Long postıng

26/11/09

Hey frıends, ıt has been such a long tıme sınce I last updated thıs page. Lıfe has been good to me, so good you can never ımagıne.

I was rejected the Iraqı vısa at Iraq-Iran border, makıng me ceased the ıdea of vısıtıng the Iraq Kurdıstan area. Two days later, I was rejected to enter Turkey at Iran-Turkey Sero border. It was lucky that there ıs one offıcer who can speak englısh, tellıng me ıt ıs because my passport ıs old and they cant fınd the Malaysıa logo under the cover page usıng ınfra-red. I have no choıce but to go back to Iran. He doesnt know ıf the northern Iran-Turkey Bazargan border uses the same system, but surely flyıng wıll be a good optıon. I dont have money to fly and my Iran vısa ıs goıng to expıred ın 2 days tıme, ıt ıs whether I trıed the Bazargan border or go back to Tehran, extend the vısa and exıt by traın. I have spent all my Iranıan Rıals and have 10 Turkısh lıra ın my pocket, I am at the border whıch ıs more tham 30km from the nearest town, my newly bought 15USD boots has just broken apart (half of the bottom part dropped out), the weather was so cold ıt started to raın and the wınd ıs ıcy.

I thınk, ıt must be the worst day I can ever remember. I cant understand someone cannot cross the border wıth a passport whıch ıs not expıred, and wıth a natıonalıty whıch does not need a vısa. I dont understand why my boots broke on a bad tıme. I dont understand why ıt always start to raın when bad thıngs happened.

I walked back to the bus to collect my bıg backpack. Askıng the offıcer ıf he can help me to ask the drıver ıf he can refund me a part of my money (I bought the tıcket to Van but I just traveled untıl the border). The drıver so kınd gıvıng me back the whole sum of the tıcket, changed my Turkısh lıra to rıal wıth a better rate, and gave me 5 dollar extra money to take taxı. I wasnt able to speak at that tıme, I felt blessed wıth all the shıts happened, just wanted to cry.

And ıt started to snow, so wıld that some snow flew ın the car even we have the wındow closed. I felt ınnocent at Urmıa bus termınal, for the last hundred rıal credıt ın my phone, I sms my CS frıend Poorıya to send me my old boots, I thınk I cannot afford a paır of new boots ın Turkey. Yea he sent me boots, and some fruıts and bıscuıt from her mum so that I wont get hungry on the bus. I cant speak, I have no words for all the trouble I have brought and they never say 'no' or make an annoyıng face.

I was on the bus from Urmıa to Maku, a town near to the Bazargan border. It was such a tıred day I cant bear ıt both physıcally and mentally. Fall asleep most of the tıme ın the bus. A gırl sıttıng besıde me asked, where are you from? Malaysıa. Oh Malaysıa? I thought you are Afghan!

The gırl alıght at the Unıversıty ın Khoy and another gırl came up and sat besıde me. We started to talk wıth my very lımıted Farsı. She doesnt know a sıngle englısh word. I ended up spendıng the nıght ın her house. She and her husband are devoted muslım, they are the fırst couple I met who told me they love Iran, they lıke Ahmadınejad, who thanks the government for gıvıng them cheap petrol and cheap gas. That nıght I stayed ın a house up the rocky mountaın, wıth mıllıons of stars. They cooked for me the best khoresh e morgh (somethıng lıke chıcken curry) I have ever had, so much chaı, they make popcorn. Fatımeh, the gırl ınsısted I took one of her wool knıtted jacket and a paır of jeans when she saw everthıng I had wıth me. I refused for several tımes and fınally only took the jacket. I searched through my bag for a sıngle extra thıng that I can gıve her, fınally handover the old lady scarf I bought ın Chına.

That nıght before I slept, I knew I wıll cross the border successfully tomorrow, for sure. So much trouble and hassle, just to make me see these people, dıfferent from the rest of the ıranıan who rushıng to leave the country for good, for freedom, for whatever reason. And I stıll have the Doa from Fatımeh, some wrıtıng from Quran that I dont understand. It ıs the best day that I can ever remember sınce my travel, I knew I am blessed, always.

I crossed to Turkey the next day mornıng, no lıra ın my pocket thıs tıme. Mt Ararat standıng just across the border, wıth the small Ararat besıde ıt. So cold, I took a walk as I cant fınd a prıvate car to brıng me to the nearest town. At the check post, the polıce hand me a freshly baked bread.

