A white SUV was slowly descending along the road of the Zagros mountain range. Green meadows stretched all around, and a distant lake shimmered in reflection. We were already approaching it when I suddenly noticed stretched black tents. As we drove closer to one of them, we saw a slightly plump woman in a sky-blue dress and a dark headscarf. She was holding a long wooden spoon and calling the children to lunch. The kids were joyfully playing around a large tent.
We began to travelling through Iran — and that’s when I felt the strong desire to write. First and foremost, for my friends who had predicted a grim fate for me: suffering under a scorching sun, always wrapped in a chador, tucked away in some harem. I wanted them to know I was more than fine. I also wanted to share the extraordinary blend of antiquity and modernity I was experiencing — a vibrant garden of cultures, rich in tradition, cuisine, and nature.