Turk Visa Chaos

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Geo: 36.3156, 59.568

Our main aim for travelling to Mashhad, Irans second largest town, read traffic nightmare best avoided was to collect our transit visas for Turkmenistan and to extend our Iran Tourist visa by a week. When we planned our trip we planned for 7 days in Turkmenistan. The latest gossip from others suggested they were not issuing transit visa very readily, 5 days was a blessing which would leave us short 2 days in Iran so we made a quick call to change our applications to five days and the extend Iran. In this part of the world visa are only valid for nominated dates and Uzbekistan we had to get before Turkmenistan so we could not change. Anyway we managed for find Gadhir Camp which turned out to be a large park for pilgrims. It was fairly organised with security on all the exits, when we entered they gave us a receipt in a plastic clip which we later realised was to hang on our tent not unlike caravan parks in Aus. The security man hoped on his bike and escorted us to an area, the park was huge so we were grateful for the direction. Turned out they had decided to park us next to the Camps fire station for our security. These pilgrim camps are frequented by the less fortunate and they were worried about our car and belongings. Anyway when we rocked up outside the station a number of the fireies came out to help us park our car and watch the tent unfolding.

They seemed very nice and so we just got on with our stuff. WC (Wash closet, toilet) and Hamman (a kind of public showering area) found we settled in. Darren and I soon got to experience how Angela Jolie and Brad Pitt feel. The crowds of interested people wishing to welcome us to Iran and take our photos and photos of the car started quite quickly. The problem escalated and Darren and I became quite drained with the barrage of questions. No Farsi… No Farsi did not seem to deter the barrage. Fortunately the emergency services were on hand to double a security guards and they regularly came out to ask people to move on and not disturb the rather curious tourists. Thank God.

Friday was spent hanging around and doing our washing as Friday is a weekend in Muslim countries. We did however meet one local who was walking through the park who spoke great English and was able to translate and answer the Firies questions. The least we could do considering they were looking after us so well.

When we explained plans for tomorrow, Turkmenistan Consulate followed by Iran Office of Immigration and asked how best to get into town as we did not want to drive the Queen Mary he was good enough to offer to collect us at 7.30 in the morning and take us around. Eshan turned out to be a real hero.

Next day Esahan and his very nice friend arrived on time we hopped into their car and headed into the embassy. We had lodged our applications in Tehran for our transit visa 10 days earlier so were mildly confident we should get visas. Darrens was approved, mine was a flat no as I am a dual English citizen with two passports. We were totally flabbergasted.

Somewhat distraught we headed to the Iran immigration office and lodged an application for a two week extension to our tourist visa. When we entered the building we headed through security and the man politely handed me a Chador (black tent dress) as it is a requirement of official buildings. I rather clumsily put it on and started the sweating process. Mashhad is on the border with Afganistan and Pakistan and the office was full of Afghan and Pakistanies wanting to extend their visas to stay in Iran. I Joined the ladies line, which was much shorter than the men's line and was a little humbled to be just needing two weeks. Yes I had a big problem but if worst came to worst I could get on a plane somewhere and rejoin Darren in Uzbekistan. These people could not return to their respective homes.

After about an hour and a half of shoving Eshan went into the Manager office and explained our Turkmenistan issue and he took some pitty on us. He agreed to try and process our application today. Long story short after Eshan had completed our paperwork in Farsi, paid money at the bank around the corner, took photocopies of our original visa at some other shop around another corner, about four hours later we at least had an extension visa and some breathing space. How tourists are supposed to do this without out a local helping is anybody's guess.

Eshan took us back to the camp, all of us still in shock trying to work out what to do. Day one in Iran we met Shole who was a tourist guide who lived in Tehran who gave us her number and she said any problems in Iran please call me. We figured we had a problem and called the number. I spoke to her and she was struggling to understand our issue so handed the phone to Eshan who explained the intricacies of the day in Farsi and together they cooked up a plan.

She knew some people in Tehran and if we could get back there she would try to help us. This is where words fail us as to the generosity and kindness of the Iranian people. By this time a large crowd had gathered again to hear the story. Eshan translated to the Firies and one of them said hang on the Captains wife is a travel agent she can get us a ticket. We were booked on the earliest flight in the morning, one of the Firies, doing night shift came by the camp at 5am and took us to the airport. Darren and I did not know even what airline we were flying but the FirieSaleem had the details, check us in, pointed us in the right direction and said he would be praying for us.

When we landed Shole was there at the airport with a driver, took us straight to the Turkmenistan Embassy. I fronted up to the window, explained I had not been to Mashhad and would like to collect my transit visa if possible from them today. They took my passport, processed the visa and 10 minutes later it was all history. I gave Shole the biggest hug, she said it was her duty to help us and she was so happy she could. She then organised a train ticket back the following morning and told us we have a day in Tehran to enjoy. I asked if she could just ring Eshan and tell him to update the Firies who all were praying for us. Shole said "It seems Allah has been very busy this morning taking care of Australian Tourists". We all had a wonderful lunch at a vegetarian restaurant (the best food we have had for some time as we had not been able to order anything previously as we could not read the menus). We stayed the night at Sholes home and went to her daughters house in the evening for dinner and a party with the locals.

It seemed there were some famous Iranian Musicians who would be there and would bring their instruments to play for us. Wow what a wonderful night. We both slept like the living dead, headed into the train station at in a taxi travelling 120kms per hour along an inner city motorway and into aa Tehran tunnel. The traffic is horrendous and I felt like we were in a Die Hard movie. The Cabbie spoke absolutely no English so !**! please slow down had no effect. I was sitting in the back seat like a good Islamic woman does and thought maybe I will try this pray to Allah stuff myself as it would be a shame to have the wheels fall off after having got this far.

We did arrive safety at the train station after no fewer than three near death experiences and hoped on a train destined for Mashhad. I casually ask around our fellow passengers if any English and yes a little from one guy. How long is our journey, only 11 hours. Really..oh well beggars could not be choosers. Lunch was served, Chicken and Rice, hhmmmm. Fortunately Shole had packed us picnic lunch so we had something to eat. We landed at about 7 oclock at night,pretty trail weary and to our surprise when we arrived one of the firies was waving madly at us in the station. He had come to collect us, his wife had tea waiting for us, we can take shower, sleep at his house which was near to the station and he will take us back to the camp in the morning.

Seriously we were flawed again by the kindness and generosity of these people. Needless to say after pretty emotional goodbyes with two transit visas we hoped back in the car and headed for the border.

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Photos

Gadhir Camp
In the morning most sleep outside their tents on the road. Weird

Child Decoy
Babies are surely an ice breaker with Mrs to approach the foreigners. PS our neighbour was very cute.

Question Time For Ladies
One spoke english so it was on

Looking the part
Chador is compuslory for Govt buildings,

Party Iranian Style
Gees these guys were amazing

Comments

[saeed (the fire man)]

I hope you have been enjoyed from traveling to Iran specially Mashhad.we love to see you again here :)best wishes for youShima & Saeed