Towards Mahan

As last time, I plan to travel mainly on backcountry roads towards Mashad and have gone off the highway at Hajabad. I realize my good old paper map is better than all the offline GPS maps I got and end up driving on dirt tracks towards Baft through spectacular and remote scenery. I have a long rest in Khabr National park a big 3000+ m mountain towering above. I planned to stay the night but was not aware that I was in a park and after my discovery by two rangers I needed to go on but not before observing a few capricorns through their powerful binoculars. I needed some rest and declined their invitation to stay at their place…they were too nosy and eating all my precious biscuits in the first place…

Passing Baft I endured the obligatory police check….being hunted down by a pickup full with plainclothes officials and going through passport visa check etc while half the adolescent male youth of town crowd around on their motorcycles…After they are satisfied they escort me on the way. Again all friendly as usual, but I guess one guy alone in an Unimog must just be very suspicious.

On my way to Mahan (I skip Kerman as Mahan is smaller and cuter) I do eventually find a nice and quit hidden spot just underneath the snow capped 4370m Kuh e Lalehzar. Nice and cool at 2500m altitude I decide to stay for a couple days and relax and do nothing for the first time in the last few hectic months.