For sightseeing I had a day sac to carry my camera, Travel guide and phrase books etc
I also packed a small handbag for going out to restaurants etc at night - just so I felt a bit more smartly dressed!
Females over 9, hejab is compulsary.
No need for a chador though.
Trousers/ Jeans or long skirt/dress, with long sleeve shirt or jacket, reaching mid- thigh are ok.
No need for black or plain material either.
I packed a light unlined mac - 2 sizes too big. This was cool (temperature, not fashionwise!)
Also, 'Best Lingerie' in coloured cotton or silk! it helped me feel less frumpy.
Iranian women are very elegant, The young are 'pushing the boundaries' wearing tight fitting shorter tops, with hems on jeans cut above the ankle.
Towards the end of my trip, I was desperate to buy some new clothes, but discovered that a lot of the clothes are in man-made fibres.
Open toed sandals worn with nail polish are ok
A selection of scarves - lightweight cotton or silk - in different colours and patterns.
Squares for wearing knotted under the chin - ( the locals look elegant, I felt like a character from 'League of Gentlemen' or a Queen Liz 2 impersonator) and longer rectangles, for draping over the hair.
Carry all prescription medicine with you.
Eye drops and throat lozenges - to combat the effects of the traffic fumes.
Sun screen - even if only your hands and face are exposed!
All the guide books state that tampons are difficult to obtain in Iran, so come prepared. I'm afraid that I meant to check this out, but forgot. I did notice packets of sanitary towels on display in a shop in Kandovan though.
All that you can carry!!! This was my first trip using a digital camera - and thought that I had sufficient SD card memory and with 2 rechargable batteries I'd be fine, even when camping, and unable to re charge them- Wrong! (Yes I'm snap happy!!!)
Luckily most towns have at least one photography shop. I was considering burning my pics to CD, but my guide told me of a couple who'd done this, and arrived home to find the cd had broken in 2 - luckily, they'd made a copy for the guide, so he was able to send them another copy.
During my trip, I spent 3 nights camping, the first night was in Shabil, which was very cold at night - next to a river, near snow capped Mount Sabalan. I was glad I'd packed a cheap fleece blanket ( I later left this with the nomads - along with some clothing)and a long sleeved thermal vest.
Forget beach wear, unless you're travelling to Kish Island! However, I'm glad that I took my (sensible) cossie, because when I got to Shabil, I got the chance to bathe in the hot springs - (alternating times for male and female bathers) However, my fellow bathers were wearing various attire -swim wear, underwear, or nude!
Wet-wipes
Anti- bacterial handwash
Tissues/ toilet paper.
Tea spoon! -
post cards/ photos of your home town etc.
I also carried small gifts, to give to my guides, and people that I stayed with.
Boiled sweets- for the long car journeys! (These were very popular)!
Torch - magilite etc
Farsi phrase book - I used Lonely Planets'.
