It all began with a headline. British
Airways to resume direct flights from Heathrow to Tehran. Such magic,
mobilizing words. Eight months later, we were on the flight.
I blame my professors. Both the Editor and
I had studied History and International Relations. That Iran had re-opened to
tourism meant we could finally see the monuments and antiquities of those great
empires and civilizations while observing contemporary life in one of the
Middle East’s most important political actors. Once the idea was planted, we
had to go. But how?
Logistics
You can’t just pick up a rental car at
Tehran airport and drive around the country. For starters, your itinerary has
to be pre-approved by the authorities in order to acquire a visa, a ‘not fun’
process filled with complexity. Also, driving in Iran is best left to the
locals. In short, for this trip, we needed support.
We knew that Steppes Travel, a tour operator in
the UK with British Museum antecedents, was offering small group travel to Iran.
We liked their offering. Surprisingly, the price difference between going with
a group and travelling solo with our own guide and driver was not hugely prohibitive
so we chose to be on our own. Of course, we weren’t. We were almost 24/7 with
our guide and driver. Here is where our
calculation that Steppes would have good relationships in Iran paid off.
Steppes local provider, Pasagard Tours, was flawless
in its delivery, especially in providing our brilliant guide, Navid Ghods, and
our excellent driver, Houman. Navid’s passion for his country’s history and
culture, his attention to detail, his concern for our comfort and wellbeing
made our trip truly exceptional. Anyone who has seen me incompetently crossing
busy roads in London would appreciate the death-defying efforts Navid had to
exert to get me safely across the streets of Iran. No matter how I try, I cannot
imagine a more perfect leader, teacher, protector and friend.
And finally, a word on dress. I worried a lot about this topic before
travelling but in the end, it was no big deal. Yes, women have to keep their
heads and the curvy parts of their bodies covered but you can buy good looking
scarves (cotton is best, they don’t slide around) and tunic-like tops to wear
over your regular trousers. They don’t have to be black. Most importantly, your
efforts to be respectful are appreciated and it certainly adds an element of
the exotic to your visit.
Itinerary
With 10 days to spend in the country, we
travelled the classic tourist route of Tehran, Kashan, Abyaneh, Isfahan, Shiraz,
Yazd, Na’in and back to Tehran. Sound like a lot of driving? It was - almost
2,000 kilometers to be exact. For anyone planning a trip, there is a case for
flying back to Tehran from the south and skipping the long road trip back. But,
I don’t know. I never learned anything about a country from an airplane.
So what were some of the highlights of the
itinerary? So many, too many, the whole trip was a highlight but here goes:
Tehran is a modern megalopolis,
chaotic, congested and exhilarating. We didn’t fall in love with the place but
it’s a great place to start with wonderful museums and palaces, especially the Golestan Palace complex.
The Fin Garden (Bagh-e Fin)
in Kashan, was lovely and filled with Iranians enjoying themselves in the
splendid surroundings. Some believe that it was from Kashan that the three wise
men from the east followed the star to Bethlehem. I like to think that’s true
and in any event, it shows the importance of this city in ancient times.
· Abyaneh, a 2,500-year-old
mountain village with its own culture and customs where we saw our first
Zoroastrian fire temple. We took a wild ride through the countryside in a
recalcitrant Land Rover that took half the village to start. We loved it.
·
Elegant Esfahan, we loved it too, perhaps
because with a major river (alas, completely dry at the time of our visit),
tree-lined boulevards, magnificent mosques and palaces, a grand old showplace
hotel, the Abassi, All
Saviours Cathedral in the Armenian quarter and much more, it felt a bit like
Europe from a bygone era. Here we had an
interesting conversation with a mullah and spent an evening at a mountain top
restaurant with a group of madcap, partying ladies. I now know some serious
Iranian dance moves.
· In Shiraz we visited gardens
and the shrines of poets. You have to love a society that reveres its writers. Persepolis was a grand experience enhanced by
an older gentleman who passed us muttering something akin to, “that son of a
bitch, Alexander” who burnt the place to the ground in 331 BC. The staff at the
excellent Homa Hotel was particularly
accommodating.
· In Yazd, a desert city with
winding streets and alleyways, we fell in love with wind catchers (badgirs),
ingenious towers that capture and funnel cooling breezes throughout buildings. Sunset
at the Zoroastrian Towers of Silence where, until the 1970s, the bodies of the
dead were picked clean by vultures, was unforgettable. The Moshir Garden Hotel was totally
brilliant with unique Persian décor, a romantic courtyard, parrots and a midget
in livery working reception.
· In Na’in, there is an older
gentleman tucked away in a back room of the very interesting Pirnia House and
Ethnographic Museum who weaves kilim rugs and coats and hats out of camel hair.
His work is amazing and the prices reasonable so if you are heading for Na’in,
save room in your suitcase and budget for an authentic piece of Iranian
craftsmanship.
And then we were almost done. As Houman
drove us back to Tehran – sure, a long slog but better than Interstate 95 - I
thought about Iran, the last 8 months of planning, the effort involved in
getting the visa and the nervousness we sometimes felt about the whole thing -
after all, a British-Iranian mother had recently been jailed for 5 years on
undisclosed charges – and then I thought about what we had encountered here,
the richness of every single day’s experience, the warm reception we received
everywhere, the splendor, the contradictions and the sheer pleasure of it all.
Was it one of the most rewarding trips we have ever taken? Yes it was.
There is a travel quote from Jawaharial Nehru
that I like a lot that seems fitting for the end of this post.
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and
adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them
with our eyes open.”
That was my Iran.
.
