I am finally in Tehran! After such a long time planning and imagining I am here. Not quite started properly yet but getting there. I still cannot quite believe that I can jump on a plane at Heathrow and 5 hours later be going through customs at Tehran’s IKIA (airport). Among so many other things it makes me think how can the west and Iran have so many differences or perceived differences when geographically at least we are now so close! It is perplexing. My first impressions of Tehran are mixed. As might be obvious it really is just another big, smog filled city. But it has a good vibe to it. Everyone is fantastically busy going about their business, chatting on the street, men and women walking hand in hand down the street. Very little police or military presence at all. A walk up Valiasr Street is a lesson in capitalism, with every shop imaginable hawking their wares. Laptops, cameras, luxury furniture, fancy clothes…everything. It is hard to imagine with the feeling and scenes on Valiasr today that it has been the scene of such disruption this year.

So, after 12 hours in-country my overall feeling is that I am going to dig Iran. Of course I am still sleeping on a proper bed and eating copious amounts of food, so when the hardship begins that may well change. I will keep you posted. Photos to come.