Tuesday, December 15, 2015

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf

self-guided solo trip to Shiraz, Isfahan and Tehran
November 08 to November 14, 2015

" A traveller without knowledge is a bird without wings" — Muslih Al-Din Sa'di

My 44th solo backpacking trip, 27th in Asian continent, 56 countries visited so far and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. This trip is the 1st part on my Final Get-away Trip as an OFW in Kuwait, entitled as Final Kuwait Get-Away; Solo Trip across Winter South Asia (Iran - Bangladesh - Nepal - Bhutan - Brunei).

Known as Persia until 1935, Iran (Land of the Aryans) became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling Shah was forced into exile. Throughout history, Persia has generally been an empire, one whose fortunes varied enormously. In ancient times, Persia controlled most of what we now call the Middle East, and came close to conquering Greece. A few centuries later, Alexander the Great, conquered (among other things) the entire Persian Empire. 
http://wikitravel.org/en/Iran

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf (Isfahan's Imam Mosque)

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf (Isfahan's Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque)

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf (Shiraz's Persepolis)

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf (Shiraz's Necropolis)

This another race against time, short backpacking researched in somehow detailed manner has a compressed itinerary designed as follows; 

November 08 Sunday: Persian Gulf Ferry Ride from Kuwait (Shuwaikh Port) to Iran (Khorramshahr Port)
November 09 Monday: Shiraz day tour (Persepolis, Necropolis, Nearby Mosques)
November 10 Tuesday: Morning bus trip to Isfahan, Isfahan at night
November 11 Wednesday: Isfahan day tour (Naqsh-e Jahan Square, other landmarks)
November 12 Thursday: Tehran day tour 1st part (National Museum, Golestan Palace, US Embassy)
November 13 Friday: Tehran day tour last part (​Imamzadeh Saleh, ​Shah-Abdul Azim Mosque)
November 14 Saturday: Persian Gulf Ferry Ride from Iran (Khorramshahr Port) to Kuwait (Shuwaikh Port)

TOTAL BUDGET : USD415.86 = PHP19,545 (34% went to ferry ticket)

timezone - +0330H UTC;   capital - Tehran;   language - Persian
currency - Rial (IRR) 1 USD = 35,000 IRR
visa - Filipino's are required to apply 1st before travel

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf (Iran single-entry Tourist Visa)

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf (Gulf War Shipwreck)

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf (chicken meal)

Interesting Facts about Iran: 
1. Iran is one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, with settlements dating back to 4000 B.C.
2. The Persian Gulf holds 60% of the world’s oil reserves. Iran alone has reserves of 125 billion barrels of oil, or 10% of the world’s total reserves. Iran pumps nearly 4 million barrels of oil each day.
3. In Iran, a young girl who applies as a live-in maid is often required to submit medical documentation to establish whether her hymen is intact.
4. In Iran, men who do not marry stay with their natal family their entire life and are described as na-mard (not-men).
5. If a woman is raped in Iran, the police have the power to force a man to marry his victim, with or without her assent, though he can divorce her immediately after. In Iran, a divorced woman is more marriageable than an unmarried girl with a ruptured hymen.
6. In 1953, the CIA was involved in a covert operation code named Operation Ajax to overthrow the democratically elected Iranian government of Prime Minister Masaddegh. In return, the Shah rewarded the United States with a 40% stake in Iran’s oil industry. When the Iranians learned of the United State’s role, they would distrust the United States for years to come.
7. During the Iran-Iraq War, the United States officially supported Iraq and put pressure on other countries to stop selling weapons to Iran. However, the U.S. itself was later found to have been quietly selling weapons to the country. The resulting scandal was Iran-gate, or the Iran-Contra scandal
8. Iran has been dubbed “the nose job capital of the world,” as the Western nose has become the desired nose shape of young Iranian women.
9. Persian culture is famous for beautiful poetry, luxurious rugs, and lush gardens. In fact, the English word “paradise” comes from a Persian word meaning “enclosed garden".

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf (close US Embassy in Tehran)

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf (Tehran's Golestan Palace)

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf (time-lapse video)

Arriving from Khorramshahr Port of Iran; 
Persian Gulf Port Immigration is much stricter than in airport or rather than I thought. Maybe because of zero-tolerance of Kuwait against Syria/Iraq refugees or just because the Paris terrorism attack on the 13th-November. Based on my observation, I think Persian Gulf Ports are intended for cargo shipment and local passengers. What do I expect... again for the nth time, during the departure/arrival I'm the only non-local passenger on-board. My detailed experience is on this link.

Anyways, I divided this wonderful journey into different set of posts to be more specific on its content;

1 comment:

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