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No magic carpet to Persia!
Page 55
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THE LOG OF A LONG, LONG HAUL
SOBERING tale for any gold-seeking entrant into international haulage who thinks that all the pioneering has been done:— A little while back, Evan Cook, of Peckham, sent three loads of furniture to the British Embassy in Tehran. The semi-trailers were picked up by Evan Cook's Continental agent, Dinoir. This is the driver's 32-day diary.
Day 1—Departure from Le Havre.
Day 2—Travelling to Italy—passing through French and Italian frontiers.
Day 3—En route to Yugoslavian frontier; passing through Italian/Yugoslavian frontier. Day 4—Yugoslavia—passing through Yugoslavian frontier (out) and Bulgarian frontier (in).
Day 5—Journeying through Bulgaria; passing through Bulgarian frontier (out) and going into Turkey; phoned the British Embassy at Istanbul regarding the tax to be paid. Instructions: "Wait at the customs. We will phone London".
Day 6—Still waiting for instructions from the British Embassy at Istambul. No action (Turkish national feast).
Day 7—Still waiting at the customs at Kapiku!u and still phoning the British Embasi;y.
Day 8--Met the chief customs officer and again phoned British Embassy; they had not receive I an answer from London. Still waiting in customs.
Day 9--Talked again with customs chief and phonec Istambul and Ankara.
Day 10—Still waiting at customs—for payment of tax.
Day 11—Talked again with customs chief and phoned once more to embassy; waiting for telegram from Istanbul customs; multiple attempts but still stuck at customs.
Day 12—Still waiting for telegram from lstamb JI.
Day 13—Telegram arrived at last; departure from Day 14—On towards Iranian frontier. Day 1E—Still moving towards Iranian frontier; two tyres of the semi-trailer punctured; rain; road in bad condition! Day 16—Passing through Turkish frontier (out); passing through Iranian frontier (in); in cusloms at Persia; waiting for papers till next day. Day 17—Still waiting for papers; departure to Teh -an at night. Day 1,3—On towards Tehran; arrival in customs; nform embassy. Day 19—Waiting all day for customs clearance of lorry. Day 20—Waiting for clearance until 1 p.m.; to embassy: unload goods at embassy. Day 21—Out of Tehran; repairs to trailer; put oil in tractor; on towards exit frontier. Day 22—Passing through Iranian frontier (out); passing through Turkish frontier after payment of Turkish tax ($385): departure at night. Day 23—On through Turkey. Day 24—On through Turkey; arrival at night at the Bosphorus. Day 25—Passing across Bosphorus; went to embassy to pay tax back ($385); passing through Turkish frontier; passing through Bulgarian frontier; on through Bulgaria. Day 26—On through Bulgaria; passing through Bulgarian frontier (out); passing through Yugoslavian frontier; on through Yugoslavia. Day 27—Passing through Yugoslavian/ Italian frontier. Day 28—Loading at Riva Del Garda; to Milan to complete trailer loading. Day 29—Completed trailer; put in TM; departure from Milan. Day 30 & 31—On through France. Day 32—Trailers back on board ship at Dunkerque.