Ostān-e Khorāsān-e Jonūbī

Another border crossing! You never know what to expect, but this time I more or less flew through the borders. All up 1hour 15mins. It helped to have a personal assistant on the Iranian side, who wandered with me from station to station, making sure everything is done promptly and I am getting some tea when waiting for my Carnet to be completed.
For my first overnight stop I drove towards some fields and when the narrow path got too slippery had to do a 10 point turn. In the process I backed into I pile of dirt, bent my spare tyre attachment, so the wheel could not be attached anymore.
So... another workshop stop the next day. No biggy, was done in 1/2 hour. This left me with enough time to reach Mashhad.
Mashhad is considered the holiest city in Iran, is it the burial place of the only of the 12 Imams being buried in Iran. So of course I had to visit the shrine, which nowadays is a huge complex with 9 court yards. Being a non Muslim I was provided with a flowery chador and very nice guide
After that I just wanted to leave the city. 3 million inhabitants, and a huge percentage of those possessed by Iranian road rage. This is a phenomenon which I cannot explain. The Iranians are the most friendly, welcoming, hospitable of people. They give you their last piece of bread if you are their guest, but their little piece of road, your right of way... YOU WILL NOT GET THIS, not even as a clearly identifiable foreigner. So. .. lets get me out of this city!
And I as to make up for this strenuous city experience found the most beautiful overnight spot, on Saffron fields, between little saffron huts and saffron watering channels. Never mind a police man waking me up at 5am, wanting to see my papers and husband, whom, to his biggest amazement, I could not produce. He did not speak any English, my Farsi leaves a big lot to be desired, so we giggled ourselves through the conversation. I still giggled when I went back to sleep.
On the way to Kerman, I happened to overtake Christoph again, we had separated in Turkmenistan, but as we don't seem to be able to travel by ourselves we did some sight seeing together: a beautiful Caravanserai and we nearly drove past an oasis like out of a fairytale book. I was nestled on top of a hill surrounded be citrus orchards and soon saffron fields again.Read more