Driving in Tehran
Slept well, and finally arose about 10, had breakfast (silently) and snuck out, only just waking Brian, and went to the Afghan Embassy for car business. Damn! I thought, I've left my travellers cheques behind, but no matter, they merely asked me to fill in form in duplicate, hand in my passport and three beautiful photographs. It took over half an hour to get there by car - the standard of driving here is unbelievably bad. It is a miracle when you reach your destination unscathed, and they're so slow.
Back in the hotel Brian was mobile and had done the washing. I ate a cheese butty while we had some more thoughts about today's lesson. Then we set off for Miss Rassis' at about 2:30. We were ten minutes early, but we talked until 4:30, another good lesson! It really is excellent practice for one's English.
While we were stuck in traffic in Shah Avenue a neighbour in a taxi asked us where we were from. He had studied mining at Leeds University. When we commented on the driving in Tehran he said, "If you can drive in Tehran, and more particularly in Turkey, you can drive anywhere in the world and through the Flames of Hell!"
Back at the hotel Brian built a curry while I went and bought one or two ingredients. Before embarking on it we had a cup of tea, and I started the homework. Next I got two portions of rice (50R scandalous) from downstairs to go with it. It was extremely good. Heinz appeared so we extracted some more "Three Nuns" tobacco in return for some coffee. He then proceeded to tell us the meaning of the English words we have to work out for tomorrow. Finally, he disappeared with our stove. So to bed about 1:30.
Although we could get quite reasonable little cigars in Tehran at about 2/3 for 10 we hankered after decent pipe tobacco. Dad sent some, which cost a lot in postage, but, unless you've tried it, you've no idea how execrable the Turkish stuff is. For a start it's like tinder, and almost goes off like a firework.
Another really energetic day. I slept excellently and didn't really wake up till almost 10:30. I toyed with the idea of getting up and going to the British Council, but Brian was slumbering, even after Babaian had woken us on the telephone to say that Norah was ill and the next lesson would not be until Saturday. That settled it I read until finally Brian woke up at about 1:30. Then I went and got bread and we had melon and bread for breakfast - though Heinz still had our stove so we couldn't make any tea. We had to go and eat our bread in the lounge with a cup of tea.
