176
edits
Changes
Iran
,no edit summary
[[File:Iranianroadsignboard.jpg|thumb|250px|[[User:Halt, Stop! Reudnitz kommt.|Craig]] & Dario at the [[Persian_Gulf-Highway]] near [[Qom]].]]
[[File:Shiraz.jpg|thumb|250px|Hitchhiker [[User:Fran|Fran]] waiting for a ride in Iran.]]
You can't rely on it completely but if you're not American you can probably get a code through [http://iranianvisa.com/ iranianvisa.com] or via Touran Zamin that you can use at Iranian embassies (this process can take up to 5 weeks). People successfully managed to get Iranian visas in [[Istanbul]], [[Ankara]] and closest to the border, [[Erzurum]]. Some hitchhikers received their visa in [[Trabzon]] without the expensive code the same day they applied for it.
:Hitchhiker [[User:Halt, Stop! Reudnitz kommt.|Craig]] ''entered Iran at the ''Yuksekova-Esendere'' border. People coming from Turkey don't get frustrated! It's amazing if you know that a hundred meters back on the Turkish side most people would understand 'autostop'. Other than the young and modern Iranian generally won't know what is hitching. Tell them you have no money. You can explain everything later in the car. '''Iran is the best country I have ever hitched.''' Even in the hottest desert on earth (you feel dying after 10 minutes) the first car stopped. Roads are in good condition. Some days I my average hitch-hiking speed topped 100 km/h!!!''
== Sleeping ==
Finding a place to sleep in Iran is generally as easy as knocking the first door you come across. If you get tired of the unrelenting hospitality however, the city parks offer an excellent alternative. Many parks, even in big cities, are designated as camping zones, with toilets open all night. Camp fires are tolerated, but it's best to ask before. Sleeping in mosques is also possible, even though you should ask for permission beforehand. In this case, make sure you respect the segregation of sexes when travelling as a couple. [[User:Harveypekar|Harveypekar]] slept in a mosque close to Mesr, only to overhear the Iman the next morning, explaining other travellers that it's impossible to sleep in the mosque. The iman was friendly enough though to show the other group the other side, as to leave him sleep his fill.
Sometimes it is possible to camp in the desert but be sure you will not be seen from the road. [[User:Podz]] hitchhiked through Iran in winter and slept in the middle of the desert. But at night it was COLD so be sure to take warm clothes when hitchhiking in winter
== Personal experiences ==