Guides' blogs for Iran
Road Trip to Baluchistan (15/06/2009)
My final task this year in Iran was to bum around South East Iran, namely Baluchistan, and come up with a new trailblazing trip for Wild Frontiers.
Despite numerous warnings of kidnappings and drug smugglers, I headed down to Chabahar on the Pakistani border. A huge element of my love for travelling and seeking new pastures is the prospect of a road trip. I fell in love with travelling on my very first journey of this nature. I was 7 years old sitting in the back of a station wagon driving from Guyana through Suriname to French Guyana with my parents - we drove through the night, the headlights lit up the red earthy roads and fireflies sparkled in the periphery. You got to have music on a road trip - and on the same journey I discovered the magic of travelling with music - the 'wukuman' (I was also learning English). Mike Oldfield's 'Moonlight Shadow', Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde Album and driving at night through the rainforest - going somewhere, somehow and arriving anytime from now - I had found the love of my life - travelling.
Maintaining the free spirit of 'real travel' is a huge challenge in organized trips - one which Wild Frontiers manages extremely well. My journey through Baluchistan and part of Kerman province - will hopefully be moulded into one of the many epic journeys on their repertoire. So - what is there to see?
A perfect mixture of nature, culture, cuisine and 'travelling for travelling's sake': this part of Iran has it all. Minab Market offers an insight into Bandari culture; ladies wearing golden sequence inlaid masks and brightly embroidered funky trousers under the chadours. Driving North East stopping over Jiroft which hosts a 3000BC ziggurat and amazing fine art object carved in soap stone surrounded by date plantations, adobe villages and Kurdish nomadic winter camps. Continuing to Bam - the home of the disastrous 2003 earthquake, was one of the highlights to the trip. Since coming to Iran first time in 2004, I have always been told that it is no longer worth going- Wrong... it is now. The reconstruction work - of both the citadel and the community is definitely worth a visit. The work is progressing and visiting will contribute constructively to the economy and rebuilding pride amongst the inhabitant of this very special part of a vast and beautiful country.
My driver, Morad, was a great character. His origins and most of his family are in the small town of Bazman on the foothills of Kuh-e-Baz. A great little town packed with date plantations, spring water feeding into two public baths (gender segregation since 1980), goats, nomadic camps -100% Baluchi culture and community. Of all the ethnic groups in Iran, the Baluch suffer from the worst mis-representation. Most are portrayed as drug smuggling kidnappers, thieves and other nasty-ness; what I saw, felt and experience was a far cry from this. The part of Baluchistan which I went through (not Sistan which is North East from here) is safe and away from the centre of all the mess which creates the mis-representation. After spending time in Bazman with Morad and his huge extended family, we continued through the fertile Sarbaz Valley along the riverbed. Crocodiles and banana palms, pink and pastel coloured mosques, fresh mango juice vendors and trades from across the Pakistani border. Finishing off in Morad's home, where his wife put on a feast of freshy caught tuna fish and ripe juicy mangoes, the journey had come to an end.
It was a fabulous road trip - trailblazing, off the beaten track - call it whatever you want - it was certainly an amazing experience reminding me of why I fell in love with travelling in the first place. I am back in the office on Friday presenting this new itinerary - inshallah it will go ahead next year.
Back in Tehran in the midst of chaos arising from the upcoming presidential elections, I am relaxing to the sounds of the dripping aircon trying to convince myself it is a tinkling fountain. Al least it overwrites the noisy traffic from this huge smelly metropolis. That's all for now - I am off to Botswana and will be back in the world of Wild Frontiers in August. Have a great summer. Mette
Wild Walk in the Talesh (01/06/2009)
When WF asked me to lead the recce trip of Talesh highlands - I was wondering who wanted to go walking in the Caspian Sea Region - an area which I associate with hot and humid paddy fields scattered with plastic and other litter. Nevertheless - I took it up and last Monday I headed up to Bander-E-Anzali with Paul, Sally, Carol, Judith, Janice and Michael. After a visit to Masuleh and a loving reunion with my old friends, Mariam and Madineh - two of the villages mad grannies obsessed with knitting socks - we drove to Talesh city. Still wandering what was awating ahead of us - we were met by Masoom, a young chap from the area who was to be our local guide. Armed with a huge machete, well trained in his mother's homecooking and accompanied by his 65 year old uncle (wearing a dark blue suit and wellies) - Masoom seemed to be up for the challenge of leading us through the Talesh Mountains.
I have lead many trips of this nature, but little did I know that this trip, ' Wild Walk in The Talesh Highlands', was to become the most inspiring and rewarding personal and professional experiences I have had. Masoom and his family and friends we met on the trek were so wonderful and welcoming. It was just amazing.
