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Published: October 15th 2014
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Sleep in until 0600. Not stiff????!!!
Go find some tea and a wifi signal.
Meet a New Zealander, Murray, he has stayed at Polour last night too, he wanted to have a look at it instead of staying his last night in Tehran. He is retired and now trains blind dogs and travels to obscure places once a year. He has loved Iran- his top 3 - 1. Archaeological Museum, Tehran 2. Persepolis 3. Zein O Din- a caravanserai in the desert near Yazd- a history buff I think. Obviously he has not been to theh postal and telecommunications museum!
Head into the Hoj Hussein Restaurant for breaky and the only thing that I'm ordering is a fried egg with dates- I figure I deserve the fat and sugar, I think I'm down a couple of kilos despite the chocolate. Forget to take my Nescafé - can't believe I didn't even think about coffee this morning. It's a comfortable breakfast this morning. I still feel very elated.
The plan is to head back to Tehran, Mr Soltani has booked a room at the Hotel Shahr for me in the eastern outskirts near the domestic airport ahead of
my flight to Shiraz tomorrow. Get all packed up ready to go, but first there is green melon to eat and tea to drink. Discretely give Amir his tip inside a card of Perth city, indiscreetly he opens it while we're eating green melon. It's not like Nepal where they tuck it away really quickly. I think he's happy.
Drive back to Tehran in Mr Soltani's car, the first hour or so is mountainous desert then we hit the new high rise suburbs. There are stalls of bright orange pumpkins for sale as well as guys in the road selling grapes. Eventually hit the city outskirts and pull up at a pretty impressive colonial looking hotel- looks too big for me, looks too expensive. We go check the prices 117, 131, 170!!! I'm thinking USD, Mr S reassures me it's IRR. Better. Check out the rooms and am very happy with the basic one at $40. Amir shouts us coffee and cake in the lobby then it's time to say goodbye. I think I have graduated to the level of family as we kiss Persian style- 3 times, alternate cheeks with a Western style hug thrown in too. Mr
Soltani and I reservedly shake hands and they are off- by myself again.
Head up to the room and enjoy the quiet, the balcony, the stained glass windows.... And get stuck into the serious business of washing of my sulphur infused trekking clothes in the handbasin with no plug and shampoo. Room now resembles cheap laundromat... with stained glass windows.
So, what to do? Being wifi connected I find I am close to the Sorkheh Hesar National Park so head off in its general direction. Crossing 2 overhead bridges, 1 over a 12 lane highway, I end up at what looks like a very, very back entrance with toilets and taxi drivers. Head into the pine trees wondering if it's really such a smart idea, it's now after 4 and totally deserted. Walk for half an hour amongst the pine trees, spot a squirrel and some crows and call it a day. Retrace my steps back over the freeway bridge and into the town. Wander aimlessly for another hour or so through the busy streets and then the residential streets. Lots of bread shops, lots of fruit and vege stalls and the best of all- an ice cream
shop- dinner becomes a carrot juice with saffron ice cream.
Back at the hotel at around 7 it is a hive of activity- a wedding, a busy lobby and a boys soccer team (I think they are all on my floor- it's a noisy night with lots of running around and knocking on doors). Fall asleep early, still not stiff.
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