Incredible India - incredibly beautiful in some places, incredibly poor and ghastly in others. Although you've heard the stories, seen the pictures and watched the documentaries on TV, you won't believe your eyes when you see the things that happen here every day, every second, every time you move a few meters. There is no way to describe it, it's simply - incredible.
Iran - as not seen on TV
In Iran, we met the most hospitable and friendly people we have encountered on the road so far. We were stuck in the middle of Iran with 12€, with no possibility of accessing our money due to economic blockades we had been unaware of. Thanks to the help of many Iranians, we did not only survive 1000km on the road, but reached the house of our friends in Tehran with more gasoline in our tanks, more money in our pockets and more food in our bellies than we had started out with.
Contrary to what people usually think, we felt completely safe in this civilized country, although they do have some customs that might shock a westerner coming for a visit. For example, all women in Iran are required by law to cover their hair and all of their skin except for their hands and face. At 45 degrees in the shade, Elke was melting defenselessly.
Putting aside the cultural differences, it is fascinating to discover the cities and the bazaars of Iran. The architecture is astonishing, and the rich Persian culture makes visiting this country and getting to know its real face worth your while.
Istanbul - our home away from home
“Welcome home, Elke and Gustavo” said the sign on the door.
Fatih and Didem, the president of the motorcycle club “Turkbikers” and his wife, had never seen us before in their lives. We had exchanged a few emails, and now here we were, in their home, which would be our home as well for one month. We had planned one week or so in Istanbul, but we were unable to leave our new-found friends. Together we watched the European Championships, and in the game Turkey-Germany Fatih even cheered for Germany and painted a black-red-gold flag on his cheeks to prove his friendship to us. We were very touched. Fatih and Didem are also dreaming about a tour around the world on motorcycle, and we promised to see each other again someday somewhere in this world.
Asia was at our doorstep, and we were very excited to enter. Crossing the Bosphorus for the first time and passing the sign “Welcome to Asia” made our hearts beat faster. We had made it, all the way to Asia, on our own two motorcycles!!
Iran - as not seen on TV
In Iran, we met the most hospitable and friendly people we have encountered on the road so far. We were stuck in the middle of Iran with 12€, with no possibility of accessing our money due to economic blockades we had been unaware of. Thanks to the help of many Iranians, we did not only survive 1000km on the road, but reached the house of our friends in Tehran with more gasoline in our tanks, more money in our pockets and more food in our bellies than we had started out with.
Contrary to what people usually think, we felt completely safe in this civilized country, although they do have some customs that might shock a westerner coming for a visit. For example, all women in Iran are required by law to cover their hair and all of their skin except for their hands and face. At 45 degrees in the shade, Elke was melting defenselessly.
Putting aside the cultural differences, it is fascinating to discover the cities and the bazaars of Iran. The architecture is astonishing, and the rich Persian culture makes visiting this country and getting to know its real face worth your while.
Istanbul - our home away from home
“Welcome home, Elke and Gustavo” said the sign on the door.
Fatih and Didem, the president of the motorcycle club “Turkbikers” and his wife, had never seen us before in their lives. We had exchanged a few emails, and now here we were, in their home, which would be our home as well for one month. We had planned one week or so in Istanbul, but we were unable to leave our new-found friends. Together we watched the European Championships, and in the game Turkey-Germany Fatih even cheered for Germany and painted a black-red-gold flag on his cheeks to prove his friendship to us. We were very touched. Fatih and Didem are also dreaming about a tour around the world on motorcycle, and we promised to see each other again someday somewhere in this world.
Asia was at our doorstep, and we were very excited to enter. Crossing the Bosphorus for the first time and passing the sign “Welcome to Asia” made our hearts beat faster. We had made it, all the way to Asia, on our own two motorcycles!!
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