Postcards from the Axis of Evil

I'm on one of those crappy computers again, the kind that has already crashed 3 times, is even slower than my typing and where the space bar only works if you tap it hard on the right side at an angle of 45 degrees.

On top of that my email supplier (myway) have recently changed all there software so my email account is practically unusable. So with Facebook and Myspace banned I'm just going to leave a wee note till I should have full access in Dubai next week: Flic, Em and Indi can't wait to see ya, Indi I'd LOVE it if you could meet me at the airport in the early hours of the morning (Emirates airlines, EK404 from Dubai to Tullamarine Airport Arriving 0130, Sunday Nov 9... it stops somewhere along the way, I don't know where, and if I was a more superstitious person I would be concerned about my flight number being 404: internet code for dunno, can't find it).

Despite the bad computers Iran remains fantastic. It's really lovely here, really. The people are lovely, the architecture is incredible and the history is astounding. We are in a place called Yazd right now. I'll pop a map in so you can see. This place is said to have had a continuous settlement here for 7000 years. 7000! It was visited by Marco Polo and Alexander the Great.


Iran is full of surprises. Before I came, I knew if was beautiful from the lovely Persia Tourism ad campaigns we got on Arab satellite TV in Africa. And I knew it was one of those bad countries that the US want to bomb. I had visions of soldiers on every corner, crippling effects of sanctions restricting all forms of commerce, women draped in black scuttling away from view, gender segregation in every part of life, and problems with bureaucracy.

Nope, it's not like that at all. there are a few elements of truth in it though. some women do where a long black cape from there head, but faces are open and most women wear a combination of headscarf, a 3/4 length fitted jacket (they are awesome, I'm going to buy several before I leave, perfect length for business jacket or dress) and slim trousers - in fact hipster skinny jeans are popular here (and muffin tops are always hidden).

Also popular are nose jobs. So far we have seen 6 plastered noses (5 girls, 1 guy) and we haven't yet got to the nose-job capital; Tehran.

Her are a couple of pretty accurate examples I got from the web, I image searched "Iranian womens clothes" because "Iranian women's clothes" with the apostrophe was blocked by the government.



There is a bit of gender segregation. On public buses, the men occupy the front and the women the back. In shared taxis seating is arranged so that unrelated men and women are not sitting together. Only once has a hotel asked Tristam and myself if we are married when we checked in, and When Tristam answered no (I would have lied) it didn't appear to make a difference. We have always been given seats next to each other on long distance buses and I have not yet been kicked out of a men-only place like a tea-house or water-pipe place.

There is general discontent with the government. Many of the people we have spoken with (including even soldiers) voice their objections. They are are interesting in hearing our opinions... which are always reserved. They don't want to be seen as being the same as their government. This was a very similar point of view as in Sudan where they wanted it to be known that the decisions of their government were not theirs and didn't represent who they are, I'm sure many others can empathise (Americans). They seem patient to wait till the regime changes. No one wants blood.

So there are sanctions here. which for us means we can't use credit/debit cards or travellers cheques in the country. In theory it means Iran has no international trade with UN nations. In reality we can buy big purchases with all major credit cards (using an off shore account). And even though there is no McDonalds or Starbucks the place is awash with Coke, Pepsi etc (they have factories here and a copyright from before the restrictions) and enough local industries of fast food chains and local banks with ATMs that it doesn't seem to make that much difference to day to day life. Also there will always be someone who will buy their oil.

We are not the only tourists here. Every city we have been to (admittedly having only 18 days here we are hitting all the big ticket spots) we have bumped into loads of foreigners, mostly European. there was even one American (there are allowed in if they give a full itinerary of exactly where they intend to be, or if they go on a government tour). We've seen travellers by motorbike, push-bike, jeep and with loads of kids. There are also loads of internal tourists. It can be hard here to get a visa, and as Iran is so diverse and ideal for tourism many Iranians travel though there own country. Most surprisingly are the tour buses, huge groups of Dutch, French, German or New Zealand old people are herded around important sites.

Tonight we catch the overnight train to Tehran. The traffic there is said to be horrendous, already we have experienced some frightening examples of Iranian driving, it would have been hair raising if my hair was not flattened beneath my headscarf. Allah willing we'll be ok.