A few things to forget, but far more things to remember

[Photo by Tan Yingzi/China Daily]

If you have a strong predilection for alcohol and you love prancing around in the bare minimum of clothes, you may want to give the Islamic Republic of Iran a miss. There is an alternative, of course: You can take a vow of sobriety and put up with minor physical discomfort for a week or two so that you do not have to miss out on the splendors that Iran has to offer.

One more upfront warning: If you nurse an addiction for WeChat you had better be ready to go cold turkey on that, too, of which more later. But first that business about alcohol.

Our group of six intrepid travelers fortified ourselves for our forthcoming abstinence by drinking quite a bit of beer and wine on the flight of a little more than five hours from Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, to Teheran. (However, you are well advised not to overdo this binge, given that drinking a lot of alcohol while flying is likely to leave you dehydrated.)

Well before such a flight you will not doubt have considered the matter of the country's climate. Many of the most popular tourist destinations are found in places where temperatures can soar to above 40 degrees at some times of the year, and if it is moderate weather conditions you feel most comfortable in it is best to go in spring or autumn.

We planned to go in late September, so we booked our flights and hotels in July to avoid any late rush brought on by the National Day Golden Week holiday period in China in October.