Richie's World Tour or Go Mad on a Nomad

[Danneaux]

Very nicely done field repair, Richie, and wise to acquire the spare as well. Can't hurt, and can only help if you end up needing it. Always wise to pack a spare on any long trip.

I'm not Australian, but found a link to Hillman's for you: http://hillmancycles.com.au/about ...and... http://hillmancycles.com.au/

What a wonderful, mad coincidence, seeing something like that in a second-hand market there. If only it could talk, what tales it would likely tell!

Thanks so much for the followup; I was wondering how you were getting on with the tire repair and feel much better about it now.

Please do take care, and keep in touch!

All best wishes and godspeed on your wonderful journey, Richie,

Dan. (...who wishes his "there" was your "here" so he could ride in the same places right now!)

[richie thornger]

Cheers Dan, I've written to Hillmans. I'm assuming it's them in Aus as I couldn't find another on the www.
I had a spare tyre in my kit but I decided to leave it out at the last minute to make the weight limit on the budget flight!
I'll be in Iran in the next week and everyone here is telling me stuff never makes it if sent in the post?? So I'll have to last until Pakistan on repairs and Iranian specials. All part of the adventure

[richie thornger]

update for anybody planning to cycle Kurdistan / Iraq.
DO NOT OUTSTAY THE 15 DAY VISA
make sure you go to get your passport stamped in Erbil or Sulaymanyia before it runs out. Even then you might not get an extension without a local to sponsor you.
*****DO NOT EXIT THROUGH THE MANZAREYA BORDER nr Khanaqin OR ANY OTHER IRAQI CENTRAL GOVT RUN BORDER**** 
I accidentally went there and ended up in prison for 2 days then got held in a military zone for 5 days and I'm still not allowed to leave the country. My own fault, but it should have been a 10 minute job to issue a fine but a split country with two governments is a bureaucratic nightmare.

[Danneaux]

Uh-oh. Big Uh-oh.

Richie...are you alright? Two days in prison and being held 5 days in a military zone couldn't have been a picnic, and you're still there...

Are you being treated well?

Link to your blog page for those who haven't seen it: http://batmantorobben.com/

All the best,

Dan. (...who is "concerned")

[richie thornger]

My first time in jail was actually very interesting. The food was good. The other 6 inmates in the cell were friendly and I was generally well looked after. Very cold cell though and lots of pacing up and down to keep warm. Just bars on the windows and doors that faced the elements and about 0-5 degrees in the night.
Sleeping on a concrete floor on a very thin mattress is the norm here so that element wasn't too bad.
Thanks for your concern though Dan. I certainly got the adventure I came for but the novelty has worn off now
Otherwise I'm in fine form just itching to get back on the bike. Snow in the mountains on the Iraq/Iran border might alter my plans but as soon as I'm past that it's back on the Nomad.

[ianshearin]

Just think of the stories to tell when you get back, you will look back and never regret the great adventure you had.
Talking of which, that Earthian guy is incredible..... Or crazy ......

Best wishes and good luck Richie

Ian

[richie thornger]

Cheers Ian, It's how I try and get through those sort of situations. Think of the great story when it's over
Earthian http://earthianblog.wordpress.com/ is both, never seems to lose his cool. Takes everything in his stride. That's what happens when you grow up in Iran, and have to flee to another country as a conscientious objector!

[jags]

hi ritchie wow man this is certainly turning into a  epic bike adventure, i syre hope your ok and out of jail  glad you enjoyed the food though .
ritchi look after yourself dont go taking to many more chances like that.
hows the bike going 

[richie thornger]

