I am finally managing to get a post up while in Esfahan, a most beautiful city. I was initially skeptical after reading and hearing so much about the place and how bloody wonderful it is, but I must say I am impressed. The authorities and people take great pride in the city and it shows.

It has been so long since I wrote a proper update, I cannot remember where to start. I think I made it to Kashan perhaps? It feels like so long ago and indeed it was many miles ago for me. I left Kashan as is usual practice at around 8am in the morning. Plodding out of the city with a heavy pack loaded up with 3 days worth of food and water. On the outskirts of town I was lucky enough to spend a few lovely minutes walking on green grass and under tall pines. Alas, this was only very temporary, as soon enough this gave way to bleak plateau landscape. Still beautiful but far less welcoming. Once again the number of car horns and yells out of windows is endless, as well as a couple of offers of a ride to Natanz, my next destination. This section of my walk takes me past a not so secret underground nuclear facility (I read about it in Lonely Planet!). So, of course constantly it is on my mind. Is that it? Maybe that odd shaped hill over there? Camping for the evening after a 35km day was a bloody drama. For 2 hours before sundown I could see a tower on a hill. Maybe it was a TV antenna or something so boring but thinking about nuclear facilities starts to play tricks on one’s mind. I just could not find a sight out of both direct view of it and the road. Finally, after 45 mins I settled on a spot. My tent was up and sleeping sorted within 15mins and I was chowing down on bread and tuna. A great camp site in an elevated position overlooking the plateau before me. Glad to get to sleep.

An early start saw me once again on the plains I looked down upon the previous evening and once again scouting to keep well away from any stange buildings. During the day I came far to close to an artillery base and veered unintentionally from my short cut across the old road to the highway. What a mistake! Now as the sun set I was still 10km from Natanz, somewhere close to a nuclear facility and wouldn’t you know it, I spotted another artillery base! Bloody heck! Not camping here tonight. A friend had put me in touch with a chap name Adi in Natanz. At that moment he phoned and told me he was coming to pick me up. As a freezing wind blew across the plain I did not argue too hard. Soon enough I was bouncing over a pot holed road into Natanz, another old and pretty town of around 11 000 people. No time to rest as Adi first took me to meet the mayor in the local barber shop, a quick interview for local TV and then to see some religious theatre – surely a cultural highlight of my journey so far. Too deep and complicated to go into here but it was an awesome experience. Walking through large wooden doors into an ampitheatre several hundred years old filled with hundreds of people, bright lights, smoke and ear-splitting singing was unreal. With the entire crowd in black in honour of Imam Hossein, I was sure to stick out in my bright blue Rab jacket. It felt as though 500 pairs of eyes were suddenly on me. I think perhaps they were! Suffice to say it was an awe-inspiring to experience. The remainder of the evening was spent going to different events to commemorate the death of Imam Hossein. I would have gladly crashed at the local hotel but a friendly chap from the local sports council would have none of it. The municipality would put me up in the empty dorms of the sports hall. No hot water but comfy beds and plenty of warm blankets. Good enough for me! After one days rest in Natanz for my quickly falling apart feet I was on the road to Esfahan.

Chrsitmas morning and on the road again. I managed a call to my family early in the morning before swiftly going out of mobile range and getting nothing for the next 3 days! Bummer! This was tempered by meeting the Ghoreshi family by the side of the road. They were off to spend the weekend in Abyaneh, by all accounts a most beautiful mountain village on the way to Natanz. They were from Esfahan. It had taken them perhaps 1 hour or so to reach this point from there. It would take me another 2.5 days! Doh! Such a wonderful group of people with close links to Australia as well. I wished I could throw my pack in the back of one of their cars and spend a couple of days with them. They did invite me but I really had to get going. After stuffing me full of lunch and insisting I take some for later we said our goodbyes. I can still hear their laughter now. So cool!

I spent the night in an old quarry. A top camping spot, albeit a little windy. After so many kilometres in one day I really did not care and was fast asleep by 7pm. A cold morning was slowly being warmed by the sun, when as quick as it rose it disappeared behind closed and stayed there the entire next 2 days. Mornings were hell to emerge from my cozy Rab sleeping bag.

Right, I am fast fading here and if you have made it this far, well done and thanks. Anyways, after a long final day of 40km I strode triumphantly into Esfahan. Well, not so much strode as limped and not so much triumphantly as with great relief, but I had made it, another major goal and I suppose check-point on the map. I am so stoked to have been joined here by my freind Behrouz from Tehran. Today buying oh so important nail clippers was a breeze with him around! But surely the highlight of my day was on the walk back from the Armenian Quarter of the city coming across two young break dancers in the park and an unruly mob of young lads on trial bikes. So happy to see that these young people could still go about these pursuits when restricted in so many other ways.

So tomorrow off I go into the mountains of Zagros en-route to Yasuj where I will once again, fingers crossed be able to extend my visa for 30 days and by law the final time. Can’t wait to get moving again!

Apologies for the rather lack lustre post but I hope it gives a little idea of my journey. Go out and buy the book next year for the real nitty-gritty!