I promise... A small post this time.
Well here I am in Tabriz, Iran after a long train ride from Istanbul. What can I say about this nation in the 2 days I have been here... well first I will start with describing my trainride.
The last (and only) day in Istanbul when I was updating my blog it took me some time like it always does and cause of this I left to late to catch the cheap 1,40 lira tram and ferry to the trainstation. So had to get an expensive 20 euro taxi but eventually made it to the train.
My cabin in the train I shared with Edwin also a dutch guy who was travelling through Iran, Pakistan to get to the Olympics in China. In the train I met quite some western travellers but not the same people you would meet on a interrail train between Amsterdam and Praque but travellers who travelled before to far away destinations and with the same age as I. Had a great time meeting all of them.
My bed on the train was comfy and the first day I slept allot, hitchhiking takes his toll, but the second day when experiencing the beautifull mountains of Turkey and Kurdistan we crossed a big lake by ferry to continue it afterwards by train to Iran. The border crossing was no problem and they didn't even check our luggage. Most of the travellers on board went straight to Tehran but Meghan (Italian/English girl) and I got of at Tabriz.
The train was suppose to arrive at 6 in the morning but during a delay we arrived at 13:00. That day we wondered through one of the longest bazars in the world and met some nice Iranian english speaking people who showed us around town and around the El Goli park at night. With a pleasant 30 degrees temperature its nice here compared to the 40 + in Tehran.
To describe Iran ... well all women where a scarf or chador/burka (allot colloured black) but you see that allot of girls were make-up and hair is visible. Many people ask where you are from and say hello, and I try to speak their language Farsi and you see that they appreciate it so I will study more the next days. Every thing is really cheap few euros for a room, food very cheap and transportation even cheaper.
Well tonight I will have a long busride of 12 hours to rasht where I will continue to a nice mountain village where I plan to stay a few days to experience the village life and practice my Farsi. In my next post I will tell more about Iran and my experiences so far which are quite some.
Khoda Hafez
Joost.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Packing for the Islamic Republic of Iran
The last week in Europe has gone fast and now the countdown begins to my train ride east to IRAN!!! ''OOh I am so excited, I just can't hide it, I know.. I know.. I know... I know... I know I want ...." oh sorry I got a little carried away with the Pointer Sisters.
Back in Istanbul at the moment just made it hitchhiking from Zagreb, Croatia in more then 2 days with a little luck and bad luck.
Croatia has been really nice as me and Jorine stayed there for 5 days after we arrived in Reijka last wednesday.
Stayed for a day on the biggest island Krk on an campsite packed with hundreds of dutch and german families. The day after we try to charter a boat to a nicer island called Rab. Got on a boat doing a round trip across the islands and got of when we arrived on Rab. Hitched a ride to the other side of the island the a nice sandy beach where we crashed for 3 days on a campsite.
Croatia's islands are beautifull and the sea cristal blue; at first side the islands look very rocky and without any trees but the other side is far nicer to the eye.
Getting a taint was not that hard those days. On saturday my plan was to meet up with Sabine a friend from Groningen as she was travelling through Croatia as well, unfortunatly we didn't catch up as she was heading to the south of Croatia. Saturday I found a couple on the camping that could bring us the next day all the way to Zagreb in 3 hours. So on Sunday we arrived pretty early in the capital of Croatia at a good hostel. Good to be in the hostel atmosphere with other backpackers and that day explored the city a bit with 2 americans and Cordie a funny Irish dude.
The following day I was on the road again, on my own as Jorine stayed in the hostel to travel further by her self.
My mission Zagreb - Istanbul in 2 days 1300 km. First day after 4 hours I got 100 km out of Zagreb before I got a ride from on older belgium\ french speaking woman, well actually she got a ride from me (not that way you dirty minded bastards) of the 600 km we drove I!! drove 400 km in the 5 day old Citroen car, speeding my way to Serbia cause she was tired of driving.
Slept in a hotel near the road as it was raining heavenly. the next day was not day fortunate. after 12 hours of hitchhiking and 2 rides I got stranded 300 km further of the city of Nis where my hotel was in Bulgaria. I was not going to make it to Istanbul that day.
Thanks to a person working at the gasstation I got on a bus that night at midnight and arrived this morning at 8 oclock in a hostel i stayed last year in Istanbul. Slept for a few hours and walked through the city with Tom an Irish bloke I met on the bus.
Today picked up my trainticket for tonight 23;55, got more then 600 euro in cash (cause in Iran the ATMs don't work with foreign cards), bought some long trousers (Iran strict rules) and enjoyed my last beer for the next month, smoking a shisha on the roof of my hostel with Tom.
Yes yes Iran here I come.
So the next 57 hours I will be in a train crossing Turkey, and I will enjoy every minute of it. My ticket goes to Tehran but I will get of at Tabriz to explore the north of Iran before meeting up with my dad a week later in Tehran.
The photo is trimming my beard in a park in Istanbul. My plan was to let it grow for 8 weeks but I have been reading about Iran and I learned that without a beard I will get eassier in contact with normal people, as a beard reminds the young people of people of the stricy ismalic government.
