He Stopped Me | Iraq 🇮🇶| [E41]

We're having an issue here, oh god. Good morning all my beautiful people, I hope you're doing well. In front of me you have Captain Bavar, and he's escorting me out to the first checkpoint. Because I'm going to Kirkuk, and I'll do a stop there tonight. It's not that far, it's only like 110 kilometers or something like that. But it's just to make the way to Baghdad a little bit shorter, because it's pretty long and with a lot of checkpoints. So I thought I'd go there, and I'll sleep there for a night. Yesterday I was hanging out with these guys, and they were amazing. We went to the bazaars out in the street food markets, and walked around there. And had some chai, and just drove a motorcycle in the evening, it was super super fun. Thank you so much guys for that, I appreciate it. And yeah, I'm heading towards the federal Iraq now. So I'm gonna leave Kurdistan unfortunately, I wish I could stay longer, but with my 10 days visa, it's possible. But I'll be back. So Kirkuk, let's go! This guy is so funny. And his bike is so cool, love it. It's a Suzuki Boulevard. You see the track here, what does it say? Volvo! It was Swedish once, now it's Chinese. Huh? Oh they're very tall! Here is the border to federal Iraq. Yes! Thank you so much for everything. Very very good. Okay. Oh, this is... I text, I text. Okay, drive safely. Drive safe. Okay, thank you for everything. Yes. Okay, bye bye! Let's go. To be honest, I'm a bit nervous. Too many horror stories been told lately about federal Iraq. Okay. Let's do this, let's do this. But it was a checkpoint there at least, let me pass. First checkpoint, all good. Okay, okay. Some military. But it still says the Kurdish flag. They have not been federal yet. I'm not sure. Hello! Huh? Too long time! You think? Nice bike! Christina, Christina. Nice to meet you. Very very good. It's just windy and a lot of traffic, you know. Huh? Very bad, yeah. Holes. Tomorrow, tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, early in the morning I have to go. No, not exactly. I will start really early tomorrow. Alright, so I'm meeting up with these guys from Kirkuk. Another team, motorcycle team. They will take me to Kirkuk. It's amazing, so kind of them. So, I stay a night in Kirkuk and then I continue to Baghdad. So here is the checkpoint into Kirkuk. And I think this is pretty much the one. Alright, checkpoint went alright. I just want to check my passport. Take me to the office. Took maybe five minutes. Let's continue. So, we will go and have a little tea and discuss my route towards Baghdad. To see what they say about that. But apparently it's one of the most dangerous roads to go between Kirkuk and Baghdad. So, I think it's road number two where I'm from. But yeah, I will make it, no problem. I just go slow because the road there is really bad. Because when I went up from Baghdad, when I flew there, from Baghdad up to Örebro I still remember the road was terrible. But you know, you drive slow, take it easy, that's it. Should be no problem. People advise you to not stop in small places, so yeah. Yeah, they have traffic police here and they are sometimes acting like the traffic light. Alright, to the hotel we go. I'm going to the hotel and I have a royal escort here. These guys are so cool. And they really calm me down by telling me it's not that dangerous as I'm thinking it is. So, what I've heard. That feels good. So, hotel now and then I will see what I will do. If I go and have dinner with these guys or if I'm just too tired and relaxed. If you actually feel my body and soul. Perfect! For today, I did a bit of a bump here in my face, like I always do. But I'm going to transfer some files and a lot of other stuff I have to do before I leave tomorrow towards Baghdad. So, I see you tomorrow. Sleep well! Beautiful people, I hope you're doing well. So, today I'm heading towards Baghdad. I will go on a pretty dangerous road with a lot of traffic. A lot of traffic. That's why it's pretty early to reach Baghdad. I hope at least 4 or something like that. It is 270 kilometers from Kirkuk to Baghdad. So, I will drive very slow and do a lot of stuff like this. I will take my time. So, let the adventure continue. That's good. So, yesterday I met up with the Hawks motorcycle club of Kirkuk. They come and met me in the last checkpoint in Kirkuk. Which was super kind. They've been waiting for me there for a long time, like an hour. Sitting there with a little fire. So, yesterday we went to a cafe, chatted a little bit. They gave me some tips and ideas and a lot of good information. And made my heart really calm. Because they only heard terrible stuff. So, they sort of made me feel much calmer. And then we had something to eat as well. A really good fish. Which was super nice. I always wanted to try that fish. I've seen it everywhere in Iraq. But I never took the chance to eat it. It was so good. And eat with your hands as well. Wow, it was a long time ago. Wild. So thankful for that. But, but, but. Am I nervous? Yes, I am. Will I be alright? I don't know. I hope so. Checkpoint number two. Got to go in the office and meet the guys. Everyone's staring and talking about the motorcycle. Ah, they're really kind. Very kind. Hello. Do you work here? Do you speak English? I want chai. Eh, yes. Oh dear. Alright, if I have one chai. I am sorry that she's a little bit slow in the morning. I think she has some bad queue, that's why. It would not be so good if I get stuck here. We're having an issue here. Oh god. Come on, Sarek. That was so weird. Could it be for bad queue? Because you heard that. The bomb. A little bit scared now. Ah, Jesus. What is going on with you, Sarek? Please let it just be, or just be bad queue. She's running well now. It's no problem. But I had this issue before. Since I came to Iraq, she's hard to start sometimes. But this was one of the worst times. It took a long time. Yeah, I don't know what's happening. If you know, let me know in the comments. The guys sitting on the truck there have these huge guns on them. And it looks like they have grenades or something on their body. And this is the highway. Highway number 2 towards Baghdad. Peace be upon you. Gasoline? Petrol? Diesel? Okay. And I think that's it. So, strong and sweet and delicious coffee. I've tried many of them. Coffee? Yes. Coffee. But the sweet one is... What's the name of the coffee? Ah. Coffee. Okay. So this is basically the orange stop and the coffee stop. That was delicious, that coffee. As you know, I only have 10, or now it's like 8 days, 7 days left in Iraq. But I only got a 10 days visa. When I'm in Baghdad I will go to an office, a residence office and see what they mean. Because it might be a mistake, because it's usually 2 months. We will go there tomorrow and ask and see what they say. Then I will take the decision from there and see what I will do. It's so sad that you only hear bad things about this country. Only bad things in media. I hope that I can show a different side for you and that you understand it's not only like that. Because you find the good and the bad in every single country. Iraq was just unfortunate to have a lot of war and dictatorship and stuff like that, you know. Without that I think it would be a really brilliant country to explore and for tourism and everything. I mean it's slowly, slowly growing the tourism in Iraq, Kurdistan at least. And I hope that one day the whole Iraq will become number one tourist spot. Come and visit. They sell like bread and coffee. It's pretty nice when you have to wait in these queues as a trucker. Right in front of me we have the port of Baghdad. We are in Baghdad. Couple of seconds. Three. One. In front of me we have Ali. He's picking me up from the port of Baghdad to take me into town. That is very kind. As I said, I love the motorcycle community here in the whole Iraq. They're great. It's almost off-roading here in Baghdad. I've never really ridden in a group since now, like since I got my motorcycle license. But you see he's doing a lot of signs, that one on the head. It means there's coming a car or something on that right side. And when he's putting his leg out it means that there are potholes. Oh, here comes an army. Wow, cool. Cool.