I'm going to Iran (updated)

Sunhouse
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Sunhouse
Edited Date/Time 5/1/2017 11:24pm
Very pleased, the Easter holiday is booked and ready. Quite a lot of hassle still. There are still too many sanctions, booking one night at a hotel for the visa application wasn't easy. I would say it was almost easier to book North Korea. Gaining entry though is much easier in Iran than North Korea.

But the plan is as follows: I have to go to Iran due to:
1. I love history and have yet to see Persepolis, and many other ancient land marks.
2. I love planes, and have to fly Iran Air before they have modernised their entite fleet. So I booked from Stockholm to Tehran, which is flown by an A310 I think.
But I have 4 domestic flights there too due to limited time for train or motorcycle. Could be both old B727's and the brand new A320 NEO. I hope for both of them to be honest.

Top reasons to go:
- Persians are the friendliest people in the world
- Still relatively different, although it is opening up
- So much history and culture, should have had more time there unfortunately.
- Nice food

Anyone here been to Iran? Would love to hear some stories
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HenryA
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HenryA 3/10/2017 2:37am
3/10/2017 2:37am
That's way cool! I've only heard good stuff from people that have actually visited the country.
71Fish
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71Fish 3/10/2017 4:10am
3/10/2017 4:10am
Perfect place to spend a Christian holiday.
I've seen Anthony Bordain do a show in Iran and you are right, the non-government people seem wonderful. Would be a cool place to visit. Closest I've been is Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Great people there too.
JW381
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JW381 3/10/2017 11:52am
3/10/2017 11:52am
Sweet!

B727 would be cool Cool

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TXDirt
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TXDirt 3/10/2017 1:04pm
3/10/2017 1:04pm
Just make sure you got proper insurance!!
Sunhouse
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Sunhouse 3/11/2017 3:21am
3/11/2017 3:21am
TXDirt wrote:
Just make sure you got proper insurance!!
Hah! Good one.
I have awesome travel insurance, it covers every country on earth and all types of activities.
Sunhouse
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Sunhouse 3/11/2017 3:24am
3/11/2017 3:24am
71Fish wrote:
Perfect place to spend a Christian holiday. I've seen Anthony Bordain do a show in Iran and you are right, the non-government people seem wonderful. Would...
Perfect place to spend a Christian holiday.
I've seen Anthony Bordain do a show in Iran and you are right, the non-government people seem wonderful. Would be a cool place to visit. Closest I've been is Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Great people there too.
What was Saudi Arabia like? Where you there for business or pleasure?
71Fish
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71Fish 3/11/2017 7:31am
3/11/2017 7:31am
71Fish wrote:
Perfect place to spend a Christian holiday. I've seen Anthony Bordain do a show in Iran and you are right, the non-government people seem wonderful. Would...
Perfect place to spend a Christian holiday.
I've seen Anthony Bordain do a show in Iran and you are right, the non-government people seem wonderful. Would be a cool place to visit. Closest I've been is Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Great people there too.
Sunhouse wrote:
What was Saudi Arabia like? Where you there for business or pleasure?
Business. It's very strict as you might imagine. A big outing for men, since there is no alcohol is going to hookah bars. I learned to hold hands with my Saudi friends. It felt less gay over time since it's the culture, lol.

Something subtle I found interesting was how they would greet each other based on thier name and how closely or distantly they were related.
Sunhouse
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Sunhouse 3/11/2017 11:15am
3/11/2017 11:15am
71Fish wrote:
Business. It's very strict as you might imagine. A big outing for men, since there is no alcohol is going to hookah bars. I learned to...
Business. It's very strict as you might imagine. A big outing for men, since there is no alcohol is going to hookah bars. I learned to hold hands with my Saudi friends. It felt less gay over time since it's the culture, lol.

Something subtle I found interesting was how they would greet each other based on thier name and how closely or distantly they were related.
That is really cool! Did you like it? How long were you there for?
Is camel as nice tasting as they say?
Been looking into a trip to Saudi Arabia, I found a guy who can get me in, he runs a small travel business there.
Sunhouse
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Sunhouse 3/11/2017 11:17am
3/11/2017 11:17am
XXVoid MainXX wrote:
I went to Saudi for 7 months for... ahem... business. Smile
Did it have something to do with Saddam? Blink
71Fish
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71Fish 3/11/2017 2:41pm
3/11/2017 2:41pm
71Fish wrote:
Business. It's very strict as you might imagine. A big outing for men, since there is no alcohol is going to hookah bars. I learned to...
Business. It's very strict as you might imagine. A big outing for men, since there is no alcohol is going to hookah bars. I learned to hold hands with my Saudi friends. It felt less gay over time since it's the culture, lol.

Something subtle I found interesting was how they would greet each other based on thier name and how closely or distantly they were related.
Sunhouse wrote:
That is really cool! Did you like it? How long were you there for? Is camel as nice tasting as they say? Been looking into a...
That is really cool! Did you like it? How long were you there for?
Is camel as nice tasting as they say?
Been looking into a trip to Saudi Arabia, I found a guy who can get me in, he runs a small travel business there.
I don't remember having camel so I must not have. I had goat though. I didn't get the eye which is supposed to be a huge show of respect. This was actually in Jordan but ate many of the same things.



