Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Iran 2.0

I don't know if I've been traveling for one day or two days at this point... I just know that 16hr flights in Economy are torture! It is ALMOST worth the additional $$ to upgrade to business. Flying to Iran is a bit funny, the first flight (as there are no direct flights, one will always have at least two flights to get to Iran) is full of random nationalities. It is like a mini traveling U.N. then comes flight number two... This is not a mini traveling U.N. This second flight is 100% Irani, unless you are lucky enough to be on the flight with me... Then it's only 99.9% Irani (does my Persian passport make me fall in the Irani category?).

I'm in Dubai now, my beloved Emirate, lounging in these nice lay-back chairs provided to help you sleep. I have already practiced what to tell the passport control when I arrive, "Babakshid Agha, Farsi-e-man khoob nist", translated: I'm sorry Sir, my Farsi is not good. My Abaya is out and ready for the crazy 10 second makeover time when we land. In case you have never had the pleasure of witnessing makeover time on an arriving flight, as soon as the plane touches down in Iran every woman scrambles to put on a coat and scarf (both of which seem to magically appear). You can no longer recognize that girl with the red hair and matching red stilettos who merrily entered the plane, drinking the last of her gin and tonic. I have no idea how these women transform themselves so quickly! It's a mystery!

Once I arrive in Tehran and pass through the three security check points, there is a 7 to 10 hour car ride to Yazd. This is an extremely boring car ride; the only sights visible from the road are flat dirt, sandy flat dirt, sandy hilly dirt, and maybe a few sandy dirty bushes. Did I mention this is a 7-10 hour drive through a desert which is 100-115 degrees during the day in a car that may or may not have air conditioning?

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