It was 07.00 in the morning when we arrived and while two stayed in a cafe the rest of us looked for a cheap hotel that was reasonably comfortable although I did have to make do with a cold shower.
It was very necessary to do so because in Ezerum I managed to pick up a bed bug which ever since had been having a real feast on my blood. Luckily the itching had not been permitted to develop too badly because of the cold weather we had passed through. Dorothy (who had been a nirse) advised me the best way to be rid of it was a shower using dettol and then washing the clothes I had been wearing in the same material. As the facilities for the latter were a little restricted I pit them into a polythene bag.
So we travelled to Tehran, having lunch in an English styled restaurant, roast chicken that was not really worth the money that we had to pay (130 rials). We saw advertised in one of the papers published in English a hotel that had a bar styled on the lines of an English pub selling Red Barrel. So that evening we all dressed up (I found the suit rather creased but would not be deterred by such trivialities) and out we went. But we were disappointed when we discovered that it was only the local wallop no better then the near beer we had drunk in Istanbul. One pint was sufficient at 35R so we ended the evening in a restaurant paying exorbitant prices for food.
Deciding that the nest two nights might be a little short of sleep we retired to an early bed.
Observation – Tehran
Tehran is the most Westernised city that we have so far met, sophisticated and representative of the capitol of a prosperous country as the oil has made Persis. On the other hand it is a comparatively new capital and lack historic interest. On the other hand for night life and shopping in the Bazaars etc is of great enjoyment but the on the whole a day and a night and a bit was sufficient.