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27 august – 470 km
Porto Koufo – Plataria (Psakoudia)
28 august
Plataria- Parga 100 km
Last day in Greece.
Here, where tourism is one of the biggest industries and since there are so many tourist also the grandmothers speak English, I understand that the magic of Iran will stay with myself for long.
The delicate kindness received, the real curiosity [...]

Here in Porto Koufo life flows in a very relaxed way, traffic is just the one of fishermen leaving the bay early in the morning and coming back in the afternoon. Finally I have got some time to restore my body and relax my mind and to let the thoughts freely flying.
Reflections …
Iran is a [...]

18 august 550 km
Esfahan - Hamadam
19 august – 616 km
Hamadam - Orumiyeh
20 august – 660 km
Orumiyeh - Bingol
21 august - 650 km
Bingol – Goreme
22 august - 710km
Goreme – Istanbul
23 august – 666 km
Istanbul – Porto Koufo
After Esfahan we started our come back and decided to move quickly to a relaxing destination close to the ferry [...]

We decided to leave Shiraz very early to head to Esfahan. At 6 o’clock we are on the road, the temperature is good for traveling, till midday. After that it’s very difficult to resist and avoid to fall asleep…
Esfahan is a pearl of Islamic culture, the finest mosque s are here perfectly positioned on [...]

Finally we arrive in PERSEPOLIS, our final destination, exactly in the middle of our trip and the place more distant from Milan.
Persepolis is still a magnificent city, it was the city where the ancient Persian Shahs were celebrating the new year. Walking around it is still amazing, especially enjoying the detailed bas-relief and trying to [...]

We are in the desert, on the first part of our road the temperature is great, quite fresh, since we are high in the mountains.
The rest part of our road is so hot that we have to close jackets and helmets to keep the heat away from us, local newspaper report 41C as the max [...]

Leaving Teheran is quite a long endeavor, some roads are closed, traffic is dense, signs are not always clear for us. The road goes south east and approaches the desert the temperature rise during the travel, we are lucky that the travel is short.
We arrive in Kashan and we immediately get an invitation for dinner [...]

Our original program did not consider a stop in Teheran because the recent news discouraged us. But after a quiet staying in Tabriz and the feeling of tranquility that I have since my entrance, we decided to spend two nights in the capital.
The traffic is congested like all the legends tell and I found out [...]

6-aug – Dogubayazit-Tabriz (Iran) (360km)
We wake up with a great view of Ararat that in the morning is wonderful. The border with Iran arrives suddenly, quite unexpectedly. There are a few car and many buses and trucks. I have to wear the hijab and the manteau (long dress that covers body shape and arms) before [...]

The road today is quite dirty, there are many work in progress and the asphalt is sometimes missing, sometimes full of potholes.
Anyway the landscape is amazing and even better the temperatures are finally fresh, since we drive up to 2400mt. Today we got a taste
of Turkish hospitality, when we stop for a tchai [...]

Turkey is my second home and always surprise me: the gift of today was a fresh temperature and Swiss landscapes, with lakes, pine trees and peaks that during winter time, when covered by snow are full of skiers. This fresh climate gave us a perfect fit after our daily 750km ride.
In the late afternoon we [...]

A long ride again, but today I felt like home. Turkey welcomed me with open harms, this is my feeling. Landscapes are more familiar and more impressive, in the busy traffic of Istanbul, we cross the Bosporus over the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge with its astonishing views over the straits. I love this way of [...]

1-aug – Postojna-Nis (840km)
After a night spent in the fresh mountains of Slovenia we leave Postojna to move forward. Today it’s the day of borders, we change three countries, from Slovenia to Croatia and finally to Serbia. Every border is fascinating, especially today that is full of people coming back to home countries.
Our travel is [...]

Everything’s ready,
The motorbike is loaded (even more than simply loaded, way beyond anyone’s imagination…) so let’s go. The adrenaline of the last days is still there, short nights and a great excitement within…
Today the first simple leg of our adveture, about 600 km.
After work, we will try to avoid the traditional mass departure of [...]

Departure: Friday July 31, 2009 (Milan)
Arrival: Sunday August 30, 2009 (Milan)
Cities and countries: Postumia (SLO), Nis (SRB), Plovdiv (BG), Bolu (TR), Susehri (TR), Dogubayazit (TR), Tabriz (IR), Tabriz (IR), Tabriz (IR), Qazin (IR), Kashan (IR), Yazd (IR), Yazd (IR), Shiraz (IR), Shiraz (IR), Isfahan (IR), Isfahan (IR), Isfahan (IR), Hamadan (IR), Orumiyeh (IR), Van (TR) [...]

Name: Mària Dinoia
Type of Photography: Photoreportage
Favorite Camera and Lens: Canon 400D, Tokina 11-16 mm f/2.8, Canon 28-55 f/3.5, Canon EF 70-300mm f 4-5.6, Canon EF 50mm F1.4 USM
Favorite Tripod set: Manfrotto – Compact Lightweight Carbon fiber Tripod
Activity: Art Director and Professional Free Lance Photographer
Awards:

- Eyes On The Planet – International Photo Contest (Milan, [...]