We left Meyaneh at 7 as we knew that we had to make nearly 140km. It was fresh and sometimes with wind we felt pretty cold. But I tried to enjoy this with the fact in mind that a few hours later we would suffer under the heat. We had to make 55km to get to the highway and along the street you could find some places with fountains, normally with drinking water, but two times we had been told that the water is salty, so we gave up asking.
Today we had no interview but when we reached a “recreation station”, there came a father with his maybe 2y old boy to make pictures with us. The boy was shy but still he trusted his father enough to stand between Nader and me for a picture. Again, a situation where minutes later I regretted not having taken a photo, too.
We finally found a place with drinkable water, but the day was hot enough to be in need soon again. We asked a man who had stopped his car, where to get water and he not only told us that it is far, he gave us from his water, “normal” water to refill the bottles and extra cool water for the moment.
Maybe he had forgotten the place that only a few kilometres later was to find. There was a farmer selling melons, and a sparkling well in front. I suggested to buy a smaller melon but had no cash at hand. And to my surprise Nader could pay a melon (price 70000IRR) out in the nowhere with his bank card.
The remaining 40km were not hard by elevation but it was hot, and we had done nearly 100km before. But we made steady progress and finally met Hadi who waited for us in his car. First, we came to his “garden”, actually a farm with hundreds of apple trees and some vegetables and fruits. My first challenge was the traditional toilette, “operated” by a watering can and, of course without paper. But I hade to cope with it, urgency left no other option
Then, as an additional challenge for my gut, we had an extended cucumber degustation. First, we got some of the small ones, directly from the soil, next was melon in youth stadium, looking like bigger cucumbers and tasting similar. In between, we had a ripe melon, a musk melon. Then, at the same size, a green musk melon, again with some cucumber taste. All was accompanied by tea and fresh tomatoes. In the end our body for sure were not endangered by dehydration.
We made a walk through the farm
and met a cousin of Hadi. Ahad also prepared tea, this time on open fire. We saw the 500m3 basin that is filled 2x/day and again emptied for watering the plants.
With dawn it also became a bit fresh again (don’t forget, we are 1600m upon sea level in a dry area). We came back to the hut, getting dinner someone had brought, named Khoresh ghormeh accompanied by some more tea and Ayran. (At this point, I had to give up, no space left for Ayran!)
Going to Hadis home was managed by a pickup truck for the bike and Hadis car for us and the luggage.
On the way, within 5min., we saw two women going on bikes. I would have liked to know what this means to them!
We made a stop at an ice-cream shop
and came to Hadi’s home. This is a big house with 3 floors, one reserved for guests and big as two classrooms.
We sat down to drink another cup of tea (with saffron sugar cubes!)
and had water melon.
Maybe in the end I should mention that after midnight we fell in our beds and slept like stones…