Paıd 5 dollar ın ıranıan money to get to the town, too good that they take the money. Wıthdrew Turkısh lıra from ATM ın Turkey, ATM.. haha, ıt ıs lıke a world far from me for the past 2 months. From Doğubayazıt to Van ıs a 3 hours rıde. Turkey ıs so dıfferent from whatever that I have for the past few months, westernızed, modern, developed, and VERY expensıve.

Called my host ın Van, he happened to be a Kurdısh, and a famous guy ın town, owned the best hotel here. I got to check ın the 4 star hotel, everythıng ıs well-prepared. We went to the 3000 years old castle ın the afternoon, have good dınner at nıght, days wıth a lot of chaı, beer, wıne, rakı, chıcken wıngs. Thıs ıs a kınd and wıse man, I judged wıth 2 questıons:
What ıs the best thıng that has happened to you?
Oh so many best thıngs I cant count.
What ıs the worst thıng?
No there ıs never worst thıng.

For thıs I fall ın love wıth thıs man. But he has a famıly, one wıfe and 4 kıds.. always too late for good stuff uh?! haha. But I belıeve the best thıng comes at the best tıme, nothıng ıs too late or too early, they are just at the rıght tıme when ıt shall happen. So, I am leavıng tonıght to Dıyarbakır. Oh Van ıs such a beautıful cıty, I went for a Turkısh movıe and fall asleep ın the theatre, I have a lot of walk wıth myself along the beautıful Van lake, people are busy ın preparıng for Harı Raya Hajı.

Receıved a maıl from a frıend askıng me to take care of myself when I am ın eastern Turkey, as they are not as good as the west. Thıs ıs what the tour leader told us when I went to Turkey ın a package tour few years back. I always thought eastern turkey ıs dangerous, radıcal, everyone are extremıst. No no, ıt ıs all polıtıc! And Turkısh and Kurdısh stıll dıfferentıate themselves, lıke the Malaysıan dıfferentıatıng themselves by ethnıcıty. However the whole natıon stıll workıng together towards the same goal, to be accepted ınto the European Unıon. Eastern Turkey ıs where the Mesopotamıa cıvılısatıon located, they are proud of thıs, fertılıty and water, thats where lıfe grows.

Long and messy post yea :) Pardon my englısh, I have no tool to read or wrıte mandarın here. And hey hey tell you what, I am really happy that I am travelıng, I mean after so many days how can one never get bored wıth the routıne of movıng?! I cant belıeve that such a beautıful thıng ıs happenıng on me. That day when we saw the whole Van cıty under our eyes, so clean and clear, my frıend told me I am lucky as ıt has been cloudy for many many days. I answered, I am always lucky.

Aha, so I shall put a stop here.
Wısh you all the luck all the luck.
Take good care.

Moving On

16/11/09

I was so depressed for the past few days searching for the right decision to make, whether to stay in Iran for the coming few months (teach mandarin to exchange for accommodation and food), leave to Kurdistan, leave to Armenia, etc etc. But the hint that I always looking forward came yesterday, I am leaving Tehran today to Orumiyeh and from there to Iraq Kurdistan. Already get a host in Kurdistan area, now the only uncertainty is if they issue visa for Malaysian at the border. In case no, I never thought of 'in case no', hehe.

I like Kabul

Things never stop happening in Kabul. I was in the room when someone slapped on my door and asked me to leave the room. Shall I go up or down the floor? What happened? Is it Taliban or bomb? I have no clue. Once I was out from the guesthouse, the guesthouse had already been surrounded by police and passerby, it was on fire! And my stuff, oh my stuff.. damn it still in my room!! Shall I go back and rescue my stuff? Will the fire be pulled out on time before it burned my room? What happened if the firemen are so slow?

This is Afghanistan.

Arrived in Herat on Monday and spent 3 days there before took a flight to Kabul. Herat is supposed to be a more 'safe' city but may be due to all the 'advises' on not going, I did not enjoy Herat so much. Most of the time my mind was occupied with the thought 'what if someone is targeting me', too anxious to enjoy the stay.

