I’m a bit nostalgic lately I don’t know why. Maybe because I’m hormonal due to that time of the month or also because I just recently turned two years here in Dubai.

I went through my old files and found photos from my Visa Run last January 2015. The popular and most affordable exit destination at that time was Kish, a small island on the Persian Gulf. Prior to my exit I have heard ‘horror’ stories from fellow expats and googling Kish, Exit and Visa Run just made it worse. Though my colleagues assured me that it’s not all that bad I was still anxious.

The distance from Dubai to Kish is a 30-minute flight on board Kish Airlines. The plane I was on was really old and would seem to easily dismantle if exposed to strong turbulence and wind. This is a common opinion among those who have been to Kish for Visa Run. Luckily the flight was short and none of the above happened during the flight.

At one of the first stops of the tour – the ancient city of Harireh.

One of the ruins at Harireh. The 800-year-old city consisted of a mosque, bath house and palatial house.

It was like a ‘NatGeo’ moment for me seeing these ruins.

Interior of one of the houses.

Some parts of the ruins were reconstructed as part of the restoration just like this little wooden gate.