Gypsies on the move

July 2022 - April 2023
To do a long off-road trip has been our dream for years. To have our house with us in the most beautiful places, To discover other cultures, people and nature. Read more
  • 209footprints
  • 15countries
  • 293days
  • 2.7kphotos
  • 97videos
  • 20.7kkilometers
  • 2.2kkilometers
  • Day 104

    Nemrut Dagi, crater edge at 3000m

    October 23, 2022 in Turkey ⋅ 🌙 5 °C

    Wow what a day!
    First this amazing morning waking up over Lake Van, that is 6 times the size of lake Constance, then visiting, the two lakes inside the crater, bathed in the colours of Autumn,
    and then a climb up to 3.000 meters on the edge of the crater. Incredible impressions!
    And then to crown it all, my spiritual anima,l the eagle, comes to visit us while we are resting, circling above us for many minutes.
    What a gift!
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  • Day 106

    Last day in turkey, a philosophical day

    October 25, 2022 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    This afternoon we will head closer the Iranian border, to camp one more time on this side and then cross the border tomorrow morning. Apparently crossing the border takes many hours!!!
    While the German foreign ministery has issued a warning that sounds frightening, we have decided to drive none-the-less, maybe staying a little closer to each other to support.

    This all makes me sad. We live in a world where countries and people who have got on well together for years as is the case between Germany and Iran, suddenly are not supposed to get on because a new government has come to power and sees things differently. (The relationship between USA and Iran is the classical example).
    We live in such a beautiful world and share common humanity and love and our governments just cause chaos!

    Another topic that is going through my head is the physical rubbish that we are confronted with in Turkey. This is such an incredibly beautiful country with such friendly warm hearted people, and yet no matter where you go, no matter how high, how remote or how beautiful the area, the ground is covered with broken glass, plastic bottles, chips bags and "you name what".
    There seems to be absolutely no regard for the environment, what-so-ever. Moreover it seems the Turks feel absolutely at ease sitting down for a picknik amidst mountains of rubbish that get more and more over the years. On the contrary, they add their own rubbish to it, neatly packed in a plastic bag and left lying or thrown out of the window! Bottles are smashed to pieces on purpose resulting in a landscape covered in glass pieces of variing colours.

    I just cannot get it!

    We are given this gift of a beautiful world, and here are people who just don't care!!
    They have homes and cars that are impeccably clean, with driveways that are hosed down with water every few days, they also have kids that grow up and want to visit nature, and yet they treat their nature in a way that I simply dont understand.

    This journey is to discover new cultures. I wonder what else I am going to be confronted with.?????
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  • Day 107

    IRAN, here we come

    October 26, 2022 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 1 °C

    Last night we met the other teams crossing the border with us and went shopping one more time for suitable clothing for Margot followed by a wonderful dinner in a classical Lokanta full to the brim with locals all talking at the same time. What a sound level!
    Once again we were witness to the amazing friendliness and kindness of the Turkish and their interest in us. It felt as if they felt honoured to have us in their lokanta.

    Internet has been significantly limited in Iran and we are not sure when we can upload Fotos, so it could take awhile for further news!
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  • Day 108

    A day at the border

    October 27, 2022 in Iran ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    What a day!
    We arrived at the border at 09 and got through to the other side at 29:30 in the evening with nerves frayed.
    I have never seen such chaos!
    When we arrived there were already 50 Iranian taxis waiting, covered with ice from the night they had spent in their cars. We lined up nicely, as europeans would do with reasonable space between the vehicles only to discover that locals would come shooting past the queue to jump into the gaps. Then 100 Kurds, Iranians, and turks would race forward by foot literally trying to pull the guy out of his car, all screaming at once. He would then lock his doors and just sit there. Then someone would scream that the que was moving (1 meter) In an absolute stampede they would run to their cars and in a drag race type scenario race forward into every gap they would find, and even opening a third queue which didn't exist. Then the Army would arrive with an armoured vehicle with machine gun on the roof , to chase them back to the back of the queue. And then the whole story would repeat again. ALL DAY LONG.
    In between I got into a discussion with an Iranian student about what is going on in Iran (I shall not go into detail here) . After we had been waiting for 5 hours with only about 50 meters of progress, this same guy went to the border post with me to translate to the guards. They said that due to issues on the other side it seemed that cars were being "taken apart" today and that we would probably have to sleep here. They recommended going to another border.

    Then after 6 hours of waiting, suddenly the Turkish border boss came to us telling us to drive past the queue. He was going to help us to get through. No one knows why!
    Having passed the Turkish side (1 hour) with several computer break downs and me having to pay a fine of , hold tight, €0,25 for having not paid highway tax when entering turkey, we passed on to the Iranian side. And this is where real chaos started. 10 military border guards stormed into our car ripping open everything looking for alcohol. Worse still, three guys climbed onto the roof walking over my solar modules as if it were a terrace, ripping at our boxes.
    Then in a chaos of people running to-and-fro screaming, our carnet de passage, visas, passports, insurance, were stamped, carried from A to B, and then to C and then back to A with us not understanding one word.
    AND THEN WE WERE SUDDENLY THROUGH!
    Amiricale which I dont understand!
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  • Day 108

    Khoy town

    October 27, 2022 in Iran ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    Yesterday morning we drove the 80 Km's into Khoy where Andy and I exchanged €100,- for 31.500.000 Rial in 100.000 notes = 315 notes to count. Absolute stress!
    Really cute was the international menu from the lunch place we went to: "so specal and delisges!

    But even better was the dinner where we paid 32 million and it took 2 persons from the restaurant to count it in a reasonable time.
    Iran has had a high inflation for years resulting in these incredible prices.
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  • Day 109

    Umia salt lake

    October 28, 2022 in Iran ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Umia lake is a huge lake without an exit which is as salty as the dead sea. A large part of irans salt is harvested here.
    Astounding beauty!

  • Day 113

    Zendane Soleyman, Takht-E Soleyman

    November 1, 2022 in Iran ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Zendane Soleyman is a volcanic spring emitting warm calciferous water. Over millenia this calcium built a ring that grew higher and higher to 80meters and was a holy place. A few kms further is Takht-E-Soleymann another holy place where in 600AD King Soleymann stole the "Cross of christianity" in Jerusalem and dedicated it to the temple here. Shortly after, an earthquake created a crack in Zedane allowing the water to flow out, a very bad omen! Shortly after the king of constantinople came to regain the holy cross, and destroyed the temple.
    Now what do we learn from this story?
    Don't take away other boys toys!
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  • Day 114

    On the way to Kataleh Khor cave

    November 2, 2022 in Iran ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    As we drive over land it is the smiling faces of people greeting us, wanting to take a photo with us and inviting us to come home with them that moves us deeply.
    This last wish is very touching, but can also be a real problem, because local habit has it that you ask AT LEAST THREE TIMES before giving up. Today we had one gentleman stop me at a traffic light to invite me. Then he followed us to the next traffic light to then phone a friend and ask him to invite us in english, and then later caught Margot in the store while shopping to ask again. Finally he bought us three cans of Tuna before giving up his quest.
    Also very moving is the way people touch their heart while bowing slightly when greeting you.
    People are extremely happy to see us and from everywhere they shout "welcome to Iran!"
    What a warm, welcoming country!
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