Kabul is nice. It is so chaotic, dirty, dusty, polluted, heavy traffic, crowded, noisy etc etc.. but hey it is so lively. Everyone seems to be on the street, women in cloaks, men in turbans, kids selling stuff and some flying kites on Friday, restaurant busy doing business, purchasing on going, streets are full with people, shouting for customers. I like Kabul, although people keep telling me to leave as fast as possible because it is not safe.. and I believe it somewhat, for example the fire half an hour ago, so unexpected. But I like Kabul.

Anyway wont be able to stay long, money is running out. Paying 12dollar for my room, 2-3dollar for a meal, 1dollar for internet.. might run out of cash when returning to Iran, a country where no international ATM is available, which is not a good idea as might want to spend some more time in Iran.

Listening to Omen

29/10/09

I watch for the omen, so carefully, scared that I will miss the hint from God in a blink. I knew it is about the right time and the right place, once you missed it, bye bye.

Yesterday was a hard day, with the news of suicide bombing in a guesthouse in Kabul Shah-e-Nau, where the guesthouses are located, it scared me a bit. Andy from CouchSurfing (I knew him through VirtualTourist Singapore gathering) sent me an email advising me not to go at this time; the other ChouchSurfer from Bamiyan who I wrote to request host replied my mail saying this is not a good time. I am not sure if these are omen, I mean the emails, and the news.

I regard getting the certification letter easily from Malaysia Embassy is a hint of go, but after yesterday news, I am not so sure. So I went to the Afghanistan Embassy yesterday morning, full of hesitation and uncertain. The officer accepted the application without a question of reason visiting the country, not even look through the form before the approval. Paid 25 Euro for the visa, and almost right after that I have regretted, asking myself why can't I wait.

Yesterday was a tough day, concentrating to listen what is happening and what shall I do, I went back to my friend's house while waiting for the visa to be processed, so tired I fall asleep on the sofa.

It was not so crowded when I went back to the Afghanistan Embassy at 2pm. Some one trying to talk to me in Farsi (The language is called Dari in Afghanistan), I replied with my very limited Farsi vocabulary, or most of the time just 'na midunam'(I don't understand). There are some Afghan there, one of them is a teacher who teach in Bamiyan University, it surprised me a bit as I thought there wont be any higher education in the country as it suffers from war, he speaks good English.

I was concerned if I shall wait after the election, as everyone said the situation will get worsen before the election; but then it will be winter soon, and who knows it will be any better after the election? I was surrounded by the Afghans in the embassy, most of them refugees, who born in Iran, but still with a refugee identity. They shall leave Iran after graduating from school. Some of them speak a little bit English, but too obvious they have an uncertain live.

So why shall you wait for the election, are you a journalist? The university teacher asked. No I am a turist (tourist), I told him. So just go! The winter will step in soon and it will be so cold by then. But what about the safety? I am concerned if it is more safe to travel before or after the election. He smiled and said, you know thing only happened once or twice in a month, not everyday.

So I have Afghananistan visa in my passport, and my confidence boosted a bit after coming out from the embassy. I looked Afghan for sure, the teacher told me if I am in the town of Hazara, no one will suspect that I am a foreigner; and by now seems that as long as I skip Kabul, Herat, Bamiyan and Mazar-e-Sharif are in low risk to visit. Everyone from the north supporting Kanzai, they said the government is good.

I went home and found Kausar's email in my mailbox. Emailed him to ask about the better time to visit the country as he knew Afghanistan well, shall I go or shall I wait. Just go and don't wait, he replied in the email.

So I am heading to Mashhad, perhaps tomorrow night. Repacking and leaving all the unnecessary thing in Tehran, telling my friend to dispose them if they don't hear from me after a month time, but I have a good feel that I will be back.

Planning for next

28/10/09

To apply for an Afghanistan visa in Iran, you need to have a 'surat pengesahan' from Malaysia Embassy. So yesterday I went to the Malaysia Embassy in Iran.

Was a bit worry if they refuse to give me the letter. Surprisingly, after a long interview, the letter is in my hand.

It was so warm to see people from home, speaking Malay which I have largely forgotten, but still with a feeling of familiar. The Malay secretary seems so lonely in Tehran, without knowing Farsi after two years, telling me I can call his number if I have problem, even have no problem also feel free to call.

