"So, do you think that there is any possiblity that a Britsih woman in a hijab cycling through Iran could keep a low-profile..."

Discussions with the Consular were not going well. The party line was to follow the foreign office advice. Following the recents elections the Level Two warning had been lifted but Level Three didn't really seem to consider the potential for UK nationals pedalling the country. To go to Iran or not? That was the question....

Just one of many perplexing issues we keep seeming to come up against.

With two friends (well, temporarily one but that is another story) I am cycling around the world promoting solar power and other renewable energy solutions to climate change.

Using our solar powered panniers we have been blogging, tweeting and sending up pictures all of the way from London, France, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

There have been numerous incidents. Those involving cycling calamities have mostly revolved around me crashing at low speed into the guys (well, you know what they say about women and spatial awareness). Logistically they have mostly sprung from visa issues (changing regulations in Libya / Iran / China...) and randomly they have included: the plague, bum slapping by goat herders and being awarded medals by the Mayor of a small town near Dijon....

It has certainly been an adventure so far.

But we still have another 9000 miles to go so the fun does not stop here. Nor the focus on renewable energy and solar power. The main aim of the trip is to promote these and we have visited solar projects in France, crossed the Sahara to highlight the Desertec concept, visited the Kuraymat CSP plant and made rogue videos to for Members of Parliament through the UK based 'We Support Solar' campaign. Plus we are raising money for the charity SolarAid so should you have some spare pennies...

Anyway, for all of the shenanegans over the last 2 months please check out our blog at www.thesolarcyclediairies.com but from now on we will also be using this platform to update on our progress and to keep up with all of the other brilliant projects out there.

Better go for now but please feel free to follow our progress, promote solar and - if you are near our route - hop on your bike and join us for a bit!

Take care and enjoy the sunshine.

Susie xxx