Tehran

On our way to Tehran we see possibly the last of the sunflowers that have been a feature of all the countries we have visited since France at the beginning of August.
We experience our first (and no doubt only) 4 star accommodation of the Oz Bus trip in the shape of the Engelhab Hotel. There's a lovely swimming pool attached but although apparently clean, seems somewhat redundant with the strict dress code. Again, the ladies here are pushing the clothing boundaries are far as they feel they probably can and whilst out walking there's a reasonable number of couples holding hands. In a park amongst the guys who appear to be 'dead' tired, couples even canoodle! Again, at local restaurants if you try to leave a tip, the owners or managers try to explain you've paid too much and give you your money back. As with everywhere else in the world though, inside the hotel, the rules change and seem strangely familiar. It's a licence to print money, albeit small. A visit to the revolving restaurant at the top of the hotel see's us get a 'welcome' drink but whatever else you ask for is 'finished' unless you are persistent. Then, when you go to depart you get to pay for the 'welcome' drink (they never actually said they were free) plus they try and charge you many times over for stuff you have and haven't had.
During our time in Tehran the internet, as in other parts of Iran is restricted. Several proxy sites are automatically banned, but some initially work and we even manage to Skype a couple of times until one by one the sites seem to become 'temporarily unavailable'.
On our last day in the capital we visit a contemporary art museum – there are works by Monet, Picasso, Miro, Van Gogh, Moore and interestingly some American pop-artists including Warhol.
Our final encounter in the hotel is a petro-chemist who is staying at our hotel and protests to David about the fact that he has been refused a visa to the UK to give a series of presentations at various conferences in September. David tries to explain that 3 people on our trip have been refused tourist visa's to Iran and how so few in power have the way of shaping and controlling the masses. In the end, they get on fine and we leave the country having met some good people who just want to get on with each other and the wider world community.
In Iran, Tehran in particular, we drive past several propaganda slogans for joining the army, and there are a few anti USA slogans painted on the walls – in fact, whilst we are waiting on the coach in the hotel car park, our departure is delayed because Liv – a very keen photographer is not on the bus because her camera has been confiscated. She had managed to take a photo of 'Down with the USA' painted outside the ex-USA embassy, when an official comes up, asks for ID and takes it away with her camera. Bizarrely, they return after some time with her driving licence and camera and don't ask her to delete the photographs, which doesn't make much sense other than to completely freak her out. When we are all on the bus we make our way to the airport and spot a defaced sign of one of the ayatollah's, perhaps evidence of the need and wish for change.
In conclusion Iran, whilst it has been frustrating at times, particularly for the females witnessing first hand the results of the imposed oppression on women over the past few decades, its been encouraging to see some progress forward. One day, we are hopeful the critical mass will make the difference to overturn the leaders who promote hatred and impose their outdated regime on it's citizens.