From Sabzevar to Neyshabur

I left Sabzevar with really good feelings. Ali brought me a bit with his car, so I could not miss the right direction. Guessing this in advanced I had walked the way until there before, so there is still a continuously step by step connection. I much appreciate always people, who have developed inner space in themself. Ali is one of that kind. Also in Sabzevar I met Hamid and his father. Hamid spread so much welcoming and love, really nice. With Hamid I am still until today in contact. On the way out of the city I was stopped by some exited reporters, I guess from the local news. Everywhere I felt love leaving this desert city.

I had chosen to leave the highway to take a smaller road to Neyshabur. Crossing a little mountain range and to my surprise – it became a little greener. I even saw some fields, who are obviously not connected with some irrigation system. Some drought almond trees where also growing there. Beside that they where also irrigated field and you could see the enormous difference. Sabzevar was on around 1200 meter above see level. The range was mayby just 400m higher to cross. Lower behind again. Surprising that the range it is helping with humidity so much more. The clouds come from further north and have to climb over some 3000+ mountains.

At the evening I reached a little village called Aliyak. Even though I had only little contact with the people, it was just before sunset, I have that evening still grateful in my heart. People guided me into the mosque. A old men showed me around and opened the mosque tea kitchen. It felt so natural for this village community to hand this place ‚over to me‘. Without words I felt ‚our place is yours‘ ‚this place belongs to everyone‘. In such a deep, heardly, natural way I had not experienced it before. I like to pray also in a mosque in a muslim way, but my prayer is always in silence and sometimes I add some other movements into it. Also I do the prayer much slower than all the others. And this was the first time, that I did not feel observed or judjed in a mosque. There was a field of so much trust, just beautiful.

I had not to walk so far to Soltan Abat, so I could take a lot of resting time. Hamid and Ali from Sabzevar had given me so much food on the way…. but I needed all, only my water was gone. In my mind I thought of getting some more water at a junction, in my map there was a bus station marked and I thought maybe there would be a little shop….. but nothing then a dry field area. Exactly there stopped a truck driver. Wild gesticulating he waved me to his truck. He filled all my 1 1/2 liter bottle up with fresh tasty cold water. ‚He‘ was my shop. In Soltanabat I was again brought to the mosque for over night staying. But after a little while a police men in civil acting being important interviewed me. He vibrated a uncomfortable feeling and with some misunderstandings he brought me to another place. After Sabzevar I kind of got more sensitive towards situations which maid show me what to do or feel in upcoming next country Afghanistan. Looking back this was just a collection of kind of missunderstandings during the whole evening.

It was beautiful to see all the irrigated areas and it felt like being in paradise after some weeks at the desert borders. Friendly hosts appeared. I really bow to all of them. Iranian hospitality is very special.

One of my hosts, Ali from Ebraim Abat, is marked in my memory, because of his humbkeness and gracefullness. I had a wonderful day walking through the ‚paradise‘. So many green fields and beautiful trees. Later I found out, he already saw me sitting under a big tree, at the entrance if his village. It was a bit early, and he did not ask me by then. I enjoyed that tree, eating some dates. Realising that some ants living also there, I put a date kernel and big piece of date flesh close to two entrances of the earth ants nest, witnessing the process of finding the food. They managed to get the kernel even into the small entrance. And it was so interesting to see how they manage such difficult situations. Anyway I was sitting there around an hour and continued my way. At 6pm I witnessed Ali standing some hundred meters away at his car. Coming closer he started to make contact just by looking at me. When I stood in front of him, it felt that he inwardly bowed to me, with gracefullness, in his chosen role to serve for me, and a little shyness combined with such a friendliness, waiting patiently, if I accept his request. This young men is just giving me a precious gift by acting so, what a beautiful moment. Sure, he will bring me back to this place tomorrow morning, so I happily accept his invitation. Thanks for this special moment, Ali, for food, bed and yourself….

Scenery changed the next morning. The upcoming city announce itself. I was not prepared, 20km before to have so much more traffic, fabrics….. I learned, Neyshabur has 240.000 inhabitants. Puh. Arriving from the south of the city, it feels, that Neyshabur has enough garages for whole Iran. Km by km garage on garage. It is Friday, Muslim weekend, and I am surprised by so many stinking trucks. The garages itself also don’t have the best radiation and smell, so I have to work me through this, taff. Reaching the center, energy change but I am done. Downtown I can’t make any real contact and after a while this sentence in me arises ‚you can’t ask anyone here‘. What to do. The sentence stays….. Finally after I had a Pizza, Amir talks to me and brings me to his family shop. The brother Mossah has big plans the next day with me. He is a teacher, wants to bring me to his class next morning and afternoon, show me a tomp of Kayyan, a famous poet, and finally show me a farm. I agree. At the family’s house I am welcome but something is already in the air. We got up at 6.30am. Mother makes me a lot of food to take and I am already a little bit irritated, but don’t come suspicious by than. Against his statement that we are walking to the school the car is ready now. Ok. We are driving and driving until I guess, that something is ‚different’…. Finally we arrive at very nice area, it’s the park with the tomb. ‚Here you can rest‘ he says. He just wants to drop me here… At 7am in the morning. 6km out of the city. His boss had told him, that I can’t come to the school. He is so embarrassed, that he could not tell me before. All day plans are cancelled. I am for a little while angry, then I just give up. That’s what happens also in this culture, if something happens what is not to diguest in the moment, sometimes weird things happen. Communication is not possible than. After a little while I enjoyed my morning. Then I started walking back into the city, because the way should be not interrupted. I booked a hotel for the night.