Four hours until the new year (first stone cold sober one inabout 20 or so).

When Jenny's cold showed all the signs of becoming a permanentfixture we thought it better to head off south to Esfahan by sleeper train. Theguys at the Asia Hotel were amazingly unflustered by us leaving 2 bikes andvast quantities of very smelly and mud stained luggage with them. We promisedto be back in 10 days, they didn't look convinced...

On the train the compartment was for 6 (4 berth ones all being 'finished').One guy looked aghast at Jenny and shot off to find the Ticket bod. Rapidexchanges of Farsi later,he sat down a bit miffed, it was obvious to us that hewas very unimpressed at having a WOMAN in the carriage. But of course we werewrong, he just thought it was unfair on HER having to share with me and fourother blokes she didn't know. So much so, that when she wanted to go to bed(they had all waited patiently for her to show that she wanted to go, eventhough they were falling asleep) they all lept to their feet and left thecompartment so she could climb up onto the top bunk and maintain her dignity.They then waited outside the compartment for Her Royal Highness to graciouslyletthem in. I hope she doesn't get too used to this kind of treatment, I'll neverget her head through the door.

Esfahan is, of course gorgeous, the central square (Imaam Khomeini Square) isabout 500m by 150m. So large it has horse and carts you can take a ride aroundit, but even we were not that lazy.

The 2 huge mosques were eerily empty the days we visited them, vast facades ofturquiose tiles shone in the sun. On being offered (for a wee bit of baksheesh)the chance Jenny climbed up onto the roof of the mosque, to get a view overmaincourtyard, I stayed firmly on the ground, along side my vertigo. Morni ng,afternoon and even evening tea in atmospherically cluttered teahouses becamethe day to day ritual by which we ran our lives.

Suddenly it was Christmas Day and we hadn't bought each other anything. What todo? After an extensive breakfast in the swanky $130 a night Abasi Hotel later(westayed down the road at our usual cheapy) we set off with $10 each tothe Bazaar for a spot of Christmas shopping (I've left it late but never solate as to do it onChristmas day before).

I was bought a hamaan mit as I obviously needed a good wash and then we werestuck... Iran isn't over run with tasteful nick nacks to suit Australian &European tastes so I decided on the tacky instead. Jenny is now the owner of aPink and Gold plastic mosque alarm clock which wakes you to the sound of thecall to prayer. It IS as kitch as it sounds. Then just to spoil things we founda shop selling rather nice hand painted minatures on 100 year old paper.I have never had to haggle for my own Christmas presents before but his openingprice of $40 was ridiculous, he settled somewhat ungraciously for $25, mind youthat was for six! Returning from dinner we had an extremely nice surprise -Mark Van Dorn (from Holland, well where else would he be from with a name like that)who we had met in Van (Turkey), had travelled 8 hours by bus from Shiraz to bewith us on Christmas day.

Boxing day was even lazier than Christmas Day, I still can't believe we spent 3hours in the same tea house. Next day we were off to Shiraz ourselves. Shirazhas a number of fascinating tourist sites (the number is ONE). But Persepolismakes up for it by having amazingly well preserved carving on the palaces.Taking a $5 tour we were somewhat surprised to find we were the only two on thetour and that we had an English speaking guide all to ourselves.

Some of the carvings are not as old as the 2,500years they were meant to be.Henry Morton Stanley of the New York Herald (he of 'Doctor Livingstone Ipresume.' fame) had carved his name on the entrance gateway as had everypassing British army officer for 100 years or so. But the rest of the carvingswere fantastic, they must have been even better when they were first done, asteams of Indians were brought in by Darius The Great just to polish the stoneto a mirror like lustre, using shark skin. Must have ponged a bit in the middayheat! The palace had been burned to the ground by Alexander the Great when heswept through these parts , sacking it(needless to say the Iranians don't knowhim as 'The Great').

Next day as the plane descended through the bank of smog into Tehranthe airport our hearts sank. The time to face upto 3 weeks being off the bikeswas here. We would have a day to send our parcel of souvenirs onwards toTasmaniathen back on the bikes. Turned out that surface mail is very cheap12kg for around $15, mind you it could take six months, but hey, who cares??we're going totake another 12.........

Happy New Year everyone