Caspian Sea resorts I’m thinking – any opinions / experiences?

A mate of mine drove through Iran whilst doing the Mongol Rally. He reckons it was the hilite of the trip. Friendly people fantastic places to see, if you want his address to ask drop me a line.

Don’t forget your dinner jacket if you go.

Very popular in Iran @ the mo.

IGMDJ

Go with an open mind and you’ll love it. Best place I’ve visited, architecture, sights etc are great, but it’s the people who made the trip for me. Got invited to dinner twice by different families, taken out for the day to see the sights around Esfahan (wouldn’t let me pay for a thing), thinking of going back later this year. Esfahan is incredible – a must see, but also check out the north west corner – fantastic mountain scenery.

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a mate of mine worked there for a while a couple of year ago and said it was a great place very friendly country

My sis and her family lived there for five years until 2006 and had a great time. Mountains an hour north of Tehran rise to 5,000 metres (Tehran is 1,500 metres I think) and went skiing, camping, mtbing, hiking etc in the mountains every weekend pretty much.

Alot speak English, very well educated, very pro west and food is OK (basically Lebanese / Turkish).

Pollution is grim in T and women have to wear a head scarf (like the Queen, not a full face cover!!) in public.

Don’t be put off by US neo con / Israeli propoganda!! Iranians are not the bad guys in the middle east.

Alot speak English, very well educated

Don’t be put off by US neo con / Israeli propoganda!! Iranians are not the bad guys in the middle east.

Could not have said it better myself. Yup, dont beleive everthing the media tells you.

I just spent a couple of weeks traveling around Iran. It’s an incredible country with a remarkable history. The hospitality and openness of people there is humbling, the variety of landscapes thrilling, and it has some of the most beautiful buildings in the world, no question…

Photographs and sketches here: http://picasaweb.google.com/krankelbear

I heartily recommend this book as an introduction:
Jason Elliot, “Mirrors of the Unseen”

It’s a country with so much potential. Today’s developments are rather depressing.

Nice one, Jalopy! Good stuff.

I’d love to visit Iran. Maybe one day…

Thanks guys – must say I’m very impressed with Iranians I’ve met over the years – generally decent people.

I really, really want to go. Don’t know why, just something drawing me in. When (if!) I pass my International Mountain Leader exams we want to try to run bike trips there. The mountains are amazing – bigger than the Alps.