It would appear that the Thorn Forum is not on the list of websites filtered out on the Iranian internet. So hello you lucky people.
Bike doing well, although it's not really had to do many miles yet.
It has been on the back of many a bus,coach and pick up. Including strapped on the back of a flatbed truck through hair pin bends in the mountains. I was looking in the mirror the whole time expecting the bike to fly off down into the abyss.
It has also hung out the back of a the boot of a Kia Pride. One of the few makes of car you get in Iran along with Peugot 406's and the hilarious Payaks, a rebadged 70's Hillman Avenger. They Only stopped making them 5 years ago. Tehran is insane. Woman can't ride motorbikes or bicycles but motorbikes are allowed on the pavement???!!! 3 lanes on a motorway means 5 cars can fit. Crossing the road as a pedestrian is probably the scariest thing of all though
Unlike Kurdistan I have mobile internet so am using the phone as a modem on my laptop.
Note for all Kindle users. The free 3g did not work in Kurdistan but does work so far in Iran.
Filtered sites include: Facebook, some google sites including maps. Couchsurfing sometimes. Twitter. BBC. Tehranis use VPN's to get round this. Oh yeah and the Republican Guard can arrive on your roof at any time and dismantle your satellite TV as its forbidden.
Whilst all this may sound negative (did I mention the pollution) Tehran is actually super friendly and I spent my first 2 nights staying at a mans flat who I met on the bus. As it had rained for a few days the pollution had cleared and the view out of his window to the The food is good and everything is so cheap if you have the hard currency. The Rial is at an all time low against the dollar/pound right now.
60,000 Rial to the £. Bread is fixed at 5000IR and is the size of a surfboard. My hotel whilst super basic and a bit scruffy, shared bathroom. Is £5 a night. £3 if the single was available. This slap bang in the middle of a capital city!!
Hopefully I will spend the next 10 days (my birthday) between here and Esfehan and then I will start to reach the warmer weather. Then the cycling proper can begin

[Danneaux]

Richie!

Great to hear from you...are you all sorted with regard to the overstayed visa and surrounding events? It sounds as if that is now resolved and you're no longer required to remain locally? I hope so; what an experience that was for you, and we're all grateful you're back in comms at least.

Very helpful to hear where and how the Kindle works, and about the site filtering/blockages; that'll come in very handy for those who follow in your footsteps.

Sounds as if you're eating well, at least, and good to hear no harm has befallen the Nomad. The native Iranians sound like most people -- fine and pleasant; it is the government that can make things sticky. I miss my Iranian buddies from uni days; a good and pleasant lot all.

If we don't hear from you before then, best wishes for a happy birthday, Richie! Warmer weather, better days ahead for you.

All the best,

Dan.

[Matt2matt2002]

Best wishes from me too.
I hope to pass that way one day soon. So plenty of details please on how easy it is to get visas!
Matt

[jags]

oh man what an adventure happy days richie  enjoy it and stay safe.

[richie thornger]

Kidnapped and still in Tehran. Kidnapped by the love and hospitality I've received since I've been here. It's hard to leave.
On the Visa front I managed to get a new Iranian visa from the Iranian consulate in Sulymanyiah in Kuridistan Iraq. I'm not sure if I got given it the same day because I already had one or not? It should have cost $300 but I pleaded ignorance to the man at the desk and only had to pay $217!!
I've still not taken the bike out again since getting here. It's the least bicycle friendly place I have ever been.
I'm reliably informed the rest of the country is totally different
I was expecting to be dry from alcohol for my time in Iran but that is certainly not the case. Get invited into peoples homes and you see a very different story to the one portrayed in the media.
I've also been surprised what you can buy here in regards to brands. Top end climbing and walking equipment is about in the wealthier parts of North Tehran. I met a guy who works for Giant bikes here yesterday so will endeavor to find out the location of a decent bike shop.
Thanks for the birthday wishes. From the city that performs the most "Nose Jobs" in the world.

[Andre Jute]

Hanging on your lips, Richie!

[richie thornger]

Link to street in South Tehran with a good range of bike shops and branded parts.
http://goo.gl/maps/4Q6pD

For general outdoor clothes , walking boots etc this road is good.
http://goo.gl/maps/5tySA

Knowing this would have saved me carrying some excess bits.