I write this post seated in an internet cafe in Kashan, a relaxed city of just over 300 000 people, famous for it’s historical houses, some of which have been restored to past glory. (Sorry folks, tried forever to get some photos uploaded but no good. You can imagine here with all sorts of internet disruption going on by one mob or the other things are not always so easy. I will endeavour to get some up in Esfahan).

I arrived here yesterday evening after another 100km and 3 days of walking. It’s funny, walking I mean. You can pretty much set your watch to when you will arrive somewhere (provided you know the terrain you are going to be walking over). There are no pleasant surprises – “Oh, I managed 10km in this past hour instead of 4km thanks to favourable winds”. Um…no. Just hard slog all the way. In any case I am here now. On the way I passed giant mudhills which gradually gave way to rocky ones and finally into mountains. A beatiful view. I camped one night by error a little too close to an army facility, something I only realised in the morning setting off when a chap came running up to me as I walked aling their dirt mound fence line. Whoops!

Closing in on 45kms to Kashan the second day I approached another ambulance station. The area was now pocked with farms and some factories, making camping not impossible but certainly less enjoyable. I thought I might chance it with the medics again. Well, at least ask to camp behind their building. The encounter pretty much followed the previous script – tea, dinner, so many laughs. This time however, the boys, both named Mohsen, checked with their manager and he vetoed the idea in case they had to leave during the night on a call. Fair enough. Just when I was ready to break out the tent, Mohsen said he would call a certain Mr. Abdullah who looks after the local Mosque and see what he can do. It was a good couple of hours before Mr. Abdullah arrived which we filled by amusing ourselves in broken conversation and the Barcelona vs. Estudiantes football match.

Abdullah duly drove me a couple of hundred metres up the hill to the Mosque. Up the stairs we went and into a small room with a pile of blankets, pillows and a heater. Bloody brilliant! All I must do is lock myself in for the night and he would be back in the morning. Cheers mate! A restful nights sleep followed. Abdullah was back in the morning as promised and fried me up some eggs before I set off. A long, hard full day I then spent grinding my way into Kashan. Upon reaching the outskirts a old guy with a mini-truck weighed down with a pile of carpets offered me a lift into the city centre. It was slow going as the suspension creaked and groaned. It was a much appreciated ride I can tell you.

So a night and a day spent in this wonderful town meeting and chatting with a couple of real characters I can tell you. We are at the start of the 10 days marking the anniversary of the death of Imam al-Hussein in I believe the year 680. A lot of black banners and flags in the streets and many of the population wearing black as a mark of respect. A lot of singing and chanting in the Mosques as well. As well, many thousands of people marching in Qom, back up the highway for the funeral of Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri. Sorry to have missed it, but also might be a bit dicey.

Hopefully today, my legs and feet will have had some rest, ready for my next leg to Esfahan. Again, I have been so up and down in my emotions. Going from absolute joy to be where I am and meeting the people I have met to, can you even believe it, missing London?!!!!!! I must be going mad. It’s even worse than I thought, my state of mind. No matter, all good now.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in case I don’t update before then. Think of me, all alone in Iran, in my tent…or probably not…I will,in all liklehood be with some generous hosts eating and sleeping in a heated room somewhere. We shall see.