police | Chaos roaming the world

The rain was good for this for sure

We made it alive and well through the storm and rain last night. This morning, the tent was still fine (thanks Salewa, great product) and the sky clear.

There is very little to write about the road today, other than that it was amazing. I was not quite sure about this whole idea of ours of doing a big detour through the Zagros Mountains instead of the direct route to Hamadan before. The stunning landscapes along the road really did change that, though. The constantly changing landscape following down the Karun from 2400m down to almost sea level was truly worth it.

Rocinante and Flo posing with the great landscape

We had memorable little moments in between, nonetheless. The first one that comes to mind is at a police check point in Loristan. Iran is the first country we actually get stopped by the police at times. This time, they invited us into the main building for tea and to check our papers. Sadly, the shared language skills were not enough for any deeper conversation.

We stopped to buy some ingredients for lunch, when we were once again surrounded by a bunch of kids and very friendly villagers. After a brief chat, we hopped back on the bike to find a lovely picnic spot in the shade of a tree.

Suddenly, the tarmac stopped despite being marked as sealed on both the GPS and the paper map

The green around us faded as gradually as it came yesterday. This time though, a bright aquamarine was added to the palette by the Karun River and its many hydro power reservoirs along the way. At the same time though the level of complaint by both Nina and Rocinante rose as the heat did on the way down. When we reached the altitude of our destination (100m above sea level) the thermometer hit 40°C again, even at 5 pm.

Reaching Shushtar was a bit of a stretch, but we still made it by 5.30 pm and quickly found a hotel. While looking in vain for the recommended one, we were waved into the newly renovated traditional hotel in town. They made us a good offer and even had a ramp ready to get Rocinante into the inner courtyard. We bottomed out for a second, but no damage done. Tomorrow without luggage then …

Looking down on the historic parts

The town was one of those pleasant surprises you get. Never heard of it, but full of great historic stuff. The waterworks here had been built 1800 years ago and were crucial in the irrigation of the whole region. Oh, and they were built by forced labour from Roman Legionaries. The force was captured by the Persians, including their Emperor Valerian. The only Roman Emperor ever to have been captured in battle. He likely died in captivity in the resident Salosel Castle.

Tomorrow, we will go for even older stuff … 3300 year old Elamite Ziggurat of Choqa Zanbil!

: The rain was good for this for sure

: Surrounded by high peaks

: No more storm, just us and the irrigation channel

: These guys sang for us the whole night. Hundreds of them …

: It all looks so much more like Europe now

: A bit of traffic but still great views

: Strange rock formations at the road sides

: Flo loved it here

: Rocinante and Flo posing with the great landscape

: Once more a view on snowy mountains

: Traffic lessened more and more

: The landscape got gradually less green

: Another break – another photo op

: The bike is still running without any complaints

: Ahhh, the great Irani vastness

: The space for a road got narrower

: While the land revealed its “stripes”

: Too narrow for the road now…

: Another one of the “road porn” shots

: Back to savannah with ochres and browns

: In the shade of a tree, we had a sophisticated lunch, including tea (and sweets)

: The “lake” of a hydro plant

: Visibly branded

: Coming down the range on the other side

: Empty road, rolling landscape

: Suddenly, the tarmac stopped despite being marked as sealed on both the GPS and the paper map

: Only a piece of maybe 5 kilometers was missing. Back on beautiful tarmac again

: Another piece of great road with the artificial lake of a hydro plant

: The plateau on the other side of the valley

: Getting to the boiling point again…

: The plain from above, seen before the last descent

: Rock formation

: Rocinante in the inner court yard of the hotel

: Looking down on the historic parts

: Really pretty here

: Seen from the bridge on the other side

: The historic part is significantly lower than the rest of town

There are no photos of the beautiful morning on the Tapotupotu Bay DOC campsite at Cape Reigna. We also had no breakfast. Instead, our morning was spent running around, first worried, then increasingly angry. Why that?

Serve and protect.

The two big Touratech aluminium panniers for Rocinate were gone! Bless Nina, they were mostly empty but for some small stuff we can replace for maybe $50. Did the strong wind take them? Surely not all the way away. At least one would be somewhere, stuck in a bush or washed up on the beach.

As time went on, it became certain. Someone has come by in the middle of the night and taken both of them from right next of our tent. Yes, we could have taken them inside, or lock them back on the bike … but it was starting to rain, and we were tired. And after all, we were at the end of the world, right?

Well, hindsight can be a horrible tormentor. If only we had taken Colin’s warnings about security more seriously … but the show must go on.

Spending an hour trying to get to a phone to get in touch with NZ police was an utter waste of time. They also send us to a police station 100 km out that was closed in the end and the last phone call got me passed to a call center to lodge my case – it all seemed like paint by the numbers to get to a case number for a potential insurance claim and no further. Because of the goose chance, we have also missed our chance to finally ride down Ninety Mile Beach. Sigh.

Back on the bay earlier we also got to see the side of NZ again that we have learned to love and appreciate so much over the last 3 years: People offering help as much as they can, being caring and compassionate. An Auckland couple offered to take our camping gear (which we now can’t carry with us any longer) with them to Auckland for us where we can pick them up in time to ship with the bike.

Will have to cry for rescue by Touratech Australia some more to get a new set in time for Australia.

To have that much breathing space is impressive in NZ bush.

Now, it was a really annoying day, but also a deeply moving one. After lunch the mood started to improve again, we had a cute cup of coffee somewhere on the road and weird weather with sun and hard rain alternating in 10 minute intervals. After a brief ferry ride across Hokianga Harbour, we were approaching the highlight of the day: The Kauri coast and Waipua Kauri Forest.

Tane Mahuta is the name of the oldest remaining Kauri tree, and also for a mythical figure / god in Maori mythology. Tane was the one separating earth from sky to create the air, forest and realm of life and men. In the presence of that giant, I could see how these myths spawned. One way or the other, Tane Mahuta will probably be the oldest living organism I will see in my life. It is estimated to be around 2000 years old.

Did I say anything else important happened today?

Oh yes, more heartwarming hospitality at the Greenhouse Backpacker in Dargaville. See for yourself …