Mark Beaumont's Diary - September 2007
Despite adding about 2kg to his overall kit weight, Mark carried a laptop, GPS tracker, three cameras and a voice recorder to help him document his journey.
He sent us text messages and phoned from the road and whenever he passed through civilisation, he popped into internet cafés to email pictures and videos.
More texts...
Mark Beaumont, Tuesday, 04 September 2007.
Here're some more excerpts from Mark's latest texts to base camp (e.g. my phone!)
Sitting in a field in dark eating cous cous on bread w honey. Surprisingly good! 600 mils in 6 days since last. Road getting worse in E. V friendly people. Need shower!
Ya big jessie! Not had a wash 4 4days & 400mls. Smell gd! All the best from the woods.
(this was in response to me texting him, on Saturday, saying i'd been on my bike for five hours and was knackered and needed a bath)
Pls put post up saying gd luck from me 2 the US tri guy & anyone training. I know wot they r going through! It's worth the pain, &if theres no pain, they aren't training!
Turkey proving tough w hills&heat. Finding 100mpday target hard but on track after 4days. Dark by 7.30pm not making it easy. Amazing scenery. Camping every nite.
Ezurum
Mark Beaumont, Thursday, 06 September 2007.
Hi from Erzerum in eastern Turkey.
It is eight days since I started Leg Two of my world race in Istanbul and almost 800 hot and hilly miles later I am still In Turkey! It's a big place! After seven nights in the tent and living very wild I decided it was time for a shower and to send back some news before venturing into Iran in a few days.
Sweat from dawn till dusk, cycle 100 miles in lorry fumes and blowing sand, clean with wet wipes, sleep at the side of the road and repeat for a week is basically what I have been up to! Turkey is an amazingly friendly place, almost too friendly, I would never get any miles done if I accepted half the tea that was offered!
Cycling from west to east has shown an amazing contrast from the industry and hustle bustle leaving Istanbul on the road to Ankara to the relative quiet and rural east. The roads have changed accordingly and gone from 3 lane highways to, in many places dirt tracks or very bumpy old asphalt where you might as well be mountain biking. One thing can be said for all of Turkey, it ain't flat!
I have acclimatised well and with the average temperature being about 35 degrees Celsius I have been able to happily cycle through the day, however, I don't think I will ever get used to the relentless hills. A few days have been following rivers both upstream and downstream which makes for great cycling but the rest has been a roller coaster. These hills, the poor roads in the east and the fact that's sunset is just after 6.30pm has made my daily target of 8 hours riding time a challenge. However, after 8 days I think I am just 25km behind target which I am more than happy with – I was always expecting to have to go slower in Leg Two.
Feeling much refreshed after a shower and a huge dinner of 'no idea what' I am repacking for an early start, hoping to make the Iranian border on Saturday afternoon. Leg Two is proving as challenging and exciting as I ever imagined and I am feeling fit and well. After the initial challenges the bike is also running very smoothly, which is saying something as these roads are a real test for any bike. The good news is that Iranian roads are meant to be amazing. Let the adventure continue!
Thanks for all the support from base camp.
Mark
News From Turkey and Iran
Mark Beaumont, Tuesday, 11 September 2007.
Mark's now in Iran and has sent in a few text messages:
Hi News from Mark yest...154km more incredible climbs. An amazing day unbelievable memories and photos. The Kurds r v friendly. In £6 motel. (From Turkey)
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Just 18km from border into Iran. Camped in great spot and looking forward 2 Iran. (From Turkey)
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Morning, thru the border without issue. Bit of a delay but 2b expected. Iran looks much like Turkey so far! Changed $140 and got about 5cm thick of notes in return! (From Iran)
Hi From Another World!
Mark Beaumont, Wednesday, 12 September 2007.
5500km from Paris and I am in Tabriz in northern Iran. What a culture shock!
The last two weeks since Istanbul were amazing and I am very pleased to be on target until this point. Unfortunately I have just had my first slight delay. Over the border from Turkey I drank some bad water and ended up being very ill yesterday on my day off. In light of heading next into a very challenging stretch through southern Iran and into Pakistan I decided it was important to get well before getting back on the bike so took the extra day rest. I always thought that with a bit of 'mind over matter' I could cope and keep cycling through any illness but had never experienced what bad water does to your stomach. I could barely walk as I was so dizzy, let alone cycle a bike! Anyway, feeling much better and back on the road at daybreak tomorrow.
[A wee note - I have been speaking pigeon English for weeks and so if my sentence structure seems strange it is because I am finding it very strange writing and thinking in full sentences. Ha!]
Anyway, I do not have internet at my host's house and I am a guest at his friend's house now and so can not stay on the computer long.
In brief, Kurdistan in the east of Turkey was amazing cycling except the odd stone throwing by children and a few very scary slavering dogs.
Getting into Iran was no problem and it was a huge relief to be back on good roads after the gravel and potholes of eastern Turkey. However, the challenge here has been finding the food and water needed and simply communicating to sort out these basics. My overall impression of the Azerbaijan area of Iran has been of an amazingly welcoming and friendly people. Many western perceptions of the middle east could not be further from the truth in my experiences so far. I have been very lucky to be hosted by the family of a friend from Dundee whilst in Tabriz and I could not have been looked after better.
I really want to tell a list of stories of the amazing world I am in just now but must go as I am the guest.
My very best to all and I will try and check in soon with better banter!
Mark
4000 miles baby!
Mark Beaumont, Tuesday, 18 September 2007.
Just so you know, as of yesterday, Mark had cycled 4000 miles (from Paris) so is nearly a quarter of his way round already!
Mark was quoted as saying 'It's easy.' ;-)
Great work big man and good luck on the rest of your adventure!
