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June, 14th - July, 3rd | Iran
Route:
Maku – Marand – Tabriz – Kalaiba – Abes Ahmed – Kalaiba – Tabriz
After a twelve hours stop at the border we are allowed to enter Iran.
Already in the bordertown a TV-team asks us for an interview and some takes. Ewald has to make three rounds in the small town, each time he stops in front of the border, the vehicle is encircled by hundreds of people. The report about us is broadcast all over Iran nine times on three following days.
For solving our main problem, the repair of our camera, we have to go to Tabriz. It is a city with more than a million inhabitants and with a hell of a traffic. After a long search and much sweat of the driver, because of the cars overtaki9ng to the left and to the right, we find a small shop for camera repairs. When we see the old russian models on the shelves, that wait for repair, we have little hope.
The next day we come back. The man smilingly hands us the refunctioning camera. For five Euro the problem with the card slot was solved in Iran, at home we would have to throw away the digicam.
Happily we stroll across the bazar of Tabriz and in the slaughters area between hens, geese and turkeys of all sizes we also find rabbits. Up to five rabbits are forced into a small birdcage. So it is clear to us, we want to give a good life for a baby rabbit. Atreju is exited about our new travel companion, which he calls “Willi Maus”.
For us it leaves the problem of finding a permanent home for the rabbit, because we will hardly be able to take him with us to Austria. We like Tabriz, so we spend some more days in El Goli Park, the picnic and excursion destination of the people there.
There we experience the overwhelming helpfulness the Iranian people. They are all friendly and want to help, but already when cleaning our teeth in the morning we have ten onlookers, at breakfast in front of the trailer, they are up to thirty. At first they stand some meters away, but as soon as one of the bystanders starts conversation, all get closer. Mostly we look for quietness by flight, for while we are moving the siege is bearable. We know, that the interest of the Iranian is well-meant, but sometimes it gets too much.
From Tabriz we move to the mountains in the province of East Aserbeidschan, to Kalaiba to Fort Babak, unfortunately we see the fortress only through thick fog.
There the healing water of Abes Ahmed is highly recommanded to us, so we visit an Iranian thermal bath. Back in Kalaiba, this time by sunshine, we decide to go back to Tabriz once more, to accept the invitation of the Massey Ferguson Works there.
To reach the Massey Ferguson Works Fergy gets a police escort along the highway. The police car departs with flushing lights and a “Goodbye Austria” over the loudspeaker.
On receipt in the works, the still empty flower pots of Fergy-garden get filled with flowering.
Ewald is exited by this attention.
We are taken to the assembly shop, where this year 30.000 pieces of the models “240”, “285” and “399” shall leave the assembly line. The tractors made here are partly destined for the export to Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Venezuela, Libya and Turkey.
Mr. Shaabani leads us through the works, where more then 10.000 people are working and he invites us for lunch, according to Iranian style for picnic in the beautiful park of the works.
During the whole stay we get filmed by the works photographer, Mr. Helmi, and pictures of us are taken for the works magazine.
The interest for our aid project is great and so Ewald asks the MF-Works for a free repair of the sump seal, so we can hand over a perfect Fergy in Afghanistan. In the garage we are told, that the replacement part necessary for the repair is not in stock, the sump seal we have aboard is not sufficient to stop the loss of oil. But the mechanics improvise and at the moment our tractor looses not a drop of oil.
Besides a change of oil and oil filter is made and with the friendly help of the mechanics of the Massey Ferguson Works, after 3000 kilometres without electricity, the electricity supply from tractor to trailer is functioning again. So we have light in the evening and a cooling refrigerator during the drive. Also Fergys brakes get tuned, at last Ewald doesn’t have to give full body effort to stop the vehicle.
The marketing boss of one of the four merged parts of the MF-Works invites us for dinner to his house. At Iranian titbits we make friends, we are asked to see their house as ours, to use bathroom and other comforts of a settled life.
The next day a press conference is taking place in the branch office, where journalists of Iranian newspapers and the directors of the works take part.
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