Masshad, Iran
Alas, I am now in Iran! After a couple days journey over the hills of south Turkmenistan, I carefully trotted over the border into Iran, where a young machine-gun toting youth made great pains to be my porter, even shooting his gun in the air many times and nudging its muzzle against my back in a friendly, hopeful gesture.
I thought to myself, "When in Rome..." and got into his Subaru hatchback and sat next to the young man's rocket launcher. The young Iran...