Waking up to ladies dressed in black from head to toe and men kept warm with scarfs and jackets, I couldn’t believe we made it to Iran. A place I feel I’m sort of forbidden to travel to. About a year ago I told my father Mrs G has found this incredible trip, taking us to untouched places rare for westerners. We would be venturing through central Asia and Iran, he completely hit the roof. To understate, my father is over protective, no way was his little girl going to places he hadn’t been to and only read bad things about! I felt so horrible telling G I couldn’t come with her last year, I completely ruined her dream to visit Iran.

Well as time went on, the old saying goes ‘time will tell’. Golden Eagle happened to cancel their first trip on the route, there wasn’t enough people to join the trip. So time went by and about 10 months later an add came into the Financial Times. Mrs G brought it up to me and after having a serious think about what the consequences would be if my father was to find out, I told Mrs G I would accompany her! Sorry dad, as I’ve said since being a little girl “I want to see as much of the world as I can before I die”. He knows deep down I’m in safe hands. At the end of the day life is about adventures and experiences and I do believe travel is the best education anyone can have!

Back to today, we left our train to find ourselves right in the middle of a religious day called Arbeain. There were thousands of people on the street chanting and banging drums, waving flags and all covered in black. It was quite an introduction to Iran! We of course also had to be covered completely and our tour guide escorted us into the Holy area where everyone were praying. Thousands and thousands of people where at this Holy site.

I found myself constantly fixing my hijab up and almost tripping over my dress every two steps! How do these ladies dress like this everyday!? Must be so irritating. Then there was the challenge of going to the lavatory, that is merely a hole in the ground!!! I really felt dirty after using the bathroom, feeling like my dress kept brushing on the floor. To my amazement there was no toilet paper, thankfully I had some tissues in my pocket!

After venturing out into the city of Mashhad and enjoying a local meal by the station, we made our way back to the train. Being 3pm and only having half an hour until we leave, Mrs G and I went to the bar cart to see if there was any internet. Luckily I got to speak to Julien, the joy in his voice when he answered! It really is true the heart grows fonder with time apart. Talking for three quarts of an hour I then realised the train hadn’t moved yet.

Hours we sat at the station of Mashhad wondering whats going on, could the officials be holding us? Dinner time arrived and all the passengers came into the dinning cart, nobody had a clue why we were still sitting at the station. Then comes in Mr Littler looking like he had been near tears and apologising on the microphone that we hadn’t moved anywhere. The boggies (wheels) that got transferred last last night has caused serious damage to the carts and that the government officials have sent a letter saying we are not allowed to move anywhere until further notice. Mr Littler says with a saddened tone that he and the team had been up all last night in distress due to damage sustained. They received a letter saying the other option would be for an Iranian train to come and collect us to finish off the last week touring Iran. Here is the thing, the train doesn’t have private bathrooms per passenger room like The Golden Eagle. That we have to share one toilet per ten cabins! Oh boy was that a fright to hear. Well for Mrs G and I especially.. Could you imagine ten cabins, some two passengers per cabin, sharing one toilet that only has a hand washer!? Well I guess we all signed up for an adventure! I wonder how this will work.. Tomorrow afternoon we will be boarding our new Iranian train to head south, Yazd will be our next destination.