Project VELAIA

The plans about crossing Central Asia have not gone very far yet. It’s not clear how the situation in Iran will be for example. I’d like to go through Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and either Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan. But if geopolitics make trouble I’ll probably decide to take a northern version through Armenia and Azerbaijan crossing the Caspian Sea either to Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan. I’ll also have to look how the weather conditions will be when I arrive there.

Hey my friends and readers,

I have to wait for my Uzbekistan visa – still! Therefore I have taken a bus to Esfahan/Isfahan where I am getting a bit more familiar with the Iranian culture and history. The internet situation over here is not perfect to say the least. It is nearly impossible to upload a picture to flickr from Esfahan internet cafes – but I won’t give up.

Tonight I will take a bus to Shiraz and explore the ruins of ancient Persepolis over there, setting out by bus to Yazd the next day. I will hopefully be able to pick up the Uzbekistan visa before next Wednesday because Wed and Thu the travel agency is closed as far as I know.

I also have a mobile with an Iranian number and SIM card now – for security and management reasons My number here in Iran is 09192671563 – the predial for Iran is 0098. From Germany you can predial 01017 and pay 5,94 ct/min to call into Iranian mobile networks (information from billiger-telefonieren.de)

So stay tuned while I will be trying to upload the pictures of these phenomenal mosques, palaces and gardens during my stay in Iran!

I am leaving Tehran tonight. Have only a few days left here in Iran. With the travel agency I had some communication problems so that I will leave the capital without visa for Uzbekistan and therefore also without transit visa for Turkmenistan

If I get to Mashad before next Tuesday and manage to get the Uzbekistan visa until then I will hopefully get a transit visa for Turkmenistan within one day (for $51) – but I have to arrive on Tuesday because the consulate of Turkmenistan has only open Tue, Wed, and Sat I think.

Wish me good luck!

Hello, I am in Samarkand, Uzbekistan right now. The journey through Turkmenistan went fine and I have written some reports but the computers here cause some problems. I will upload the stories and pictures from Tashkent where I will have to wait for visa. Till then, stay tuned!