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Iran
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Even waiting for a ride can be sometimes a bit frustrating, but it is still very easy place to hitchhike. Frustration comes when there is a driver stopping for you every few minutes and suggesting to take you to the terminal and sometimes you may find it hard to explain that you travel with very low budget and you want to hitchhike. Otherwise in north people stopped sometimes just to ask if there is a need for help. In fact, you don't stand longer than 10 minutes. But there is a big variety of opportunities after someone stops to you. It might even happen that police/army (which are in most corners of Iran) will take from the road and after getting surprised of your situation, will stop a car for you and convince the driver to take you.
In Farsi (official language in Iran, spoken as a first or second language by most citizens) the word hitchhiking doesn't exist. The translation of this word, found in english-farsi phrasebook, seems to be something that locals hear for the first time in their lives.
[[User:Alex|alex]]: I have only experiences with hitchhiking in Northern Iran, Tehran Airport towards Turkey, however, this was quite easy and I assume that it is the same in the rest of the country. Many people do not know the idea of hitchhiking (you start a conversation with an explanation that you do not want do go to the bus terminal), but people are very helpful and hospitable. Generally, I found it easy to spot if a driver expects money, and rejected the lift, or not and it will be a ride for free. Further, I had quite some rides from couples and families.
The bureaucracy thing: Sadly, I had to fly into Iran. I did not manage to get a visa in Yemen or in the Emirates beforehand (I stayed 7 days in Muscat until the embassies opened again; they told me at the Embassy of Iran that they can only issue for residents in contrast to what I have been told before). Flying into Iran is an option for people from some privileged countries. Larger airports in Iran can issue a 14 days transit visa on the spot. However, I guess this is not an issue as most people here will travel the other direction and will only start their journey when they have this visa (since this is the only visa Germans can not get at the border).
[[Image:Shiraz.jpg|thumb|250px|[[User:Fran|Fran]] waiting for a ride in [[Iran]].]]
Iran has borders to [[Iraq]], [[Turkey]], [[Armenia]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Turkmenistan]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Afghanistan]].
==Get in==
* [[Yazd]]
* [[Khuzestan]]
==Links==
* [http://abgefahren.hitchbase.com/DE/blogs/alex/20090213/just-hitching-rides-a-journey-eid-christmas Just hitching rides: A journey from Eid to Christmas], abgefahren Blogs
[[Image:Iran.JPG|thumb|250px|[[User:Alex|alex]] in Iran]]