For some photos look at my facebook http://www.facebook.com/ search for joost copray ... more will follow.
Have to go.
greets joost
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Hitchhiking is getting easier and easier
Hello hello,
A week has passed and at the moment I am in Croatia´s Reijka, just passed the border with Slovenia. The last week has been about relaxing and hitchhiking. I will try to keep it short this time...........................................not!
Monday the 7th I left my Greenroom in Groningen (of course 2 hours later then planned) around 10 oclock and within an hour I had a ride to Germany and after that a slow ride to Bremen. Some of you will know that Bremen is not exactly located south but well I got myself on the right autobahn to Dortmund, Frankfurt and finally stranded near Karlruhe after almost 12 hours nonstop hitchhiking. A night at the motel near the gasstation costed a scandelous 50 freaking euro! so I found a nice spot behind the motel under a balcony (as it was raining) where I layed down my sleeping bag.
That night I slept quite good on the rocks as Joost did not bring a mat of some sort or a tent. Some 500 km remained till my destination near Geneva where Jorine was staying with her family. The 3th car I asked (an expensive french Peugeot decorated with leather , god must be good to these guys, with 2 monks (when I say monks I mean bold guys with old school dresscode with hoodies) inside) with my few words French I got a ride across the border ,skipping Swiss, to France where they dropped me of near Dijon before going to their 12th century monastery. In the afternoon I arrived in Crusseilles near Annecy in France where the parents of Jorine picked me up. The following two days were about chilling in their nice family vacation home on a hill with a beautiful sight and swimming pool. Jorine was staying there with 11 of her family members for the last 2 weeks and I was kindly invited to stay for a few days.
On thursday Jorine and I made our way to the Garda Lake in Italy where my good friend Jelke was working at the moment. In one ride (and the first car I asked) 6 hours from near Geneva to Garda lake; sweeett! After a busride we arrived at a campsite full with dutch families and stayed there for 5 days. The Garda lake region is amazing with beautiful mountains and clear blue water. Spending the days chilling at the lake, jumping from 6 meter cliffs, helping Jelke a bit with his group and frisbeeing ofcourse. Jelke was guiding a group of 12 people and he had and still has the best time in doing what he does it was good to see him again. One afternoon I helped Jelke with a mountainbike trip which I thought would be easy, but going uphill was a bitch. 30 degrees and hardly any food in my stomach and having a small hangover from the night before didn´t make it any easier. But downhill was big fun.
Planning to leave on monday but after obtaining a frisbee injury from falling and twisting my food, we left a day later on thuesday the 15th to Croatia.
Getting to the right freeway was kind of hard but eventually had a good ride all across the border to Slovenia. Jorine and I got stuck in a small village called Kozina and finally took a train to Pivka at night cause we heard that a train would depart from there to Reijka in Croatia.
Last night we camped somewhere close to the village of Pivka ,in a very forest and mountain rich area, after a very cheap pizza meal in a restaurant. The waitress did not recommend to camp outside campsites as there were bears and wolfs around but well we wanted to save some money and stayed near some houses. This morning we took a cheap train to the center of Reijka where I am now at the moment. From here we will decide to which Island we will go to to chill for a few days before I leave to Iran.
The weather here is great and the Kuna (croatia´s currency) is looking good in relation to the Euro. Hope everything is well with you all.
Greets joost
A week has passed and at the moment I am in Croatia´s Reijka, just passed the border with Slovenia. The last week has been about relaxing and hitchhiking. I will try to keep it short this time...........................................not!
Monday the 7th I left my Greenroom in Groningen (of course 2 hours later then planned) around 10 oclock and within an hour I had a ride to Germany and after that a slow ride to Bremen. Some of you will know that Bremen is not exactly located south but well I got myself on the right autobahn to Dortmund, Frankfurt and finally stranded near Karlruhe after almost 12 hours nonstop hitchhiking. A night at the motel near the gasstation costed a scandelous 50 freaking euro! so I found a nice spot behind the motel under a balcony (as it was raining) where I layed down my sleeping bag.
That night I slept quite good on the rocks as Joost did not bring a mat of some sort or a tent. Some 500 km remained till my destination near Geneva where Jorine was staying with her family. The 3th car I asked (an expensive french Peugeot decorated with leather , god must be good to these guys, with 2 monks (when I say monks I mean bold guys with old school dresscode with hoodies) inside) with my few words French I got a ride across the border ,skipping Swiss, to France where they dropped me of near Dijon before going to their 12th century monastery. In the afternoon I arrived in Crusseilles near Annecy in France where the parents of Jorine picked me up. The following two days were about chilling in their nice family vacation home on a hill with a beautiful sight and swimming pool. Jorine was staying there with 11 of her family members for the last 2 weeks and I was kindly invited to stay for a few days.
On thursday Jorine and I made our way to the Garda Lake in Italy where my good friend Jelke was working at the moment. In one ride (and the first car I asked) 6 hours from near Geneva to Garda lake; sweeett! After a busride we arrived at a campsite full with dutch families and stayed there for 5 days. The Garda lake region is amazing with beautiful mountains and clear blue water. Spending the days chilling at the lake, jumping from 6 meter cliffs, helping Jelke a bit with his group and frisbeeing ofcourse. Jelke was guiding a group of 12 people and he had and still has the best time in doing what he does it was good to see him again. One afternoon I helped Jelke with a mountainbike trip which I thought would be easy, but going uphill was a bitch. 30 degrees and hardly any food in my stomach and having a small hangover from the night before didn´t make it any easier. But downhill was big fun.
