require a big multiple of the bike's value.
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Apologies, yes, it was Egypt I was think about that was 800%

Thanks. Bon Voyage comrade.
 
Sounds fantastic. :thumb2

Have always wanted to do a trip to Iran. Presume it is still not possible to enter Iran unescorted by bike on a British passport/visa?

My mother was Irish so perhaps thinking maybe next year I could apply for an Irish passport and consider getting in that way?

Have a great trip.
 
best of luck

looking forward to your report, have a safe journey.
Peter Cullen's ride report was inspiring and no doubt you will have a great trip too.
"Go n-éirí and bóthar leat"
:aidan
 
The Balkan bit

I'm sure it will be an excellent trip... I worked one country east of there for a while, stunning scenery and hospitable people in Iran.

Give a wave whilst passing through the Balkans...
 
Getting the paperwork has been half the fun so far. The Iran visa itself I got in exactly 50 minutes, so that was easy (it helps that I am Irish, and went to the Iranian Embassy in Dublin). The Turkish e-visa is very slick and took 5 minutes while I watched TV. I decided against going back via Azerbaijan (despite having completed the application form and booked a hotel) when I discovered motorcycles are only allowed in for 72 hours for customs purposes. The most challenging thing to get was the carnet (CPD) for Iran as the once helpful ADAC in Germany will no longer serve the UK since 1 July. After a ring around of other European motoring organisations, I did find a very good solution which will be revealed in a future episode!



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Simon,

Good on you for breaking out of the 'tyranny' of the popular press and striking out for Iran - as others have posted (and I think you may already know as you have referred to earlier rides there), the people are very welcoming and helpful....the traffic may be a different matter!

As I am planning a trip along either much of the same route or via Azerbaijan, I am grateful to learn of the sever transit restrictions for motorcycles in that country (72 hours); also grateful to learn that a carnet is available through Swiss facilities as others have indicated RAC no longer game for these.....

Safe riding and have fun!
 
Joytown, Germany...
was my destination on Day 1 of my ride to Iran, but I had no joy. My call to the Baren Hotel (Bear Hotel) was met with 'Wir Sind Voll' and Booking.com was not offering any better solutions...

The day began early. Wake early....leave early! By 5 am I was bright-eyed and eager for the road, even if was dark outside

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I left at 05h50 which at least helped me beat the queues of those poor people who still have to go to work, and I was on the infamous M25 motorway by 06h20. Perhaps it was the dark, but I thought I detected a new, ominous flashing warning light on the bike. Oh dear, what to do? Eventually I pulled over at one of the few M25 services to look at the bike manual. (This time, for some reason, I have packed all bar the kitchen sink, and even have a Haynes manual on board.

So, much relieved, I carried on around the M25, probably the only person in the left hand lane as everyone else prefers to block the 3 right hand lanes. Grrr!

I was at the Eurotunnel exit by 07h25 and employed my new technique of bypassing the car park and the helpful guiding officials and just taking a shortcut to the queue for the next train. No one was interested in my ticket which is just as well as I got on a train 1 hour earlier!
{some photos to follow when I upload from my camera}
P: the only queue of the day:

P:there were quite a few bikes on the shuttle - the guy on the Ducati, a Pan-riding paramedic by day, told me this was his first and last Ducati as it spent more time at the dealer being fixed, than being ridden!

In the interests of progress, I had decided to splash the cash and take French peage motorways toward the Black Forest and it was definitely worth the 30ish Euros it cost me, as roads were wide-open and empty. I also had my first encounter with the police on this trip (and surely, not the last).

This senior traffic policeman had waved to me as they passed. Seems he is a real BMW fanatic ad has 4 - brought up in the French Congo, he has a zest for travel and had planned to ride to Syria before current problems kicked off. He wishes me ' bonne route' about 5 times!IMG_4920.JPGIMG_4921.JPG

Once I approached Strasbourg I decided to seek out a lodging somewhere East and although I failed on the Freudenstadt ('joy town') front I found a lovely, cheap inn tucked away in the Black Forest, which gave me the opportunity of 20-30ks of lovely windy German roads after the boring sadness of the motorway in France.

A few scenic shots of the autumn harvest will follow so you can see, my photo technique needs work!

And my residence, situated by a little mountain river - charming. Had to have schnitzel followed by strudel, and accompanied by Furstenberg beer!

Today I covered about 550 miles, so definitely ready for my bed .


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A few of the missing photos:
The only queue of the day - about 2 minutes before boarding the shuttle to Calais
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My residence tonight
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A few Black Forest scenes of Autumn
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And bikes on the shuttle. DSC01067.JPGDSC01068.JPG
I know people worry about their bikes falling- over on the train - but mine is so loaded I think that it would take a train crash for it to fall.

And my route over the coming days
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