April 1972: A Few Days in Tehran

Taken From All About My Hat The Hippy Trail 1972

Next thing I knew it was morning, April 18 1972, and we were sitting outside at a wooden table with Abdullah and a few others, eating yoghurt and bread and figs with cheeses and pickles – and marmalade! Abdullah's son came out with a camera and happy photos were taken . Al never got to see them though.

Al and Keith left and walked for about half an hour to the border where they changed money, went through formalities, and then boarded a bus to Tehran in Iran. The small village where they caught the bus, not far from the border, was the opposite of the town Al had hated the night before.

The street and its buildings were clean and almost modern, people saying hello and smiling, It looked quite busy with cars and trucks and quite welcoming. Al wondered why it was so close but so different to the other place he realised now that he did not even know the name of the place. He thought for a moment that Abdullah and his house may have been a dream.

But almost a soon as they found the bus station office, it was time to get on the bus to Tehran which would take all day again.

Iran was being ruled by Shah Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlav, basically a king.

This time there were no Europeans but there was a Russian man on the next seat and as soon as he found out that Al and Keith spoke English he started talking loudly to them and did so for most of the day. He had food to share, fruit and bread and cheeses, so everyone was happy.

We arrived in Tehran just as it was getting dark again and immediately spotted a hostel near the main bus station and booked into a dormitory which already housed several Europeans on their way to or from India.

One of them was American John whom they had last seen in Greece before Al and I met – he was the guitar player that they had picked up in their van.

Although they seemed to see each other, the meeting was brief, and Al being tired, went to his bed.

Next morning when Al awoke and put me back on his head, we went outside into a large courtyard and Al joined Keith who was already sat at a table drinking tea and eating bread and fruits. Al sat down and almost immediately a young teenage boy brought him tea, bread, fruit and yoghurt.

As Al was eating, Keith started reading from his guide book again.

“Listen to this, man!” said Keith, “We're. in the biggest city in this part of the world.

“Tehran is Iran's largest city and urban area, and the largest city in Western Asia.

“There's a lot more stuff here,” said Keith, “more history, culture, climate, religion but I'm not fucking reading all that out, you can read it later if you want, man.”

Al never did read that. Later we went out into the busy street outside the hostel in order to get something to eat. We walked for about half an hour towards the city centre before we found a small eating house. It was a very noisy street and the eatery was just as noisy inside as outside. But inside, everyone seemed to be shouting at everyone else, so Al and Keith decided to sit outside at a wooden table with a plastic table cloth.

There was a menu printed on card but nothing in English, but luckily the waiter spoke English and was able to direct them to some vegetarian food. This consisted of falafels wrapped with flat bread and served with spring onions, bowls of hot and spicy noodles, bean and vegetable stew, a dish of hot broad beans and salads and dips with more bread. They ate their fill. Al felt pleased to get so much food and thought it cheap. Most of the eating places they had passed seemed to be serving mainly meats in bread, or meat in rice. Afterwards they ate a sticky cake with strong black coffee.

“Actually, I wouldn't mind a beer, it's been months!!”, said Al.

“Iran is alcohol-free,” laughed Keith, “Fuck, you've picked a bad time to want beer man, all these countries are alcohol free and you can get sent to prison for being drunk”

“I guess I'll have to wait 'til we get back to Istanbul then,” said Al.

“We'll have to talk about that, man,” said Keith, “I know we said we would meet up with Mike and John but that's still weeks away, and I think we should head east across Iran and spend a week or two in Afghanistan it will be a fantastic place with great hash!”

Al and Keith discussed that on their walk back to the hostel. I could tell Al was really keen on getting out of Tehran but at the same time thinking more of an adventure in Afghanistan – which he knew nothing about except they grew cannabis and made strong hash in the mountain areas and yes they did have enough time.

“I haven't got much money left,” said Al. “I don't want to end up stranded somewhere I don't know anything about, it could be like getting stuck 2000 years ago!”

“Well the best thing is to get some money sent to American Express in Kabul, the capital. If you write a letter now if should be there by the time we get there. It should take a few days.

“We could get a bus to the outskirts tomorrow. We can get a visa in the morning and be hitching a lift by about two o'clock.”