Iran. Bam : I feel the earth move under my feet. I see the mosque tumbling down.

10 seconds. 50,000 dead.

That's the duration and death toll of the 2003 earthquake that devestated the eastern Iranian city of Bam - our next destination.

It hit at 5am and most of the population perished because they lived in shaky mud brick houses. The quake left a population of 30,000 dead and over 17 nations under the direction of the UN set up aid camps offering free food and shelter. As Bam is located near the Afghan opuim fields, within a week drug addcits looking for free food and shelter swelled the population to over 120,000. The earthquake also destroyed 85% of Bam's ancient citadel which was the filiming locatin of rthe iconic pod racing scene in Star Wars Episode 1.

Wow. For once I listened to Valli. His tales of helping earthquake surviors as a translator for the Norweigan relief team was genuinly engaging.

As for my experience with Bam... Uh, well I listened to Valli, saw some ruins and won a belly flop competiton in the hotel pool.

Ah earthquakes and immaturity. Have those words ever gone together? Not sure.