GETTING AROUND FOR LESS

Dreams of sun, sand, lively people and freedom from responsibilities can be a warm break from the cold,
relentless, daily routine. “Travelling” is what I mean! Travelling may be easy to some, but too hard for
people who only live from paycheck to paycheck. The good news is that you do not need to be rich to be
able to travel. It is possible to tour without breaking your bank.

I am also amongst those passionate travelers who actually love to travel but the limited budget is the
barrier. So at the beginning of this year I finally decided to make my way and follow my dreams. I visited
some of the most beautiful spots of my country, Iran. Two of us , me and my younger sister planned this
trip in a short budget which was off course challenging but fun. From our city Qom, we took a train to
one of the most beautiful city Isfahan. The train fair was quite reasonable because it was March and not
the peak season. So take that as the first tip. Never choose the busy seasons!

Our trip comprised of one week. We booked a motel in Isfahan which was not located on the busy
streets because those were quite expensive. So we had to walk a lot to get transport or to visit a market,
but we were ready for that. We started off with the great Aali Qapu Palace. Breathtakingly beautiful
building with majestic music room ! Naqsh e Jahan square and Menar e Jonban were also the historical
yet creative places which we got to see. Transport facilities to these places were a bit expensive because
jeeps were usually used due to the rocky roads. So we compromised on healthy but cheap food which
we bought from the local stalls; soup and rice.

For the change in mood and style our next trip was to Mountain of Sofeh. It is a complete package!
Hiking was what we did which was an amazing experience and the view from the top was mesmerizing.
From the top , cable cars then took us to a lower station. That’s where the amusement park, dinosaur
sculptures and bowling club was situated which was also a thrilling experience. Surprisingly the tickets
for all were quite reasonable. Isfahan’s music museum was a completely startling experience. Violins,
guitars, flutes, brass, drums and much more. They were beautifully displayed and people were even
allowed to play them. The interior was quite attractive as well. We had roasted corns and sangak bread ;
the yummiest Irani snacks that day.

After all these visits, came the most important one. Girl’s favourate; shopping. We went to the city
centre from our motel after walking for 25 minutes ; quite long ,I know. But we had to save up. The
products had wide range of price depending on the quality. Technically we had chosen this market
because it was quite reasonable with great variety . So we bought some souvenirs and some gifts for
friends at comparatively lower cost. According to the plan the last spot was Zayandeh rud. It is the
largest river of the Iranian Plateau in central Iran consisting of bridges, parks, paddle boats and
traditional cafes and restaurants. But there comes the entertaining part ; camping. Camping facilities are
also available there. Keeping in mind our budget and also to gain a new experience we stayed last two
nights of our trip there after chacking out of that motel. Truly, fascinating and hypnotizing views were
captured in our hearts.

Summing up, we just explored one city of our country but the moments we spent there will always be
remembered. A bit of planning, consideration and adjustment can make our journey reasonable but fun.
 Avoiding the peak seasons, compromising on the quality of food and accommodation , using public
transport or walking some distances etc are some tough yet important tips to travel in a limited budget.

AFSHEEN ZEHRA SOMANI