IRAN - DAY 2

I was biking down the road and I noticed some people setting up a picnic. They signalled me to stop and join them. I waved and said hello and thanks but kept pedalling as I would get nowhere if I was to stop at every invitation. Well they must have packed up the picnic and drove by me, because 10KMs down the road, here they were setting up the picnic and waving at me to join them. I could hardly say no twice. We had a lovely BBQ by the side of the road. Communication was sign language and smiles. Earlier that day and Iranian cyclist welcomed me to Iran and gave me a bag of walnuts. At least (after many attempts), this Iranian family accepts my gift of walnuts. As the day continues I began to enter the emptiness of the arid steppe landscape. Its just fascinating. Apart from the hoots from the passing vehicles and the waves from the people on the road, there's very little else around you. ItS the fact that there is nothing that makes it so special. I've been passing through mostly small dusty villages. All shop fronts look the same and most shop signs are in Farsi and written in Arabic script. This makes it very difficult to tell the difference between a car repair joint that has a few lads sitting outside and a restaurant. I generally increase speed as I'm going through the villages, because if I slow down or stop, I find the attention from the locals almost overpowering. It truly is a country of 100,000 welcomes.Its a pity I'm so pushed for time in Iran. Iran is twice the size of Turkey and more than 20 times the size of Ireland. I'm constantly trying to make up time due to my late departure of Istanbul. I'm just so determined to bike around the world and not take a bus or train or whatever. My Iranian visa runs out on 22-5-09 and I have a plan for Turkmenistan that is coming together slowly but surely.