|
An Australian explorer has walked the length of Iran: from the north on the Caspian Sea to the southerly border on the Persian Gulf.
Mark Kalch, who took two months to do the solo trip, wanted to reveal a country he says is only shown to the west through the narrow lens of the media.
“I was nervous to say the least as I flew in to Tehran,” says Mark. “I wondered what they’d do: turn me around? interrogate me? put me in jail as a western spy? No, they said, ‘Enjoy your visit sir’. Any preconceptions I had of Iran were blown out the door.”
Mark’s journey saw him crossing everything from snow-topped mountains to hot, dry plateaus, and although he took a tent he was often offered accommodation by the locals.
“Staying with people in so many different towns and villages was the highlight,” he says. “I would be sat in someone’s living room, in a mosque, a village hall or in the back of a shop with a glass of tea or plate of food when the neighbours would all crowd in and the questioning would start!”
Mark walked 1,700km in total, with 47km being his longest day. “Towards the end, with 300km to go to the Persian Gulf, my body was starting to break down and my mind was not far behind. Solo does funny things to a man. For all the beautiful people I met and for all their genuine care about my well-being, I still felt alone.”
“But I am very happy with the expedition overall,” he concludes. “Iran is not simply about demonstrations, nuclear ambitions and politics. Its people are some of the most hospitable on the planet and its geography some of the most extreme and diverse.”
To see more about the expedition visit www.markkalch.com.
 |
