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From: Anna Kirtiklis<br />Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2000 07:45:16 -0700 (PDT)

bulk thoughts: blastocytosis (18)

Anastasia Kirtiklis
2006-06-29 10:53:39

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www.kirtiklis.com

Hello Worryworts,

My love for Iran has been tempered by Hushman, the insipid little man assigned to be the local guide and driver on the last tour. He was really incredible. I'll sum him up for the moment with a quote by tourist Elaine, an otherwise calm and pleasant woman.

“I'm not letting that bastard get the best of me.”

The guide before Hushman was fabulous and professional (particularly when compared to “call me Hushie”) and it made the torture of incompetent guidance all the worse. I'm also tired and cranky beyond belief. I've been in Iran a month now and have completed two, two week tours around the country, as well as the tour in from Uzbekistan. This week I start the tour that travels back to Tashkent (by road) and thanks be to God, it's my last tour of the season!

Of course, I am meant to have a big twelve hours “off” between tours to write the reports and account for every rial spent, and to “have some time to myself” but my clever employers in AU have run the two tours (with different group members) together again, confusing everything in the process and pushing me over the edge. I only have time now because they brilliantly scheduled a full day of sightseeing today—four excellent museums.

Any idiot knows that museums are closed on Mondays. Even in Iran.

I mentioned this to both the organizers in AU and here in Tehran three weeks ago and was assured it would be changed, but no, I spent the morning in the office working it out as the tourists sat waiting in the van outside. Well done.

Otherwise, Iran is still fabulous. Really great. I haven't been writing much because the days are jam-packed with sights and as Iran is new to me, I go everywhere rather than hand the tourists off to local guides as I did in Uzbekistan where I've seen everything ten times. (I also hand-pick ...