Welcome from Jan

Hi there!
This blog is for those who love both books and travel. I'm starting by travelling back in time to the 1970s and the overland trail to India which I took as an 18 year old. Have a look at my daily diary entries and photos. Some of these places are impossible to visit at the moment, but I can give you a flavour of what they were like in the golden age of the hippy trail.

The experience has inspired my new mystery novel, THE VANISHING OF RUTH, which is out now as an ebook. Find details and extracts at The Vanishing of Ruth

To buy: The Vanishing of Ruth

Also take a look at Facebook Page Overlanders for more memorabilia.
http://bit.ly/Overlanders

HELP ME FIND MY FELLOW PASSENGERS! TAKE A LOOK AT THE GROUP PHOTO (post on 30th November 2009) AND CHECK THE NAMES ON THIS LINK:
http://www.indiaoverland.biz/overland/passengers/sep26_76.html
Cheers, Jan.


Thursday, 5 November 2009

OVERLAND2KATHMANDU - Western Iran

FRIDAY 5TH NOVEMBER, 1976

"Freezing morning - hands nearly dropped off.  Same scenery - plains and hill ranges.
Sat at front for first time!
Stopped for shopping at Sanandaj.  Lots of men dressed in Kurdish costume - super turbans with tassles, cummerbunds etc.  Had cay in place where men were smoking hubble-bubble pipes.  On walls were pictures of the Shah and Empress and carpets with Mecca depicted.

Walked around - saw bread being made.  Big vat of dough - first man shaped in into rounds, second man rolled them out, third man slapped them around and spread on padded sack, then bashed them onto sides of oven until slightly brown, then sold thin wafery bread straight away.
Policeman chased people away from the bus.

Diana did a headstand in a cornfield, so I had a go - managed a quick one before keeled over!  Lunch stop by a river - had a paddle - very cold and refreshing.

Cay stop by wayside - people sitting crosslegged under trees.  Sat outside - loads of cay and great argument over prices, so probably half not paid for.

Camped near Kermanshah.  Lovely sunset over hills - orangy-yellow, with pinky violet sky in east over light brown hills with a big silver moon rising.  Camped off road near little village under a hill.  Locals (or lurcals) came to inspect us again."

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