Iran - Andrew Burke [255]
Like a homing pigeon, but a lot slower, the camels are trained to know where their home is. They are walked for several days from somewhere near the border to a predetermined place beyond Kerman, thus avoiding the most concentrated police and military surveillance. The process is repeated, with the camels being fed each time they arrive to build an attachment to the destination. When they know where they’re going, kilograms of opiates are surgically inserted into their humps and they’re left to wander ‘home’. Even the government’s US$400 million annual war on drugs cannot account for every wandering camel in the desert.
It’s a war that’s been running for almost 30 years and seen more than 3300 soldiers die in battles with heavily armed smugglers. Iran has erected electric fences, dug desert ditches (to dissuade after-hours motorcyclists) and stationed 30,000 men on the Afghan border, but still an estimated 85% of all Europe’s opiates pass through Iran en route from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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Information
EMERGENCY
24-Hour Pharmacy ( 245 760; Imam Jameh St)
Police headquarters ( 110, 211 3068; Adalat St)
Seyed Shohada Hospital ( 252 6280; Esteghlal St) The best in town.
INTERNET ACCESS
There are several other coffeenets (internet cafés) between Azadi and Valiasr Sqs.
Alpha Cafe Net ( 226 7270; Valiasr Sq; per hr IR10,000; 8am-10pm, closed Fri) The best option, with webcams, mics and disc burning available.
Café Net Raap ( 244 4917; Jomhuri-ye Eslami Blvd; per hr IR10,000; 8.30am-10pm Sat-Thu & 4-10pm Fri) Just west of Azadi Sq; it’s below ground level.
MONEY
Changing money in Kerman isn’t fun. If these options don’t work, Akhavan Hotel changes money at slightly lower rates.
Bank Melli Central Branch (Adalat St) Nightmare on Adalat St…five signatures, 30 minutes.
Exchange Shop (Qods St) One of two small shops near the corner of Dr Shariati St, easily the best and quickest place to change money.
POST
Post office (Adalat St)
TELEPHONE
Telephone office (Tohid Sq; 7am-10pm)
TOURIST INFORMATION
An information office is planned for a restored caravanserai at the east end of Ganj Ali Khan Courtyard.
Tourist information office ( 245 5151, 222 8115; cnr Jomhuri-ye Eslami Blvd & Al Qadir St; 7.30am-2pm, closed Fri) Helpful staff have brochures etc, but it’s too far out of town.
TOURS
These two operators can arrange tours within Kerman and to the surrounding areas, including the Kaluts, Mahan and Rayen. Both charge similar prices and have had mainly positive feedback, though they’re not perfect. For desert trips, specify whether you want to sleep in camp or in the desert.
Jalal Mehdizadeh ( 271 0185, 0913 142 3174; jalalguesthouse@yahoo.de) Jalal, who also owns Jalal Guesthouse, has a car, speaks German and English and is better organised, but not as fun as, Hossein Vatani.
Vatan Caravan Tours & Travel Agency ( /fax 223 7591 0913 343 5265; vatan_caravan@yahoo.com; Ganj Ali Khan St) Hossein Vatani’s ancient Jeep seems permanently incapacitated, but he’s good fun and can arrange trips to nomad encampments, camel treks and his speciality, trips into the Kaluts to sleep in the ‘million star hotel’. Cost depends on the transport you choose.
TRAVEL AGENCIES
Parse Owj ( 244 6002/3; parsehowj@yahoo.com; 7 Ayatollah Saduqi St) English-speaking staff sell air, train and bus tickets. Reliable.
Raya Travel Agency ( 247 2214; Ferdosi St)
VISA EXTENSIONS
Management of Foreigners Affairs Office ( 272 5798; Police Bld No 14, Abbas Pour St; 7am-1.30pm, closed Fri) The office is efficient enough but usually only issues two-week extensions, and you have to trek back to the Bank Melli Central Branch to deposit your cash. The office is about 300m north of Ashura Sq; look for the pale-green guardhouse on the right-hand (eastern) side of the road. Arrive early and you should