We cruised from the Bazargan border through Tabriz and Ardabil, to the village of Khalkhal, where I write to you now (map below). It’s been wonderful.
Chaotic but Courteous
The traffic is nutty, but after a week, patterns emerge. To cruise in Iran, the first step is to forget everything you know about right of way and who is to yield. The second step is to relax and go with the flow of what others do. It works.
Sanctions mean most of the cars on the road are older than I am. Parts are hard to find. Repairs are expensive. So folks drive them gently (read: slowly). My favorite is the Iranian Paykan. Manufactured until 2005, it’s the automobile icon of Iran. Reza, my guide, said his family got one when he was a kid—it was the ultimate status symbol. Now they’re considered beaters. These days, peak status is a new Chinese model built locally. It’s possible to get a used European or East Asian car, but they’ll cost you an arm and a leg. A 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe is roughly $35,000 USD.
Three Crashes
I’ve seen three traffic accidents in the last two weeks. The first was back in eastern Turkey—a family of five rear-ended. Everyone but the dad walked away without a scratch. He was in bad shape.
The next two were just last Thursday. One was a nasty motorcycle accident. Later that evening, Reza and I were rear ended—I was driving, and properly rattled about getting into a car accident in Iran. No insurance or international driver’s license is required to ride a bicycle and so I don’t have them. Thankfully we only had dings on the bumper, no real damage. Police were there but Reza agreed to let it go. Iranian cars have few features, but they’re sturdy.
Islam
What’s interesting is how many women are not wearing burkas or hijabs. A woman was killed by the religious police a few years back for immodesty. Since then, others have been quietly pushing boundaries in solidarity. While 98% still comply, there’s a growing—if stubborn—minority. They get creative: baseball hats, dyed hair, scarves that barely count, and a brave few who reject it all.
On three occasions, people tried handing me wine from their cars. Drinking is haram. I didn’t accept—it felt like an unnecessary risk in such a public setting. (Like in Saudi, alcohol is illegal and getting caught drinking can land you in trouble.) One of the pillars of Islam is to pray five times a day facing Mecca. But Reza says 90% of his friends don’t pray at all. From where I stand, it all feels surprisingly moderate.
“Where Are You From?”
One of my favorite things is watching people’s eyes when I say I’m American. Eastern Turkey and western Iran have a lot of Kurds—their eyes light up with joy. (The U.S. supports the Kurds, so the Kurds support us.) Sometimes the reaction is more neutral, just a curt nod. And occasionally, there’s a flicker of suspicion—some fear, some apprehension. I try to be kinder in those moments. Put my best foot forward. The way I see it, this has nothing to do with politics. America and Iran may be bickering, but right now it’s just two humans meeting on the road.
Unrelated, but I’ve had diarrhea more days than not. Persian food is nice—especially at these prices—but it doesn’t sit right with me. Maybe it’s the saffron.
Route Recap
Start: Lisbon, Portugal
End: Tokyo, Japan
Total Distance: ~10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers)
Key gear: stove, patch kit, tent, cigs
Key stops so far: Lisbon, Barcelona, Rome, Istanbul, Cappadocia
Key stops coming up: Tehran
Last Week’s Vlogs
056 - First Impressions of Iran
057 - Interacting with Locals on the Road
058 - What Happens When a Country is Cut-off from the Global Economy for Decades?
059 - An Entire Village of People Living in Cave Houses
060 - What is Like Biking with a Tour Guide?
Traveler Tip of the Week
When local traffic rules feel more like suggestions than laws—don’t panic. Instead of clinging to your own cultural instincts (which might get you rear-ended), match the rhythm of the road. Whether it’s Iran or Kenya, most places have an unspoken order. The sooner you adapt, the safer your ride.
Also, carry Imodium. Just trust me.
Progress on the Map
Last week’s distance ridden: 387 miles (636 km)
Total distance ridden: 4,207 miles (6,783 km)
Coming Up
Tomorrow, we cruise down a famous (in Iran) road to the Caspian Sea—2,500 meters of descent. Then we’ll head south toward Tehran. We agreed to stick to Reza’s itinerary until we reach the capital. After that, we’ll propose some changes to the Cultural Heritage Group. If they approve, we’ll be able to make up time and take two extra rest days before reaching Afghanistan.
Thanks for reading, watching, and following here on Substack 💪
Have a lovely week,
Ian
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