Blogs from South, Iran, Middle East - page 10

Whilst we were in Shiraz we got a message from the Swiss cyclists we had met in Yazd that there might be problems with getting a Pakistani visa in Zahedan. Our hearts fell and we phoned the Pakistan Consulate in Zahedan as soon as we could. They said that the policy had changed since the time we had previously phoned and that there was no way we could get a visa there, we must go to Tehran. We jumped on a bus that night and made it to the British Embassy for a letter of recommendation and then lodged our Pakistani application the next morning. Robin had to write a letter saying why we had not got our visa in London and we had a brief meeting with the Pakistani Consul. He underlined things like 10,000 ... read more

Hamid had offered to take me with him on a trip to Bushehr on the Red Sea coast but he slipped in the showerand injured his back, so instead I went and bought a new pair of pants and a couple of T-shirts, visited a traditional restaurant, the bazaar, a museum and a mosque. I moved from the apartment to a smaller cheaper hotel that evening and settled in to watch the world cup soccer matches with the guys in the hotel. Over the next few days I checked out the local restaurants found all the goodies at the bazaar I wished to buy and basically took it easy and got my ticket refunded. On the 11th it was time to pack up my bags and my new purchases and head to the airport, say farewell ... read more

We left Yazd at 7am. Hassan has been telling me a bit about his life , he was born in India to Iranian parents and lived there until he came to Iran for his sisters wedding in 1979, he then got caught up in the revolution and was not allowed to return to India. A call up to the army followed and action in the Iran-Iraq war and a run in with a landmine. He then returned to the airforce after convalesence and finally was free to return to India in 1988. He married here and his wife wont go to India so he visits every year or two. I saw a dead wolf on the side of the road, its the first one I have seen outside of the zoo, Iran also has Asiatic Cheetahs. ... read more

No long haul excursions today, but a chance to have a look around Kerman. We visit a whole slew of places, although they are decidedly low key compared to yesterday's excess in history. In the morning we visit the crowded bazar at Ganj-Ali-Khan Square where you can find lots of the exquisite miniature paintings that are typical to Iran. We also visit a public bath house, Sabz dome and the Friday mosque, where we encounter a mulla arriving in a limousine. My love for mulla spotting has not gone unnoticed, and when driving around Mr. Hoseyn will usually be pointing them out and we will turn to each other and shout "Mullah!". Oh dear... Tonight people are celebrating the return of the 12th Imam to Earth, and this is mainly done by sitting in traffic jams, ... read more

A long day on the road. We pack up and depart from Shiraz at eight in the morning heading east towards Kerman along the highway to Bandar Abbas. We pass through a number of towns and villages, always accompanied by the rain. The weather is again gloomy and chilly. Fortunately we have plenty of tea in the car to keep ourselves warm. The highway is passing through a wasteland of sand and rocks, again lined by beautiful mountains and rock formations enshrouded in mist. Occasionally the road will climb ridges and overlook salty lakes. Traffic is light. Farzaneh is explaining about the old underground constructions known as qanats, evidence of which can be spotted in the form of holes near the road. They are basically underground tunnels sloping gently for several kilometers, intended to lead water ... read more