A tourist and vlogger has taken a trip to one of the cheapest countries in the world, spending just over £100 for an entire five-day stay, and managing to get a beer and a full meal for just £3.
It’s perhaps not the first country you might think of for a holiday, and it’s a very long way away from the UK, but this travel blogger certainly seemed to fall in love with the Asian nation of Uzbekistan.
Now – be honest – could you have told us anything at all about the country before reading this?
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Hopefully, we’ll be able to illuminate some things about the Uzbek culture for you, then.
Texan travel YouTuber, Drew Binsky, has visited every country in the world on a constant trip since 2012, but he reserves particular praise for Uzbekistan.
He described the country as ‘historical, peaceful, and beautiful’ and also noted that it’s one of the cheapest places he’s ever stayed.
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With the exchange rate meaning that £100 is equivalent to around 1.5 million Soms – the local currency – most transactions cost tens of thousands, but that equates to very little.
Drew and his wife were in the cities of Samarkand and Bukhara for five days, and in the caption for his video, he wrote: "Uzbekistan is just a magical place inside and out, with some of the most stunning ancient wonders and lovely, down-to-earth people that will just make you smile."
He said: "When people hear of a country that ends in 'stan' they usually think danger.
"But this country is quite the opposite."
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In total, his food, drink and accommodation cost only £130. That included a hotel for as little as £27, big meals for £2.30, and beers for about £1.50.
He got some lovely juice for only 30p, and a silk dress – for his wife – for just £11.60.
Drew continued: "The last 100 hours travelling around Uzbekistan with Deanna has been everything we hoped it to be, and it is now one of our favourite countries and cultures in the world."
In terms of safety, the UK government’s advice on Uzbekistan is also pretty positive.
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Whilst some crimes like pickpocketing and theft are relatively common, the advice notes that ‘violent crimes against foreign nationals are rare’.
“You should exercise caution and take measures to protect your personal security as you would when visiting any European country,” the advice states.
They do advise that you should avoid all but essential travel to certain regions, such as near the border with Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as the Uzbek/Tajikistan border and the Fergana Valley.
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But, stick to the major cities like Samarkand and you should be OK.
So, big weekend out in Uzbekistan, anyone?
You can check out Drew's full video here.
Topics: World News, Travel, Money, Food And Drink
Tom Wood