Turkey, Iran and Pakistan

Leaving London on 10th November 1979 we travelled through Europe with snow 4 to 6 ft high to spend our first night at the Kirchberrg Club Habitat in Austria. Travelling on via Salsburg and the Leopoldskron Palace, through Yugoslavia’s cities of Zagreb, Belgrade and Skopje to Thessaloniki and Kavala in northern Greece to the Turkish border before continuing our trip across to Nepal. We saw the ancient cultures of the Middle East and Central Asia travelling though the remote regions of windswept deserts, valleys and jagged mountains visiting tiny towns and cities. Some of history’s most influential rulers from the ancient Persians to Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan have travelled these paths.

Due to the unrest in Iran after the Iranian revolution and the hostage crisis our trip was diverted to southern Iran where we crossed into Pakistan travelling north to cross into India from Lahore.

TURKEY

Istanbul – the spice-scented bazaars including the Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, cobblestone streets, Bosphorus, Aya Sofia, Topkapi Palace, Galata Bridge, Turkish baths, Gelata tower and there was a burning ship in the harbour.

Ankara – capital of Turkey, a dry and ancient city, roman ruins

Sivas –

Erzincan –

Mt Ararat – according to the book of Genesis, Noah’s ark came to rest

Travelling though the adjacent regions Kurdish Turkey and Iran

IRAN – persian culture – 21 November 1979

Tabriz- junction of the Quru and Aji Rivers. Some archeologists suggest that the Garden of Eden was located in Tabiz.

Qom –

Esfahan – admire the bridges, squares and grand blue-tiled mosques

Bam – UNESCO’s World Heritage List

Zahedan – close to Pakistan border

Travelling south to the Mirjaveh border, Camp C across ancient lands to cross into Taftan, Pakistan

PAKISTAN –

Nok Kundi

Quetta

Indus River

Lahore – capital