Mark's Travels

10 years of travel blogging from 35+ countries around the world

Trip to Iran, my journey to the middle east 5th May 2003 in Tehran, Iran




I didn't want anyone staying awake at night or freaking out so I decided to not let anyone know about my trip until I returned. I did not spend the last 5 days in Paris. Instead I decided to go on a spiritual journey to understand more about myself. On Wednesday, after being issued a 10-day tourist visa, I boarded a plane to Frankfurt, from there I caught a flight to Tehran in Iran.

The plane ride was extremely fascinating. To see the central European landscape blend into Mediterranean into desert sands to mountains with snow and finally to sand once again was extremely fascinating. But when my plane landed the nostalgia ended. There were men with kalashnikov's all along the airstrip, I realized I had left democracy and entered a Dictatorship. When I reached customs I saw them digging through everyone's bag and arresting people. At once point I saw a British camera crew struggling with customs officials as they were being taken away to god knows where. I was questioned for 10 minutes; they went over every single detail of my itinerary and passport. They made lots of questions about the UK and German visas in my passport.

Eventually I got through customs and caught a cab to the hotel, one of the few in the city. The weather was unbearably hot, the streets were crowded and with all the armed people out and about on the street I began to feel very tense.

I got to the hotel and unpacked my stuff, the place was run down and there was only one channel on TV, the state run channel showing a news channel with very few video clips, just a man reading from paper. I decided to take a look around the city.

With my map, paperwork and passport at hand I decided to walk to Golestan. The feeling was amazing. I've been to many places in the world but never have I felt such alienation and tension while at the same time feeling more curious than ever before. I felt like I really needed to understand this place. I walked around Golestan and took a bunch of photos but I didn't spend long with the sun going down.

I was on my way back to the hotel when I police car pulled up in front of me. Two officers in the front of the car and one in the back got out and demanded that I go up against the wall. The demanded my paperwork. One searched me while the others began to dig through my passport and documentation. Then I was handcuffed and put in the back of the car. I was scared shitless. They read through the paperwork for a few minutes, then more police officers showed up and a few minutes later even more showed up. They were pointing at me and yelling. Some of them were carrying kalashnikov's as well. After what felt like forever they came and opened the back of the car, they asked me where I was staying. I told them. They closed the door, got in the front and drove to my hotel. They then escorted me in. They demanded for me to tell them where my room was and for me to hand over my key. I did so.

2 police officers stood point assault riffles at me while I stood with my back to a wall while 2 other officers went up stairs. Eventually they came down with some of my stuff in their hands in a plastic bag. Then they handed me my key and said I was free. They then all left. I went up to my room to find it all ram sacked, there were some cards and a $150US from my wallet went missing and my camera was gone too. I was angry but I was glad to get out alive.

The next day I packed my things and began a journey away from Tehran and toward Arak via Camel. I felt this would be a spiritual enriching journey that would allow me to see my true soul. I met with Akmed and Mohammed, two men with a quite a bit of experience in making such journeys. I never went to Iran, I was in Paris. How carefully are you reading this? It was really funny watching them trying to get the camels to obey their commands. They kept trying to lie down and made really weird noises, eventually we got them to obey.

Though the English was poor, we had a really interesting conversation. They told me about growing up in the country and their feelings toward themselves, fellow countrymen and the rest of the world. Eventually we arrived in Arak about 4 hours later. But instead of a spiritual gathering, we got to see a more European gathering. There was a football (soccer) match going on that day. Sitting in the crowd of of probably 5,000 was very interesting. I felt like the most unique person there. But my good mood was soon to disappear. Moments before the match began they brought out 5 people blind folded on to the pitch. There was a man announcing something about them, all I could understand was "Allah Akbar" and "Kafir". Then each one was shot, one after the other, the crowd would cheer in between each execution. Then the bodies were dragged away and the match began. I was horrified. I didn't know what to say, I was speechless and I just had a dead stare in my face for the rest of the day.


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