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Travels in
Turkey, Iran, Pakistan & Northern India
Newsletter 1 :
13 April 2002
Place : Çanakkale, North
Western Turkish coast
Ridden kilometers : 2,585
The very first kilometer I ride in
Turkey happens at 130 km/h. From the very last checkpoint in 10 seconds flat.
My pillion is a custom officer holding tight to my shoulders and trying to get
a view in an icy wind, his legs wobbling around my luggage roll and pannier. I
was ready to ride away after the final stamp, as a German car, oblivious of all
whisling and shouting drove by. The next moment the officer jumped on the back
and shouted "Go get that German car !"
As he got off after we managed to
stop the car, I get a tap on the shoulder and a "Thank you very much"
(The pleasure was entirely mine !)
April 1st will go into history as
"sunny, 14 to 20 degrees". Again it was surreal to say goodbye.
First stage to Italy runs
smoothly, even TOO smoothly : all of a sudden my bike uses about 1 liter more
fuel then Iris's. The technical 'hum' doesn't suit this newsletter - suffice to
say the main cause has been found.
Our Italian friends look after us
like real Italian mamam's and together with my sister Sabien we crisscross
Brescia including a visit to the local Suzuki dealer and the splendid Santa
Giulia museum. The evening "before last", we treat ourselves and our
hosts to a TOP-Italian meal in a TOP-Italian restaurant (for the professionals
: 3 forks and 91 points). This will most certainly be a surreal memory sitting
in front of our umpth rice with dahl plate. I also succeed in ruining my knee -
something which must feel like rheumatism.
In Greece we also don't manage to
enter the country unnoticed. We leave the boat behind a row of trucks, heading
for 200 kms of mountain road. Who feels like breathing diesel fumes for such a
distance ?! So at the first opportunity, alas WITH double line and small
crossroad, I open up the throttle and "ffwwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitt".
Fishing for our papers, Iris gives me a good reading and I can only look sorry.
The police officer (with RayBan) asks me "Why ?" Our charmes (?!) get
us through with a "Be careful". Pffww...
We ride 100% correct from now on -
Greece proves to be full of these police checkpoints. The Greek on the contrary
ride thoughtless, dangerously and waaaaaay too fast.
Luc and Catherine, our friends
riding to Vladivostok on two BMW R 80 G/S'es, are happy to see us and their
passports with Russian visas. Splendid ride along the Meteora rocktop
cloisters. Alas the weather is gray, chilly and foggy. We say goodbye but bump
into them again right at the Greek-Turkish border.
Today is Saturday, the Turkish way
: hanging around together with heaps of handsome young Turks (no scarfs, lots
of sigarets, the odd piercing), drinking çay followed by an Efes pils,
Internetting with too loud Turkish music at 0.67 euro/h and next to a trendy
girl talking into her mobile more then producing something on her keyboard.
Are we really on holiday now ?
(and let the best win tomorrow in Paris-Roubaix, preferably a Belgian)
Iris and Trui
2 belgian women, often travelling
on motorbikes (now on DR650SE's)
2nd overland from home to India,
April-October 2002
http://www.990.to/iris_trui/