Since it was Sunday I decided that I'd have a lazy morning before leaving for nearby Kashan. Ali had agreed to meet up just before I went off to say goodbye and give me some more reading on the minarets of Esfahan. He had become a real friend in just two days and it was sad to say goodbye. He had treated me like his own son in many ways and had been just the warmest and most interesting person I had met. But I had to refuse further offers to stay with him and stay a few more days in Esfahan as I am restricted by time. I must get to Azerbaijan in the next few days or else I will miss my entry date into Turkmenistan.

I arrived in Kashsan in the early afternoon and found a passable hotel to spend a couple of nights in. It was boiling hot and I felt like I really needed a cold beer. This indeed I found and savoured, though non-alcoholic of course. In fact I wonder what my liver must be thinking at the moment - what's wrong with me? It hasn't had to deal with alcohol in almost two weeks! You wonder that if George Best had spent a few years here whether his liver might have appreciated it! Then again, alcohol is available if you ask around and it's basically rocket fuel, so maybe not such a good idea for alcoholics to holiday here then.

There's not much else to say about today as it's been a relatively unexciting day - the first time in a while. Even here the locals still seem totally bemused by tourists and everyone wants to say hello and find out which country I am from. Most seem to guess that I am German which is a little disconcerting. And then when they guess my job they seem to think I am a journalist - I am guessing it's the Tintin-style tuft of hair giving me away(?).