Sunhouse
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Sunhouse 3/12/2017 3:14pm
3/12/2017 3:14pm
71Fish wrote:
I don't remember having camel so I must not have. I had goat though. I didn't get the eye which is supposed to be a huge...
I don't remember having camel so I must not have. I had goat though. I didn't get the eye which is supposed to be a huge show of respect. This was actually in Jordan but ate many of the same things.



It actually looks very tasty! did you use your hands while sharing the meal?
markit
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markit 3/12/2017 7:40pm
3/12/2017 7:40pm
71Fish wrote:
Business. It's very strict as you might imagine. A big outing for men, since there is no alcohol is going to hookah bars. I learned to...
Business. It's very strict as you might imagine. A big outing for men, since there is no alcohol is going to hookah bars. I learned to hold hands with my Saudi friends. It felt less gay over time since it's the culture, lol.

Something subtle I found interesting was how they would greet each other based on thier name and how closely or distantly they were related.
Sunhouse wrote:
That is really cool! Did you like it? How long were you there for? Is camel as nice tasting as they say? Been looking into a...
That is really cool! Did you like it? How long were you there for?
Is camel as nice tasting as they say?
Been looking into a trip to Saudi Arabia, I found a guy who can get me in, he runs a small travel business there.
71Fish wrote:
I don't remember having camel so I must not have. I had goat though. I didn't get the eye which is supposed to be a huge...
I don't remember having camel so I must not have. I had goat though. I didn't get the eye which is supposed to be a huge show of respect. This was actually in Jordan but ate many of the same things.



Damn, I'm from the south and roadkill is just a joke here.
Rockinar
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Rockinar 3/12/2017 10:05pm
3/12/2017 10:05pm Edited Date/Time 3/12/2017 10:06pm
I have a story.

My home builder is from Iran. In 2013 he went there to visit family and they threw him in jail, held him for ransom and milked him of his savings. LOL I'll pass on any Iranian "adventures".
71Fish
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71Fish 3/13/2017 4:03am
3/13/2017 4:03am
71Fish wrote:
I don't remember having camel so I must not have. I had goat though. I didn't get the eye which is supposed to be a huge...
I don't remember having camel so I must not have. I had goat though. I didn't get the eye which is supposed to be a huge show of respect. This was actually in Jordan but ate many of the same things.



Sunhouse wrote:
It actually looks very tasty! did you use your hands while sharing the meal?
Not a utensil in sight.
roundtheoutside 4/7/2017 2:05am
4/7/2017 2:05am
Coincidentally I'm going too for easter holidays. I think we will be heading north to the caspian sea and then to isfahan later. Did you already find a spot for a dirtbike ride?
Sunhouse
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Sunhouse 4/21/2017 9:53am
4/21/2017 9:53am
roundtheoutside wrote:
Coincidentally I'm going too for easter holidays. I think we will be heading north to the caspian sea and then to isfahan later. Did you already...
Coincidentally I'm going too for easter holidays. I think we will be heading north to the caspian sea and then to isfahan later. Did you already find a spot for a dirtbike ride?
Damn, didn't see this before now! I know where to go to ride mx. There is an ok track just outside og Tehran, and one outside Masshad too I believe. I was almost hit by a dude one a brand new yzf450 with fresh dirt on it one afternoon in Tehran. Awesome stuff! How was you trip?

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Sunhouse
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Sunhouse 4/21/2017 10:29am
4/21/2017 10:29am
Ok, a quick run down of the trip.
Pretty much everything I predicted in the OP was correct: not enough time, SO much to see. And the people were even friendlier than I had imagined (and I had high expectations).
The friendliness was just ridiculous. The Iranians want to shake your hand and talk to you everywhere. Not to do business or scam you for money. They are just generally super nice. Several meals where paid for by complete strangers who wanted nothibg in return. A really hot woman and her husband brought me cake while waiting for my flight from Masshad to Tehran. This stuff happened all the time. It's overwelming, and it really gives you a new perspective on what hospitality really is. We are just plain rude in the West compared to the Persians. Also, the pure warmth in their smiles and faces seems so genuine, and not fake or forced at all. I can highly recommend Iran, and I expect Americans to be treated even better (if possible). They really are a peaceful people.

The women: stunning and flirtasious. I met so many women on this trip, and kind of wish me and the mrs were on a break for this tripLaughing they all have nosejobs and Persian doctors are the best at it - even better than the Venezuelan doctors. The women are treated like princesses and some behave like it too. The men carry their shit and often walk behind their women except when opening doors etc. Totally different to the Arabs.

I went to three cities:
Tehran
Shiraz
Masshad

Masshad is the religious holy city for shia muslims, and has a huge mosque for pilgrims. Shiraz is the cultural centre with the ancient city of Persepolis and Nekropolis which were destroyed by Alexander The Great only 25mins outside of the city.

