Currently in Mashad having a rest day, Iran's holiest city popular with pilgrims and honeymooners from over the Muslim world. We're in the central area with all the amenities nearby, the bazaar, and the holy shrine central area etc... Will visit later. More...

A rhythm of 3 nights camping and then a hotel to wash up and enjoy a shower, works well, camping brings the price down too. Had to hunt around changing dollars to local currency (rials), eventually a well spoken bank employee walked me to a money exchange, then i went back for tea with him and his boss - studied English at university, was very excited to talk to use his English speaking person - usually its just DVDs and the BBC world service - he gives English lessons to the bank employees 3 times a week. Got a free lunch too, seems to happen when engaging the locals and trying to communicate - can be hard work, loss of privacy etc.... but rewarding too. More...

The Caspian Coastline - sun-bleached yellow sand, blue water Caspian coast is paradise - NO, it's not like this. When Iranians have family picnics they leave all their litter and have no inkling of tidying up, it simply doesn't register. The mess is quite shocking, perhaps there'll be a green awareness in a few years, a green party, whatever. We wanted to camp at such a place, and when we arrived, the amount of litter was amazing, so we cycled away and asked permission to use a private field by the sea (with grazing cow for company) More...

The border crossing from Turkey into Iran turned out easy, a friendly official knowing that western tourists might nervous, put me at ease. There'd been recent news about captured British sailors, friends were concerned, and when you roll up to the Ayatollah signs on the border, well... The official made pains to point out that the questions he was asking me where only for statistics, and we weren't being tracked or followed, eager to welcome us, asking me why I had an interest in coming to Iran, and presenting us with a glossy tourist welcome pack. More...