A few weeks ago, in the middle of a workday at 2 PM, a friend called and said I had to be ready in an hour for a trip to Sarein and possibly Astara. A simple “no” could have saved me from all the potential chaos of this sudden trip, but of course, I said yes. Within an hour, a complete three-day travel package was ready, and a group of eight set off toward Sarein.

The terrible road from Sarab to Sarein, the endless speed bumps, and rain reducing visibility to under two meters made the trip exhausting, but after a few hours we finally arrived in Sarein. The suite we rented was tolerable, and the first night ended pleasantly and joyfully.

On the second day, despite others’ reluctance, we headed to Astara and the amazing Heyran Pass, as there was nothing else to experience in Sarein. From the moment we arrived, everyone was mesmerized by the region’s beauty, and I reminisced a bit about Heyran Pass from 20 years ago.

By 1–2 PM, we reached the beauty of Astara, unaware that, unlike in Sarein where accommodation was easy to find, we would spend the next 5 hours dealing with tricky locals trying to pass off ruined villages as villas. Eventually, by evening, we found a small hotel near the sea and settled for the second night.

Evening walks on the beach and nighttime gathering relieved our travel fatigue, and by noon the next day, we were ready to return. The Heyran cable car experience, with constant chants of “Ya Reza,” disrupted our nap, and by dinner, we all agreed the trip was too short and needed to be extended. We ended up staying at a friend’s house until ear