D-5: last minute shopping

I decide to go shopping for more PC clothes, as I've checked the weather 10-day forecast, and temperatures around 30°C are announced. That's when I really feel that it's not fair to have to cover up while my brother will be able to dress normally and not suffer from the temperature... Anyway... I find an oversized shirt at H&M which makes me look like a potato bag, and I find a scarf, bright blue (maybe to bright? Here I am overthinking again!!!). At least it's a light fabric, and it's long, so I can just wrap it around my head and not tie it in a know (I don't like that).
Later in the evening I check on the internet some pictures regarding the Iranian women's dresscode and I realize that at least in Tehran, tuniques are tight and scarves slip towards the back of the head quite a lot ;-) I'll really be on the (too) safe side with my loose fitting clothes. Oh well. I can always buy something more suitable once I'm there!

More travel-to-Iran preparation...

Domestic flights can only booked from Iran, not from any outside country. Because our schedule will be so tight, I couldn't wait to be in the country to book the flight so I used the Iranian travel agency that had already helped me get my Visa, to help me for the flights. It came up to 130 euros for 4 flights. Cheap!
As for my Visa... adter receiving official invitation from the Minister of Foreign affairs, I was ready to go back to the Iranian embassy. The problem is that it is only open 1h on monday afternoons, and 1 hour on thursday afternoon, for Visa requests. And that's it. In the middle of the afternoon. So basically, if you have a regular job, you're ...ed. But I negociated to escape from work for that. This time at the embassy of course there are many more foreigners (non Iranians). I'm still not sure if I'm supposed to cover my head, but as I am about to grab my scarf I see 2 other Belgian women sitting there with uncovered heads. So let's go for scarfless... although later, another blond woman arrives, promply covering her head and looking at us reproachfully. Strange. I realize how obsessed I will be with this headcovering topic until I arrive in Iran. I am just so full of questions about it.

D-34: shopping for clothes

After reading "Honeymoon in Purdah" from which I mostly remember that the main woman character is constantly complaining about the heat under her headscarf & manteau (due to the hot summer weather), I start to think that the clothes I thought I'd wear might be too hot for the season. So off I go to the mall in Niort, on a quest for a light islamically correct piece of clothing such as a tunique (luckily it's trendy this season). But it's not that easy, as yes there are many tuniques, but not that many which will not be see-through, with long enough sleeves & long enough (mid thigh height). The one I find I buy it 2 sizes bigger than I should, just to be on the safe side. Nope it will definitely not be a tight body hugging tunique! I'll never wear it again...
In the evening, my mother opens her magical drawer of scarves, and we select 3 which seem rather decent in colour & size. I try them on. This is going to be strange...

D-39 / Preparation for Iran: The Visa

At the Iran Embassy in Brussels. I am the only one without a headscarf, and basically I think I’m the only wannabe tourist there. It figures: I trusted the opening hours of the website, but they are outdated and I showed up at the wrong time. I stay anyway; see if it’s possible to make my request. Well, it’s good I stayed as it seems that it’s not that easy to get the Visa. The impression I got was that I should fill out the questionnaire, bring all the documents, pay and get the visa. But nooooo.

What I need is an official invitation (a number, basically). To get that, I need to contact an Iranian travel agency (recommended by the Embassy), pay a fee (on a German bank account) and the agency will submit my request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (also mentionned in the guidebook as the "Force disciplinaire de la République Islamique d'Iran" hmmmm) who will deliver an invitation number, that I will provide to the embassy who will finally deliver the visa.

The other solution is to ask for a visa upon arrival at the airport (only possible for some nationalities, French is OK, but not Canada for example). As it is a 7 day-visa* and as I am staying for 7 days and 2,5 hours, and as I’m not sure how strict they’ll be, I decide to ask for the visa beforehand so I don’t have to worry about anything upon arrival at Tehran airport.

But… it’s the Iranian New Year (March 21st) and basically a 10 day period of holiday. Everything will take longer…

Anyway, with my trip to Iran preparation, I will learn patience: getting replies (when I get replies!) from hotels took longer than I’ve ever experienced until now, getting replies from the travel agencies also, but all worked out in the end. It was a good lesson for me, as I’ve become a bit too obsessed with precision and efficiency after working for over 3 years for a Japanese company. So this was a breath of fresh air… "Relax. Take it easy. Replies will eventually come!"

*Later (meaning, in Iran) I learned that the length of the « airport visa » was changed to 15 days, last February. Oh well, next time I’ll do that. Because yes, there will definitely be a « next time »!

Song du jour!

MGMT's "Time to Pretend"
Check it out: (love the cat in the video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVnRzEjpUmE

Didn't realize that the lyrics were so... well not as uplifting as the song's rhythm :-)
Ah... kids!

I'm feeling rough, I'm feeling raw, I'm in the prime of my life.
Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives.
I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin, and fuck with the stars.
You man the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars.
This is our decision, to live fast and die young.
We've got the vision, now let's have some fun.
Yeah, it's overwhelming, but what else can we do.
Get jobs in offices, and wake up for the morning commute.

Forget about our mothers and our friends
We're fated to pretend
To pretend
We're fated to pretend
To pretend

I'll miss the playgrounds and the animals and digging up worms
I'll miss the comfort of my mother and the weight of the world
I'll miss my sister, miss my father, miss my dog and my home
Yeah, I'll miss the boredom and the freedom and the time spent alone.
There's really nothing, nothing we can do
Love must be forgotten, life can always start up anew.
The models will have children, we'll get a divorce
We'll find some more models, everyting must run it's course.

We'll choke on our vomit and that will be the end
We were fated to pretend
To pretend
We're fated to pretend
To pretend

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah

I just got back from Iran...

And when I say just, I mean JUST. I flew back to Paris during the night (2:20AM flight, landing at 5:45AM!)... took the train to Brussels, had a nap, picked up the cat, bought food, wasted time on the internet, downloaded over 300 pictures, and tah-dah...
So let me sort out the pictures, re-read my travel journal, and you'll be reading all about the trip here soon! Yeah!
Iran was amazing. Not many tourists, but so much to see & enjoy...