The first day we pitched up in a village - after lengthly discussions the villagers finally agreed on who would have the honour to host us - this happened in every village as they were all keen to show respect to Masoom's uncle - Sheik Ramazan (aka Agaha Bozorg or BabaGanouch). The next day we trekked up through a misty and muddy forest leading us to a 2 hour uphill stretch in the fog and on to another village. Here the shop keeper invited us to stay in his adejent room. The night's excitement was sheep bottomfat kebab - the village had had a giant celebration to give thanks for god for the good rains - and gave us a whole sheep bottom fat to fry up. Needless to say - Masoom and his uncle consumed it all themselves!
Having trekked up through the fortest in the fog - we had no idea what our surroundings were like - I was kind of worried that the scenery would not be up to scratch compared to the hospitality. The next morning gave me all the answers and laid to rest any doubt I may have had. As the sun rose, the mist lifted, and we realised we had walked up past the treeline and were on a plateau above the clouds. My lack of writing skills keeps me from describing this awesome experience - you'll have to come and see for yourselves! We spent the next 3 days walking in pristine pastures dressed in wild flowers and with chapers (a kind of a yurt) across the lands. No litter, no electricty, no noise - just... acres of loveliness.
The warm welcome of the Taleshi people, the intuitative hospitality and the genuine curiosity we were meet by will stick in my mind forever as one of my top 5 favoutite travel moments. Wild Frontiers 'Wild Walk in the Talesh Highland' is a privilege to lead and a once in lifetime experience for anyone who chooses to join us up there. Back in Tehran - I can't say much about that except that is is interesting being here in the run up to the elections on 11th June. Tomorrow morning I head down to Sistan via Baluchistan to come up with an itinerary for a combined Musamdam Pennisula and Southern Iran trip. Take care. Mette.
Nomads & Homestay – in the Heart of Iranian Hospitality (20/05/2009)
Late Thursday afternoon we arrived in the village of Monj – greeted by our hosts Reza who bears cunning resembles to Johnny Paterson (so much so I dreamt he was here on quality control). We are spending two nights in the home of this wonderful and charming family – the first foreign visitors to the house. Immediately upon arrival we were ushered out on walk around the village – little did we know that we were to be showed off to the entire village. Never have I drunk that much tea, shaken so many hands and eaten some many newly picked red mulberries. It was a fantastic experience – again something my fellow travellers would never had experienced if they had been put off the negative view on Iran presented by Western media. Located in the fertile Bavanat valley, the village is one of a dozen of permanently settled farming communities who survive on walnut, wheat and mulberry crops. During May – September, the foothills of the surrounding mountains are inhabited by the Khamesh nomads who settle here for the summer herding goats and sheep. We went out intending to find a settlement to visit and had an excellent day with Mohammad and his 25-man strong settlement near a spring. After having been introduced to the leader and his wife, we were free wandered around. Most of the young men have moved to the cities and it is generally believed that after two generations, the hamseh will be absorbed by modern settled lifestyles. The curiosity was equally spread between ‘us and them’ – it was a very relaxed afternoon trying our best at milking goats, riding donkeys and drinking tea. We waved goodbye at dusk and headed back to Monj – and JP’s twin’s house. His wife (and the rest of the village) had prepared a fabulous farewell meal, and after the prolonged photo session, we enjoyed it and settled down for the night. Some of the chaps had to share a room with our driver who is some kind of machine – the snoring is unbelievable. Nightly sounds aside – this is a true highlight to WFs trip to Iran – staying with the family and visiting the nomads is a dream come true – I have done a whole lot of ‘village visits’ and ‘homestays’ in my leading career – and this is by far the most genuine experience I have had. Tomorrow we are off to Shiraz – my favourite town in Iran. Persepolis and the laid back bazaar with its mixed inhabitants of Qash’gai nomads, Afghani refugees and Iranian tourist await us. .. And of cause an evening visits to the romantic garden tombs of the Sufi poet Hafez. Goodnight.
