Day 04 - Flag Off

Day 04 Wednesday August 17

After the harrowing experience last night, and a 4 hour sleep, we once again trudged back to the port for the remaining 4 cars. Team AO had done some magic to get the stalled car started and luckily the security process to get out today was over in 1 hour. We went to the same petrol pump for fueling. Got fleeced again and reached the hotel at 1.30 pm. After a quick lunch and loading the cars with the luggage we finally set off for our trip at 3.15 pm

We have to cover 575 kms to reach our destination Shiraz. The only stop is a tea break at around 6.30 pm. The speed limit is 110 and the roads are very good. We drove at about 120-140. The local drivers zip about in their Maruti 800 size Saipa and Taiba jalopies. They can surely give Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton a run for their money.

On the way to Shiraz

En route is a city called Fasa where we had dinner at 10.30 pm at a restaurant called Shahneshin. As we entered the city, everyone was looking at us, smiling and waving to us. A group of bikers followed us and took videos on their cell phones which I am sure will become viral tomorrow. Here too Aarash had arranged for a stash of fuel for us. We left at midnight hoping to reach our hotel at 2 am. Our share of unique experiences was not yet over. At 1.30 on the way a police car stopped our convoy and wanted to know where so many foreign cars with non Iranian number plates were going at this hour. They checked our car's papers, our passports and then let us go. Shiraz hotel welcomed us at 3 am The day’s statistics are: Bandar Abbas port - fueling - 0 kms Homa hotel 1.30pm - 3.15 pm - 30 kms Restaurant Shahneshin, Fasa 10.30 pm - 12.00 + diesel - 438 kms Shiraz hotel 3 am - 148 kms Traveled today - 616 kms