Planning to leave on monday but after obtaining a frisbee injury from falling and twisting my food, we left a day later on thuesday the 15th to Croatia.
Getting to the right freeway was kind of hard but eventually had a good ride all across the border to Slovenia. Jorine and I got stuck in a small village called Kozina and finally took a train to Pivka at night cause we heard that a train would depart from there to Reijka in Croatia.
Last night we camped somewhere close to the village of Pivka ,in a very forest and mountain rich area, after a very cheap pizza meal in a restaurant. The waitress did not recommend to camp outside campsites as there were bears and wolfs around but well we wanted to save some money and stayed near some houses. This morning we took a cheap train to the center of Reijka where I am now at the moment. From here we will decide to which Island we will go to to chill for a few days before I leave to Iran.
The weather here is great and the Kuna (croatia´s currency) is looking good in relation to the Euro. Hope everything is well with you all.
Greets joost
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Got Silk??
Welcome back ladies and gentlemen,
It is good to start writing this blog again cause this means that I will be travelling again soon. Very soon .... as in the sense of less then 18 hours. YEEAAHH Finally after 10 months of not-travelling.
So you might want to know, where will the wind take Joost the following weeks. Well here my sort of "planned" itinerary;
From of tomorrow early I will hitch my way to Geneva (swiss) near France in 2 days (hopefully), here I will pick up my travell buddy Jorine where I will travel with for about 2 weeks. We will make our way through the north of Italy to visit my good friend Jelke and spend some cultural days in the Balkan area. Visit Croatia or Bosnia or ... we will see what's hip in the region.
Jorine will travel back by herself and I will catch the Trans-Asia-Express train from Istanbul to Tehran on the 23th of July. After 70 hours of following this ancient Silk route I will spend a month in Iran of which 2 weeks travelling with my oldman, as he will be flying in in the beginning of August.
So why Iran?? This question I have answered many times the last months. I heard many people's perception and vision of what they think Iran is like.
Some friends or relatives have an idea of Iran of being a warzone, axis of evil, a dangerous muslim country where they will hang western people and that I have a deathwish that I would like to go there.
Well if you still think so, read about the experiences I had in Syria last year.
Here some facts!!; Iran/Persia is a dictatorship, and it lacks allot of freedom issues which we find normal having in the NL or Europe. fact. Persia is one of the culturally richest and oldest civilications in this world. fact. Iran is a country travellers and tourists go to, even backpackers like myself. fact. The people of Persia are one of the most hospitable and friendly in the world. "perceived" fact by many people who have been.
But I will give you my vision on that in a few weeks.
I am so excited to finally go..... to experience this secluded country, I have my 31 days visa ready in my passport and no one will stop me from entering this other world.
People let me know if you're in the region of Croatia the next 2 weeks, we could maybe catch up somewhere.
Post you soon,
enjoy your summer, I know I will.
Greets
It is good to start writing this blog again cause this means that I will be travelling again soon. Very soon .... as in the sense of less then 18 hours. YEEAAHH Finally after 10 months of not-travelling.
So you might want to know, where will the wind take Joost the following weeks. Well here my sort of "planned" itinerary;
From of tomorrow early I will hitch my way to Geneva (swiss) near France in 2 days (hopefully), here I will pick up my travell buddy Jorine where I will travel with for about 2 weeks. We will make our way through the north of Italy to visit my good friend Jelke and spend some cultural days in the Balkan area. Visit Croatia or Bosnia or ... we will see what's hip in the region.
Jorine will travel back by herself and I will catch the Trans-Asia-Express train from Istanbul to Tehran on the 23th of July. After 70 hours of following this ancient Silk route I will spend a month in Iran of which 2 weeks travelling with my oldman, as he will be flying in in the beginning of August.
So why Iran?? This question I have answered many times the last months. I heard many people's perception and vision of what they think Iran is like.
Some friends or relatives have an idea of Iran of being a warzone, axis of evil, a dangerous muslim country where they will hang western people and that I have a deathwish that I would like to go there.
Well if you still think so, read about the experiences I had in Syria last year.
Here some facts!!; Iran/Persia is a dictatorship, and it lacks allot of freedom issues which we find normal having in the NL or Europe. fact. Persia is one of the culturally richest and oldest civilications in this world. fact. Iran is a country travellers and tourists go to, even backpackers like myself. fact. The people of Persia are one of the most hospitable and friendly in the world. "perceived" fact by many people who have been.
But I will give you my vision on that in a few weeks.
I am so excited to finally go..... to experience this secluded country, I have my 31 days visa ready in my passport and no one will stop me from entering this other world.
People let me know if you're in the region of Croatia the next 2 weeks, we could maybe catch up somewhere.
Post you soon,
enjoy your summer, I know I will.
Greets
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