And I went back to Afghanistan Embassy with the letter. Met an Afghan who know a little bit English at the Embassy, he told me my feature looked like Hazara, people from the central part of Afghanistan; But it reminded me on the Hazara in The Kite Runner.

Woke up this morning and read that another attack in Kabul near a UN guesthouse killing three UN staff. Start to think if I shall extend my Iran visa and visit Afghanistan after the election on 7 Nov; or forget Afghanistan and proceed to Iraq Kurdistan area. No one can predict if the situation will get better or worsen.

Wanted to meet a Malaysian who just overland from Tajikistan to Iran via Afghanistan but seems like he is not checking his mail. Still unable to find any travel insurance that cover me. If it is a go, leaving Tehran on Thursday night.

Another day in Iran

26/10/09

6th day in Tehran, 23rd day in Iran. Time to sum up Iran trip as exiting the country soon.

Iran has a long history, but the sight seeing appealed so so to me. Yazd has good old city but sexual harassment is not uncommon due to the conservative society. Shiraz is known for its ancient Achaemenid empire of Persepolis, burned down by the drunken Alexander the Great; despite some fine stone mural, we were harassed by two local tourists from the Baluchistan area. Esfahan is known for its romantic square, fine mosques and bridges, perhaps of my high expectation it turned out to be an okie place which I don't really passionate in venture more; spectacular bridges stood over dried river due to the construction of dam, quite pathetic. Near Kashan there is an interesting village of Abyaneh but the public bus only runs on Friday and the taxi is too expensive for solo tourist like me, I missed that village. Qom is a religious city but I was stopped from visiting the Holy Shrine of the sister of 8th Imam. Tehran has a fine archaeological museum which we expected more exhibit; aside from that it is a large city with heavy traffic, large population and air pollution, perhaps just like other large city.

But I love Iran, so much so much that I can't tell with words; perhaps I will cry the day I need to leave.

I was first touched by the Iranian when I was in Hafez Tomb in Shiraz. People come from all over the country to pay respect to Hafez, the poet. Our friend who is a local told us, whenever he has question, he came to Hafez. A lot of Iranian touched when they read the poem, with tears, including both genders. I stood there without a word, how can there be such a romantic nation, who spend time in a tomb, read and weep. I can't tell how touched I was that night, seeing the insight of the Iranian heart, soft and tender, contradicting with the real world they are living in.

None of us know how is the feeling living in the real Iran, where hijab is compulsory for female, where walking with the opposite sex can end up in the police station, where modern music is prohibited, where there is no freedom of religion, where any man without serving military cannot obtain a passport. Everyone here is always careful, careful in talking about the politics and religion, careful about their everyday life in the public, careful about expressing their comment and views. I thought it is too exaggerate, but there is a real case where someone was stopped from leaving the country just because he left some anti-government comment in facebook, and that is it! We have no way to imagine how cruel is that, the only dream that keeps the Iranian from living is the hope of leaving the country, may be the boy will kill himself.

You can't imagine how desperate the Iranian wanted to leave their country. They are all so tired with the current situation, some still go on street but others stay ignorant. Tehran stays nervous after the riots, people apologies for the chaos we saw on the TV. I thought they are young generation who wanted freedom due to the influence of the western country, but it is not true, the 50 years old man I met in Yazd told me he stopped praying in mosque since 30 years ago, after the revolution.

It is a great experience traveling in Iran, different from any other trip. Too much of opinion and thoughts sharing. Iranian are not Pakistani, Pakistani don't care about their country; Iranian loves their country so much, you see people complain about the government with tears in their eyes, most of them are well-educated and very knowledgeable, one of the reason US still dare not invades Iran. Iranian are nationalist, they are certainly different from Afghan or Iraqi.

Too much good experiences here, camp in the desert, dance in the public, pee in the castle, learn to sing a Farsi song, plenty of lunch/ dinner invitation by people who we know a minute ago, hitch hiking, secret party, alcohol, test opium of the best quality, picnic, sharing of Taoism, music music music, chai chai chai (tea), and yes, friendship.

p/s: pardon me for my English and excuse me for my laziness to write. If you are interested in any particular thing about Iran, just drop me a line.

The biggest sun

I know there is some mistake in "the biggest sun" as there is just one sun.. but anyway .. this is the biggest sun I have had in my life up to now, at Esfahan of Iran.