Iran is a victim of multiple negative misconceptions – so much so that travellers usually get a surprise when they visit the country.

The experience and reflections during a Gobi Desert road trip, thrown with a bunch of strangers that are destined for a fleeting friendship.

Early this year, Hakim paddled his way through Iran on a month-long journey, wild-camping and meeting locals along the way. This is his story.

A one-month journey from Beijing to St Petersburg that’s not quite the Trans-Siberian Railway. Follow Donovan as he traverses Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.