A right royal Persian dress-up for fun, and to celebrate two birthdays, including our wonderful Intrepid tour leader Nadia (Centre).
“Defy the U.S. sanctions,
ignore the misinformation…
Everyone should visit Iran!”
That is the overwhelming message from my two
week Intrepid Iran Adventure holiday. Iran was amazing! Our excellent, small
group of 6 travellers from Australia, UK and the USA included a professional
travel writer who has so far been to more than 80 countries, and rated Iran in his top 5
destinations!
Our Intrepid tour leader, Nadia, was exceptional,
sharing her vast knowledge of Iran’s rich history and culture, and introducing
us to today’s Iran with passion and fun and ‘secret’ local interactions we
would never have discovered on our own.
She was saddened by the reduced number of visitors this year, perhaps due to misinformation about Iran, which has had a negative impact on the local economy. The U.S. sanctions have made life harder for the people, but with the government subsidizing food and other services, Iran is actually a low-cost destination for foreign tourists.
Everywhere we went, the people were welcoming and helpful, curious to know where we were from, and what we thought of their country. Contrary to the misinformation, Iran is a safe place to travel.
We were all impressed by the friendliness and honesty of the people, the stunning beauty of the architecture and natural landscapes, and the rich history and culture of the past and present. Iran has a young population, with the hope of evolving and prospering in the future, if spared the ravages of war.
She was saddened by the reduced number of visitors this year, perhaps due to misinformation about Iran, which has had a negative impact on the local economy. The U.S. sanctions have made life harder for the people, but with the government subsidizing food and other services, Iran is actually a low-cost destination for foreign tourists.
Everywhere we went, the people were welcoming and helpful, curious to know where we were from, and what we thought of their country. Contrary to the misinformation, Iran is a safe place to travel.
We were all impressed by the friendliness and honesty of the people, the stunning beauty of the architecture and natural landscapes, and the rich history and culture of the past and present. Iran has a young population, with the hope of evolving and prospering in the future, if spared the ravages of war.
Walking around the stunning UNESCO World
Heritage sites and bustling, modern cities, I kept thinking of the similar
sites of Iran’s neighbours bombed into rubble by U.S.-led wars, hoping
Iran can be spared the same terrible fate.
My experience of visiting Iran was an
emotionally-charged journey of discovery, greatly surpassing my expectations.
Since returning, I read again what I had posted on my blog before going to
Iran, and it is still all so relevant.
Now is the
time to support and visit Iran!
CORRECTION: My apologies for an earlier mistake in the first paragraph, which has now been corrected to more than 80 countries. (Bruce)
CORRECTION: My apologies for an earlier mistake in the first paragraph, which has now been corrected to more than 80 countries. (Bruce)
My Intrepid 'Iran Adventure' tour group adding to the clutter of the Azadegan Traditional Tea House, hidden somewhere in Imam Square, Esfahan, Iran. Wonderful Intrepid Tour leader, Ms. Nadia, is in the pink.
