2015年5月6日

《心活誌》2015年5月稿:湍流籠罩 伊朗依然吸引



湍流籠罩 伊朗依然吸引

已經是第三次,三次出入德黑蘭都遇上氣流。這個地方,好像總給各種的湍流籠罩著。伊朗最近又在國際新聞中出現了,可幸的是,那不是什麼壞事情。制裁、武器、核問題等等的字眼,經常在媒體上反覆提醒伊朗是個不宜旅遊的國家。然而,曾經到過當地旅遊的朋友卻一個個跟我說伊朗是如何精采、人民如何友善。身邊的資深旅人太多,太多的故事,令我對這個地方的觀感不怎麼神秘,再在網上做一點功課,發覺城市之間的交通也是非常便捷,於是,在沒有訂住宿沒有訂車票的情況下就出發了。

這個年代,互聯網令世界變得更小,真正的天涯若比鄰。旅遊,動一動手指,隨時隨地都能進行;景點,無論是晴天雨天、春夏秋冬,任何景緻,都能在手機屏幕中拉近距離。真實與虛擬,只是一張機票的距離。

今次的伊朗之行,我放棄了人家說的「必遊景點」阿契美尼德帝國古都遺址 -- 波斯波里斯(Persepolis)和伊朗詩人之鄉色拉子(Shiraz),不去懷古誦詩,換來行程上更大的彈性。出發前跟自己承諾,這趟旅程不為走景點,要看的是「人」的風景,我相信人與人之間的交流比懷古更真實。

短短一星期的旅程結束了,航機在德黑蘭的上空再遇點點顛簸,腦中回憶起在第一晚夜火車上的一位先生跟我談宗教,還有深夜四點一起乘的士,臨下車時留下聯絡給我的另一位先生,還有那位在伊斯法罕的回流女碩士生,還有很多很多。每個旅人都有不同的故事,都是呼喚你真實地體會一個地方的聲音。





2 則留言:

  1. Hi Kelvin,

    I'm planning a trip to iran next spring, probably around Apr, for 2 weeks. Some questions cross my mind, I'd most appreciate your advice on these since you've been traveling there a few times.

    (1) Is Apr a good season to go? (Not terribly hot or freezingly cold)
    (2) Can I get a visa-on-arrival at Tehran Airport?(14-day ONLY? Is it free?)(HKSAR passport) ANy cheap flights (low cost carriers you'd recommend?) So far, Qatar gives the best deal. Maybe you have other recommendations?
    (3) Can we get by just with English? Or need some Arabic?
    (4) Do you always have to haggle to get the local rate? (This is what I had to do all the time in Vietnam & Morocco -- locals always tend to cheat tourists because you don't know the going rate)
    (5) Are the buses/trains O.K. to move around? Or better hire a car?

    Would very much appreciate your advice & thanx for yr attention.

    Vincent

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  2. Hi Hoc,
    Hey~~ you actually planning a trip to Iran? how about Chaing Rai? :D
    1. Visiting Iran in April is good! not too hot/cold. Also you can see flowers in the hill as well.
    2. My experience is to get your visa in your homeland before flying, that's my case in Hong Kong with SAR passport. Applying an Iraian visa is not that cheaper, but it is necessary. For other flight options, you can try Mahan Air, am Irianian airlines, which flies to/from Guangzhou and Shangjhai.
    3. English good enough. BTW, they are not using Arabic, it's Persian/Farsi.
    4. In my trip, nope. But you have to be clear.
    5. Between cities, buses/trains are really okay, in terms of condition and punctuality. I forgot if I bought "VIP" bus. but if so, it was still value worth
    :D

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