DJ - Good morning and welcome to this update from Iran. It's Thursday morning October the 2nd and we are about to begin our journey across Iran - the Islamic Republic of Iran. History records this region as Persia, older than Greece and full of thousands of years of human history. The population of Iran is 59 million people. Quite in contrast with neighboring Pakistan which has more than double the population at a 126 million people.

Our report reaches you by satellite telephone this morning. This is our fifth attempt at transmitting this update as accessing telecommunications is no simple or easy process in this part of the world. Because of that we're just going to skim through some important highlights to let you know where matters are.

The health of many of the participants is beginning to get a little ragged with respiratory conditions, intestinal conditions and even mental health issues as a few people, certainly a minority, are have difficulty sticking it out in their interpersonal relationships. Spending four weeks together thus far in an automobile is not something that is very common in most people's experiences. There are two gentleman from the UK, who have a thirty year friendship, who are at the stage where they are unable almost to get along. There are three weeks remaining on the trip.

Fifty of the remaining eighty cars were taken to Iranian service garages yesterday for necessary repairs to keep the cars going. All cars are beginning to show fatigue from the trip. Further details about the automobile accident of the 1967 Volkswagen that claimed the life of Josef and Rene Feit of Germany, indicate that the suspension system of the car was broken and it is possible that the front steering failed and a tire failed at the moment of executing a pass of another vehicle causing the car to careen directly head on with a bus. As a result of that, Mr. Feit and his seventeen year old son were killed. Their bodies were transported to the Pakistan city of Karachi to be flown back to Germany.

A lot of dialogue here between the Europeans, Americans, and Iranians about past history and events. It is said that life here is better after the Islamic revolution. Europeans remind Americans that they were responsible for the downing of an Iranian air passenger airplane that claimed the lives of 400 people in the late 1980's. Europeans ask why the United States has reconciled with its enemy, Vietnam, but has not done so with Iran. The general feeling for American people is positive by most people but there is obvious tension between the capitals of Tehran and Washington DC.

Reflecting back on our visit to Pakistan, the conditions there, environmentally, were quite hostile. Driving was very, very difficult, the road conditions and the heat and monotony of the desert, temperatures in excess of 100 degrees, as much as 120 to 150 degrees inside many of the cars. Fascinating whirlwinds or small tornadoes moving across the desert as we traveled across Pakistan. We have more desert conditions in store for today as we venture into the interior of Iran. The temperatures are forecast to be in the mid 40's Celsius and 120 Fahrenheit.

We want to acknowledge many of the wonderful E-Mail communications we've received in the last 24 hours. From Louie and Sue Andrew, who report that their daughter Sarah is safe in Italy as a result of the earthquake in Assisi. Bruce from Massachusetts who tells us about many young people who are following the trip and learn as a result. Matthew Adler who is a sixth grade student in New York and his family are following the trip and sent E-Mails to us. Petra, from Sweden, sends a message in Swedish to us and we are seeking an interpreter as to what the message is about. Suzanne Schneider is in contact with her father, Carl. We want her to know that we have received her E-Mai. Monica from South Bend, who is a friend of Mary's, reminds us about the good times at a birthday party there and we have received her E-Mail. We also want to acknowledge the retirement of Lyman Powell and Dick Eversole from their professional careers. Both men have given enormously to the business community and to their local communities and families. Just yesterday both entered into retirement in their professional lives and we celebrate and compliment them from this far distance. Nothing matters more importantly than family and friends, and we want them to know that from this far distance we are thinking about them.

Let's make an attempt to bring Carl on to the update and hear his views this morning before we start out across Iran.

CS - Well here we are in lovely, lively Iran. People have been very friendly. They are doing everything they can to help us. There is a little currency exchange problem so the Iranian Motor Association is supplying us with gasoline, any services that we need, breakfast, boxed lunch and dinner as we travel across these refreshing roads after what we have had. We are on the way to Paris. It won't take us much longer as we are going at much better speeds now. The repair work that we had to have done for our brakes got taken care of yesterday. We will expect to be able to take care of our shock absorber problem shortly. Everything seems to be going right with the car other than that. We are most anxious to continue on our way, connecting the dots from Peking to Paris. Here is Don.

DJ - Well finally we have learned different languages and we are into learning now about Farsi, which is the Persian language of Iran and we have learned of the important word sinzam which is the local words for cola and soft drinks. Sinzam is what you ask for when you want a drink. Typically drinks here are soaked in warm water and they are not refrigerated as we know them.

Well that is the update for this period of time coming to you by satellite telephone from Zahedan, a border city of 450,000 near the border with Pakistan. We are about to set out on a 500 kilometer trip to the near by city of Kerman. We will give you our progress on the next update. Thanks for coming along on our journey for Carl, this is Don saying so long from Iran.