Dispatch From Iran

a killer in Summer

The heat of the Baluchistan area of Pakistan and the southern deserts of Iran can be a killer in Summer. Locals tell of 55-58 degrees Centigrade. For those of us from a temperate climate where 30 is a scorcher and 35 is something of mythical status, these temperatures are difficult to comprehend until you experience them. Riding the bikes is a torture. You are out there...exposed, being cooked. Movement doesn't make you any cooler. You have to ride with your visor down as lifting it brings a blast to the face similar to something from a hot-air paint stripper. This tears at your eye balls and soon has you clipping the visor down.

hydrated

Keeping hydrated is a huge task, one that I have not always managed well. There are periods of the day when you just don't go out. We've tried riding from before dawn and that was nice...for a while...it is still going to get you sooner or later. We've only passed one river with water in it. We stopped and I lay fully clothed in it for a while before riding off dripping wet, experiencing the delights of evaporation causing the process of refrigeration. Great...but temporary.

in hospital

These extreme temperatures and a serious bout of gastro-entoritis brought about Dick's decision to be repatriated from Zahedan in Southern Iran. He'd been in hospital on a drip for a day and saw little point in being tortured just for the hell of it. He has his on-going health to worry about. So one is safe...and probably clean, happy, drinking beer etc. I suspect also a little sad, but we know he rides with us as I dream of him and we talk about him a lot.

Salt Man
One Of Des's Antecedents Who Didn't Make It Through The Deserts Of Iran

Will we meet either deadline?

Our big adventure had ended in Islamambad. The rest was a tack-on to get us to Willie's party in Holland - a race for Europe. Earlier delays have now made this part of the journey a nightmare. There just doesn't seem to be enough time to get to the party and our welcoming fans. This has led to us doing train trips and even a 12 hour 700 km, night trip in a pick-up truck. We'll get there, it is just a matter of when. The party is on the 24th, my flight home (to work) is on the 31st. Will we meet either deadline? Noon, eight days before the first one and we're in Tabriz, Northern Iran waiting to get our bikes from the train, hoping to make it into Turkey tonight.

Waiting for a Train

On Board

Des and Steve, missing the hard man.

Hillman Hunter

The Paykan is dead...long live the Paykan. Not the big bird with an orange beak...that is a Toucan. A Paykan is the Iranian car which has been made since the late 1960's. It is the English Hillman Hunter. It has served the country well but finally after a few reprieves, production has recently stopped. You may think that this car is insignificant because otherwise you would have heard of it. Perhaps, but as there are over TWO MILLION of them on the Iranian roads, almost all painted white, you must realise they have been a huge part of the country's recent history. They have always felt they owned this car. It had their Persian name on it. They also assembled Land Rovers and Citroen 2CVs but these still were branded as in the parent country. The Paykan was and is...theirs. Of course this became even stronger when the UK finished production in the early 70's and ultimately the parent died the normal death of England's car industry stalwarts. The climate of Iran is such that the cars don't rust and as the car has been in continuous production for over 30 years, there is no problem with parts. All the bits that break or fail are available from one end of the country to the other...no one-off light lens that cost hundreds of dollars. These are simple, robust cars, suited to a harsh land. A car from the 60's is not the fuel efficient, air-bagged, ABS equiped paragon of today's roads, so it should go. With fuel now only just reaching 10c per litre, the efficiency wasn't a problem but with Kias, Peugeots and Citroens being built locally (and exported) competition and progress has finally defeated the old Paykan.

Dating

It is hard to date the cars as it always depends on how well they have been looked after. We rode in one that was 33 years old, we also rode in one with the plastic covers still on the seats. Not a lot of difference. The new one had central locking but externally they were identical. I can see there could be problems with identifying your own car as often there are lines of white Paykans. I can imagine this being a nightmare for my wife Steph. She has always had unusual cars that were easily identifiable. Fiat 600, Citroen Safari wagon etc. With her work Toyota she has problems...she just isn't interested in cars that look alike, and is always tying her key in Mazdas, Hondas, Nissans etc. If they are the same colour as the Toyota...they could be the Toyota. Now in Teheran with a street full of white Paykans, she could be all day getting home with the groceries. One hour shopping, 3 hours to find the right car.

Perhaps it was really women power that has caused the demise, not poor performance or efficiency etc.

Whatever the reason, the Persians have much to be proud of with the production of the Paykan. They made the sturdy Hillman Hunter a multi-million seller...something the English couldn't do.

The Paykan is dead...long live the Paycan.