I have a few ridiculous stories concerning Masshad, but will have to wrote them down later. I'm dead tired atm. For now I will include a few pictures and will answer any questions you may have Smile












DirtyFilter75 4/22/2017 6:05am
4/22/2017 6:05am
Can you sign some sort of waiver that states we don't have to come look for you if you disappear? Can you post a pic so when the beheading video comes out we know it's you?

I think it's balsy to go but I have zero sympathy for anyone "kidnapped" over there.
Sunhouse
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Sunhouse 4/22/2017 9:17am
4/22/2017 9:17am
DirtyFilter75 wrote:
Can you sign some sort of waiver that states we don't have to come look for you if you disappear? Can you post a pic so...
Can you sign some sort of waiver that states we don't have to come look for you if you disappear? Can you post a pic so when the beheading video comes out we know it's you?

I think it's balsy to go but I have zero sympathy for anyone "kidnapped" over there.
You have the countries mixed up. It's like me saying I hate going to the US because I don't like sauerkraut and soccer. The Iranians don't behead people. You are thinking of our allies in the gulf region
Sunhouse
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Sunhouse 4/22/2017 9:19am
4/22/2017 9:19am Edited Date/Time 4/22/2017 10:21pm
TripleFive wrote:
Is that a statue of a guy taking a selfie?
Yeah, it's a guy taking a selfie. Iranians love taking pictures of themselves. When we were walking there lots of people came over and wsnted a selfie with us, with the selfie statue behind
scott_nz
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scott_nz 4/22/2017 10:58am
4/22/2017 10:58am
DirtyFilter75 wrote:
Can you sign some sort of waiver that states we don't have to come look for you if you disappear? Can you post a pic so...
Can you sign some sort of waiver that states we don't have to come look for you if you disappear? Can you post a pic so when the beheading video comes out we know it's you?

I think it's balsy to go but I have zero sympathy for anyone "kidnapped" over there.
since the murder rate is half what the US rate is, are you sure your all that safe at home?

do you wonder why it Iran is continually portrayed as your enemy, yet other gulf states that do have state beheadings, and the other things you worry about, are portrayed as your allies?
Hut
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Hut 4/22/2017 12:52pm
4/22/2017 12:52pm Edited Date/Time 4/22/2017 12:53pm
How much oil do they have? Those bastards just might need a dose of freedom!
Sunhouse
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Sunhouse 4/22/2017 10:37pm
4/22/2017 10:37pm
Bizarre deal in Masshad: went to see the holiest mosque they have for Shia's. Masshad is the religious capital in Iran. The mosque is huge with Gold, silver and decorations everywhere. We were looking at it from the outside thinking we weren't going to make it in. A friendly guy comes over who is waiting for his buddy, and says "i'll try to get you in". 5 minutes later we were walking around inside together with these two friendly dudes our age. One was a historian and the other an architect. We were inside for an hour, the place was HUGE! Then the guys said "we need to leave, it's time for weed. So as we exited the Mosque, he pulls out the piggest spliff and smoke it 2m outside the mosque Laughing apparently they grow it strong in Iran as the dudes were two hours late for dinner that afternoon. So surreal to stand there outside of the holiest of holy places and smoke weed like it was perfectly normal. as long as you don't harm anyone else, Iranians don't interfer in other peoples business. One of their friends had been drunk and totaled his car in a roundabout. He woke up and the police officer rang him up to check if he felt ok and that his keys were in his pocket and the car was still parked at the scene of the crash in case he wanted it. Even though alcohol technically isn't legal, everyone drinks there. I'll try to upload some pics from the mosque and the weed smoking. In the meantime I have these




Nighttrain
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Nighttrain 4/23/2017 2:32pm
4/23/2017 2:32pm
Good stuff, Sunhouse, thanks. I did not know the part about Persian hospitality. Your observations of Persian ladies are the same I've noticed for the ones I've known here in the States.
GuyB
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GuyB 4/24/2017 2:05pm
4/24/2017 2:05pm
Now I know where the idea came from...





Cool stories and photos. You win the Vital MX Travel Adventurer Award. Smile
DirtyFilter75 4/24/2017 2:09pm
4/24/2017 2:09pm
DirtyFilter75 wrote:
Can you sign some sort of waiver that states we don't have to come look for you if you disappear? Can you post a pic so...
Can you sign some sort of waiver that states we don't have to come look for you if you disappear? Can you post a pic so when the beheading video comes out we know it's you?

I think it's balsy to go but I have zero sympathy for anyone "kidnapped" over there.
scott_nz wrote:
since the murder rate is half what the US rate is, are you sure your all that safe at home? do you wonder why it Iran...
since the murder rate is half what the US rate is, are you sure your all that safe at home?

do you wonder why it Iran is continually portrayed as your enemy, yet other gulf states that do have state beheadings, and the other things you worry about, are portrayed as your allies?
Who says I feel safe in the US? There is a reason I sleep with a gun under my pillow and take one every place I go like a baby with a pacifier.

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