The House of Strength - Seeing is Believing in Iran (14/05/2009)
Yadz - located on the western edge of the Lut desert - has developed positively in the 5 years I have been away. Money has been invested in restoring and preserving the old mud brick architecture dominating the old town and bazaar area. Last night we popped by Cham Village and climbed into the ‘Towers of silence’ – where until 1930s the Zoroastrians would lay out their dead to be consumed by vultures and other meat eating creatures. Overlooking beautiful ‘toothpick’mountain ranges and the vast desert beneath, there is an eerie and special atmosphere descending on the towers at sunset. A perfect place for a sundowner but from past experiences, I dare not impose Iraninan homebrew on my fellow travelers. Heading back to our lovely hotel in a converted 18th century Persian garden complex, we had dinner and sat around on the raised platform with a cup of tea – yet another cup of tea following the footsteps of Dave and Stan’s ‘In the Axis of Tea’ version of this trip last year. The day was spend walking around the old city discovering new aspects of this lovely tranquil desert dwelling. We came across a craftsman who was in the process of restoring a mosaic covering the entire mihrab of a mosque. Such beautiful delicate work. One of the greatest aspects of travelling in Iran is its people. As a foreigner it is easy to fall into the role of being a minor celebrity – walking down the street of the seaside village I was born in Denmark, usually does not evoke having my photo taken. Families and students alike love to have their photo taken with you and all greet us with beaming smiles; ‘Welcome to Iran – thank you for coming to see our country’. It's really cool and such a contrast to how Iran is presented in the Western media. Tomorrow we head South West where the plan is to spend a couple of nights with a family and visit the Khamseh nomads in their summer pastures.
Oh – nearly forgot ...tonight we are off to witness a session at the Zurkhune – ‘House of Strength’. A mixture of weight training and step aerobics performed by men in tight embroided leather trousers whilst the leader of the ceremony recites surrahs from the Qurans and beats a giant drum… Seeing is believing. Mette in Iran.
“A Great Set of Knockers” – Mette in Iran. (11/05/2009)
The Peacock Throne – Wildfrontiers annual trip of Iran has begun. I am out here for 7 weeks leading the recce Wild Walk in the Highlands of the Talesh and then doing a bit of a recce in Baluchistan for upcoming trips next year. It is excellent to be back in Persia – and Persia it sure is. In the currently political climate, we rarely hear of other things than Mullah Factories, Uranium enrichments and chador clad women (all of which we saw today in fact) – but once you poke your nose beneath the surface, you are in Persia disguised as the Islamic Republic of Iran. It’s a fascinating, intriguing and charming country to travel in. Iran has a distinct Persian National Identity structured around pre-Islamic traditions and cultures – all this overshadows the bad press and reputation once you are out here. After only 48 hours, most of the group’s comments run along the lines of ‘It is not as strict as I thought’. Come and see for yourself – you will be pleasantly surprised. If you're not then I'll buy you an extra kebab. Today we headed south from Tehran to Kashan, a desert city known for rosewater, beautifully restored 19Century Merchant houses and Persian gardens. One of the features here are old doors with ‘a great set of knockers’. Got to love local guides when they come up with these sorts of things (Mind you, having English as my second language means I will have done a few of these myself). There are different doorknockers for men and women so the person who is opening the door knows which gender the guest has. After the grand tour of Kashani knockers, we continue to the tranquil mountain village of Abyaneh, located half way up the mountains surrounding Kashan. Domestic architecture resembles that of multi - storey mud brick houses in Yemen and the village predominantly survives on agriculture (pomegranates, apricots and apples). The ladies wear colourful flowery cloth and walk around the cobbled streets dragging donkeys and crops up and down the hills. Tomorrow morning we head out for a brisk morning walk up to an old caravanserai on the outskirts of town before heading further south to Yadz – one of my favourite towns in the country where I am planning to take the group to a small village called Cham. I came across this place some years back and meet an old lady of the Zoroastrian faith. Her task is to keep an eternal fire of the Zoroastrians going - I hope she is still there. Now its time for my beauty sleep - We will keep you posted on the progress of our adventures over the next couple of weeks. Goodnight.
Stanley and Dave in Iran (06/05/2008)
So what have we been up to of late? Today, after a morning in Shiraz’s bustling bazaar a quite afternoon gives us time to fire-off an update before an pleasant evening visiting the Tombs of the famous local born poets Sadi and Hafez. On arrival into Iran it does not take for the traveller to realise that it is a country of young people even if you do not believe your own eyes the numbers do not lie, 70% of the population are under 30. A couple of this young population where photographed by Dave in the Bavanat Valley while we were guests of the delightful Barzingo family in there idyllic guesthouse. Tomorrow sees us climb into the mountains outside this city of poets towards Yasuj where we hope to meet a few “Baluchîs” nomads on their way north to summer pastures.
Still to come is “half the world” as Esfahan has been known since the 16th century where beautiful tiled mosques and palaces jostle for space with bazaars over following with local handcrafts and exquisite carpets from all over the land.
Stanley and Dave in Iran (04/05/2008)
Stanley, Dave and the group are currently on the road in Iran and are in the “Oxford” of Iran, Shiraz. Welcome from one of the axis of evil where the days has been spent hidden in our rooms before an armed escort rushes us to our next heavily guarded site…. Well that is what some leaders in the world would have you think but what is the truth? There choice of WMD is the teapot with every bazari, family and friendly face offering you tea at every turn. Once you have negotiated this tea and charm offensive a wonderful country awaits.
