Travelling light
Travelling light is important. If I'm lighter, then I'm more mobile, and I'm safer too. I can run for a train, or remove myself from a bad situation quickly. My aim to travel lightly is not helped by the fact that my bag is already 2.6kg - a quarter of the total weight I'm carrying. It's the first time that I've travelled with a backpack like this; my small rucksack has served me well, taking me on long trips in the US and china. But somehow those trips were different.
Planning
For example, in the US I planned every part of the journey in advance. Taking a list of a month's worth of trains that I wanted to book, I travelled to a small station in Michigan, where there were only a few trains a day. The station conductor, used to a quiet life, responded with the exact words: "I'm going to the bathroom. This could take a while.". And he was right. It did take a while. But then I knew for one month all the trains I would take, and all the accommodation I would stay in. It was easy.
This journey is different, in that it is much less planned. Partly out of necessity, and partly out of desire to have some freedom and a flexible schedule, after having been so busy and sticking to deadlines so closely during my PhD.
The route
One important rule in this journey, is not to fly. Travelling overland is so much richer; you see the transition of landscapes, languages and people. Having worked in Japan for a few years, flying between the UK and Japan each time, I would look out of the window and see the world passing by, below. You can't help but wonder what it's like down there. Whether the endless snow of Siberia, the sharp transition in the landscape crossing from russia to china, or the ripples of the mountains in southern Iran, I've seen so much of the world from an aircraft window. It's time to go there and see those places on the ground.
Travelling overland from London, there are several routes east. The russian route takes you up by train to Moscow, then across through Mongolia and china to Japan. The near-east route takes you down through Syria to Egypt, and the final route, my route, goes through Turkey to Iran. In fact, it's possible to travel from London to Tehran in just 6 days by train and ferry.
My route is slightly more indirect, however. And more interesting. Taking the train from London down through France, Italy and Greece, I intend to spend a few weeks in Turkey, before heading north east through to Georgia, down through Armenia and then into Iran. The whole journey, including some weeks exploring Iran may take about 2 months. But that's just an estimation: recent events in Iran have demonstrated how things can change. The ongoing events in Georgia must also be monitored closely. Not because there is any danger to foreigners, but rather that roads may be blocked or borders even closed, necessitating a change in route or timing.
The reason
So there are many challenges to travelling in this region, but there are also many reasons to go. There is a significant amount of Islamic culture and history, pre-dating that of the west. The landscapes, partly which I have seen myself from the air, are varied, and the kindness of the people is renowned. I'm also interested to see how my world, in Europe, is connected to that world which we see on TV, that otherwise seems so far way. I'm looking forward to experiencing the culture, seeing the landscapes, and above all, meeting the people.
A view from the plane, on one of my many journeys between Japan and the UK
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Practical information
It seems that an Iranian visa is not easy to come by directly; it is necessary to go through an agent who obtains an authorisation number, which you can then use to obtain the visa at an embassy (in the UK or elsewhere). In my case I used Persian Voyages, and received my authorisation number in just 1 week. Results and time may also depend on your nationality; as a Dutch national, I suspect it was relatively easier than many other countries. There are a number of agencies around, all charging different prices and promising different turnaround times, with different reviews by other travellers, but I heard good things about this agency, and wasn't disappointed.
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